The Columbia Trail Calls: A FreeWalker Steps Up

I first got involved with FreeWalkers about 3 years along my journey of good health.  While I cannot exactly remember which walk was my first, I just remember being so happy to have found people who shared my comfort in trying those long distances, and the idea that I could always challenge myself to do more. 

As I continued joining more walks, I made incredible friendships with folks.  While we all come from very different backgrounds, we have always been able to connect and enjoy each other’s company based on that shared love of walking.  As Cory Storch once said to me about FreeWalkers:  “I found my people.”  I could not agree with him more. 

So when Risa asked me to coordinate last year’s Columbia Trail and Ken Lockwood Gorge Walk, I of course said yes.  While I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare, I was familiar with the trail having done it several times, and knew I would have many friends with me for support.

This is a beautiful 12-mile walk.  We start out on a gentle, crushed-gravel trail from High Bridge to Califon, followed by a scenic return back to High Bridge along the Raritan River and the Ken Lockwood Gorge. 

For a short history lesson, Ken Lockwood was an outdoor journalist and conservationist best known for a column he wrote for the Newark Evening News called “Out in the Open.”  He was a very strong advocate for land conservation, particularly when it came to setting aside spaces for hunting and fishing. 

Most of the walk is pretty flat, so it’s beginner-friendly, and even though the return route along the gorge is slightly rocky, it is still manageable (nothing that involves climbing).  There are lots of wonderful photo opportunities, especially of the river and waterfalls.  And we do briefly stop for a picnic lunch at the halfway point, which we encourage everyone to bring for themselves.

One of the biggest challenges for a coordinator is wanting everyone to feel comfortable and have a good sense of where they’re going.  For this walk, two things were particularly important. 

First, I wanted to make sure folks were clear when/where to turn around if they did not wish to complete the full 12 miles.  Over the course of those first 6 miles to Califon, I made sure to keep people informed as to how many miles we’d covered, so they’d know how many they’d have to cover in reverse if they chose to stop and turn around. 

Second, on the return route, there is a “fork” in the road to turn onto the path back to our original departure location (it’s easy to miss).  However, as long walks progress, some folks slow down, and I wanted to be sure those folks did not fall behind to the point of getting lost or missing the turn at that fork. 

However, I was very lucky to have the support of my friends (especially Marcella, John, and Cory) to help me keep track of everyone and to keep everyone as aware of their surroundings as possible.  One of my best memories of this walk was hearing the folks at the back of the pack call out car warnings to those of us up front during the portion of the route that involved some streets without sidewalks. 

Plus an extra shoutout to Oscar for offering to be my sweeper – the person who waited at that fork turn until he was certain everyone had caught up and knew where to go.

Those are FreeWalkers for you – always looking out for and supporting you every step of the way, and making my first time coordinating so much easier.

For anyone about to coordinate a walk for the first time, the best piece of advice I’d give is to encourage everyone else to enjoy themselves.  Make sure they know that everyone will get to the next mile marker in their own time, and that they can do as much or as little of the full distance as they wish. 

Also, at the beginning of each walk (if group size/time permits), give everyone the chance to go around and introduce themselves – who they are and where they’re from.  It’s a great way to break the ice and allow people to connect with each other early on. 

Coordinating my first walk with FreeWalkers was such a rewarding experience and I can’t wait for my next one.  Most importantly, I hope everyone will be able to join us for this year’s Spring Hike: Columbia Trail and Ken Lockwood Gorge, which will take place on Sunday, April 7.