Why do we always ask about your health?

For one, being healthy allows us to all do the things we need to on a daily basis.  Let’s be real, I don’t think anyone wants to be healthy so we can do the dinner dishes or sit down and pay bills. We WANT to be healthy so we can do more of what we love. For some people, that’s being able to take their dogs on a walk around the park. Others may want to stroll down the street, shopping in boutiques, or get down on the ground to play with grandchildren. For me, I want to be healthy so I can share my love of nature with my family. There is nothing better than watching my kids scramble over rocks, around trees and being awed by a beautiful vista.

Big Bend!

This January I got to check off a trip to Big Bend National Park off my Texas Outside list.  I have been procrastinating taking the 7-8 drive out there with my husband Cade and our two kids, Kinsley and Zane.  I just wasn’t sure it would be worth the headache. If you have also been putting on the brakes for such a trip, put the pedal to the metal and head out to West Texas!

My kids’ favorite hike in Big Bend is the Santa Elena Canyon.  It is a beautiful car ride once you get into the park, all the way down Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, but there are lots of other smaller hikes and views to entertain you. The start of the hike is at the turn of the Rio Grande and it couldn’t be a more spectacular view of the river that defines the border between Mexico and Texas.

The canyon trail is 1.5 miles and depending on the height of the water you may have to do a light water crossing or hillside scramble further upstream to get into the canyon. It can be chilly in the canyon because it doesn’t get a lot of sunlight so you may want to bring a layer to throw on if it isn’t the middle of the summer.  The lush vegetation in the canyon is a stark contrast to the desert landscape outside and there are plenty of large boulders and reeds to explore on the banks of the river.

Life, exploration and fun outdoors – this is WHY I try and stay healthy. Please share with us why you want to be healthy! By: Dr. Elyse Barron