I have one true love: hiking.
There’s something sacred and pure about a place virtually unaltered by civilization.
Sure there are trails, and you know people have walked them, but these trails are different. People don’t walk on these trails like they do sidewalks in cities. They aren’t routines; they’re journeys.
Sure there are people, and it may seem less authentic, but these people are different. These people aren’t staring; they’re seeing. They aren’t looking at their phones; they’re looking at the world. And they aren’t there to ruin the experience; they’re there to share it.
There are ways that the environment can be a resource for people without having to degrade it. The environment can be a spiritual resource, a source from which to derive happiness and pleasure.
You can hike somewhere and be inspired. You can canoe or kayak and ride the natural current of the waters. You can go cliff-diving, mountain-climbing, or backpacking. Surf, ski, snowboard. The possibilities of exploring nature are endless, and its benefits much more rewarding than the materials we get from exploiting it.
Has your rainforest-packaged Barbie ever given you better memories than hiking through the mountains? Has your energy-guzzling plasma television ever given you a better adventure than kayaking or rafting in rough waters? Has a plastic water bottle (or plastic anything for that matter) ever been more refreshing than the sight of a waterfall?
The benefits of exploration will always outweigh those we receive from exploitation.
As I write this post, I am in Estes Park, Colorado, home to Rocky Mountain National Park. Estes Park is my home for exploration. I come here several times a year to hike, to spend some time in a world specifically protected from the negative effects of civilization, a pure world.
As I’ve said, the world is an amazing place, and I want to share it with you. So, here is my world. Never stop exploring.
Advenature 