This week’s hike was at the Indiana Sand Dunes State Park – Cowles Bog trail. The weather was iffy on the drive there – snowing and windy. Grey too. Ugh, spring can’t come soon enough. The start of the hike looked much like this
My head was not in this hike. A lot on my mind and crummy weather turned quickly into low motivation and increased anxiety. This was not my hike.
As I said last time – I’m the slowest of the bunch. I don’t really mind this, I like going my own pace. The issue this time around was that I started to feel pressure to be moving faster. The pressure was likely self-inflicted, but it was there all the same. The more I tried to move faster, the more I felt anxious about the whole process. About halfway through the hike it was too much. I cut my losses and decided to turn back.
This was just not my hike.
Thankfully one of the coaches, Sue, came with me. I would have been fine on my own, but I’m not sure I would have felt as “okay” about turning back as I did with Sue. We had a nice chat and I was finally able to take a deep breath, look up and appreciate the beauty of the woods surrounding us.
:: the road home
Since I was about half-way to my favorite little towns in Michigan and I was leaving early, I decided to head up to Three Oaks to see if I could score a jar of the best mustard on the planet at Drier’s Meat Market
Unfortunately for me they were closed for the season – to open back up in about 3 weeks. oh, how I miss that mustard. If you are ever in Three Oaks, MI for any reason at all, do not miss this place. A billboard on the way into town reads, “Driers: Where vegetarians renounce their vows.”
So next week is another hike. I think I may try to do this one on my own. I like the idea of being with a team and hiking with other people, but I need to feel like I can do this at my own pace and perhaps I can only do that on my own. or with friends just out for a fun hike…?
Anybody interested in a 5.25 mile slow hike on Saturday?
