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January 03, 2008
A New Year! A New Name!
Jeffrey Hunter at one of his favorite vistas - McAfee Knob in SW Virginia
The weeks leading up to and after the New Year is a fun time for many folks. It's a time for celebration, college football, resolutions, renewal, sparkling beverages, friends and family, and change!
With that last item in mind - change - the time has come for a change here on this site. This blog needs a real name. Not some lame name like "American Hiking Society's Southeast Trail Program." I mean, what kind of name is that for a blog?
As I was hiking up Lookout Mountain yesterday morning on the Gum Spring Trail, I was thinking about possible names for the blog. That train of thought helped take the focus off the fact that I was freezing my tail off in 21 degree weather! And then it hit me! A tree branch square in the forehead! Ouch! It always helps to pay attention on the trail.
Moments later it came to me. As my destination - Sunset Rock - came into view, the new name for the blog just popped into my head. The Vista.
Why The Vista you ask? Easy! Vistas tell you where you've been and where you're going. They offer a view that can often change your perspective. Vistas also offer opportunities for photographs - like some that you'll find here. You also have to work to reach a vista. That means hiking. Any hike worth it's salt will offer a reward commensurate with the effort required to achieve it! That reward is often a vista. Vistas are also dynamic. A view one day will look totally different the next. That's part of the magic of hiking and immersing yourself in the great outdoors.
So there you have it! I always welcome suggestions for content, including photographs. Please send along your comments, suggestions and photos to me. And oh yeah. Have a Happy New Year! Get out there and hike! Be safe! And have fun!
American Hiking Happenings | By Jeffrey Hunter | 10:40 AM
Comments
One of the criteria we use for besthike is a "high percentage of stunning vistas" en route.
Love that name.
The only downside is the much mocked Microsoft operating system. But I doubt there would be any association with Microsoft if you go "The Vista".
Posted by: Rick McCharles at January 3, 2008 03:02 PM
