Do you remember the time you first felt like you absolutely had to be in nature? The first time that being in nature wasn’t just an idea or a passing thought. Rather it felt an urge or a pull you couldn’t resist. A call you had to answer.
In this blog post, Humboldt County ambassador Terry Bean and two Humboldt wine hikers share the powerful moments that sparked their lifelong connection to the outdoors.
From British Mutter to Bean: A Love Born Out of Tradition by WHS Ambassador Terry Bean
It was a tradition for the British Mutter clan (my mom’s family) to go to the English seaside most Sundays. My grandmother, Flo, would make a giant roast with potatoes and an enormous pot of tea. What would the Brits do without their tea???
Granddad would sit smoking his cigar, reading the paper and being served like the king he thought he was. All 5 kids would run amok in the sand dunes and splash in the frigid sea. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and various lucky neighbors would join in the joyful day.
My older siblings were able to partake for a few years until the family moved to Canada. I missed out on this due to the fact that I wasn’t even a sparkle in my folks eyes yet. Two years later, there I was, ready for adventure.
Fast forward to circa 1962 in Southern California. Finally, the Mutter (now the Bean) beach tradition began for 5-year-old me. My mother made P B and J sandwiches and a jug of lemonade and off we went to Redondo Beach. Geez, where is the roast and potatoes, I thought.
I fell absolutely in love with the ocean. My parents couldn’t keep me out of the water. Body surfing, buggy boarding, and finally surfing became a passion. As I got older, I’d ride my bike down to the beach before school, holding on tight to my much too small surfboard.
Time travel to 1977. I met Garret, gorgeous Garret, who taught me to climb, ski, glissade, and backpack, and thus begin my love affair with GRANITE. The rest is history.
Almost 50 years later, it is difficult for me to sit still. There is always a hike to be had, kayaking to do, a Trinity Alps backpack trip to explore, and fantastic social events to catch up with friends.
You can find me on the trail or the sea. If you’re looking for friends to explore with, you can join me here.
From Mall Rat to the John Muir Trail: Feeling Empowered in Nature by Sabrina DeLashmutt
I was raised in the city and my family never did anything outdoors. I was a “mall rat” (one who hangs out at the mall all day looking at things).
After college, I was dating a man who wanted to take me backpacking in Yosemite. He couldn’t believe I had never spent time outdoors. He geared me up, and we walked up the John Muir Trail for five days. I felt so empowered as a woman as all the tourists were passing me going downhill, encouraging me up the hill.
After that, I was hooked on nature. (Even after getting Giardia).
Thirty-five years later, I am still hiking, walking, and backpacking as much as possible. I love the Women’s Wine Hiking Society for so many reasons, especially because it encourages women to do things that they might not usually do.
From the Central Valley to the California Coast: Finding Inspiration from Education by Dana Settlelmayer
My parents never camped or hiked. It was my sixth grade teacher who turned me on to hiking and the outdoors. I grew up in a very small conservative town in the Central Valley of California. It was 1972 and my elementary school hired this new teacher with some “radical ideas.” His name was Mr. Jennings. He had long hair and a beard, and we thought he was the coolest person on the planet.
The school allowed him to start a backpacking club, and I was the first to sign up. Although we never got around to doing any real backpacking, we did an epic hike at Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County.
We boarded a school bus at the crack of dawn for the long drive to the trailhead. We got to the trailhead completely unprepared and totally excited. None of us had the right “gear,” but that didn’t matter.
We hiked all the way to the ocean. For many of us, it was our first time at the ocean! We frolicked in the waves and had the time of our lives. After an amazing day at the beach, we walked back to the bus and arrived home that night, sunburned, exhausted, with blisters on our feet and giant smiles on our faces!!
I credit that teacher with my love of hiking and the ocean. It’s the reason I came to Humboldt State University and became a teacher. I was able to take my students to Catalina Island for a week of snorkeling, ocean kayaking, and beach adventures. I can only hope those experiences inspired my students as much as Mr. Jennings inspired me.
We’d love to hear about when you fell in love with the outdoors. Login and comment below to share your story.