Taking on the Metroparks Trail Challenge gave me a reason to explore places I might not have visited otherwise, and along the way I found that the best part wasn’t just completing the challenge—it was paying attention to the parks around me. This year’s storms left their mark on several of the parks, with trees down and plenty of visible damage. It wasn’t always pretty, but the changed landscapes created some surprisingly dramatic
scenery and made for some great photos and videos. Some of my favorite memories, though, are simply the scenes that I didn’t photograph but will remember.

I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures of flowers and trees when everything is in bloom in the spring. I save those pictures so that when winter is at its coldest and grayest, I can bring them back up and remind myself that spring will come again. During the challenge I also discovered the Chronolog project at several parks and started contributing my own photos. I liked the idea that a picture I took on a particular day could become part of a larger record showing how these places change over time.

By the time I finished the Trail Challenge, I realized I had collected more than just completed trails. I had a camera roll full of memories, a few new places I’ll want to return to, and a much better appreciation for the Metroparks right here around me. -Chris