From Forgetful Hiker to Clueless Influencer.

Where It Started

I started writing my blogs purely to document my hiking trails. Honestly, I just needed a place to dump my hiking memories because I couldn’t remember where I’d hiked the week before. To be fair, when you hike as obsessively as I do, trails blur together into one big, sweaty, huffing puffing dream.

So, my blog began as a glorified notebook — part diary, part “incentive to keep this new chapter going.”

Hiking Photos

Now, you’d think a hiking blogger would have folders upon folders of majestic nature shots. Nope. I’m the genius who deletes everything (except maybe six of my best photos) right after posting. Why? Because I’m far too lazy to back anything up properly.

So, my social media officially became my photo album - my only guarantee that future me can look back and remember where I’ve been.

Honestly, I just pray that Facebook and Instagram don’t spontaneously combust one day, because if they go, so does my entire visual legacy. Poof. Gone. Like it never hiked at all.

The Engagement Monster Awakens

The more I posted, the more engagement I got. And then it hit me: I’d become that person. You know, one of those types I used to criticize for needing digital validation. Apparently, I too now live for the dopamine rush of a thumbs-up.

Naturally, I turned to my sons - Salt and Pepper - for a crash course in Social Media 101. These two, who were practically born with Wi-Fi in their veins, suddenly went full Amish. “Technology? Never heard of her.”

DIY or Die Trying

So, I did what I always do: figured it out myself. I eventually found my groove. Was it the right groove? Who knows. But I had a system, and that’s what mattered.

I’m up between 3 and 4 a.m. anyway - might as well make it productive, right? So, I spend an hour obsessively hunting for the perfect backing song for my hiking video (which I’d already edited like it was my Oscar submission), and then finally hit post.

Functional? Questionable.

Enjoyable? Absolutely.

And because I can’t help myself, somewhere along the line it stopped being a task and became a ritual — the sacred 4 a.m. ceremony of caffeine and creativity.

Enter Salt, the Dream Crusher

Then Salt - who is NOW all of a sudden very familiar with social media - decided to “help.”

Recently, he strolled in and goes, “Mom, why do you post so early? Everyone’s asleep.”

Excuse me? My sacred 4 a.m. posting ritual? Suddenly under review by my very own offspring?

Sure, I’ve learned how algorithms work (mostly through trial, error, and mild rage), but at this point, posting early isn’t about engagement. It’s how I start my day.

But no, apparently that’s “wrong.” Now my dream crusher of a son wants to host a full-on "Social Media 101: When to Post for Maximum Engagement" workshop in my kitchen.

And if you even vaguely understand my personality type - which, trust me, you probably don’t - you already know what that means: my posts are absolutely not moving to a new time. That’s my hill, and I will die on it (probably before 5 a.m.).