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I was amazed at how crowded Minnewaska was. It's not like New Paltz is a metropolis, and it's a good 90 minutes from NYC. There were at least half a dozen park employees directing traffic for parking. This was so weird for me. Coming from NJ, the state parks I visit are nearly empty...which I prefer! But with all the people in NJ, why aren't more of them taking in the forests? This morning I went to Voorhees State Park to do some trail running. It's a mere 1,400 acres and I saw 2 other vehicles (3 if you count the park ranger). At Minnewaska, I was annoyed by other people 'discovering' our quiet observation post but at Voorhees, I was slightly concerned I might spook up a bear on my run! Granted, Minnewaska 'wins' for drama...spectacular mountain views.
Both fed my soul. In nature I find freedom, fantasy and privacy: a place distant from the real world. Richard Louv, in Last Child in the Woods, wrote, "Nature doesn't steal time; it amplifies it." I feel like I had much more time off than just a 2-day weekend. I am quiet. I think about everything. I think about nothing. I focus on my senses. One of my favorite things to do is just focus on hearing -- I make a mental list of every sound I hear.
I'm new to trail running, but I'm hooked. Researchers in England and Sweden have found that joggers who exercise in a natural green setting with trees, foliage and landscape views feel more restored, and less anxious, angry and depressed than people who burn the same amount of calories in gyms. It's different -- more hills, more uneven surfaces; it requires me to pay a lot of attention to the ground and my surroundings. No doubt this is part of how 'green exercise' works... you can't fret about the world and your problems when you're trying not to face-plant on a tree root or rock. I like that it uses more of my core to constantly shift and maintain balance and I find it gives me permission to alter my speed without guilt as I adjust to the terrain.
The inoculation of nature stays with me as I turn my attention now back to necessary weekend chores.