.Hiking into the last sunset seemed like a poetic ending to my 12 hike journey so I waited until the last hours of the last day of 2015 to do my December hike. I knew I was taking a chance waiting. Being December here in WI it was likely to be cold and cloudy even though we have had one of the warmest Decembers on record with temps in the 60’s and green grass! So at 4:00 pm on December 31 I headed out to complete my last hike of the year. Those 60 degree temps were gone, it is now 19 degrees, there is snow on the ground and the wind is blowing at 30+ mph. I ain’t gonna lie, it is COLD up on the hill here at Brigham Park, but the sky is clear and the sunset is spectacular.

 

Today is not so much about hiking (partly because the cold wind actually hurts my face when I stand in it for more than 5 minutes!). Today is about the end of a year of adventures, about committing to something and sticking with it and about trying to make the most out of life by making time to do the things I love.

 

I love hiking, I love exploring in nature, I love going on adventures but my day to day life kept getting in the way of me doing these things. This 12 hike thing was my way of forcing myself to make more time for the things that bring me joy. It was also about facing some of the fears that were holding me back from living more fully. The fear of hiking alone and the fear of writing and sharing it publicly were two of my biggest fears going into this project. As I look back over the last 12 months I can see that even though I procrastinated A LOT, I stuck with it, worked through the fear and uncomfortableness and I accomplished what I set out to do. I also got to explore 12 new trails who's beauty made it all worth while. I can’t believe I did it but I’m so glad that I did!

 

So what better way to end the first year of this journey than watching the sunset in the cold on the top of the hill at Brigham Park. Just as the sun is going under the horizon it turns into the biggest, brightest, ball of fire I have ever seen. It is stunning and unbelievable and in a blink of an eye it is gone, like it never existed. And just like that 2015 is done and my goal for the year is achieved and it feels good.

 

What’s up for 2016 you ask? 52 hikes, a new blog and more time for chasing sunset!