It’s easy to forget that we moms need to fill our souls from time to time if we’re going to have anything left to give to our partners and children.
The thing that fills my soul to overflowing is spending time in nature, doing something active. A few weeks ago, on an assignment for another publication, I finally got out to the Banks-Vernonia Trail, a 21-mile former railroad that has been converted into a walking and biking trail.
Leaving my kids at home with their dad, I parked at the Manning trailhead just off of Highway 26, about an hour from Portland. I rode my bike through beautiful farmland before entering a densely forested corridor, where thimble and salmon berries were in full flush. Birds sang and, though it was a Saturday morning in July, I encountered only a few other people.
I had limited time and after riding about six miles, I decided to turn around at Stub Stewart State Park. Before heading back to my car, I pedaled up to check out the cabins at the park. They are small and simple, but open year-round. I’ll definitely be back for an overnight stay.
My ride from Manning to Stub Stewart had been on an incline so my return ride was all downhill. It was swift and bracing, and I returned to my car feeling like a new woman – or maybe like my old self.
For more information about the Banks-Vernonia Trail, go to http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_145.php. To learn more about Stub Stewart State Park, visit http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_255.php.
Submitted by Anne

August 17th, 2009 | Category: Uncategorized