“Thanksgiving makes me think of….”

I remembered this writing prompt from elementary school the other day while at Costco, of all places. It came to me in a wave of cynicism, as in, “Thanksgiving makes me think of crafty marketing campaigns pushing Christmas shopping before the pumpkin pie’s cold”. But once removed from the crowded confines of bulk purchase land, blood pressure back down in the healthy range, I revisited the English class theme from a long (long!) time ago.

Thanksgiving makes me think, of course, of friends, family, and my incredible fortune to have a steady income from doing something I love, more food than I can eat, and a warm place to sleep at night. But one Thanksgiving in particular stands out as I think about trails and public lands.

When our kids were maybe 6 and 8, we took our wall tent and stove and headed to north central Idaho for a late November deer hunt and camping trip. We cooked a turkey outside, hiked the surrounding hills, and played lots of cards while feeding the wood stove each night. Our boys, now in college, still remember that trip and how our youngest, whose napping skills are unsurpassed, fell asleep under a tree on a rest break. How we played Uno in the tent while eating Costco-made chocolate cake instead of pumpkin pie (Costco makes me cynical at times, but I’ll arm wrestle a fellow shopper for one of their desserts). I treasure the photos from this trip.

Without trails on public lands, this trip wouldn’t have happened at all. Many of my family’s best memories wouldn’t have happened at all! Our time spent on trails is part of who we are as a family. Trails have given my kids a sense of adventure, confidence, resilience, a sense of humor–and humility, and a connection with each other.

This year, ITA has chosen “Unite for Trails” as the theme of our annual membership drive. We chose this for its relevance in today’s world, when so many are coming together to speak up for public lands in general, but I see another angle. We should unite for trails because trails unite us. They bring families closer, make friends of strangers,  and provide a means of connection across generations, political ideologies, and demographics.

Giving Tuesday is December 3rd. Please consider joining us in uniting for trails as we raise funds to clear more trails in more places across Idaho and, along the way, unite volunteers of all backgrounds in discovering connections to the land and each other. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all; may this year bring a chance to get outside with your family and friends and experience the power of a trail to unite.

-Melanie Vining, ITA Executive Director