Hiking the Neighborhood

by David Minor, Communications Outreach Specialist/ AmeriCorps Member with MN DNR Scientific and Natural Areas through Conservation Corps’ Individual Placement program

This is a little ridiculous, but it was kind of fun to put together. Hope you enjoy and stay safe until we can all get out again!

The Great Adventure of 2020

Yes, let’s go for a hike I want to say.
But where shall we go on this lovely day?
We can’t go out like we normally do.
We’re stuck inside where we are told to stay.

But wait, we can go out near our household,
We just cannot stray too far, we were told.
I think I just had a major breakthrough.
Let’s grab our gear, let’s hike! Let’s go! Behold!

We don our boots and packs and grab our guides.
I cannot stand to let this weekend slide.
To these four walls I must bid an adieu!
Let’s hike! There’s much to see if we just tried.

“Adventure is out there!” – Ellie, UP

Down on our block just this past week I spied,
Two Robins also flitting side-by-side.
I noticed a downy woodpecker too.
And a grey squirrel stealing food curbside.

You see just because we cannot go far,
does not mean from adventure we are barred.
There is a lot we’d miss if we withdrew.
Look there! It’s a funky caterpillar.

After we walk and talk and people stare.
(though to be honest we don’t really care).
It’s to our yard to set up our lean-to.
And make dinner, our table a lawn chair.

We sit and eat and laugh until it’s dark.
“This was a good adventure,” I remark.
We lie and stare up at the night sky view.
This is our own private national park.

It’s pretty hard to not go out and camp.
Vacations only in our hippocamp.
Until we are all able to pull through,
each day repeats, repeats, we all will vamp.

“Just keep swimming, just keep swimming” – Dory, Finding Nemo