~ Miles of Puddles ~
I throw on my Altra Olympus 5’s and walk – sometimes through the neighborhood, but often through the forest. On sunny days I wear the regular pair. On rainy days, I wear a waterproof set. Yikes, we’ve been having a really wet winter and now a really wet spring.
It’s fun to try out my Camino gear. I found out my raincoat, the one I was planning to take along with me, didn’t actually keep out the cold wetness on soggier days. Good to know! There is plenty of time to fix this situation!
Walking in the pouring rain has all the qualities of the currently fashionable “forest bathing”. The air this winter/spring has felt particularly cold and damp, but easier to breathe. The moss seems especially vibrant and the shade of the evergreens strikes me as exceptionally deep.
And then, there is the muck and mud! When I take the dogs with me, they need a bath when we get home. The shoes need a good scrub in the utility sink and everything I wore needs to go in the hamper – STAT!
The joy of having decided in December to take a long hike the following fall means I have lots of time and space to dream and prepare and anticipate.
I hope your dreams ignite your imagination!
Here is a link to a National Geographic article on forest bathing:
