There’s much to love about spring here in the Northwest

David W. Kuhns Sr./Northwest Guardian

Spring is a great time of year, especially here in the Northwest.

We have put the dismal, damp days of winter behind us. The flowers are in bloom, buds are popping open on the trees. This is time to get out and explore new things to do, to find excitement and adventure; a time to renew ourselves along with the season. But, surprisingly, plenty of people in the Joint Base Lewis-McChord community still suffer from the holdover from the winter blahs. We all need to get out and shake them off.

We talked to community members about what they liked about spring. Some of their responses can be seen in Street Talk, to the left of the page. They just scratched the tip of the iceberg, though.

There are endless opportunities opening up for outdoor recreation. The snow is melting away from the ski hills and mountain roads. That means the trails are clearing, too. Nothing is more invigorating than the first mountain hikes of the year and we couldn’t live in a better place. We have the Cascades to the east, the Olympics to the west. You can choose from gentle trails along lowland rivers to challenging scrambles to still ice-covered crags.

If you want your fun to have more tangible results, how about planning a great fish fry after hitting one of the local lakes or rivers.

The longer days and warmer, drier weather make for great two-wheeling fun, too. Get your bicycle out and have some fun. If you are a road rider, there are miles of quiet country roads and bike paths to choose from. If you are more of an off-road rider, try out the mountain bike trails in the nearby Capitol State Forest.

Even if you haven’t tried any of those outdoor activities before, inexperience isn’t an excuse to stay home. The Northwest Adventure Center on JBLM Lewis North and Adventures Unlimited on JBLM McChord Field can match you up with instruction, equipment and guides for almost any outdoor activity you can imagine.

Every week, you can scan upcoming activities in the Out & About column on the Northwest Guardian’s Sports and Leisure section. There is plenty there to interest adventure seekers of every age and level of ability.

Hey, if you don’t want to join with a group, you can just climb in the car and follow your nose. There is beautiful scenery and hidden fun in any direction you head.

So quit hanging around indoors.

Get out there and start having some fun.

Adventures Unlimited: call 982-2206 or 982-2303, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends 7 to 11 a.m. Closed on federal holidays. Northwest Adventure Center: call 967-6263 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.