Hi, my name is Alyssa Kerlin I am 11 years old and I love to hike. I got into hiking to begin with because I spend alot of time with my Gram and she was talking about hiking with her friends and I thought it sounded like fun, so I asked if I could go. My Dad likes hiking too, so he helped me get everything I would need and the three of us took a hike out at Black Moshannon Park. I liked it so much, it's very fun and athletic. I love how you feel like you are on an adventure through the woods and can see nature and animals. My Gram and my Dad went on an overnight hike out at Blacky and even though there was a terrible storm in the night they said they had alot of fun. So I said, "can you please take me next time?"
So last summer we planned an overnight hike out at Blacky. I was so excited, I always watch the show Survivor so I know alot about how to build a fire and look for food and purify water. So I got my pack ready and we set off on our journey. The trails were awesome and even though it was really hot and I got a couple of blisters on my feet, I had so much fun. We camped by a creek and built a campfire and it was my job to get water and boil it for 30 minutes so we had extra for drinking. I can't wait to go again.
In the fall the three of us went hiking with a group on the Quehanna Trail. We stopped for lunch and a really nice lady who was a geocaching teacher let me use her GPS to find a geocache, which is like a treasure hunt. I liked it and want to do it again. This summer my Gram and I are going to "Women in the Wild" which is a weekend of outdoor classes on camp cooking, trees, mushrooms and geocaching and lots more. I'm excited to go and we will spend the weekend camping in my Gram's camper.
Sometimes when I am at my Dad's and I get bored I will walk up the four-wheeler path to my Gram's and it's fun because it feels like I am hiking. A lot of families go on little walks but I like it more when my family hikes together because it builds alot of family strength. We talk a lot and everyone has a job to do like gathering firewood and setting up camp.
I want to teach my little sister everything about hiking and camping and I hope one day when she's older we can hike together.
Below: Photo of Alyssa Kerlin hiking the Allegheny North Front Trail at Black Moshannon State Park, submitted by Susan Kerlin.
