Winter is over. It seems like the seasons keep breezing by quicker and quicker as the years pass us by, making the appreciation of 'now' evermore sweet. Any chance to be outside is well-appreciated recently, even more so as the weather warms. 

   One of my favorite parts about winter ending is being able to watch the earth slowly wake from her slumber. It seems like she almost yawns and stretches, with the way the sun begins to shine brighter, and the green buds. My recent adventures have been brief (between having 2 jobs & helping manage a non-profit, free time is scarce) but sorely needed, as the sun kissing my cheeks & shoulders warm a part of me I didn't know was cold. 
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Two of my most recent adventures involve two vastly different parks. First up was a re-visit to Rock Island State Park & the Downstream Trail, then following was my most recent walk on the Mt. Juliet YMCA Greenway. One is a day-long adventure, with the morning trek south and subsequent exploration being an hours-long event. The latter is a revisitation of my old routine, an old friend I've come to love but haven't caught up with in recent months. 

   It's difficult to decide where my favorite spots in Tennessee are. There's always another beautiful spot, another waterfall, lush landscape, tiny treasure to find. Rock Island State Park may just be one of my favorites, simply because it's such an accessible park. From beautifully maintained old spring houses to picnic spots to trails that will have you working up a sweat, it seems this park has it all. 

   Rock Island State Park is nestled in Rock Island Tennessee, and is just under 2 hours away from the center of Nashville. A perfect getaway from the city's chaos for the whole family, there is an easily accessible waterfall, picnicking, and an adorable cabin rental just down the road from the Downstream Trail. There are fishing challenges at the marina, and the area is home to a cast of friendly locals. 

   The Downstream Trail is rated as Moderate on AllTrails, and is an out-and-back trail coming in at just under 2 miles. This trail is NOT ADA-accessible, so those with mobility aids please take care! The trail greets you with a gravelly decline down to the soil trail. The trail itself is mostly flat, with a few inclines along the way. There are 2 very shallow stream crossings, which make a lovely backdrop for photos (I took my 26th birthday portraits here!) and a beautiful cave behind a small waterfall you can explore. Twin Falls is the main attraction, but as you explore further down the trail you'll find scenic spots to sit and enjoy the landscape and flowers galore. 

   At the turn in the river, I sat on a rock and...let the world in. It's the moments of serene calm in our lives that we seek, and some even go so far as to chase them through difficult terrains and strenuous exercise. Moments of perceived stillness, even as the world and time flows around you. Life becomes so much faster after your school years, and at times seems as if blinking would spend all your time on earth. The work we do, people we see, the love we cultivate, it all takes precious moments of our time. These things, I think, are what makes time well-spent. Still, the fleeting moments shouldn't all be spent on active things. It's absolutely necessary to have time to just be. 

   Nestled near a Target and the Mt. Juliet YMCA lies a quiet path that is perfect for a post-work walk. In fact, it's always a treat when I remember that just a few minutes from my office there's a perfect walking trail with just the right amount of people and nature. One of my favorite ways to experience the changing of seasons is to consistently walk in one space, so you notice all of the little changes the year brings. 

   The YMCA Trail connects to another greenway, but on its own it weaves through forest, fields, and an old neighborhood with an abandoned cottage & silo. There is always something new to discover, from Bradford pear petals dotting the ground like snow, to new mushrooms popping up after a rain. The path is paved, and while it is technically mobility aid-friendly, there are some hills which make the path difficult to navigate for non-motorized wheelchair users. 

   If you're ever in need of a new walk in the Mt. Juliet area, I'd give this one a try. Walking from the parking lot to the greenway connection is a little over a mile, which makes for a lovely wind-down after a day of sitting in the office. If you're luck enough to catch the trail in the twilight when there are few people, you may even come face-to-face with a deer!                                                                                        

   No matter how many times I visit a place, it seems that there are always new changes to greet me. With how the world moves, I don't think I'll ever tire of visiting gorgeous areas, finding new treasures, experiencing the way the world changes. In your daily commute, do you take time to notice the way it changes? New flowers lifting their faces to the sun? 

  Dear reader, I hope that this spring you take some intentional time to really look at the world around you. Life is so fast, so busy. It won't hurt to slow down and take it in for a bit. 

   It always feels like such a privilege to go on a hike during a weekday. New Year's Day was a crisp one, with chilly air that manages to caress the hairs on your legs under your clothes. As I crunched along the trail and suffered up a rather long hill, my breath made clouds in the cool air in front of me. It was the perfect start to 2025, moving to better myself and to enjoy the world around me. There's truly something meditative about hiking alone, even on a semi-busy trail. Being alone with your thoughts, your own encouragement, it's a beautiful way to experience how you encourage others. 

