Even Better

Oct 3, 2024

My daughter Ella, a videographer, was filming at a nature preserve in rural Indiana recently when the director told her that one in six of the kids in his school district had never been out in the woods. As a recent kid herself, Ella was amazed. We Rosses are by no means the most adventurous of outdoor people given my personal love of a comfortable bed and my long-standing visceral distrust of bugs and snakes; nevertheless, our family spent lots of time on trails as Ella was growing up. After all, it's great exercise, engaging for all the senses, safe if you stay on the trail, and, for the most part, FREE.

Our family hiked the Shelburne Bay Trail recently when we were on vacation in Vermont. It was clear from the start that it was going to be a better-than-usual experience: Not 100 feet into the woods, we encountered a wet section that had been spanned by some pressure-treated boards to keep our feet out of the mud. That's not unusual for well-maintained trails, but some enterprising person had taken it one step further and added an unobtrusive layer of chicken wire to make the boards more slip-proof. It reminded me that anything can be improved, even Nature, with the thoughtful application of a few minutes of brainstorming. My knees were grateful for the added traction, and I felt deep appreciation for both the nature of Nature and the nature of humans.

For most areas, early fall is the very best time of year to get your family out and about to a local trail, so, weather permitting, this is usually the perfect weekend to head to the woods. The heat of summer has broken, there are fewer bugs, and the colors have started but the leaves haven't yet fallen to obscure the path and create hidden slippery hazards. It's also the perfect excuse for family photos.

KidsOutAndAbout'.coms Hiking With Kids article is an easy path to your next path, so check it out. If your favorite park is not yet on the list, email me back to let me know and we'll get it there pronto. And if you encounter ingenious improvements as you navigate your own path, please send those my way, too. I look for lessons everywhere.

—Deb