What DO trails mean to you? Why are they important to you, to me, to us?

Is it for the solitude, with nothing but a pack of simple goods on your back, a smile on your face and miles of empty trail ahead of you; trees and rocks, sunshine and fresh air, and your own thoughts as company?

Carey Kish photos

Is it for the camaraderie, folks gathered up around the evening campfire, sharing the day and a good meal amid the woodsmoke, frogs chirping and the sun setting in the background, and that fine feeling of friends and fatigue settling into your being?

Is it that incredible feeling of challenge and then sense of self-discovery, when you reach the top of the mountain after a hard climb, or paddle around the dicey headland amid the heaving seas, or finally ride that narrow trick bridge on your mountain bike... yes, I CAN do it!

Is it for the sheer simplicity of making your bed under the stars in a forest meadow, cooking up an extraordinary one-pot feast on your little camp stove, of sitting on a rock overlooking a tumbling brook doing not much of anything but knowing deep how great it is to just sit on a rock overlooking a tumbling brook.

Is it for the wonder of coming around a bend and scaring yourself and a magnificent bull moose, the beauty of the sky--all purple and red and orange--as the sun sets over a glass-surfaced lake, the 360 degree panorama set out before you from the craggy mountaintop, the sweet smell of the balsam forest in a warm patch of sunlight.

Is it for the natural beauty of our state, whether it's the little grove of hardwoods down the street where you walk every day, the Back Cove Trail beneath the urban skyline of downtown Portland, the alpine heights of the Bigelow ridgeline, the placid waters of the Saco River, the bold landscape of the Cutler coast...

What is it?

What draws you, us, to the trails? On foot, by ski and snowshoe, by bike, by canoe and kayak, by motorized means?

Take some time. Think about it. Then please kindly leave me your comments below.

Let me give you a gentle push...

I enjoy hiking the _____ Trail because...

_____ Lake or River is my favorite place to paddle because...

I love to get out in my sea kayak around _____ because...

_____ is my favorite spot to camp because...

The most beautiful mountain to me is _____ because...

Running or walking on the ____ Path is great because...

There's no singletrack mountain bike trail like ____ because...

Cross-country skiing at _____ is the best because...

See, there you go. Not so hard eh?

So go for it. Put it into words. Share with us your passion for the outdoors, the pursuits that drive you, the favorite places that keep you coming back. Inspire us, inform us, take us there with you....

Why are trails important to you?