Mother and Daughter Catch Trail Fever By: Chelsé Craig From the sand of the softball field to the dust of hiking
In 2013, Alex and Cindi hiked the 2,160-mile-long
trails, Alexandra (Mayo Otis) Hamann (BS 10) has
Appalachian Trail together. In 2015, they hiked all 800
been living an active lifestyle. Alex, who was recently
miles of the Arizona Trail to raise awareness for the
inducted into the ENMU Athletics Hall of Honors, is now
non-profit Wild at Heart, which rescues, rehabilitates
a thru-hiker (someone who hikes long distance trails
and releases birds of prey such as hawks, falcons,
from end-to-end within one hiking season). She has
eagles and owls. Nearly every year since, they have
backpacked over 5,200 miles – the equivalent of walking
gone on different trails and have now hiked more than
from the East Coast of the United States to the West
4,000 miles together.
Coast and back again. “I played softball my whole life
“I love being able to spend this time with my mom and
and I missed pushing myself physically. Hiking gives me that goal and physical exhaustion that I enjoy.” “My mom (Cindi) introduced me to backpacking,” Alex says. “We went on one overnight, 20-mile backpacking trip and I became hooked.” After reading the book “Becoming Odyssa” by Jennifer Pharr Davis, a story about a girl who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, Alex became inspired to try it. Alex’s mom, Cindi, grew up riding trail horses and hiking. After she retired, she began hiking regularly. “I’m lucky enough that if I want to hike, I can go out into my
share these moments,” said Alex. “We kept a trail journal every day so we will never forget our experiences.” Alex most recently thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. It is her hope she will be able to continue her adventures and one day hike the Continental Divide. “My very first trail angel gave me this quote that I live by: ‘Your worst day on the trail is still better than your best day at work,’” Alex said. When she’s not on the trails, Alex works in data/ violations processing and she lives in New York.
backyard,” Cindi said.
Pictured: After a long hike, Cindi and her daughter Alex catch sight of the end of the Arizona Trail.
Green & Silver | April 2018
9
