What are You Thankful For?

As hikers we often overlook some of the reasons to be thankful. And this season of Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect and give thanks for things trail-wise maybe you hadn’t thought of in a while -

Here are some that come to mind for me –

1.       Those that Volunteer on the Trail – I’m talking trail club volunteers, maintainers, overseers, those who worked tirelessly to maintain the trails, shelters, etc. so we as hikers can enjoy it. Here is a listing of ones that maintain the Appalachian Trail. And in honor of them, feel free to read the blog I did on these great angels of the physical trail.
belong to a trail club, consider it. Here is a

2.       Trail Angels of Hikers – those that give tirelessly to trail efforts by helping hikers in their time of need. In December I plan to have a few of those trail gems as guests here to explain why they do what they do (so check back). I think of the people that took me into their homes, gave me food, took care of my stinky laundry, drove me back to trail at the crack of dawn, the list goes on.

3.       Organizations that oversee the trail. Like the trail clubs, consider joining them. The funds from memberships, stores, etc help oversee the trail, protect fragile environments, and assist in many other ways. Here's a listing of a few. 

4.       The many Hostels out there – I had the opportunity to interview a few hostel owners for a blog recently. While hikers do pay a modest fee for lodging, it no way begins to cover the amount of time, effort, long days and nights, these folks put in. And the way they support the trail community. It truly
is a labor of love providing a place of rest and recuperation for weary hikers.

5.       Our families and friends – I’m sure you can think of many who have gone out of their way to support you in your sometimes wild adventures. I know I give a BIG thanks to my husband who has stood by my side, even on the home front, while I went off exploring many trails. A big thanks for that!

So what are you thankful for? Feel free to comment. And from us here at Blissful Hiking, Happy Thanksgiving!