WOOO women (left to right): Pat Rourke, Dotti McKee, and Debbie Flato and other hikers in the group
Dee Berisha
Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a hike as “a long walk.” So, each of us can envision a hike as measured by our own experiences. On some days, we may take a long walk around SaddleBrooke, measured by several miles or so. On other days, we may take a long walk with our elderly dog, possibly a mile. Or we could walk with friends for an event to raise money. But those aren’t really described as hikes.
An invitation to go on a hike for most of us usually creates an image of dirt paths, rocks and boulders, hills, climbs, descents, wildlife, and cacti. We go on hikes with the expectation that we will learn and appreciate a new understanding of our surroundings. Our feet will cross the pathways of those who came before—many decades and centuries before. And, quite possibly, as our muscles ache and we stop to catch our breath, we realize that this “long walk” is more than a hike. It is each of us embracing our own appreciation of nature and of history.
On a picture-perfect day in early November, a group of WOOO (Women On Our Own) ladies joined several others on a “hike” of the east side of Picacho Peak, led by geologist Tom Buckley. The volcanic residue that rests throughout much of Picacho Peak State Park is witness to the erosions, faults, and debris of the 10,000 feet that buries an ancient lake, which existed thousands of years ago in what is now this part of the Sonoran Desert. Just imagine.
So, with the weather finally beckoning, just get out and sit in the sunshine, walk down the driveway, go for a neighborhood walk, take on a hike. Whatever you choose, take time to take a deep breath and appreciate.
If you are a single woman who is not in a committed relationship in SaddleBrooke, consider finding out what WOOO has to offer. We have a membership of over 180 with many activities and clubs that keep our membership engaged while finding commonalities and developing new friendships.
Please contact our president Brenda McBride at 267-968-3804 or [email protected] to learn more about WOOO or to receive a membership form. Our dues are $10 per year.