In the six months since the inaugural hike of the CFM Monday morning hiking group on November 4, 2024, the hikers have explored Drake Park/ Red Bird Hollow Trailhead, Ault Park, Eden Park, Spring Grove Cemetery, and Glendale Gardens. They’ve hiked in rain, snow, cold, sun, traversed pavement and wooded trails. New friendships have formed, old friendships strengthened, with conversations flowing throughout. 

Hikes are always followed by more conversation and refreshments at nearby coffee shops, including Coffee Emporium, Luminary, Sidewinder, and Wyoming Community Coffee. A recent coffee critique prompted talk of producing a review of available coffees and teas at each shop.

Beth Brubacher, who first proposed the idea of a hiking group to Linda Daigle, was so impressed by her parents decade-old church hiking group, that she thought it would be a good way to encourage movement/exercise, as well as socialization. 

Socialization is “… a way to combat isolation in our society and help us get to know each other better. Further, from my decades of work in healthcare, I have certainly seen that when aging folks stop moving, their health declines pretty steeply. Even just walking a couple of 10-minute segments daily, at whatever pace, can make a huge difference in overall health. I think our hiking group encourages attenders to walk at other times - not just on Monday mornings,” said Brubacher.

Linda Daigle, who worked with Brubacher to get the group started, said that she saw this as an opportunity to “get to know our community outside of the meetinghouse and I enjoy being outside. This was a win-win decision for me.” 

Participants have found that there is a spiritual aspect to hiking with others in outdoor spaces where one can experience the quiet and peacefulness of being in nature.  

“I think when you are outside in the richness of God's landscape you are already open to a spiritual experience. When you join that nature with others who have similar appreciation and values, the spiritual component comes easily,” said Karen Rahe. 

“Certainly, nature surrounds us. I’m in the presence of like-minded people sharing spiritual journeys. And, believe it or not, there are silent moments in hikes. It’s a great way to begin the week. When hiking with others we can pause and take in the bigger picture,” said Fred Steiner. 

 “The rhythm of walking, the awareness of nature, and the quiet companionship of others can create a deeply spiritual experience, even without explicit religious discussions,” said Jeff Clark.

As a regular pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago, Jeff Arnold proposed an appropriate motto for the group, “…by definition I find a spiritual component to walking in general and especially to walking with others. There is a Latin phrase “Solvitur ambulando” that translates as “It is solved by walking.” That could be the motto of this group.”

Certainly, problems have been discussed among the small breakout groups during each hike, with solutions often suggested in the way of friends sharing what has worked for them and/or what might help another. 

What do they most enjoy about hiking with others?

Rahe said she enjoys “getting to know others in our community better, experiencing nature with others, and good conversation.” Clark agreed, adding that “Walking alongside others fosters meaningful conversations. I also find joy in the quiet moments, where I can appreciate the beauty of nature and reflect. Physical benefits of hiking, such as fresh air and exercise, add to the experience. Coffee!!!”

Kathy Stewart’s comment mirrored their comments, “Fresh air. Exercise. Satisfying conversation. The ease and comfort of being with Friends and deepening my roots within the CFM community. What more could you ask of a Monday morning?”

Would they encourage others to join? Absolutely.

“I have encouraged additional CFM members/attenders to attend hiking group, and some of those people have come - a few others have said they will when life circumstances change some. I think the group needs to continue to stay open about people of different walking paces joining, and how to incorporate hiking places that have both forested walking paths and paved paths. As we grow, I think we'll need to be more intentional about some of these questions,” said Brubacher. 

Arnold has mentioned hiking with the nurture groups he is a part of, and Steiner said that he’d encouraged anyone to join “even for a part of the experience, coffee time or walk time. This is a good opportunity to connect and for us to stay healthy.”

What has surprised them about hiking together?

Daigle was surprised by “The hardiness of the group not stopping (just) because the weather was bad!” 

Arnold admitted to being “… a little surprised when Mary and Fred showed up at the first walk, because I hardly knew them.” Rahe was pleasantly surprised by “how welcoming everyone is, and the genuine care and concern (they show) for the well being of others.”

“The range of interests shared by fellow hikers is always a pleasant surprise to me. This goes from travel, gardening, health issues, retirement subjects, reading to children and grandchildren and how each became a Quaker,” said Steiner. 

It is common for newcomers to any type of group exercise to express concerns about not being able to keep up, holding others back, or who don’t like walking in rain or snow. But all of the hikers commented on the fact that the group quickly breaks into small groups of various paces. Some prefer a fast pace, with other groups following at various paces. And they encourage those who prefer to skip a rainy or cold walk, to join the rest at the coffee shop for conversation.  

“We hike in groups based upon the speed ability of the hikers. Everyone seems to hike at different paces and there’s no right or wrong pace. Some are very deliberate and take time to enjoy the scenery. Others may start slow and as the conversation picks up begin to walk faster, without realizing it. Others intend to pick up quicker paces right from the start. The interesting thing is that as we split into different groups we usually always end at the same location at the same time,” said Brubacher.

“Some weeks I keep pace with the vigorous walkers; others, I amble along with those in no hurry. We’ve walked in rain, we’ve walked through snow, we’ve walked under sunny blue skies -- I take silly pride in showing up no matter the weather. Mixing up locations is part of the fun (when did Spring Grove Cemetery add all those hills?),” said Kathy Stewart.

The group regularly discusses locations for future hikes, as well as topics for coffee conversations. On a recent Monday, conversation turned to favorite book genres and book recommendations.

After a reference to concerns over the recent Trump administration executive orders, there was a discussion of whether there should be times set aside for a support group format where folks can share their concerns/fears/hopes, and/or an action group. Instead, it was agreed those ideas might be best shared with Cathy Barney and a Spiritual Nurture Group or to the Peace and Social Concerns Committee for more of an action focus. 

“Regardless, as the hiking group develops, we'll want to have some discussion within the group about whether we set aside certain coffee times for discussion of specific items. Personally, I like the idea of Quaker Faith and Practice discussion (once or twice a month), based off of a book reading, since we have so many folks who are pretty new to Quakerism,” said Brubacher.

From the author: Over the past 15 years of regular trips to Cincinnati to visit our daughter and her partner, and now their twin daughters, I have been surprised by the many beautiful parks and nature preserves here and how well they’re maintained. As a runner, I discovered Spring Grove Cemetery several years before our move and it has become my safe place to run and bike. Our move to Cincinnati in June 2024 has given me so many new places to explore. By joining the hiking group, I get to experience the peace and quiet of area parks that I was afraid I’d miss after having spent most of my life in a small town surrounded by farmland. More importantly, the hiking group has allowed me to make new friends, discover shared interests, and to learn more about Quakerism. I feel so welcomed at CFM and by our hiking friends.”