Yes, this is an AI generated image. Creepy or fun? Tell us. . .
Greetings from the bow of a new year! As MTF sails headlong into Expedition 2026, I am reminded that the future is a great, murky unknown. For example, the dirt-season operations plan, developed with care and excitement, feels ethereal and vaporous as if the days of summer dirt exist on some barely visible, distant and shimmering horizon. And, as we have anxiously awaited what should be consistent snowfall this time of year, it is a challenge to sit in the the unknown.
Yet, it is in the unknown, the uncertain, the unplanned where thrill, adventure and discovery are built – and these are the very essence of trail outings. Whether a daily walk with the pup, a slow exploration of the natural world with a little one, or a full-blown expedition to the summit of a grand mountain, we do not set foot upon trails knowing for sure what we will encounter.
And that is precisely why we set out, right? Trail adventures fuel the free spirit. They provide generous relief from the mundane, from the expected. They give us space to move and breathe and think thoughts that don’t have to add up to something. There is a certain, wonderful relief and freedom in knowing that we are but a tiny part of an immense, natural, mysterious and benevolent world.
And yet, small as we may be, even collectively as a group of enthusiastic outdoors people, Trail Lovers make an outsized difference in the big picture. Thus, it is with great thanks to MTF’s remarkably generous donors, local land trusts and local government that MTF is sailing with confidence into the unknown waters of a new year. Thank you for trusting us and for joining this journey.
Still snow dancin’ and I hope to see you out there!
