The Beginning (2022)

Good Morning!

There are mornings when I find myself pondering 'What If?' and 'Why Not?', which is quite unusual for me. I generally prefer a more decisive approach to life, where I either enthusiastically say 'Hell Yes' or firmly declare 'Fuck No'! And that's where this journey begins.

In 2022, I finally made up my mind to pursue hiking, a long-held desire that I had never seemed to find the time for. But this year was different. I had finally settled into the life and relationship I had always wanted. So, how did I begin?

Well, let me tell you, it's not exactly convenient living in a state that doesn't offer an abundance of hiking opportunities! Being a normal person, I turned to All Trails and selected trails with even a modest elevation gain or distance to walk.

Here are some of the trails I embarked upon:

1) Pawtucket River Trail, 2.5 Miles & 65ft Elevation

2) Fort Barton, 2.5 Miles & 220ft Elevation

3) Diamond Hill (Warner Trail Loop), 1.4 Miles & 325ft Elevation 

4) Rocky Point Walking Trail, 1.6 Miles & 95ft Elevation

6) Wolf Forest Peserve (World War II Loop), 6 Miles & 410ft Elevation

7) TriTown Forest Perserve (Blue Loop), 6 Miles & 688ft Elevation 

8) Neutaconkanut Hill Park Loop, 1.7 Miles & 230ft Elevation 

10) Rock Island Trail, 1.3 Miles & 16ft Elevation 

11) Edgewater Trail (FL), 3.3 Miles & 25ft Elevation

12) John Chestnut Park Loop (FL), 2.7 Miles & 6ft Elevation 

13) Blue Hills Reservation (Kitchamakin Hill & Chickatawbut Hill Loop via Skyline Trail), 2.6 Miles & 465ft Elevation

Looking at this list, you might think two things...

Firstly, none of these trails seem like a challenging mountain hike, and you wouldn't be wrong. But that wasn't the initial allure To start hiking. Every time I stepped outside, I craved more time in nature, covering greater distances, and conquering more elevation (unfortunately, Rhode Island isn't known for its steep inclines).

Secondly, you might wonder about numbers 5 and 9. Did you stumble upon a blog where the writer struggles with counting? No, you didn't. While many of these trails focused on consistency (getting out as often as possible), there were two significant hikes in 2022 that stood out:

5) Pulpit Rock (Norway), 5.1 Miles & 1510ft Elevation

9) Bear Peak (Boulder, CO), 5 Miles & 2,673ft Elevation

Now you might be wondering why I referred to everything else as the "hook" while these two were the "line and sinker."

Pulpit Rock easily stands as the most breathtaking hike I have undertaken to date. It was an out-and-back trail that thoroughly tested my limits, although I now consider it relatively easy by my current standards. (Oh, how things change!) Why did it push me so hard? Well, besides being in terrible cardiovascular shape and weighing over 300 pounds, I attempted it wearing nothing more than a pair of Nike Running Shoes and without any water! Talk about rookie mistakes in the mountains.

Then came Bear Peak, my favorite hike of 2022. This one also left me utterly exhausted! However, this time around (still over 300 lbs), I was far better prepared. Equipped with proper hiking shoes and a water bladder, I was immensely grateful. It also happened to be the most challenging hike I had ever tackled. The peak of Bear Peak stands at 8,459 feet, which meant the oxygen levels were significantly different from what I was accustomed to in Rhode Island. Needless to say, I felt the strain at the summit!

And now that you know the backstory, it's time to embark on the journey itself!

Onward and Upward,

The Adventuring TeddyBear 🧸