Retracing Footsteps
My two most recent hikes
were repeats of the first two trails I hiked when I moved to Santa Fe – the Hyde
Park Circle Trail and Nambe Lake…
Hyde Park Circle Trail
I was so amazed at
how green everything is right now!
Summer appears to be arriving in full force and the forests are lush and
majestic. The smells are
sensational. (And, as a side note,
I’m really working on controlling my breathing more effectively so I can
consistently inhale through my nose and experience all the smells the forest
has to offer.)
The Circle Trail has a few steep uphill sections, but overall is a short and easy hike that offers beautiful views of the Santa Fe Ski Basin to the northeast, the Sandias down south near Albuquerque, and the Jemez mountains to the west.
We did this hike
with my friend, Renee, who was visiting from Chicago. Renee is currently recovering from numerous foot fractures
and five orthopedic surgeries after being hit by a car in South Africa when she
was in the Peace Corps. Barely a year
after her accident, she is now walking with an almost normal gait pattern, can
run at least as far and probably much faster than me, and is hiking in the
Rocky Mountains! She’s an amazing
and inspiring person and I was so happy to be able to share this aspect of
Santa Fe with her.
Nambe Lake
This past weekend I
hiked Nambe Lake for a second time.
Now that I have a few hiking miles under my belt (as well as improved
intuition for being able to identify the correct trail to follow), this hike
was much more enjoyable than the first attempt. It definitely has some steep and strenuous uphills, forcing
me to hike in silence while I try to control my breathing, but it is well worth
the effort to see such awesome (literally, awe-inspiring) views and tranquil
landscapes.
Dogs having a blast running through the grassy field |
Aspen trees |
Beautiful wildflowers |
Dogs playing in the Rio Nambe stream |
Nambe Lake |
View of Santa Fe Baldy |
Exploring these
hiking trails for a second time allowed me to realize how I’ve changed since
last August when I first moved to Santa Fe, and also how much is still the same
since that time. I was able to
recognize certain aspects of the hikes that I remember most clearly and form
new memories of the parts of the hike that I had forgotten. I plan to re-explore a few of my
favorite hikes in the next few months, but I also hope to embark on some longer
hikes in new territory.
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