The NET crosses a lot of private land. When it became a National Scenic Trail some people stopped letting the trail cross their property. They were afraid of what government involvement might mean for them as private landowners. Other people were fine with the change and some even welcomed having hikers cross their property.

I wonder about all of these different landowners. I have a number of acres of land that I live on. I have trouble saying I “own” the land. I prefer to think that for a time this land is in my care. I do whatever I can to increase the diversity of species on this land. I want to leave it better than it was when I first arrived on it. The woods had had cows grazing in them and so certain plants were missing. I have replanted some of those native wildflowers and introduced some that will grow well on this land, including the rare, insect eating sundews and pitcher plants. I want to give as many of my fellow earth’s denizens a safe place to try to survive in these changing climatic times.

I passed by one section of NET heavily marked with no trespassing signs. Just beyond the signs, on the forbidden property, lay piles and piles of old tires and the accumulated remains of old vehicles. Later on I passed something I had never ever seen before when out on a hike like this. There was a bucket attached to a tree with a sign indicating it was a place where hikers to leave their trash. In part the sign reminded hikers to keep the trail tidy. Except for a few cans in the bucket, I did not see a sign of trash anywhere.

A little further on I saw a man clearing trail with a line trimmer. He was friendly and welcoming. He pointed me towards a small hiker oasis that was on his land and invited me to sit and rest a while. There were a few chairs sitting above the trail on a small plateau. Some artfully laid stairs led up to this place for hikers to sit and rest their weary bones. We shared some pleasant conversation before I moved on. I was glad for the break I had taken when a short ways up the trail I came to one of the steepest climbs I have ever done. I had to throw my poles ahead of me and grab tiny handholds on the rock. A few times when I could not lift my foot high enough, I inched my butt onto a ledge. Then I twisted sideways and knelt on some painful rocks, reaching up to pull myself to a standing position. All the while I was doing this I had to wiggle a certain way so my pack did not get stuck between the narrow rock walls on either side of me. I was relieved when I reached the top safely.

A day hiker came by and offered me some water. I again thought of all the trail angels I have ever met. They have all been really kind, friendly and happy. I can’t say that those who have chased me away from walking near their land seemed happy. I may be wrong but it seems to me that those posting the biggest “No Trespassing” signs might be the unhappiest deep down. I understand that some hikers abuse the privilege of walking in the forests by leaving trash or other signs of having passed through. But in general we are a considerate lot. It seems to me that generosity and kindness breed contentment.

I recalled a conversation I heard on the radio while I was driving to the trailhead. The reporter had been in the courtroom for the trials of people being prosecuted for their involvement in the January sixth events at the Capitol. He said that the one thing they all had in common was some form of trauma in their lives, whether it was poverty, job loss, exposure to war or early family trauma. That does not mean that trauma gives one a justification to treat others unkindly, but it does shed light on why people might do things which are harmful to others. I felt sad at thinking of all the trauma and stress in this world.

I thought about this as I crested a rise and met some women pharmacists who were hiking to balance the strain of their jobs. We shared conversation about the value of moving one’s body in nature. I had that same conversation a number of times later that day as I was in a popular hiking spot for a Sunny Sunday. It was refreshing to see people aware of the need to destress and doing something about it. I wish we would make moving in nature a required subject in all elementary schools. Perhaps it could counter the many traumas that so many children are exposed to. I know that it has literally saved my life many times over.