Unofficial Hiking

So this last weekend I didn't do any official hiking, however I spent 3 days out at my alma mater summer camp. I ran around with kids all weekend, playing soccer, walking entirety of the 42 acre camp, planks on the field, and I even ran the entirety from campfire to Trickle Falls and back.  So even if I don't count it on my hiking tracker, I would have to say I was pretty active!

It was fun to be out there working again, even co-counseling with my best friend Gumby! :)

 I even got to relax a little by the pool! (and... got a sunburn on my back! youch!)

Me and Grumbles :)

Holiday Hiking

The weekend of Easter, my original plan was to go with my step-dad, Butch, up to hike some trails around Mt. St. Helens. However, he hurt his back and couldn't go. I was pretty bummed. My saint of a mother, pretty unwillingly agreed to do a smaller hike with me instead! And let me preface this with the fact that my mothers idea of hiking is driving the scenic route and driving through the woods. She kills me :)

So we headed out to the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. I figured a nice little 1-2 mile hike would be perfect for my mom, thus we started at Horsetail Falls and hiked up to Ponytail Falls and a little beyond that.

My mom also thought it would be a perfect opportunity to finally find a good place for my grandmother's ashes (she died when I was just a couple years old). They have been hanging out in a teapot for the last 20 years, so Easter weekend was as good of time as any!  On our way back down, we hung out behind Ponytail Falls until there were not as many people around. While no one was looking, I hoisted the entire teapot with my grandmother's ashes into Ponytail Falls! I hope that wasn't illegal or anything! But who wouldn't want their resting place in a beautiful waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge? Right?

• Date of hike: April 19th, 2014
• Distance: 2 miles

• Elevation gain: 360 feet

• Difficulty: Easy
• Miles thus far: 41/100 miles this year

Me in front of Ponytail Falls

The trail winds behind the falls... also the location I threw my grandmothers ashes into the falls

My mama and I at the bottom of the trail at Horsetail Falls

Ponytail Falls

There were some incredible views of the Columbia River Gorge

I can't wait to do more hiking in this area! Happy Hiking!

Silver Falls...again?!

Now really, I know what you're thinking, Silver Falls again?! Yep. No excuse. But this time I had one of my closest friends, Caitlin. She had never been up to Silver Falls before, so that's what we did!

I did learn that it matters where you hike when walking with someone! I was always on her left, turning my body right to hold conversion. So in the last stretch my Sciatic Nerve was killing me! Luckily, I work with the best specialist on the West Coast. He informed me of the right positioning for next time and gave me a nice, relaxing exercise to ease the pain (that was sarcastic, not a relaxing exercise, but it did the trick! Tanks Minh!)

• Date of hike: April 5th, 2014
• Distance: 9 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Miles thus far: 39/100 miles this year

Caitlin's first time at Silver Falls State Park

North Falls

If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you

In March I decided to go hiking again, no matter the fact that I was on my own! However, this day I was remembering the last time I hiked the 9 mile loop and I hadn't felt as sore the next day. Afraid of plateauing, I felt the need to push myself a little more.

It was raining, like March often does, but when I first got there it was just a light mist. I hiked down into the canyon, went all the way to North falls, and hiked back up to the top. On the stretch back to the South Falls Lodge area, you meet with the trail that loops back down to Winter Falls. Instead of going back and finishing the loop, I went back down into the canyon. On my way back down it started pouring down rain. Regardless of the rain, I was already down at the bottom, so I pressed on. I came back up on the Maple Ridge trail (toward the beginning of my original hike). The trek back up on the Maple Ridge trail proved to be more difficult than I anticipated. When you come up over by North Falls, it's stairs straight up and you get it over with quickly. The Maple Ridge Trail, however, is a consistent steep uphill climb for about 2 miles. It was killer, especially after hiking 10 miles already! 

I definitely was sore after that one! Mission accomplished!

• Date of hike: March 29th, 2014
• Distance: 12 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Miles thus far: 30/100 miles this year

After doing this hike, I reflected back on my hiking experiences. I can't believe 5 years ago was my first time hiking (to Shellburg Falls, which was 8-9 miles) and it was a struggle every step of the way (thanks to my camp friends Pancakes & Strider for coaching me along the way). And this 12 mile hike I enjoyed every easy step and every difficult step of my adventure in the rain! 

