Ever wanted to have a new and fun experience, but couldn’t find people to participate in the event? Now there’s help with an amazing website called Meetup.com. I have always had difficulty finding people to hike with, especially when I am at home. I was searching the Internet and came across meetup.com. After becoming a member, I started looking at meetup groups that were close to my home. I found a few meetup groups in the Adirondacks area, in V.T. and N.H. At first when I joined, I had some anxiety on meeting new people on hikes. I wasn’t sure what to expect or if it would be a good experience.
I will always remember the first meetup group hike I went on. I went with the New England Hike Meetup.com to hikes Mt. Star King and Waumbek. I printed off the directions and left early to allow myself some extra time. It turns out, I had the wrong directions and I started hiking an hour late. I pulled into the parking lot and started hiking on my own. I kept a solid pace and arrived at the summit the same time as the group. I got to meet the other hikers and I really enjoyed the hike down. After that hike, I started signing up for more hikes with the meetup groups. I spent most of my summer hiking in the Adirondacks with the Adirondacks High peak meetup. I was able to knock off fifteen of the Adirondacks high peaks.
If hiking is not your hobby, meetup.com offers many groups for almost any activity like reading, dancing, yoga, white water rafting, bowling, history tours, green living and much more. I found the meetup groups to be very fun and also a learning experience. One of my favorite experiences was when I went White Water Rafting in West Forks, M.E. with the “Our World is Our Playground” group. I had the time of my life. I was able to meet people from all over the world, including China, Australia, England and different parts of the United States.
The meetup groups usually only ask for a small donation to help run the website. It is important to respect the organizer of the group and follow their guidelines. When signing up for a hike, read over the itinerary and figure out if the event is right for you. Don’t sign up for a challenging hike if you are not ready for it. Usually the organizer or trip leaders will do a pre-screening to double check your readiness for the hike. The hiking pace is pre-determined. For women especially, to be on the safe side don’t go on hikes or events by yourself with people you don’t know well.
Make sure to show up to events prepared and on time. If you RSVP to the event, make sure you can actually attend. Many events only allow a certain number of people and if you RSVP yes, you are taking a spot away that someone else could have had. Most people are willing to car pool, so this allows you to save money and become more sustainable. Remember, meet up groups are not for everyone. It is only a suggestion but always use your own judgment on what groups and events are right for you.