Hello and salutations beautiful souls!

June is such a beautiful month. In much of the United States, children are celebrating summer break. Families are enjoying family vacations, family and friends gatherings, BBQ’s etc. What are your plans for the summer? I plan to be outside as much as possible, enjoying the lovely weather and getting back to nature as much as I can. I love to see new vegetation growth and smell all the wonderful new blossoms. This past weekend I had the pleasure of enjoying a relatively easy hike right here in my backyard near the Rocky Mountain National Park in colorful Colorado. The air was crisp and clean, unlike the concrete forest that I live and work in down in the city. Let me share with you just a couple suggestions I would follow when enjoying a mountain hike or biking. Although it may be hot and you want to be as cool as possible, I would suggest wearing proper foot wear for the activity you will be enjoying. Hiking while wearing flip flops or sandals is not a good idea as your feet will hurt and you may get blisters. Definitely dress for your activity and bring an umbrella or hoodie in case weather changes rapidly. Nothing is worse than hiking and a cloud burst blows through and the temp drops 20 degrees and you are wet and cold. For some, this can be detrimental to their health at least short term. I have noticed in my experience as the elevation increases, it naturally gets cooler. I am always on the cold side anyway, so I am the one you will see with 3 hoodies on and long pants while hiking. Another great idea is to bring a water bottle and have extra’s in your vehicle. It is so easy to get dehydrated while exerting extra energy and you may not even be aware until it is too late. I like to hike with a walking stick as it helps me with balance. I enjoy slow hikes, after all it is not a race. Relax and take in all what nature offers you. Keep snacks in the car for when you return. I know some carry snacks with them, I don’t just because there are bears and other wildlife and their sense of smell is intense and I wouldn’t want to become their snack. Do you have additional suggestions for hiking? I would really love to hear from you the reader. Get out and enjoy the weather while it lasts.