"Going to the woods is going home" - John Muir

One of the challenges I have run into on my journey is hiking with someone versus hiking alone. It isn't often that I can find someone to go hiking with when I want to go. As much as I want to explore new hikes and new areas, I also am aware of safety and the risks of hiking alone in a place I don't know. Most often when I hike by myself, Silver Falls is the place I go because there is always a lot of people around and I know the loop quite well as to not get lost.

• Date of hike: March 9th, 2014
• Distance: 9 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Miles thus far: 18/100 miles this year

As I have mentioned in the past, Silver Falls feels like home. And who wouldn't want to hike this incredible piece of creation over and over? It never gets old. And! Bonus the fact that its 9 miles each time I do the full loop!

The First 9 Miles

The first official hike of my 100 mile challenge, I went with my good friend and fitness guru, Katie, up to Silver Falls State Park. I had done some hiking there in the past, but I had never done the full "Trail of Ten Falls" loop.

• Date of hike: February 22nd, 2014
• Distance: 9 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

• Difficulty: Moderate
• Miles thus far: 9/100 miles this year

We parked at the South Falls Lodge and embarked down into the canyon. And as one knows, if you get down to the bottom of the canyon, eventually you will have to get back up. Which every time I have done this hike I have counted on, survival instincts have to kick in otherwise I will make a home down there!

This trail has incredible views of no less than ten waterfalls. The silver falls area is a natural rain forest, so its usually cooler and wetter (which is helpful in the summer!)

Silver falls has always felt like home because I worked out in this state park for the most incredible three summers of my life just across the street at YMCA Camp Silver Creek. So for me, this hike never gets old.

It was also fun to hike with a friend! Katie and I have been friends for many years and have stayed in touch even after we moved on from the Harriet House. I am so blessed to have her as a friend. She has always been encouraging and someone I have felt comfortable talking with about my health.

In the words of Katie, 

"Commit to Be Fit!"

Deschutes River Trail

I spent this last weekend in Bend! Originally I had planned to hike Smith Rock, however, it was very hot weather! So I opted a shorter hike along the Deschutes River!

We parked in the first lot at Farewell Bend Park and hiked up river to the last bridge, crossed and came back the other side of the river, then crossed back to make the full loop.

• Date of hike: July 12th, 2014
• Distance: 4 miles

• Elevation gain: 1,300 feet

• Difficulty: Easy
• Terrain: Mostly dirt paths, the park areas had paved
• Hills: a few hills to challenge you, but not too difficult
• Miles thus far: 117/200 miles this year

Deschutes River coming into Bend

 My friend, Heather, and I on the Deschutes River Trail hike

 This is my friend Heather's 8 week old Golden Retriever Husky mix puppy. She still hasn't decided if his name is Brody or Alaska yet, but isn't he the cutest!?  We could not pass anyone without them wanting to love on him!

Even though it was pretty warm (and I should have brought my water bottle!) it was a beautiful hike along the river with some hills to challenge but just enough shade! Total it was a 3.7 mile hike, bringing me up to 117 miles this year so far, and took us about an hour and a half (which is probably long because we kept stopping to let people pet the puppy!)

Happy Hiking!

Here we go!

So here I am! This year has proved to be full of life and I think its about time to share! Let me give some background here first.

My brother left for the army in February and it made me think, hm... this could be an opportunity. My brother has always been concerned about my health (not always expressing it in the most sensitive ways, but I know its out of love). So one morning I was driving to work when I heard a story on the radio. The story told of two people who were going to be separated for a significant period of time and one person decided to make some health changes and surprised the other when they returned home with their transformation. Cody being gone for 7 months for Basic Training and Officer Training provided a reasonable time period to just make a couple small changes in the physical health aspect of my life.

I started with mindfulness. It was never any specific changes to only eating certain foods or cutting out anything specifically from my diet, just to be mindful of the choices I am making and the consequences that follow.

The second thing I decided was to change my activity. I was going to the gym several times a week, but I needed something to push me in a different way. My summers at camp taught me that hiking was an activity that made certain changes in my body.

Bringing us here. I made a challenge to myself to hike 100 miles this year. It being February already, I would have to hike about 10 miles per month to meet my goal.

What I didn't know was how this journey would drastically change my life...