There are 52 weeks in a year, which means there are 52 opportunities to be a weekend warrior. There’s (at least) 52 adventures to be had. And most importantly for me and my New Year’s resolution, there are 52 hikes. Fifty-two chances to hit a trail and soak in some Vitamin D and good vibes from Mother Nature. Now I know what you’re thinking: for someone that makes a living being in and writing about the outdoors, 52 hikes in 365 days should be a cinch, right? I thought so, too. But just four weeks into the new year, I’m finding it to be harder than I initially thought. To keep my streak going, and still accomplish my hefty to-do list for the weekend, I headed out to the Flatirons Vista Trail — one of my favorite local spots for a quick and easy three-mile loop. But quick and easy is far from how my hike went. Unbeknownst to me, the trail network had changed and grown since my last visit, and instead of looping around back towards the trailhead, I found myself descending along a series of switchbacks full of hard-breathing mountain bikers, trail runners and happy pups all out enjoying the spring-like day. As I pushed past a stretch of dense trees, a sprawling network of trails stretched out towards the scenic Flatirons mountains before me. Curiosity took over, and two hours and more than six miles later, I made it back to my car, just in time to watch the last rays from the sun highlight the fast-moving storm clouds that settled in over Boulder. While I’m four for four in my quest to tackle one hike per week this year, who knows how the rest of 2018 will shake out. Maybe I’ll hit my goal, and maybe I won’t, but either way, having an excuse and a reason to toss the to-do list, put down the phone, and commit to enjoying at least one hour outside each week is a big enough win for me.
