My Week in Alberta: Nature at Its Finest

I just spent a week in the mountains in Alberta on a quading trip with my cousins and aunt and uncle. I went last year with them, too. We stay with my uncle’s old friend in his little log cabin in the middle of nowhere! He is a goat farmer and has around twenty goats roaming around. There is no Internet or phone service, either. We went quading in the mountains almost every day and I even got to see my first rodeo!
I feel bad for those who don’t get to experience nature in its finest. Concrete and skyscrapers just don’t cut it. We went on trails that probably no one had ever been on before. We were discovering things for the very first time.
I think that nature is very good for the body, mind, and soul. It can destress you and leave you feeling very calm and refreshed. I was feeling very overwhelmed before I went because I’ve been working a lot and was left feeling exhausted. As soon as I got a view of the mountains and smelled the crisp, fresh air, my worries went away. I think that nature has this affect on people because it’s so simple. There aren’t any complicated wiring on a tree; your mind isn’t focused on a new reality show; it doesn’t smell like a mixture of sweat and fast food (haha, thank goodness). Nature lets your mind wander and be free, which is one of my favourite parts about being in the Alberta rockies.
Nature also allows you to experience new, exciting things (much more exciting than going up a level in your new app). I got to cuddle with a baby goat, swim in a river (which was ridiculously cold, btw!), get stuck multiple times while quadding, see some amazing views, and we even got the chance to see some wild horses!
I think that everyone needs to take some time in their life to spend it in the outdoors. I mean, the real outdoors. Not just your fenced in backyard. Go hiking or have a picnic by a river or pond.
Taking in all of nature’s beauty also had a different affect on me. Get hands on experience really makes you want to save nature and the forests. We got to view a few areas that had been clear-cutted. It’s not very impressive or nice. It gives you a new respect for the earth and how important it is.
I implore you all to go spend some time outside and away from technology!