Metroparks: The numbers version. I moved to Michigan for my PhD in 2021, and before finishing my PhD this year, I went to the Metroparks a total of 93 times. Even though the Trail Challenge didn’t exist in 2022, that was the first summer I decided to try to visit all of them (and finished in just under a month)! Since then, I’ve also completed the Trail Challenge in 2023, 2025, and 2026. I’ve brought at least 17 new people to the Metroparks, including friends and family. The day before my PhD defense, I went to the new Water Garden for the first time and then Willow for the last time before moving away. Although it is bittersweet to be moving far away from the Metroparks, I’m so grateful for all of the joy they’ve brought me during my PhD — from fun dates to learning about my friend’s engagement to walking several miles more than intended while stressing about research. The Trail Challenge has always forced me to explore new parts of the Metroparks and see new spots, even though I thought I knew them all by now! I’m so grateful for my time at the Metroparks, and I’m sure I’ll be back at some point! -Renata