FEET FIRST

It’s easy to take it for granted after a while, but here in the Coast Mountains we are never really more than five minutes away from a walk in the woods. Even stopping on the highway to take a leak can lead to a life-changing moment of calm, appreciative wilderness perfection (or at least it feels that way at the time).

The mountains and rainforests we call home allow us the freedom to roam—not just outside, but inside as well. Because within the monotonous repetition of a long skin track (or bike ascent, or switch-backed hiking trail) lies the perfect opportunity for our mind to flush out distractions and scrub the congealed skid marks of life’s anxieties from the brain’s glistening bowl of creativity and contemplation.

Moving through the wilderness—one sliding step at a time—is an opportunity to connect with the moment, with the landscape, and with ourselves. It’s a chance for our minds to wander off into spots unvisited, adventures uninitiated, goals on the horizon, and ideas ready to bloom. Roaming through the mountains gives us the time and space to connect and reflect on who we are, who we want to be, and where we’re going— individually and collectively.

Crazy Ideas, big goals, future plans, memories, daydreams, hopes…they’re all swirling around inside us, ready for action, for fun, for challenge, for growth. And it starts with a long walk outside. We can’t change the world, but we can change the world around us, and inside us. Go roam, go wander, go now.

–Feet Banks