I can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t love being outside, where I always enjoyed finding interesting flora and fauna, and subsequently learning more about them. I’ve hiked and biked many places in the southeast, and hope to continue to do so until my body tells me to quit. I’m currently 51 years old, so, not too old, but also not as young as I used to be.
The name of this blog came to my mind as I was suffering over some rooty, rocky trails at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Douglas County, Georgia. I’d been hiking a few miles, grousing about some elevation changes and happened upon a family hiking the same trail. With them was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old, happily scrambling over the rocks I’d just been mentally complaining about, all while wearing patent leather shoes and a sequined dress with an enormous pink tutu. She made me smile when I’d been frowning, and after that encounter I became motivated to commit myself to fostering and sharing my love of hiking despite my aging years and complaining body. If she can hike in a tutu, I can keep hiking despite my age, or the roots, or the rocks. I wish I’d gotten her name so I could thank her, but for now, I’ll honor her in this way.
I haven’t quite determined the pathway this blog will take, but I’d like to share my experiences hiking around the state of Georgia and neighboring states. I also know that sometimes you have to reward yourself for a good long body-flogging hike, so I might share a few tips about post hike refueling at the restaurants I find near the trails I’ve hiked. Whatever this turns out to be, I hope you enjoy tagging along with me. — Susan
Every one of us is getting older, which is a natural process. Time is constantly moving on, second by second. Nothing can stop it, but what we can do is use our time properly; that is in our hands. Whether we believe in a spiritual tradition or not, we need to use our time meaningfully. If over days, weeks, months and years, we have used our time in a meaningful way – when our last day comes, we’ll be happy, we’ll have no regrets. – His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Hiking in a Tutu 