Diane Fornari

Hear Me Roar
Diane Fornari
Hilton Head Island

June 2020 Issue

What was the catalyst for you to start hiking? It all started in 1984 with a simple comment to a friend, “I would really like to hike into the Grand Canyon.” To my surprise, she responded, “So would I!” My response: “Well, let’s do it”

One year later we sat on the bank of the Colorado River soaking our tired feet after the all day, 7-mile hike down the steep South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Sitting with us were four girlfriends who had enthusiastically accepted the invitation to take on this challenge.
The challenge, however, was not over. We still had to climb OUT of the canyon on the 9-mile Bright Angel Trail the next day to the South Rim, which rose about 5000 feet above us. The next afternoon as we took our final steps of the hike, we forgot our sore knees, aching backs and toenail-less feet and shouted for joy. We had made it!

It all started in 1984 with a simple comment to a friend, “I would really like to hike into the Grand Canyon.” To my surprise, she responded, “So would I!” My response: “Well, let’s do it”

One year later we sat on the bank of the Colorado River soaking our tired feet after the all day, 7-mile hike down the steep South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Sitting with us were four girlfriends who had enthusiastically accepted the invitation to take on this challenge.
The challenge, however, was not over. We still had to climb OUT of the canyon on the 9-mile Bright Angel Trail the next day to the South Rim, which rose about 5000 feet above us. The next afternoon as we took our final steps of the hike, we forgot our sore knees, aching backs and toenail-less feet and shouted for joy. We had made it!

The physical pain was overshadowed by the emotional high and the comradery among us six women. Together we had shared an exceptional adventure, resulting in a beautiful and powerful bond among us that endures to this day. This feeling of elation and accomplishment fired us up to the point that we unanimously agreed to take on more adventures. And, we have, at various times and places now for 35 years.

Describe Your Core Group: As I look back, it was the perfect time in our lives to take on this quest. We all ranged in age from mid-30s to mid-40s and were blessed with good health.

We were also blessed with husbands who were not interested in hiking, but were totally supportive and encouraging to each of us. Among us we had 16 children, many the same age, several were friends/classmates. Finally, we all embraced the outdoors; enjoyed walking and/or jogging, some played tennis. The group was interesting, ambitious, fun-loving, adaptable, smart, humorous and friendly people.

Do you still travel with your core group? Yes and no. As a whole, the Core Group never hiked together again. But members of the group still hike together. Our first venture was in 1985. Now it is 2020. Thirty-five years of “Life” changed the dynamics and availability of core members: Three divorced; two moved; I went to law school; many professional obligations and community involvement expanded, families grew, incomes fell, etc. But, over the years, a new “Core of Four” emerged. Together we enjoyed a hiking tour of Ireland, walking Spain's Camino de Santiago and a magnificent walking hike and climb in England’s Lake District, which was arranged and led by the finest gentleman I ever met, Dr. Jack Foster, an English colleague of my father’s and a veteran of such hikes as the Himalayans and the Alps.

I was thrilled that my younger sister Debbie joined us on that one. And since then has participated in several other hikes with the Core of Four or with me alone.  

Of all the members of the original Core Group, one friend, Carolyn has been the one with whom I have travelled and hiked the most. We have been on more trips than I can count throughout these 35 years. She is a 5-star travelling companion. She is always ready to pack up and go and adapts to whatever situation we face.

Did your husband ever catch the hiking bug, or do you keep this strictly among friends? My absolutely terrific husband does his hiking on the golf course!! Haha He has successfully fought off the “hiking bug” for years. As I mentioned, my younger sister Debbie has loved hiking and the great outdoors all of her life.  Whenever we can, we hike together and have great times.

What would you consider the most enriching and the longest adventure? Hiking the Camino de Santiago in May, 2001, was the most enriching experience and the longest hike (70+ miles over 6 days). At that time in history, the tragedy of 9/11 had not happened, and the Martin Sheen movie “The Way” (a story based on the Camino) would not be in the theaters for another nine years. Therefore, the Camino was hardly known to the USA public. One friend found an obscure article about it. Since she and I both speak Spanish, we felt we could manage situations that might arise while travelling through Spain, enjoying the Spanish culture, and hiking a pastoral part of the country.

With great apprehension, I planned the trip via the internet for the first time (remember it was 2001—Yikes!) And to think it would be in a foreign country that none of us had visited before. We spent a lot of energy with a litany of “What if’s?”  But, Jeremy the owner and guide of the tour was excellent and had everything planned perfectly. (it was his FIRST time arranging this hiking!) Not knowing that we four women (the only people on this hike) were used to eating gorp, peanut butter sandwiches and apples, and sleeping in tents, Jeremy always provided us with delicious food in gorgeous picturesque settings and arranged for us to sample different types of accommodations, all of which were unique. Besides hiking through the lovely countryside and enjoying the small villages along the way, we each learned so much about the Camino’s 800 years history, the culture, and the people of that area. It was so exceptional that the distance did not bother us. It was the most intellectually stimulating hiking experience we have had.

What would you consider the most challenging adventure? The Lewis & Clark Trail in Montana was the most challenging, with the coldest and worst weather. 2006 celebrated the Bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark journey to the Pacific Ocean. Carolyn and I felt it would be historical to join a segment of the hike which was a guided trail that ran from western Montana to Idaho. It was extremely difficult: Steep, long, muddy. The weather was rainy and cold. Our tents and bedding got wet through the night. We froze! To think that Lewis and Clark and their team travelled without the modern gear and shoes that we wore, and that they had to pull or push all of their equipment and supplies through this same trail just gave me an incredible appreciation for what they achieved.

