Adventure in Nature's Playground
December 2011
Name: Lori Mathews
Age: 32
Occupation: Enrollment and Volunteer Coordinator at The Women's Wilderness Institute, CO
A sandstone tower is my jungle gym. My slide - fluffy, white snow fanning out from my feet as I glide down a ski slope. My treadmill is a rocky, single-track trail winding between tree, boulder, tree. The playground right out the door of my Colorado home offers adventures that engage on so many levels. Your feet flex over rocks on trails that wind forever; smells of pine and juniper wave by with each step, eyes catch glimpses of dew glistening on blades of grass, you can taste the bitterness of cold air at 12,000 feet and maybe hear nothing but your heart beat or perhaps the symphony of birds as they fly overhead. Playing outdoors electrifies all of my senses.
In the outdoors, everything is dynamic. A clear blue sky can give way to storm clouds and challenge you to change route, speed up or slow down, act quickly.
I love the rush of setting out on an adventure; preparing myself and also welcoming anything that may come.
