Essay Example on Exploring California's Sublime Nature: My First Hiking Adventure

My first yet memorable adventure was hiking through the diverse landscapes of California, specifically through the Fern Canyon at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The nature site was too sublime to explain in simple descriptions. The tall trees were just among the breathtaking experiences around California. Until today, I find hiking as my priority hobby, if not interest. Hiking is too much fun and full of adventures. I always yearn to use my free time waking through fresh air, long distances, observing the aesthetic of nature. My first adventure left me full of enthusiasm and positive energy. I felt connected to nature itself. My first intimate adventure was hiking, where I enjoyed the silence and sound of nature, the immersion into the surrounding environment even though I was somewhat unprepared but learnt and gained a lot from experience.

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My first adventure can best be described as being a wonderfully intimate experience. Making people wait for me as we hiked through the forest made me feel uncomfortable. Even so, I would walk slowly in an attempt to rediscover harmony and peace of mind. At first, I was too excited to reach a certain place within the forest only to find out that our group could not get any close within the four hours of hiking. Presently, I do not believe in getting to the predestined location; I can only stop before the area and sometimes end somewhere else. This is because I realized that hiking is not a competition like I did on my first days. The feelings I had been so intense and deep that I could not share them easily. The experience is memorable and a part of my deepest self. Even so, I prefer group hiking to myself, participate in giving my perspective on nature.

I was too overwhelmed on my first hiking experience that I could not enjoy the beauty of silence and the sounds of nature. Being a forest and participating with the most experienced group in California, I felt uneasy walking through the silence and chirping of birds. What I could concentrate more upon was listening to the rhythm of my breath. This was so since the area was too quiet, and the group members were busy walking, taking little chants along the way. Sometimes, I could lose myself in the look of the most magnificent area. I could try to catch up with people while engraving everything I saw in my memory. The hike was hence, cumbersome but that did not leave me in regret.

I was cautious about getting immersed in the surrounding environment. My group members seemed to be comfortable getting deep into nature. I could not figure out any minute how small I was to the environment. Therefore, nothing went in the right perspective. However, I was advantaged to participate with people who could talk less and as well new. Therefore, I could listen less to other people chanting. I realized that this put me in place as I walked through the forest. Today, I tell myself that such hikes are not places for words and stories unless told by nature. Nature and an outdoor experience are good for almost everyone. Therefore, I treated the area with a lot of respect. I could abide by the rules on signs and respect the wildlife within the area. I always knew that it was a shared area and that it was an individual responsibility to leave the forest better than I found it.

I was also unprepared for my first hike adventure. There are limited areas for food, water, and shelter in case of emergency, yet I was unaware. Besides being familiar with the area, I was poor at choosing my gear, personal safety, and still uncontrollably neglected hiking etiquette. I wanted an adventure by myself; hence, I did not bother telling anyone where I went and how long I would expect to be gone. However, I had the idea that one ought to look at the weather and hiking conditions ahead of time. I learned from my group that the slowest hiker was the one who could set the pace. Therefore, I unknowingly set the pace for the rest of the group. Besides, I learned that while on the hiking trail, one should not block it by any means. I had put on some tennis shoes, with the anticipation that they would assist me in hiking. The only mistake I did was to put on cotton clothing, not knowing that they could contribute to a poor experience. However, I had some water with me that kept me moving until we stopped close to our destination.

While at the Fern Canyon, I had a taste of some uncooked beef corned. I could not explain how I found the food to be delicious, yet it was my first time having such an eatery. It is somewhat a philosophy with a taste of medicine. I felt like I was making a journey inside myself with acute senses. My first adventure was also a way to gather the summit, eliminating my thought that hiking is a useless activity as there was no point in spending time through the jungle with cold air and an unfavourable environment. I am now addicted to hiking. I even participate in hiking with camping and some cooking of extremely delicious foods.

Conclusion

My first adventure was hiking; best described as a philosophy with a taste of medicine as I enjoyed the silence and beauty of the environment, the deep immersion into nature, and also learnt a lot besides having been unprepared in some ways. The Fern Canyon is a memorable place to be with long distances, fresh air, and aesthetic nature with the beauty of tall trees. I was uncomfortable setting the pace for everyone without my understanding. I first thought that hiking was a competition yet could sometimes find myself lost in nature. I hiked with an experienced group of adventurers; hence, I learnt a lot from them, an action that led me into incorporating hiking as one of my interests if not a hobby.