What would you consider the most spiritual adventure? A day hike in Togo, West Africa. My son, Gabe, and I visited a cousin Christopher, a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo for a few weeks. During that time the three of us hiked a mountain close to the village of another volunteer. I was very slow and before long, the others were quite a distance ahead of me. The trail was a well-used one by the various villages, and periodically a woman carrying a basket of bananas on her head would pass me as she walked down to the town. Otherwise, I was on my own. The higher I climbed, it became mistier, and I then heard a soft, rhythmic chanting. At first, I thought I was imagining it. But the higher I climbed it became more pronounced. When I arrived at the plateau, I found a small, primitively-built mud hut where people were chanting the Catholic Mass. There was no priest, but being Catholic, I recognized the part of the Mass they were singing. Imagine how far Christianity reaches.

What would you consider your most easy-going adventure? The Ireland Hiking Tour. This itinerary included being bussed each day to different locations where we would spend the day hiking. This was different than our usual goal driven hikes, but very pleasant and relaxing.

What is the biggest snafu you have experienced during one of your hikes? On the Ireland excursion: A funny thing happened at an Irish pub. We had looked forward to hearing some Irish music but to our surprise, the singer announced to the patrons that he had just returned from Asheville, North Carolina, where he had been studying blue grass music and he was going to perform it all that night!  

What would you consider the most frightening experience? Mount Kenya, which is the second highest peak in Africa,152 miles north of Nairobi and 12 miles from the Equator. In 2003, Carolyn, my son Luke and I visited cousin Christopher, who at that time was the Operations Manager of a boarding school in Nanyuki, Kenya, a small town on the Equator. Our goal was to ascend Mt. Kenya. The terrain itself was not difficult but we were told to be on the lookout for wild elephants and other dangerous animals that freely roamed the area. Carolyn and I were very frightened; fortunately, no incident occurred.

Glacier National Park: Treacherous trail; Grizzly Bears: Carolyn and I hiked a trail that included a frighteningly narrow rocky trail that dropped off to a huge ravine—very dangerous and scary.   Also, there were grizzly sightings. Of course, we invested in “Anti-Bear’ spray,  but looking back, we both agree we probably would have been too frightened to use it.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Le Conte Lodge at 6,595 feet: We hiked to this summit to spend the night at a remote, rustic cabin. Unexpectedly, a huge storm with high wind and rain developed over the night. As we departed to head down the mountain, a limb of a dead tree fell on Carolyn and knocked her to the ground. She was stunned but alert enough to insist we continue to head down the mountain to get to a safer spot. Fortunately, Carolyn survived but the potential for more injuries was real and very frightening.

Peru: We arrived amidst a political upheaval. The airport had been bombed. In the small taverns people were handling machine guns. Villagers were frightened of us and we of them.

The highest elevation: Quandary Peak 14,265 feet. Breckenridge, Colorado: I climbed with good family friends on this ascent.  Although this was a high altitude, the trail was not dangerous until the summit where we scrambled over rocks. The weather was good but we could see clouds below us. A beautiful sight.

What are your top three visual memories? Earth is a magnificently beautiful planet. Hiking has given me the opportunity to witness some of its beauty firsthand.

1) The view of Canyon de Chelly from the rim of the canyon wall: Canyon de Chelly, owned by the Navajo nation, is in Northern Arizona. A Navajo guide led us from our car through a dry plateau to reach the top of a cliff where the trailhead started. Suddenly and unexpectedly, we were at the edge of a cliff and saw the breathtaking view of a verdant flat valley surrounded by sheer cliffs of red rock that soared almost 1,000 feet to the sky. The memory of that moment still fills me with wonder.

2) Napali Coast and coastline of Kauai: Wow! Such Drama! The cliffs, the waterfalls, the powerful waves of the Pacific Ocean crashing upon the rocks. Stunning.

3) West Virginia in autumn: On a crystal clear fall day, we sat on an outcropping of rock overlooking hills as far as we could see. They were totally covered by a “blanket” of intensely vibrant colored leaves.  It was a huge palette of glorious colors.

What are your currently Roaring about? I am determined to hike the Roman Empire’s Hadrian Wall that traverses England. My sister Debbie and I had planned to do that this summer.    HOWEVER…that is not going to happen. God willing, next year!
 

Up Close:

Family: Married 52 years to her high school sweetheart. Two sons, one lovely daughter-in-law, five grandsons, one granddaughter. Raised in a large, loving Italian family.

Home State:  “Wild Wonderful West Virginia! She was brought up in the steel town of Weirton.

Professional: 25 years in Huntington, a lovely town on the Ohio River, where they raised their sons

Hilton Head life: Since 2002: Low Country Legal Volunteers; Past President of VanLandingham Rotary Club; Co-Founder Bluffton Farmers Market; Initiated and Implemented two community drives: “Toys for Katrina” (Christmas gifts for New Orleans children after Hurricane Katrina),  & Backpacks for Haiti children (after Haiti earthquake).

Previous life: Educator, instructor and women’s tennis coach at Marshall University, lawyer (went to law school in her mid-40s), civil and family mediator, community activist.