Friday Night Hikes

This might come as a bit of a shock to some people, but interestingly enough, I've only been hiking for two years now.  In a previous post I talked about my first time ever hiking, and that was at Mount Nittany after I graduated from high school in 2017 and that's when it all started. When answering the question, "Why do I hike?" there's no one answer. There seem to be a never ending number of reasons why, and every time I go for a hike, I add reasons to that list.  Overall I just love to be outdoors. Whether it's playing ball, shooting hoops, chasing after my dog when she sneaks out, or going for hikes. I just love the outdoors and being outside. When I first started hiking I was always thought that you had to hike up the side of a mountain, or a really big hill as some might say, but hiking is so much more than that and I think that's the reason I enjoy it so much.  Hiking comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes and it can be done by anyone. You ca...

Rewind a few days to right before Easter Sunday and you'll find me out on the Lakeside Trail in Howard, PA. The Lakeside Trail is a 4.4 mile trail that is in fact beside a lake. The trail is mainly a loop alongside Foster Joseph Sayers Lake . It's a slightly wooded area which at times can be very muddy, so be sure to wear your dirty hiking shoes. There are also a few smaller streams running down through the trail leading back to the lake so be sure to watch your footing or else you'll end up going for a swim!   Off to your left of the trail is the main lake where there's always plenty of people out fishing and enjoying the lake! The best time to enjoy the trail is over the summer or later in the spring so the trail has had plenty of time to dry up so you're not hiking through a swamp.  As for wildlife on the trail there isn't a whole lot to be seen, a few frogs, squirrels, chipmunks, and lots of fish off to the left in the lake!  The trail is ver...

Normally, I wouldn't post about the same hike multiple times. However, last night's hike was the best hike I ever had! When it comes to hiking, I've always preferred to go in the afternoon when the sun is shining and you the views are as far as the eyes can see. Last night my friend Nate and I decided to hike Mount Nittany around sunset and it was the most amazing hike I have ever gone on.  As the sun was going down behind the clouds and over the mountain as we began our hike, I was rushing to get to the top because I was slightly afraid to hike in the dark . Unsure of the wildlife at night and unsure if we would be able to see the trail it was a rush against time. The higher up we got, the more I started to realize I was missing a whole different hiking experience. The way the sun shined down between the trees as it was setting, the way the wind blew ever so gently to keep you cool, but not cold, just the overall beauty of nature in the evening.  Once we finally ...