☝🏽One Peace: We Took Some Sick Photos  ….FOMO? 🏔️📸

✌🏽Two Peace: Are You Listening? 👂

Outdoors, Fresh Air & Mountain Climbing: What You’ve Been Missing 🌲

We Lük Güd 👀

Down to Earth has a hiking club … y’all know that already.

Y’all already know that for over a year we’ve been taking city-dwellers up to the Hudson River Highlands for hijinks and adventures in nature.

What you may not know is how photogenic we all are …

Seriously, I mean, just look at this photo that DTE’s official photographer Malik Chatman captured.

I’d say album cover vibes, but that would be underselling it.

This is like, the band got back together and went on a world tour and sold out every damn show vibes.

Yes, we all look great, and the backdrop of hundreds of miles of rippling mountains behind Mt. Beacon’s Fire Tower is otherworldly, but what makes this photo (and some of the others you’ll check out in a few moments) is our chemistry as a club; our cohesion.

I know it looks like we’re all best buds — and a few of us are — but many members of the club are brand new.

No connections to me, DTE, or any of the other members.

Something about our hikes and our community just spoke to them. Several are also first-time hikers.

It’s funny, because the feedback takeaways of DTE hikes often sound something like, “That was a great time and a great group of people. You have something special going on here.”

Or, “I made so many friends! I love that group we had.”

If you know anything about managing or organizing people, you know that community-building isn’t easy.

When there’s a common goal of having fun and adventuring, though, it seems that the “right people” always show up.

All Is Well ☮️

I’m proud to say that in ~10 hikes, there hasn’t been a single instance of negativity or serious conflict.

No fights, no arguments … nary a whisper of a bicker.

That’s huge, because people are …. people.

Personalities often clash in high-stakes situations like a hike.

That’s why I’m so proud of our club. The bigger picture takes precedent over personal interests.

It isn’t even the same members every time — in fact it’s a rotating house.

Even so, the shared spirit of community is understood the same, and special moments become standard.

I founded Down to Earth two years ago (!) with the foundational principle of community in mind, and the mission of finding + developing health and self through that lens of community.

No better way to do that than through the company of good people, and the revitalizing backdrop of the great outdoors.

We’ve discovered this a long time ago — the common thread of DTE is fellowship.

It’s also become evident that the squad can make a camera lens quiver with just a single stricken pose.

Jokes aside, we’re all good people with kind souls and open hearts who love a great conversation and a shared laugh.

So, if you’ve been feeling bored, lonely and looking for a recharge, a quality community outing is in your future.

These hikes are everything you’ve been missing.

Hope to have you with us in the next one 📸

Want to be a part of the magic we’re building at DTE?

Follow the Hiking Club on Instagram, and keep up with all things DTE on the Flagship Instagram!

What You Listening To? 🎧

Choose Your Side (Audio Wars) 🤺

I dropped my most recent podcast last week on YouTube and Spotify.

But … I skipped over Apple Podcasts.

I figured people don’t really use it — YouTube must be the go-to.

But I could be wrong.

I don’t know why it would, but maybe iHeartRadio is your go-to for listening to people speak.

Don’t like podcasts? You’re an audiobook junkie. Did I get that right? 

However it is that you listen to (or watch) the spoken word, I want to hear from you today.

Take a few moments to answer the questions below. 

This isn’t sponsored or anything, and your answers won’t be shared with anyone.

I’m just a curious person.

Feel free to log in to record your vote, or make a mental note on it from wherever you are.