If you like being outside in nature, then you should definitely come to school in San Antonio! I know that I rant and rave about Brackenridge Park and the Tea Gardens all of the time, but I am finally moving out of my comfort zone and exploring other places in the city. Yesterday I went with a friend to check out Friedrich park for the first time. If you are going from the school it is down 1-10 W a little past UTSA. It's not far at all! It's funny, because when I go back to Houston I don't mind driving twenty minutes to get somewhere. However, when I am in San Antonio, I am used to having everything within minutes of the house. Once you get over the hump of spending a little extra time in the car, it's easy to realize how much stuff is right in our backyard. Friedrich park has a great trail to go along, with a few loops and side trails off of it. There wasn't too many hiking intensive parks, and I made it with regular tennis shoes totally fine! That is one thing that I am discovering about hiking. Everyone can do it! You don't have to go out and buy all new gear for a couple of fun hours walking through the woods. Now, if you decide to move your efforts over to Big Bend or a National Park, then you should absolutely have shoes to secure your ankles. For yesterday, though, my shoes were perfect. After about an hour there, my friend and I drove over to Eisenhower Park. Now Eisenhower seems to have a lot more extra trails to follow. Plus, you have your option of trail or pavement. We started out walking along some trails, and then at an intersection, we saw runners out along the pavement. We passed a lot of people out there running, walking, and enjoying the area with their pets. It's absolutely beautiful, and there is a lookout that you can climb up. It has an amazing view of the city as well as the quarry walls along the highway. I am starting to practice hiking as much as I can now, because my best friend from high school wants to hike the AT next year. That means I have about a year to get myself prepared for a five-six month long journey!! It's going to be amazing!!
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