Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1262675
6 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JULY 2020 By Clare Mendez, Resident The invitation to hike the Tenaja Trail on May 23 with Larry McGary and the biking and hiking group was sent out to the club members. Eight SDV residents, including myself, chose to hike through nature rather than walk the concrete Paseos, Cortes, and Caminos. The trail was rated as "moderate" on the All Trails app and for those residents who've been denied gym access for the past three to four months, it was a very welcome chance to work out some kinks. The hike was planned for six miles total; three miles in and three miles back. You could turn around at any time and not be afraid of getting lost as there was just a single path. Larry led the hike down hills, over rocks and crossing creeks. We followed one by one like little ants, moving aside when another group of hikers came toward us in the opposite direction. (Social distancing was kept in mind throughout the hike and while traveling to and from in vehicles.) We stopped only to enjoy a little rest in the shade, the view, or the sounds of some fresh flowing water. My favorite part of a nature walk, or in this case: hike, is to be bewitched by the wild flowers, ferns, and foliage not seen in manicured gardens. On the way back, I took time to rest at the creek. I stopped to get a closer look at some flowers, and picked my head up once in a while to relish the view. For the most part, we don't experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel. Studies show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage in the world and with each other. I hope you are getting out of your houses and enjoying nature, even if it's just to sit out in your own back yards. This is what I refer to as "my nature fix." We teased Larry about the difficulty of the hike, but in reality it was very enjoyable. He said the next hike would be easier, but finding all that marvelous shade and feeling the cool mountain breezes was what made the Tenaja Trail hike so pleasing. Thanks again, Larry, for showing us some of the local area one trail at a time. Tenaja Trail Hike