Waypoint Narrative #1
Waypoint Narratives: Five questions, one objective - share stories of people who have experienced the impact of the outdoors.
This first Waypoint Narrative is written by the person who first inspired me to explore the outdoors for myself, my friend Moriah! We met at Messiah College, were roomies for several years, and now are lifelong adventure buddies. Moriah is a great hiker, rock climber, overall explorer, barre instructor, wife, and now, mom! Here is her story:
Do you have a trail name, and if so, how did you acquire it? I don’t have a trail name.
What is the most prominent thing that the trail/the outdoors has taught you about yourself? The outdoors has taught me resilience and has also kept me humble. There’s nothing quite like pushing your limits in the outdoors! I also think it’s taught me that my problems really aren’t that bad, whenever I’m overwhelmed or stressed I can go outside and then it seems much more manageable. Maybe that’s also tied into being closer to my Creator.
What are the key waypoints of your life that ultimately lead you to the trail in the first place? Definitely family, just growing up camping and hiking, it feels natural and homey.
Share about one of the most memorable problem-solving moments you’ve had on the trail. Technically this wasn’t on a trail, but more recently I was rock climbing in Red Rocks, NV and I was responsible for “cleaning” on my way down, which means I gather all the equipment so we don’t leave any up on the wall. You need to make a plan beforehand, because you need the appropriate gear to keep yourself from falling. I forgot one piece that was crucial (a personal anchor) and didn’t realize utnil I was at the top. Too far up to yell down to my belayer, I had to use the gear I did have to create a makeshift anchor. It all worked fine in the end, but there was a moment when I was like “oh crap, oh crap, oh crap,” and I had to calm myself down and think in order to make it work.
Who inspires you to keep moving forward? A huge factor in moving forward is my son, Caleb. He’s only 1, but having a kid is extremely motivating in being your best self. You just want them to look up to you and think of the world of you, so you keep going no matter what.
