Moderate level hikers enjoying a day on the Salt River and Riverview Trails: Front row (left to right): David Patterson, Scott Downey, Paul Feeney; back row (left to right) Bob Shellenbarger, Rick Schlink, Gene Jencsok, Vince LeBlanc, Jack Rubino, Richard Gardell, Ron Deraas (photo by Tim Donovan)
Warren Wasescha, Sun Likes Hiking Club
I lost a good hiking friend today. Neil had a tragic bicycle accident that took his life. Another friend was with him when it happened. The only thing worse than hearing that a good friend had died is to maybe witness the event and dealing with the minutes afterwards trying to save his life, or then having to call his family.
Neil and I had been casual neighbors for over 29 years back in Stillwater, Minn. But it was the discovery that we both enjoyed hiking that caused us to start hiking weekly together during the summers. And through those weekly hikes, we developed a closer bond in those short few years than we had ever had over the previous 25 years combined. Hiking does that, and I will dearly miss our weekly hikes together.
Hiking has a way of building tight-knit human connection with others. Unlike some sports where you’re across the net from a friend or chasing after a golf ball that went astray, hiking allows you to walk side-by-side up and down mountain trails, providing hours of “windshield time” with others, talking and listening with each other about everything from current politics to philosophies on life, and the sharing of one’s multiple life experiences. It’s one of the things that I enjoy so much about hiking—having the ability to have deep conversations on the trail with no interruptions, other than to take in some exceptional views along the way.
If you are reading this article and thinking that hiking might be for you, come check out our club. We are a friendly, inclusive group of hikers who welcome all able-bodied hikers. Our goal is to make group hiking fun, challenging, social, and safe. We hike formally November through April and informally May through October. Our club is open to anyone living in Sun Lakes and SunBird.
For more information about our club, please type “Sun Lakes Hiking Club” into your web browser and look for our Meetup page. You’ll find information about our club, along with photos and descriptions of past and future hikes. If you have questions about the club not answered on our website, please let me know at wjwasescha@gmail.com.
Hiking is one of the many rewarding activities you can do in our community. We look forward to hiking with you!