Bear Yuba Land Trust has a successful Adopt-A-Trail program to help maintain all of our trails in the Bear River and Yuba River watersheds. Recently one of our trail adopters had surgery and was unable to walk the trail. While talking on the phone with him, he said something that I think we can all relate to.
“If you don’t have your health, then you got nothing,” he said. I agree with this sentiment and the simplicity of it got me thinking about my job as a trail builder.
The word health doesn’t represent something tangible to everyone. It is a relative term that refers to a state which is different from the norm. It could be a slight improvement in mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual well-being, or it could be a down tick in one’s wellness. The degree of health one experiences is all in the eye of the individual. Health is a long highway and everyone is at a different mile marker or rest stop.
When you start to look into how to become healthier, you quickly realize that it is not that complicated and there is consensus among medical professionals about how to get there. Our society makes it complicated with our time-equals-money mentality. In our culture, purchasing fast food is made easy and buying organic is often more expensive. Time and time again you hear to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and get adequate rest and exercise. Some of those things require a strong mind and developing discipline through meditation can be significant. Meditation and yoga is not talked about as a stress reducer enough in our busy hectic culture. Learning ways to handle challenging situations when they come up is very important.
There is one item on that list of how to get healthier which is easy to achieve in Nevada County. There is so much outdoor recreation here, it is hard not to get enough exercise. This is where trails play a vital role in community and individual health. A brisk walk is one of the best exercises you can do for your body. I realize that the trails we build are not only contributing to the quality of life here in Nevada County but to the quality of one’s own life when it comes to health. The work that BYLT does has a huge impact on so many things that we often don’t realize, or it is hard to put a dollar amount on. Having one’s health is everything and, I bet everyone would agree, it is priceless.
Let trails help you recover from an injury, get your heart rate up, or just relax your mind and unplug for an afternoon. Do your best to get at least a half hour of hiking in everyday and your body will thank you from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet.
~ Trails Coordinator, Shaun Clarke