   The Harpeth Woods Trail at Edwin Warner park is a 2 1/2 mile trail that's rated as Moderate on the AllTrails app. It's beautiful, but be aware that there is quite an incline at the end of the trail (or the beginning, if you're like me and started by turning left instead of right). This trail is gorgeous, and quite popular with families, so it's far from a solemn hike. After a good rain, you can see a variety of mushrooms dotting the trail, even in January. 

   Most of the trail was dry and well-kept, but beware a few fallen trees on the overlook fork! They are easily circumnavigated. For those with weak joints or injuries, I recommend bringing a hiking stick to help navigate rocky inclines and to help with balance. 

   This trail is NOT ADA-accessible, unfortunately. The trail is well-kept, but all dirt and quite muddy right after a rain. If you're planning on hiking with a mobility aid, I believe there is an old paved road that is now used as a trail at the Edwin Warner park. 

   Dear Reader, I hope that this year is filled with the sweet sensations of a breeze across your cheek on a warm day, or the hug of warmth you feel when donning your favorite cozy sweater. I hope that your 2025 is filled with personal triumphs, heartwarming moments, and bittersweet memories that you'll look upon fondly years in the future. Finally, I hope you find yourself outside this year. I hope you find a cool rock, or a beautifully-colored leaf, or a mushroom. I hope you can cultivate an appreciation for nature this year, even more so if you haven't had one before.

  Stay safe, Friend. Here's to 2025. 

   Of course; hiking with friends is a lovely experience. However, there are many times when a quiet solo hike does one a different kind of good. The serenity of strolling along at your own pace, finding little treasures, appreciating the way the late fall sunlight casts its golden light through the gaps in the leaves, sometimes it's just hat the heart needs.

   I began hiking as a way to reconnect with myself after being displaced when leaving a bad marriage. Picking my way down hills and through the trees, I strived to simply get outside and into nature, to be alone with my thoughts. Perhaps because of this, I prefer to solo hike, as throughout my time spent on the trail I developed a sort reverence for nature, the one thing that could calm my mind. Hiking (no matter how strenuous) has become almost religious for me, it's a way that I can connect with nature and simply exist as myself with no performance. 

   As an opera singer, it can be difficult to take some time away from the craft. Between learning new repertoire, translation, lessons & coachings, the endless rehearsal cycles, etc. it can be an exhausting career to pursue. In fact, it can be easy to lose yourself in all the bustle of the day-to-day in general. Taking the time to walk and be with yourself in solitude can help you remember your goals, and remind yourself of your values. 
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   This weekend, I decided I would explore the Hidden Springs Trail at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park. It was a gorgeous 66 degrees and sunny, which is unusual for late fall in Tennessee. I had attempted this 5-mile loop once before last year, but was unfortunately chased off the trail by the biggest deerfly I'd ever seen. Nevertheless, I packed up my hiking bag and decided to brave the trail once more. 

   The crunch of the fallen leaves under my step made a satisfying sound while I picked my way down the path, the trail getting rocky. It wasn't long ago that I would have laughed at the thought of going on a 5-mile hike for fun. Me, the outdoors? Absurd. I reflected on how much I've grown as a person as I spied some Turkey Tails, and snapped a picture. It's a thrill to find beautiful plants, leaves, mushrooms on the trail. They're marvels of the natural world, each plant, each fungus an integral part of the ecosystem around us. 

   The trail itself is considered Moderate on AllTrails (A wonderful app if you're looking to get into hiking), and I would agree. While many parts of the trail are wide and relatively flat, there are also fallen trees on the trail that will require you to step over or duck under them, and quite a few rocky sections that will require some knee strength. For any readers that struggle with their knees, balance,  or bending over, please use caution and take a hiking stick!

   The loop takes you past many sinkholes and a stream in a forested area with lots of different trees. Because the trail is mostly dirt, prepare to get muddy if you go and it's rained recently. This trail is popular, so you're never far from help should you need it. While the loop itself doesn't have any sharp turns, keep an eye out for the white blazes on trees to help you find your way, as there are a couple splits in the path that can be confusing. 

   To conclude, I think you should hike this trail if you're ever in the area. It's definitely on the easier side of the 'Moderate' ranking, and the trail itself is gorgeous. There are bathrooms at the top of the trail and places for picnicking, so bringing a snack or lunch to enjoy before/after your hike is also a great plan. Because this trail is busy, it's a great one to solo hike, because there are a lot of people to help you if you need it. However, always remember to protect yourself and bring safety gear, just in case. 

