In this day and age, when the world seems to be one chaotic situation after another, all while the incessant white noise and constant distraction in the digital age peels away our sanity, I find a genuine urge to head for the mountains and hit the trails. So, I do so, happily.
For myself — someone who has been a runner since I was 12 years old (41 now) and also currently has a daily running streak going back to Dec. 31, 2015, much of the magic I find in my jogs and trots is seamlessly conjured on the trails and in the backwoods of Western North Carolina. It’s my favorite disappearing act from society.
Beyond hearing from other runners/hikers about where to go and also simply stumbling upon spaces and places in my own travels around our backyard of Southern Appalachia, I also rely on my AllTrails app on my smartphone. You can also use their website (alltrails.com). I highly recommend AllTrails. It has become a tangible and intrinsic compass for my wandering and pondering…