She Explores by Gale Straub
As soon as I saw the title - She Explores - I had to know more.
See, we are the she who explores. We are women who find the healing nature of hiking mountains, snowshoeing Colorado winter trails and summer wildflowers. Hours spent backpacking Maroon Bells, soaking in hot springs, throwing back craft beer and enjoying Colorado campgrounds bring us peace.
Are you an explorer who sees nature as “have to” vs. “maybe?”
Gail Straub fantastically weaves short narratives of adventurous women into a powerful book of positive motivation. For any outdoor enthusiasts, this should be a must read!
Straub opens this book compilation with a riveting question.
“Who do you picture when you think of an outdoorswoman?”
For the solo hiker or the group trekker, this question guides you into a series of sections. Stories, pictures, artwork, tips and questions fill Straub’s book. During winter time doldrums or rainy day moments, pick up She Explores and be transported into the healing nature of outdoor adventuring.
Straub began she-explores.com after making a huge life shift, moving from permanence in Boston to van life. A few years later She Explores podcast launched, catupulating Straub into a new space, inviting women to share their stories.
The book is divided into 6 sections
Enthusiasts
Creatives
Founders & Professionals
Nomads
Transplants
Advocates
Each section has creative questions alongside personal stories of women launching their work, their souls and movements.
The entire book deserves to be read cover to cover, stories varying in length between 1-3 pages. You’ll find yourself quickly immersed in these women’s tales, finding courage and strength in their words, endeavors, dreams and hopes.
Enthusiasts
Gretchen Powers delivers a powerful message of how being in nature brings true healing. Powers story began with her mother, a woman who endured a TBI, divorce, miscarriages and broken bones.
Despite all these hardships, Powers’ mother would regularly explore nature with her daughter, allowing those moments to start the healing process of broken bodies and dreams.
“I think that while nature an be a thick salve, the real healing comes with the rest and reflection after the adventure.”
Creatives
“Most of us are not pushing the limits of climbing, we are pushing the limits of ourselves,” says Irene Yee.
Her love of photography collided with climbing, finding safety in a community that excels in overcoming fear.
Founders & Professionals
Since their birth, I’ve been taking my kids hiking on Colorado trails. Perhaps that’s why I resonated with Shanti Hodges. At 41, her son Mason was born. Desiring to get him out on trails, she joined a small mother’s group, eventually forming the well known nationwide hiking group for moms and kids - Hike It Baby.
Nomads
Morgan Brown’s van life journey began after her mom died. Desperate to find the answer to “Why do people die?” as a 22 year old, she got in her truck and started driving the USA.
“A lot of people have things left unsaid that they want to tell people who have died, “ says Brown.
As she drives, Brown invites people into conversation recording their thoughts and feelings on death and dying.
Transplants
As a mother to children of different ethnicities, I love seeing cultures and colors on the Colorado Springs hiking trails. The USA is such a beautiful diversified culture and VERY SLOWLY the hiking trails are reflecting that change. Teresa Baher advocates to make outdoor arenas reflect the diverse makeup of the USA.
These are just snippets of the wealth of experience these women represent in She Explores.
The entire book is filled with thrilling tales of mountaineering, hard health journeys, artwork born from nature walks and ways for each of us to connect to our communities.
She Explores is a beautiful coffee table book that should on every hiker’s wish list/gift guide. I find myself picking it up, reading a few pages and finding inspiration to step back outdoors again.