And, Dear Reader, if you've never had the pleasure of being purposefully alone in nature, I highly recommend it. Sometimes the act of existing alone with your thoughts under the canopy of trees can help inspire change, or comfort a grieving heart. I know it certainly did for me.

    Within Tennessee, there's a wealth of beautiful areas to explore. Between the Smoky Mountains, the waterfalls, the forests, it seems like you could never fully explore all that TN has to offer. There are 72 state and national parks in TN, and many more trails in remote areas!
 
   With the car finally parked, my partner and I stretched. It had been a 2 hour drive from my parent's house in northern Tennessee, and we were more than ready to take on  Old Stone Fort Archaeological Park. Our goal was to hike the Enclosure loop only, but we ended up making a full loop around the park with  the Enclosure, Moat, and Backbone loop! Sitting at a comfortable 2.8 miles, the combined loop takes a little over an hour on average to complete (although hikes always take me significantly longer, since there are always beautiful things to stop and look at). The trail immediately slopes downwards, so the initial part of your hike is easy, and there are many beautiful things to look forward to!

    From old stone ruins of a mill, to multiple gorgeous waterfalls on the park grounds, this area is one to plan to spend a few hours in. I highly recommend exploring Tennessee's parks in the early spring, when it's still a bit chilly but the wildflowers are poking their heads out to enjoy the sun. The trail follows a beautiful portion of the Little Duck River, where you can wade and fish and play to your heart's content. 

   Once you're at the bottom of the decline, you'll find yourself walking alongside calm, gently bubbling sections of the river. Should you decide to take on the Backbone trail, the walk to it will vary significantly! There are sections of flat, wide trail that's well-maintained, but there are also portions (specifically next to the river) that are very narrow, with lots of roots and hard-to-find footing. A walking stick is advised, but not needed if you're a more advanced hiker. The 'backbone' itself is quite steep, and at times only a few paces wide, so please be cautious if you're planning on bringing children along.

  As a beginning hiker with bad knees, I found that I struggled mainly on the inclines and in places with lots of roots lacing across the trail...With that being said, I would still rate this trail as moderate. If you're in better shape than I am, it may be a bit tiring, but since it's a relatively short trail and there are many flat portions you shouldn't have much trouble at all. 

Overall, I would love to revisit this park when it's a bit more green, and I can wade in the river. It's a beautiful area, with lots of gorgeous scenery, so I do hope that you visit if you're ever in the area. Dear reader, it's a pleasure to share the things I love and the things I struggle to improve with you. I think that being human is beautiful, and sharing our triumphs and gorgeous imperfections help connect us. I hope that today, you find a small imperfection to celebrate.

In theory, hiking sounds easy, right? 

   I mean, you're just walking around in nature. How hard could it be? Coming from someone who's spent their entire life overweight and wholly unconvinced of nature, I wasn't sure what to expect. I had always longed to be 'outdoorsy', but between the ever-changing weather, the bugs, the wildlife...Hiking has always seemed rather intimidating. The nicely-paved metro park trails of my college town of Cleveland were a great toe dip into outside, but I was largely content to keep to their curated paths.

   Suddenly in late summer of last year, I found myself in a new state, in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by Tennessee's many state parks. I had just escaped a bad marriage, and with nothing to do, I needed a hobby. I've always enjoyed moving my body, but for months prior to my sudden move, I had been too depressed to cultivate a healthy lifestyle. So...why not start small? I decided that maybe it was time to brave the bugs, and see what this 'Nature' was all about. 

   For my first few hikes, I kept it small. I was walking easy trails, usually about a mile and a half long. Getting moving after not having the energy was hard. I had no endurance, and my muscles ached whenever I dared to attempt walking on a path that wasn't smooth with no height variation. It was nice to be alone with my thoughts, and spending time alone in the fresh air and sun was a great way to gently encourage myself to heal, to regain some confidence in myself. 

   As I slowly began to challenge myself, my hikes got longer, and I got braver in visiting new state parks in the area. What awaited was a cornucopia of treasures: beautiful wildflowers, animals, and breathtaking views made all the huffing up hills and slipping in mud worth it. Pushing myself became less daunting, and I began to look forward to the next hike. I was less afraid of tripping. I began to smile more. 

   The best part? Discovering new plants and mushrooms to take pictures of!
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   I am by no means more than a casual hiker, to this day. However, I've begun to view life as an adventure, and finding new trails to stumble through has made me feel more confident in navigating adventures indoors, too. Learning to trust yourself and push yourself to new heights (sometimes literally) is so rewarding. Dear reader, even if you're not the hiking type I hope you find something that encourages you to be your best self.