by Sue-Ann Roades
Shannon Gansner and her 3 children (Cohen, 7; Seth, 6; and Lincoln, 4) from Morgantown, PA, have found that hiking as a family can be very rewarding.
Shannon says she has been hiking since she could walk. Her earliest memory of hiking was on Haycock Mountain in Bucks County. Because her property backed up to Little Haycock Mountain, it was perfect for hiking up Big Haycock Mountain. As a child, she had fun being outdoors and climbing over huge boulders during her hikes.
Among Shannon’s most memorable hiking experiences was when she and her husband took their 3 boys camping at Worlds End State Park. Seeing the many waterfalls along the trails there was so much fun. Shannon loves exploring new trails because, she says, “you never know what you’ll discover.”
Though Shannon doesn’t consider herself to be a serious hiker, she enjoys being outdoors, especially walking in the woods. Shannon primarily hikes trails in her local parks. French Creek State Park is a favorite, because it has many shorter trails, side trails, and loops. Her boys are already able to complete 3 miles of hiking with her. The things about hiking that most appeal to Shannon are being out in nature (and away from civilization) and the refreshing smell of the woods. As a hiker mom, she never hikes without 2 essentials: bug spray and a first-aid kit.
Shannon decided to take the 100-Mile-Challenge to “be more unplugged this summer,” as she puts it. She also wants to get in better shape and strengthen her cardiovascular system so she can continue keeping up with her 3 active boys!
Shannon had already planned to do a hiking challenge when she read about it at the French Creek State Park office. She says she’ll have to do a lot of hiking in the next 3 months if she’s going to complete 100 miles by the end of August! Though she isn’t sure that she and her boys will be able to complete the 100-mile challenge this year, they’ll have fun trying. The boys are excited each time they go out, counting down the miles they have left to complete all 100!
Shannon encourages other parents to take their children on the trail. She’s learned that it’s best to start with shorter hikes and slowly increase the mileage over time, especially if young children are involved. Her sons can hike only about a mile an hour, so it’s important to remember that speed isn’t the most important thing when hiking with kids. Knowing one’s limits—and the limits of the youngest members of your hiking group—makes the hiking experience more fun for everyone and will encourage young children to continue hiking into the future.
Shannon took the Challenge. Will you? Click here to join the 100-Mile Challenge.