If my wife doesn’t get to go out for a long hike every so often, she gets antsy. She needs to strap on the hiking boots, throw on a pack, and just truck out through the wilds. The longer the hike, and the steeper the terrain she has to cover, the better.
This is usually a good thing. I enjoy hiking, too, though sometimes her hikes are longer than I’m ready for. That was certainly the case a few years ago, when my plantar fasciitis reared up about three miles into our 18-mile trek. It was miserable, and I’m sure my complaining spoiled the hike for her, too. And then there’s work and the other chores I need to do. I don’t often have enough time to get out and hike as far as she’d like to.
But a friend she’s been hiking with told her about Women Who Hike. It’s an international organization that gets like-minded women together to do just that – hike. That friend, Anna, has been on winter hikes and snowshoe trips, and even a snowmobile trip with the Wyoming chapter. She’s also gone on several summer hikes with the group. She’s been trying to get Amy to join the group for several trips, and I’m all for it. I need to work up slowly to those long treks, and I’m just not ready for a 30-miler yet. Amy could go with Women Who Hike to scratch her hiking itch, and I could stay home, do a few chores, and take a shorter prep hike of my own in the Pole Mountain area. Also, if she goes with Women Who Hike, she wouldn’t have to stop every quarter mile to wait for me to take pictures of marmots, wildflowers, or other scenic grandeur.
Check out Women Who Hike Wyoming on their Facebook page. I think they have some trips coming up, so look them up soon. And then you can go hike with them and not have to listen to your husband whining about his feet.
