Recap video: ‘1-minute hikes’ of 2015

The “1-minute hike” series is officially four years old. It hit the milestone in mid November, and since then, I’ve been painstakingly piecing together the 2015 compilation video. Sometimes reflecting on the past can be tedious, especially if you’re editing a year’s worth of outdoor adventures down to 10 minutes and adding background music.

To look back at the 1-minute hikes of years past, here are some links:

For the “1-minute hike” series, I explore a different trail in Maine each week — with the exception of a few weeks when I expanded my horizons to produce a “1-minute bike” or “1-minute paddle” instead. So that means, in the past four years, I’ve been on more than 200 outdoor adventures, and most of those outing were hikes. It’s been a trip.

Oreo and I at Screw Auger Falls

Oreo and I at Gulf Hagas

In 2015 alone, I went on about 50 different hikes throughout Maine, visiting Baxter State Park, Acadia National Park, Katahdin Woods and Waters Recreation Area, preserves in Blue Hill and Deer Isle, southern Maine beach parks, parts of the Appalachian Trail, community nature trails in Ellsworth and Belfast, remote mountains in the Moosehead Region, Gulf Hagas, the Georges Highland Path, the Camden Hills and more.

Highlights of the year include finally skiing at the Bait Hole in Millinocket; watching my dog Oreo swim in the Union River; running across the sandy expanse of Seawall Beach; photographing a group of loons and a bald eagle while paddling on Hermon Pond with my cousin; checking out the new Mariaville Falls Trail; watching endangered piping plover chicks sprint through the sand dunes of Popham Beach; picking blueberries on a hot summer day in Steuben; enjoying the wind and view of the Moosehead Region with Oreo atop Indian Mountain; discovering 10 turtles sunning on a log beside Jones Pond in Gouldsboro; and waiting until low tide to hike across the sand bar to Bar Island in Acadia National Park.

Near Half Mile beach

The beautiful Reid State Park.

I’ve tried my best to share these experiences with you, readers and viewers, because I hope that my little adventures bring you some joy and encourage you to spend more time outdoors, whether it’s simply walking through a neighborhood park or visiting a national park you’ve always wanted to explore.

While the end of the year is certainly a time to reflect, I also think it’s a time to give thanks to the people who helped us and encouraged us over the past year.

Derek and I at the summit.

Derek and I at the summit of South Turner Mtn in Baxter State Park.

So thank you, blog readers, for all your clicks, comments and “likes.” Thank you to all who took the time to “like” my Facebook page or follow me on Twitter (@1minhikegirl). Thank you to those who’ve emailed me and showed up at my presentations. And thank you to those who’ve taken the time to send suggestions, correct my mistakes and simply offer encouragement.

I would not have been able to keep this series going for four whole years without your support. And because you, in 2016, and I’ll be offering even more features and videos about the Maine outdoors on this blog.

In 2016, I already have a list of places I plan to go. I realize I have neglected far reaches of the state, largely due to travel constraints. I’ll do my best to visit those areas — the far north and east and west and south. Maine is a big state, and there’s lots to see.

See you on the trails!

 

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.