The New Tradition

If you read my most recent post, you learned about the “old” tradition of quilting and crocheting in my family. If you’re reading this post, hopefully I can share with you our “new” tradition and a small glimpse into how the two became one.

It started with a simple Facebook post… Like many of you, I grow tired of the antics and rants I see on Facebook. But, I also see its good side, and this, I do believe, was an example of that.

My family and I had taken a vacation at Table Rock State Park in the summer of 2018. Professional athletes, we are not. But timid adventurists, we are. We love campfires, playing board games, and trips that don’t involve cells phones. My daughters can be ballerinas and brutes, and we believe the two mix just fine.

I was at the time what I would call a vacation hiker. Having backpacked in my 20’s and 30’s, I longed to reclaim the “ruggedness” that I imagined I once had. Really, I just like to see beautiful things. And to escape. To escape from a world where injustice, greed, anxiety, and mortality can cloud the mind.

I had heard about the beautiful views from Governor’s Rock, a beautiful rock outcropping near the summit of Table Rock Mountain. And I was determined to see it. I had done a small hike with the girls earlier in the week, and once my husband joined us on vacation, I was determined that we were all set for the summit.

It was a HOT summer. And a HOT day. But, I had sunscreen and water for an army. Still, we were realistic. We prepped the girls about how strenuous the hike would be. We decided as a family to hike up to the halfway point, a nice, smaller lookout, and see how we felt.

Once my girls saw the halfway view, there was no turning back. “We want to go!” they cried. My husband and I were skeptical, but the kid in me wanted to charge ahead, too. He was the reasonable one of the bunch. But, we climbed on. Bless him for putting up with my stubbornness. Up to Governor’s Rock, and then to the summit. And they loved it! Until the way down, of course. Needless to say, Bill and I traded carrying Mattie on half of the way down the mountain.

I posted the picture above as soon as I got home, and a dear friend from my hometown of only 3,000 strong, Travis, commented on the post. “If you can do that, how about join me for 28 miles?” I laughed. Out loud. Literally. And then I politely commented back that I didn’t think that was quite in my ballpark. And then he told me everything I ever needed to know about hiking. He told me that he hiked it forward.

You see Travis had completed what at the time was quite a foreign challenge to me. I had seen him post pictures from his Trailblaze Challenge hikes on Facebook, assumed he had lost his mind, and never really paid it all that much attention. But, I had seen his posts. Over and over again. And while time and distance may have separated us, Travis is one of my closest friends. Always has been. Always will be. I knew that if he was posting about this, it was important to him. And that it must be something of substance. So, when he replied back to my comment, I listened.

Fast forward a week or so. My kids are in the pool at their grandparents’ neighborhood. I’m sitting on the pool deck on the phone with Travis, in an impromptu recruitment meeting for the Make A Wish Trailblaze Challenge. Here’s what I remember from that phone call: 28.3 mile hike in 1 day; raise money for children with critical needs to receive wishes; 28.3 mile hike in 1 day; 28.3 mile hike in 1 day. And somehow, I still said yes. I remember, in the back of my mind, thinking, “There’s no way you can do this.” And my heart saying, “You have to do this.” And thank goodness, I have not looked back since. I have fallen. I have sweat. I have cried. I have even talked to a tree one day, after a VERY long hike. But, I’m still hiking. And I’m so thankful for that. Thankful to my husband and my daughters. Thankful to Travis. Thankful to my hiking buddies (you know who you are–and yes I will call you out in a post and embarrass you later).

So that’s how the new tradition started. I can’t wait to tell you how that first 28.3 miles went! LOL. But, I hope you’ll help me continue it by supporting this project.

Thanks for reading.