Hiking Toward Happiness

The Mysterious Case of the Vacation Virus

Ah yes, Day 3 — the day every trip inevitably goes off the rails.

My son Salt and I had glorious plans for another day of hiking. But there’s always one: the family member struck down by that elusive, always timed too perfectly “vacation bug.”

And wouldn’t you know it? This time, it was Salt. Fever? Maybe. Conveniently getting a break from his overly enthusiastic, can’t sit still, “where we hiking next?” nutjob mother. .

Absolutely.

Nurse Duty, Then The Great Escape

Naturally, I did the responsible thing — tucked him in, fluffed the pillow, provided hydration murmured gentle words of sympathy....then bolted.

Like, full sprint. Freedom never tasted so guilt-free. Because if there’s one thing age has taught me, it’s the minute you stop moving, your body stages a coup.

If you’re one of those irritating young optimists thinking, “But rest is healthy!” …bless your collagen-rich little heart. Once you hit a certain age, rest stops helping and starts hurting. Give it 30 minutes, and you’re creaking up like the attic door in a haunted house.

So no, I didn’t rest. I wandered. Because apparently, motion is the only thing keeping this antique functional.

Oh, and my sincerest apologies to anyone hoping I’d tell you that you’re gracefully marching toward the “golden years.” Yep… not seeing it from here.

Honestly it was a fantastic day. I walked at my own pace, stopped whenever I liked, snapped photos on a whim, no eye rolls or sulks.....perfect!

The Joy of Solo Wandering

To be clear, I wasn’t "hiking" hiking. There were no cliffs, no ropes, and no risk of requiring a rescue helicopter.

Just me, a smooth road....and Spotify - because being alone with my thoughts? Absolutely not.

Somewhere between my third “this is the life” moment and the 17th photo of a “deeply emotional tree,” I thought… could I just do this?

Like, permanently?

Pack it all up, simplify, leave my job, wave goodbye to Salt and Pepper, and just walk?

The Temptation to Ditch It All

There might be a whole tribe of minimalist, sunburnt, eternally serene wanderers out there. Could I be one of them?

Is that my calling? Could I join the nomadic walkers? Be one of those permanently content, endlessly wandering people?

But then it dawned on me...crap....I’m not even slightly approachable. I’m brutally honest, sarcastic, intolerant and....well...intolerable - I’m basically human repellent.

So no, not exactly “group hike” material.

Walking = Happiness (and Possibly, Tolerability)

But then I realized something shocking: I’m genuinely happy when I’m walking. Like, actual serotonin-level happy.

So maybe that’s the secret: walk more, stress less, maybe even become tolerable.

Or maybe I’ll just outwalk the people who find me annoying. Either way, I win.

Final Thoughts: The Tribe of the Slightly Cynical Wanderers

So, here I am, wandering, rambling, overthinking - as usual.

If you’re one of those mythical perpetual walkers who traded 9-to-5 for nature and bliss — call me. I come in peace… mostly.