What do you do when you come across sleeping beauty in the forest? Why, you stop, stare and snap a photo.

The world is indeed a bit wacky these days -even in a forest. Sometimes you go on a hike to escape the city life and escape the everyday madness of one’s life. These days, however, that madness follows one into what should ostensibly be the realm of the quiet and serene. The staff that maintain this preserve where I went hiking most assuredly were trying to make nature “fun” and add a bit of whimsy to the trails. Can’t blame them really for trying to add some charms and trinkets to the path so that more people may venture out into the woods. But is it not sad that we need to do so on occasion?

I have been flying back and forth between New York and California. Last time I was in NY I also went hiking. And, when I told my fellow office mates in California that I had been hiking they looked at me quizzically. I noted their looks and asked what was the matter. They all expressed wonder that one can go hiking in new York. They had no idea there were mountains, trails and nature overall. Oh, Californians-so embedded in their own world. Yes, there are many hiking trails in New York. There is also skiing and kayaking. They asked me where were the mountains. I noted that they are all over new York. This just blew them away. In that moment I felt what I can imagine that Galileo must have felt hundreds of years ago.

Now as I hike random New York trails I think of how I will document the hikes so that people believe that there is indeed nature in New York. The image of the concrete jungle of New York City is so embedded in the collective consciousness that people forget there is more to New York State than just the city.  Mind you, I am a die-hard city girl and back when I was a kid thought there was no reason to leave the city-although I did change my mind quite early on as such  I must note there is more to New York than the city streets.

But back to the other subject at hand- getting people out into nature. I am often surprised when people tell me they don’t walk anywhere. I love walking and seeing so many things as my feet take me to new wonders. But if little “enchantments” must be placed on hiking trails it must be because there is a need for enticement. Apparently, many decades ago, walking was seen as a class thing where that those that walked were seen as mired in poverty and was also associated with homelessness. I do believe there is a grand segment of the population that enjoys hiking. However, with technology keeping many youth wedded to consoles and the like, will they be going on the hiking trails as readily?

Bring on sleepy beauty, I suppose.