Play by Play Day by Day with Amy Lawrence

As we mark 250 years of independence as a nation, I can think of a zillion reasons to love the United States of America. From the freedom we enjoy to the melting pot of people and cultures to the wonderous variety of our 50 states–we are BLESSED to be Americans!

Is this nation perfect? Of course not. There’s no such thing. As a country, we have our flaws and challenges and problems. But I wouldn’t want to make my home anywhere else, not even this summer as I adjust to the extreme heat in Texas, ha.

This last month, I’ve been mulling over a blog post on hiking, a relatively newfound passion of mine. My husband and I took his mom to Colorado in mid-June, and we stayed in the Buena Vista area with more than a dozen 14,000′ peaks just to the west of us. (The locals brand them “14-ers”!) Since I knew we would hike, I initially thought I could write about memorable climbing excursions. But then it dawned on me: while pursuing this latest obsession, I’ve seen America through a different lens. And thanks to this novel perspective, I’ve fallen in love with the US all over again in a unique way. Impeccable timing for a blog to celebrate beauty that’s worth the chase!🤩

It’s one thing to drive to the top of a mountain to see extraordinary panoramas; it’s entirely another to push yourself step after step and tax rarely used muscles to reach the top. I’m not one of those people who can run up a mountain, though we see crazies doing that periodically. Hiking is a labor of love for me, emphasis on the labor. But one of my favorite pieces of wisdom applies here: “Anything worth having is worth sacrificing for.” The early morning hours (since we try to beat crowds and heat), the physical effort, the fight, the WALLS we hit, the sore body parts, the tired feet and legs, the pain that kicks in later–all part of the package and all worth it!

In my opinion, the rewards far outweigh the cost. The emotions and endorphins are unmatched: climbing that final rise or scrambling over the last set of boulders to reach the top; breaking into the open on a summit; drinking in the jaw-dropping vistas on a bright, clear day when you can see forever. I swear the views are more beautiful BECAUSE I work so hard to find them. Achieving the goal, standing at the high point of the hike, fills me with an adrenaline rush like no other.

Sometimes, the path DOWN is actually more challenging, especially when it’s steep. I prefer going up most of the time; my thighs, knees and feet tend to ache more on the descent. Of course, the backpack is significantly lighter on the way down after eating lunch and consuming a couple liters of water. My food weighs a lot, ha. But that moment when I get back to the car and take off my boots is both glorious and 🐽smelly. Sure, there’s plenty of groaning, but also the promise of pizza or pasta AND ice cream! By mutual agreement, my husband and I always eat ice cream after a tough climb. Blizzards usually. Best incentive ever! And I do remind myself about ice cream when the hikes are difficult!!

Beyond the arduous exercise, the calorie burn, the sensational scenery, the joy and the ice cream, the best part about hiking is the company! I have to give my brother Mattie and his family the credit for getting me hooked. They caught the bug years before I did; when visiting them in Northern Virginia, we would go on short jaunts in the area. And they would talk about other fun excursions which made me curious to see for myself. Looking back, I did a few local New Jersey trails with my friend Erin and a moderate climb with a high school classmate in western New York in 2017. Whenever possible, Penny was with me! She loved to zoom through the woods, investigating all the smells and sounds. Boy, do I miss my faithful partner.🤎

The most memorable hikes of the last ten years featured some of my favorite humans. My brother, sister-in-law and nieces not only encouraged me to hike; they also helped me gear up. My friend Jeff invited me on my first true mountain-climbing adventure, and it changed my life. My amazing friend Casey agreed to meet me in Arizona to hike the Grand Canyon even though she’d never attempted anything like that. And now my husband and I plan most of our road trips, vacations and get-aways around hiking. When we were dating, time outdoors on trails served as a perfect way for us to talk and connect without sitting around staring at each other, ha! We even hiked on our honeymoon in Hawaii.

It would be impossible for me to choose my favorite experiences since I became an avid hiker. However, I can list a few that are incredibly significant along this journey.

Gertrude’s Nose, Lake Minnewaska State Park, Hudson Valley, New York (April 2021): with my brother and his wife, my first lengthy trek of roughly 9 miles, with various rock scrambles that shoved me out of my comfort zone and built up my confidence. We were exhausted in the homestretch, but we had a BLAST! This became one of my go-to destinations while we remained in New Jersey.

Diamond Head & Koko Head Crater, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii (May 2024): the first stop on our honeymoon which gave us amazing birds’ eye views of the island we’d waited so long to visit in person! Within 24 hours, we tackled both of these climbs in return for endless azure blue and the span where sky and sea meld together. The Koko Head Stairs are .8 miles of 1,048 railroad ties straight UP that required every bit of energy we had.

Wittenberg, Cornell & Slide, Catskill Mountains, Hudson Valley, New York (October 2021): at the invitation of my friend Jeff, nearly 10 miles to scale a trio of peaks in what was a grueling physical challenge. I hadn’t previously navigated such steep rock faces and cliffs, but he encouraged me the whole time. When I was done, I was addicted and couldn’t wait to plan the next trip! The crisp air, bright sunshine and vibrant fall colors only added to the theatre.

Mt. Washington, White Mountains, North Conway, New Hampshire (October 2025): a bucket-list item for a New Hampshire girl who grew up with this iconic mountain as part of the culture. A morning with light winds and visibility of 100 miles made it truly unforgettable! The summit is only in the clear a third of the time, and its weather station has recorded the highest wind speeds on the planet. To share the venture with my husband was amazing. My heart was so full of joy.🧡

Bright Angel Trail, South Rim, The Grand Canyon (April ’23 & March ’26): to descend a staggering 4.5 miles down into one of the Seven Wonders of the World will always make me proud. The first time to mark a milestone birthday with Casey, I was more like a kid in a candy store, mesmerized by the whole experience. The second time with the hubs was awesome, but extreme heat made the 3,000′ climb back to the rim feel like twice the elevation. We earned so much ice cream!

What a privilege to encounter God’s brilliant creation in such a personal way. And I could fill up several more blog posts sharing stories and photos from hikes in Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia and New Jersey! Hope we cross paths on a trail in the future.

I am thrilled to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States of America this summer! What an incredible occasion to witness and commemorate. And I am equally thankful for the last decade of seeing our country through the lens of a new passion that continually takes me to new heights.❤️🤍💙

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1)

“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you.” (Isaiah 55:12)

This entry was posted on July 4, 2026 at 2:59 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.