Mosquitoes, though, are the most annoying part of this new adventure. I can deal with the sore muscles and learn how to prepare my backpack for every type of emergency, but those pesky vampires can suck all the fun out of a great hiking trip. It had been eons, at least 20 years, since I'd done any hiking when I was invited to a 50-mile hike last summer. I foolishly jumped in with both boots and joined the Boy Scout troop as they hiked and camped the Waldo Lake wilderness area. I would never recommend that a novice hiker do what I did, but I would strongly encourage anyone to take a hike.
Exercise is the least of the benefits.
Our hike started in the dark on a Thursday evening with three miles to our first campsite. I lay soaking up the perfectly blue sky and the serene quiet, when, as if on cue, birds began chirping. I chuckled to myself. I frequently paused to delight in the way the sun and wind played with the maple leaves which resembled a flock of birds flying with precise singularity through the powerful pillars of the forest. Dainty wildflowers brightened meadows.