Get Outside, Missouri

Here we are, the first full weekend of February, and the weather folks are telling us to expect temps in the 60's.

I've only got two words for you: Get Outside.

Late last year, a bunch of the higher ups here at Alpine Shop got together to discuss the future of the company and which direction we wanted to go. Part of that discussion included what our vision was as an organization. And as we went back and forth about what we stood for, the conversation turned into something completely different than what I think our moderator expected. We began to talk about how each of us worked at Alpine Shop because we had experienced some deep fundamental change in our lives due to a discovery we made about ourselves while we were outdoors.

For me, it was my first trip to Yosemite National Park in California. My backpacking trip there changed my life. What did I discover about myself? I realized that I could go far beyond what I believed my physical capabilities could handle. I discovered that there are places - and perspectives - in this world that you truly need to earn your right to experience. And once I had experienced them, I have never been the same again.

So what can you do this weekend to change your life? What can you do to discover a new and improved You? There are more options than you can possibly imagine. Discover the Ozark Trail (www.ozarktrail.com) and its more than 350 miles here in Missouri alone. Take the kids for a hike through a local park. Even just walk through Forest Park and take in the St. Louis Zoo.

You already know what's in your apartment, your condo or your house. Discover something new this weekend. Get outside.