I’ve learned a new way to experience the outdoors and I had to come all the way to the Redwoods National Forest to learn how. From now on, I’m going to saunter through the woods, not “hike”. Why? I was inspired by a writing I stumbled upon before my trip out West, an excerpt from The Mountain Trail and Its Message, written in 1911 by Albert Palmer who went on outings with John Muir. Yes, that John Muir!
Albert Palmer recounts of chatting with Muir when they were on an outing: I said to him: “Mr. Muir, someone told me you did not approve of the word ‘hike.’ Is that so?” His blue eyes flashed, and with his Scotch accent he replied: “I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike!
“Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they became known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.”
John Muir lived up to his doctrine. He was usually the last man to reach camp. He never hurried. He stopped to get acquainted with individual trees along the way. He would hail people passing by and make them get down on hands and knees if necessary to see the beauty of some little bed of almost microscopic flowers. Usually he appeared at camp with some new flowers in his hat and a little piece of fir bough in his buttonhole.
Now, whether the derivation of saunter Muir gave me is scientific or fanciful, is there not in it another parable? There are people who “hike” through life. They measure life in terms of money and amusement; they rush along the trail of life feverishly seeking to make a dollar or gratify an appetite. How much better to “saunter” along this trail of life, to measure it in terms of beauty and love and friendship! How much finer to take time to know and understand the men and women along the way, to stop a while and let the beauty of the sunset possess the soul, to listen to what the trees are saying and the songs of the birds, and to gather the fragrant little flowers that bloom all along the trail of life for those who have eyes to see!
Source: The Mountain Trail and Its Message (Boston: The Pilgrim Press, 1911) – Sierra Club website
Below are my photos from my reverent saunter among the giant redwoods, ferns, flowers and mosses of the Redwood National Forest. Look up, look down, and notice the details. ~ Therese Oldenburg
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- Be sure to stop sauntering long enough to hug a tree!
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- My husband Dave sauntering among the giants
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- Don’t forget to look up!
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- Look down! It’s easy to miss the Banana Slug in the leaf litter below the Grove of the Titans.
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- The amazing details of an unfurling fern
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- Wild ginger’s sassy blossom is not easily spotted..
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- A dew kissed trillium caught my eye.
Saunter on my sista! Great finds, photos and descriptions.
What a great blog entry! Thanks Therese! : )
Inspired by you Mike!
Oh my! What an experience. This is on my bucket list and I’m living it vicariously through you. Your pictures are stunning the “look up” shot has me almost breathless with its beauty. Thank you Therese for sharing.
I spent months planning and have all the details…so you can just go!
Beautiful friend! I love forest bathing!
The redwoods are definitely a place to spend the entire day, absorbing every scent and every scene to last until next time. There’s a reason they call them “cathedrals.” Thanks for sharing, Therese!
They are magical and around every bend in the trail I am in awe!
Thank you for this share, Theresa. A very thoughtful way to end my day!
Inspiring me to saunter …. Especially with the kiddos ????
Kids are the best sauntering partners! They slow you down and they see all the details at their level.
Love this idea of a saunter. I could do it either way, but I do profess to the look up, look, down, notice the details philosophy. I love your photos! Have you ever thought of going into photography as a second career? Or at least putting together a show at the Beloit Art Center?
Thanks for the nice comment Karen. I’m not sure I’m ready for a show, but I love to share my photos.