I'm with you Glenn. I'd have to drive about six hours to get to any decent elevation changes, either south to the bluffs of the Texas hill country, or north to the Ouachita (wash-i-tah) mountains of central Arkansas. There is a 20 mile trail half an hour from me, and for that, I feel truly blessed (though I haven't hiked it's entire length yet). Hiking and backpacking isn't a very popular sport in this area. Hunting is really the big thing. I'm lived in Texas most of my life, but I suspect I may be a PNWerner at heart.