Cowles Mountain -An Urban Park for All

I haven't been on the Cowles Mountain trail for more than 20 years. During that time I gained weight, got out of shape and just worked with no attention to health and body.

This morning, on a Sunday, Bobbi and I tried the trail again. Thanks to my workouts, I was ready to scale the peak.

  

The trail was packed with hikers, runners, families, pets of all sizes, shapes, ages, cultures and races. When we arrived at 8 am the nearby streets were packed and parking was hard to find. The trail up was congested but everyone was so happy and friendly it made it a positive, shared challenge. Rather than resenting the crowd, it was fun to be part of it.

I was also struck by the diversity on the trail, reflecting the diverse city we live in. We heard several languages, Spanish, English, Arabic and others.  We shared the trail with Asians, Latinos, African Americans and Middle Easterners. We walked slowly and shared the trail with runners bounding up the rocky path, children with their parents, babies in packs, dogs of all sizes, and seniors much older than we are.

But what was so striking about this diversity were the happy smiles, greetings and positivity that everyone shared with their fellow hikers.

The trail itself was a challenge. A good workout, sweating and getting the heart rate up on the way up. The first half was the hardest. I expected the steep switch backs at the end to be a killer but actually they were much easier than they looked. After powering through them, the top came quickly with a great sense of satisfaction.

The hike reminded me of what a treasure Mission Trails Regional Park and Cowles Mountain are for San Diego. It is truly an urban park that is enjoyed by all. This morning it was a place where the diversity of San Diego came together to be happy, get some great outdoor excercise, enjoy our awesome weather, and give smiles to their neighbors.

If you have never done this hike, or like me, have not done it for years, give it a try.  You won't be disappointed.  Think about going on a really busy Sunday and enjoy the people, nature and the excercise.