Location: Cedar Ridge Preserve Date: 12/3/17

Distance: 2.4 miles

I've been having a real internal struggle with getting out to the trail lately and I don't like it one bit. Aside from moderately busy weekends, household chores, and shorter days, I am so anxious about going hiking and it's all-consuming on weekend mornings when I have the time to go. But, thanks to Chewy the Dog, I got my self together and we went to the ole standby for some nature time. It was busy, so busy, and it was overwhelming at first but leveled off. There were a lot of dogs, a lot of people, and a lot of trail runners.

I was going to do the Fossil Valley Trail with a mix of others, but in my desperation to get out of the way of the trail running folks, I turned without looking where I was turning and went down the Cedar Brake trail. Cedar Brake is my favorite one there, it's the most woodsy and further from the highways so there is less noise, so this was a happy accident. I started to get lost in the trees and the way the light was dancing on the ground when it peeked through the clouds. My body was happy to get exercise and my brain was happy to get a tiny break - though most of the hike was thinking about things and stopping to take notes about those things.

Here's to you, old standby, not too far and usually not too busy...I started WAY too late in the morning. I'm still ONE hike behind, which I really need to make up - either this weekend or next.