Out In The Country

“Whenever I need to leave it all behind
Or feel the need to get away
I find a quiet place
Far from the human race
Out in the country
Whenever I feel them closing in on me
Or need a bit of room to move
When life becomes too fast
I find relief at last
Out in the country
Before the breathin’ air is gone
Before the sun is just a bright spot in the nighttime
Out where the rivers like to run
I stand alone and take back somethin’ worth rememberin’”

Three Dog Night – (written by Paul Williams) 1970

Out In The Country (youtube.com)

After taking a break from hiking at the end of last year for health reasons, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to get out there again and hit the trails. I experienced a few bumps in the road between eye surgery, bad weather, and other commitments, but I try to go hiking every week. Some of my favorite hikes this year have been to my local “go-to” spots in the area- the Pennypack Ecological Trust, Trexler Nature Preserve, Norristown Farm Park, the Meng Preserve, and today, the South Mountain Preserve.

The preserve boasts more than 440+ acres of woodland trails, pronounced rocky outcroppings and unique vistas in an otherwise urban landscape. South Mountain is geologically part of the Reading Prong, a spur of the Appalachian Mountains. It has always been a vital part of the Lehigh Valley’s history. For the Lenni Lenape people, the mountain provided settlements, refuges, and a vital source of trade materials. The first permanent European settlements on the mountain were founded by the Moravians, Germanic missionaries, who settled in areas with permanent sources of flowing water. Much of the drinking water in the surrounding communities is still sourced from South Mountain springs, streams, and wells. This aspect of the mountain makes conservation efforts of vital import to the surrounding communities who rely upon the unpolluted waters of the mountain.

While I do enjoy hiking with others, sometimes I prefer a nice solo hike. I can go as fast or slow as I want, I can go as far or as short as I want, and I can take a break any time I feel like it. I can change the route along the way depending on how I’m feeling. And that was the case today- it was an absolutely perfect day for hiking, so I took a trek to one of my favorite spots- the South Mountain Preserve, in Emmaus, PA. Some mud, some rocks, a stream crossing and some nice hills. Of course when I’m solo hiking I don’t do anything too difficult or dangerous, I only go on trails I am familiar with, I have my phone and water/snacks with me at all times, I always use hiking poles for stability, I only go in nice weather (not too hot or cold), and I only go on trails where I know there will be other people around – and there were certainly a lot of hikers (both 2- and 4-legged) on the trails today. It was a great hike, and I loved checking out the bright clear scenery as seen through my right eye’s new cornea and lens.

In my golden years, I’ve discovered I can’t do what I used to do. It’s pretty clear my days of climbing Mount Fuji are over. I know my knees are shot, but I am not ready yet for knee replacements- my daily quality of life is fine, and I get around without any difficulties. Walking, going up and down stairs, and doing yardwork are not a problem. It only becomes an issue on long walks or hikes. It now seems pretty consistent that around 3-4 miles of somewhat strenuous hiking, my knees tell me “OK. we’re about done for the day.” I can generally get up to 5 or 6 miles without too much trouble, but then I know it’s time to stop.

I’m continuing to do exercises from Physical Therapy to keep my muscles strong and stretched. An ibuprofen and ice pack help if it gets particularly bad. But I know my limits, and it seems to be working- I only do what I can do comfortably. While I used to love going on a long tough hike, I no longer sign up for those 10 milers and try to keep pace with a younger generation. I’ve learned that I’ll regret it afterwards. And I’m OK with that. However, if the day comes when even this becomes too hard, then I know it’s time to get the knees done. For now, I’m very happy I can still get “Out In The Country” and enjoy nature on a beautiful day like today.

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