Walking for pure joy sort of snuck up on me. When I needed to lose weight, I developed the habit of heading outside after dinner to go around the block a few times. Much later, it dawned on me that there were a whole lot of more interesting places I could explore — maybe not after dinner, but on weekends & days off.

I found state parks. I discovered rail trails. I walked through neighborhoods that I had only before seen from a car window.

I moved to southern New Hampshire from Florida with my husband and baby in the early 1980s, hardly expecting this whole Northern thing to work out as well as it has. It took me awhile to realize just how much of Florida’s beauty I had taken for granted the whole time I was growing up — the beauty most of the tourists miss. I didn’t want to make the same mistake here. As my husband and I reared our children, I learned little by little about appreciating things close to home.

So here I am, fascinated by New Hampshire paths and trails. I look forward to sharing some of my favorites with you. Welcome to Granite State Walker.