In 1944, June 6 was a day that came to be immortalized as D-Day. On this day, many soldiers and supporting troops took to the beaches and towns of France to pay the ultimate price for freedom for all people to live and to be free from evil. In 2015, June 6 represents an opportunity to show your pride in the places and people that made our country great and express your freedom on the trails of this country, which came about through the hard work and dedication of many men and women to legislate land use and build paths through the nooks and crannies, forests and streams, and mountains and valleys of our great country.
This day, National Trails Day, comes at the end of another event: Pennsylvania Hiking Week. Both events allow people to take to the paths of this country on any device that will carry them. From shoes to bicycles to horses to ATVs to canoes and kayaks, it’s a day to get out and feel the cool breezes and stand beneath blue skies filled with big, puffy clouds as the mountain air refreshes our souls and all that we are and can be.
It doesn’t matter whether you’ll be hiking or rebuilding a trail. You could be geocaching or demonstrating gear to other people. You could even be getting splashed by white water as you rush downstream to some ultimate goal. It doesn’t matter if you go it alone or spend the day with a group. The goal is to get as many people out into the places that recharge their batteries to celebrate summer and life. The trees will be filled with leafy greens, so who knows? Maybe you’ll see some deer, bear, turkey, snakes, or unusual species of birds flying up above while you’re out and about. Perhaps you’ll inspire a youngster to put aside the video games and venture into the great outdoors. That’s what this week and this day are all about.
For more information, go to http://www.nationaltrailsday.org/ and http://www.explorepatrails.com/hikingweek.aspx.