I Gotta Hike, Hike, Hike My Crazies Out

When you can't take it anymore, go for a walk

The last time I did this hike I told myself I should never do it again. Especially alone. Close to home here on the Oregon coast, the Mike Miller trail is a one-mile hike that is expected to take 45 minutes. Or so says the sign. That tells you how tough this walk is. It is certainly not good for aging knees and hips.

I was just planning to walk the flat path near the entrance, but I was in a mood, and that wasn’t far enough. I felt a little crazy, unable to focus on work or music or the many projects I have been wanting to do. So, I walked. And when the trail turned uphill, the path laced with tree roots, I kept going.

It was overcast but comfortably warm. The wild berries were blossoming, and the bumblebees were buzzing. But oof, it was challenging.

A lifetime ago, I walked this trail with my husband Fred, studying the map, matching attractions—nurse log, hemlock tree, salmonberry bush—to the numbers. During Covid, I walked it alone. I rarely met other people. When I did, I raised my mask and hurried by.

I don’t need the map anymore. I have seen young families walking here and solo adults navigating it with their dogs. Annie and I walked it a few times, but she was always pulling and desperately wanted to play in the water.

For a woman my age to hike this trail alone seems a mite foolish. Forget wild animals and wild people. It’s a hard hike, and too many people I know have fallen and gotten hurt on flat ground lately. When older people fall, they break.

What if I fell? All it would take is a second of inattention.

But I’m in pretty good shape, except for my knee and my hip, and my weight . . . I do yoga, I walk most days, I can do this, right?

I took my time, taking one gnarled step at a time, resting on the benches scattered around, slogging through mud when I couldn’t avoid it. On my usual walks, I speed like my rear end is on fire. But not here. Slow. Careful.

The only other person on the trail that day was a young woman who ran down the root steps as if they were nothing. Oh, to be that light-footed and confident. To be honest, I never was.

It was so pretty. The greens so green, the magenta blossoms and the yellow skunk cabbage flowers so bright. The dirt trail was softened with pine needles and tiny pinecones.

When you’re straddling roots and branches in the semi-darkness of deep forest, it feels like you will never see the light again, but step by step, I made it to the bridge that leads out, the sky wide open above. A few more ups and downs, and I was back at the entrance, hands raised in victory as I thanked God.

There is a special feeling of success when you travel that rugged path alone, especially at an age when young people dismiss you as too old to do anything physical. Or alone? God forbid.

I finished the 45-minute hike in 40 minutes. Can you hear the crowd cheering?

I only screamed once when pain shot through a ligament in my knee. I walked more carefully after that. If we take care, we have a few miles left in us.

Now, the Mike Miller trail is in an official park. By the looks of things, rangers come through now and then. Don’t try this in the middle of nowhere without letting someone know where you are. Always take your phone and water. Wear your most comfortable shoes. If you reach a place you’re not sure about it, there’s no shame in turning back.

But doing something physical helps reset the brain. When you’re thinking, “I just can’t do this anymore,” go for a walk. Don’t wear headphones or earbuds. Listen to the world around you. It might have something to tell you.

If walking is not your thing, consider swimming, dancing, kayaking, or jumping on a trampoline, any vigorous movement that gets your heart pumping. The more hours you spend glued to the couch, the harder it will be to get up. I speak as the owner of a couch with a butt-sized dent where I usually sit.

Even if you are not able to do strenuous exercise, move as much as you can. Start easy and work your way up.

Can we do it alone? Yes, we can.

Do you walk? Swim? Dance? How hard is it to make yourself get up and move? Let’s share in the comments.

I just remembered the old Raffi song “Shake My Sillies Out.” It’s a kids’ song and extremely silly, but it comes motions, and it’s fun. Try it!

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