Hiking With People You Don’t Know… Yet
You found a hike you want to come to...
The trail looks good. The distance is doable. You’re free that day.
There’s just one little problem…
You don’t know anybody.
Now you’re thinking about pulling up to a park full of strangers, trying to figure out where to stand, who to talk to and whether everybody already knows each other.
We get it.
Walking into any new group can feel a little awkward at first. Especially when you’re coming alone.
Here’s the good news: you’re not the only person showing up alone, and you definitely won’t be the first.
Yes, You Can Come By Yourself
Seriously.
You do not need a hiking buddy to join us.
Plenty of people have found Hike & Dine, registered for an event and showed up without knowing a single person there.
Some people bring friends. Some bring family. Some come with another hiker they met at a previous event.
Some pull up completely solo.
All of those are normal.
When you arrive, just find our trail support team to check-in and start there. You don't have to walk into the crowd and introduce yourself to everybody. You don't need to immediately find someone to walk with.
Give yourself a minute to settle in.
Once we get moving, everything usually gets a whole lot easier.
The Trail Kind of Does the Work for You
One of the nice things about meeting people on a hike is that you don't have to force conversation. You're already doing something together.
Someone might ask if this is your first hike with us.
You might start talking to the person walking next to you.
Somebody will probably make a comment about a hill.
Someone else will ask how much farther we have to go.
There will be stops for water, pictures and regrouping.
Before you know it, you've been walking and talking with someone for the last mile and don't even remember how the conversation started.
If you're a little quieter? That's okay too!
You can walk, enjoy the scenery, and ease into things at your own pace.
There's no requirement to suddenly become a social butterfly just because you joined a group hike.
“What If Everybody Already Knows Each Other?”
They don't.
You may see people greeting each other, hugging or joking around because they've hiked together before. We have hikers who come out regularly, so there are definitely friendships and familiar faces within the group.
Don't let that make you feel like you're walking into a closed circle.
At some point, every single one of those people was new too.
Somebody had a first Hike & Dine event.
Somebody once stood at check-in not knowing anybody.
Somebody once wondered if they were going to feel out of place.
Then they came back.
That's really how the familiar faces become familiar.
You Don't Have to “Fit In” Before You Get There
This is another thing we want people to know.
You don't have to look like a “hiker.”
You don't have to own all the gear.
You don't have to be the fastest person.
You don't have to have years of hiking experience.
You don't have to be super outgoing.
You just have to come ready for the hike you registered for.
That's it.
There are people in our community who love challenging trails and people who prefer an easy few miles through the woods. There are people who talk the entire hike and people who enjoy their quiet moments. There are people who have been hiking for years and people who are still figuring out what belongs in their backpack.
There's room for all of that.
Your First Hike Might Feel a Little Different
We'll be realistic.
You may still feel a little nervous when you first pull up.
That's normal.
You might sit in your car for an extra minute before getting out.
You might walk over and quietly stand near check-in until somebody starts talking to you.
That's okay.
Nobody expects you to arrive acting like you've known everyone for years.
Come over. Check in. Get yourself situated. Listen to the pre-hike information. Then start walking with us.
That's enough.
Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to immediately feel comfortable in a new environment when really, comfort comes from familiarity.
The first event makes the second event easier. Then you come back and recognize somebody. Someone recognizes you. You remember a name. You see somebody you walked with last time.
Now the parking lot doesn't feel quite so unfamiliar anymore.
That's how community happens.
Then Comes the “Dine” Part
Of course, eventually we have to talk about food.
One of the reasons dining became part of Hike & Dine Events in the first place is because the experience doesn't necessarily have to end when we get back to the parking lot. After spending a few miles together, sitting down for a meal feels different. You're not necessarily sitting down with complete strangers anymore.
Now you're talking about the hike you just did together.
The hill everybody struggled with.
The view that was worth stopping for.
Where everybody wants to hike next.
...Or something completely unrelated to hiking.
Sometimes the trail just introduces people.
The table gives them a chance to actually get to know each other, and that's always been an important part of what we do.
So… Should You Come Alone?
Yep.
If the only thing stopping you from registering is “I don't have anybody to go with,” you can take that off the list.
Bring somebody if you want to.
Come solo if you don't have anyone to bring.
Either way, when you get there, you're part of the group.
You don't have to know anybody beforehand.
You don't have to force yourself to make friends.
You don't have to walk in feeling completely comfortable.
Just give yourself the chance to show up.
Check in.
Take that first mile.
Say hi to somebody if you feel like it.
Laugh when the group realizes the trail has another hill.
Stay for dinner.
Then come back again.
You might be surprised how quickly “I don't know anybody here” turns into “Oh, I know them!”
Everybody has a first hike.
Maybe the next one is yours!
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