It's Sunday and I promised myself a long hike to end the weekend...So up I went.
Up, up, up!
Leaving my house on Martin Dr, I buckled my pack on, laced my boots and threaded little wrists through the loops on my trekking poles.
After winding past NIST and up that step switch-back road to the open space, in stifling heat and sticky humidity, I was already tired. It took an hour to get to Chautauqua. Along the route I passed a mom and her baby deer. Then stopped to photograph a chicory eating wild flowers.
Another hour of uphill slog and I found myself under Royal Arch. The view was spectacular and I took a 10 minute break. Feet were feeling good, legs were still going strong.
Downhill was torture, plain and simple. Every muscle ached with fatigue from hips to toes. Thank goodness those trekking poles supported me and my knees, as I dropped down steep steps. I plodded along and planned dinner. .. Ibuprofen, washed down with pho!
This was my first long and strenuous hike, but 9 miles and a climb of about 1800 feet took just 3 hours and 45 minutes. It required no snacks, left no blisters and gave me a sense of accomplishment. Not to mention enough confidence to convince myself I can handle days 1&2 of the Camino!
Up, up, up!
Leaving my house on Martin Dr, I buckled my pack on, laced my boots and threaded little wrists through the loops on my trekking poles.
After winding past NIST and up that step switch-back road to the open space, in stifling heat and sticky humidity, I was already tired. It took an hour to get to Chautauqua. Along the route I passed a mom and her baby deer. Then stopped to photograph a chicory eating wild flowers.
This was my first long and strenuous hike, but 9 miles and a climb of about 1800 feet took just 3 hours and 45 minutes. It required no snacks, left no blisters and gave me a sense of accomplishment. Not to mention enough confidence to convince myself I can handle days 1&2 of the Camino!
No comments:
Post a Comment