Will this all be worth it?

 Peru, The trip is getting close now. Nervous excitement is building, often keeping me awake at night. I am doing my best not to stress over the flights. It is something though that I really struggle with. Living where I do means the closest airport is a two hour drive. I worry about traffic, accidents, anything that could delay me getting to the airport on time. I worry that I will leave something important behind. This is a difficult trip to pack for. Low's in the low 40's and high's in the low to mid 60's. Rain daily. The rain chances are starting to drop though as the peak months of the rainy season are now past. I also haven't heard what my volunteer assignment will be. That makes it difficult to pack for that. I don't know where I will be staying. Will I be able to walk most places or will I be reliant on busses and taxis? I remind myself though that all the worrying and stressing will not change anything. It will only make me miserable.

I am so excited though to be heading to Peru. It will be an amazing experience. It is unlike anywhere I have ever traveled to before. The culture, the history, the architecture  has earned Cusco a World Heritage Site designation. There will be so much to explore before I even step foot on the Inca Trail. 

The weather here at home has been weird since I returned from Big Bend last month. It has kept me off the trails by being either too hot, too wet or like today - cold and very windy. I have been hitting the gym a lot to make up for it and have stepped up my workouts. I aim for 1200 - 1500 steps on the stair-master  and then at least 90 minutes on the treadmill with 60 minutes of that at 15% incline. Yesterday I did 1000 steps on the stair-master then 110 minutes total with 60 at 15%, 15 minutes at 7.5% and the rest at -3% on the treadmill. It was a total of 5 miles at an average pace of 3.1 mph. I've worked out the past 6 days so I am taking a break today to rest. I will miss this Wednesday too as they are closed for some maintenance upgrades. I have ton of yard work to do so that will be my day to really get it all done. It will be a good workout. Three years nearly since I set off on this adventure to get ready to take on these trips and treks. I know it will all be worth it!

Big Bend - 2026

 I was in Big Bend week before last ( I know since retiring I don't post as quickly as I did when I worked full-time). It was an amazing trip and I really enjoyed it. I took it a bit easier this year and didn't pack my days with activities and took some time to relax at my campsite. I'm glad I did as I've been so busy since returning home starting preparations for my upcoming trip to Peru.

I hiked close to 30 miles over four days. The longest was 13 miles on the South Rim Trail. 1650 feet in elevation gain (1200 in the first 4 miles). I also hiked the Grapevine Hills trail to the Balanced Rock, Lost Mines Trail (my favorite) and then a few shorter trails. 

The South Rim trail was on my bucket list. Last year I just did not feel confident to attempt it. I knew though that I would do my best to get back and do it. The first four miles is the Pinnacles Trail up to the base of Emory Peak (I hiked just this part last year). It was so much easier this year. I have really become much stronger and faster on my hikes. I started at 5:45 am and hiked the first two miles in the dark with my headlamp. I then enjoyed the sunrise for the next two. After the first four miles uphill, it has more gentle ups and downs for the next 2 miles. It goes through a canyon and then goes up to the East Rim of the Chisos Mountains. It then continues on around to the South Rim with views well across the miles into Mexico. The trail then heads downhill thought Laguna Meadows for about five miles before reconnecting with the main trail back to the trail head. The final two miles were the hardest as I was hot (temps were in the low 80's) the weight of my backpack was also taking a toll on my shoulders. I completed the hike within my targeted time (7.5 hours hiking and 1.5 hours  snack breaks and lunch). The early start put me on the trail alone. I only ever passed the occasional hiker going in the opposite direction. I found the solitude so healing. To be alone looking out across the miles with only the sound of nature. Magnificent!

Day two was a new moon so the stars would be glorious. So I arose at 4:00 am and drove out to the Sotol Overlook and just took in the beauty of the star filled sky. I stayed and watched the sky brighten and saw the most amazing sunrise. It has to be the most beautiful one I have ever experienced. The cloud formation was perfect for the sky to blaze with color. I was in awe.

Day three I left my campsite while it was still dark. I had a 7 mile drive down a rough and rocky road to get to Grapevine Trail and the Balanced Rock. It was a slow drive, rarely getting above 15 mph and at times preceding at a crawl. The hike itself is only a 2 mile out and back trek. I managed to turn it into a 3 mile hike as I missed a turn on what looked like a trail but was just a wash down the hillside. I did get back on the trail and made it to the wonderful view at the Balanced Rock. 

I saved my favorite trail for my final day - the Lost Mine Trail. I started early so I would be at the 3/4 mile overlook for the sunrise. It was another stunning one. The summit was very windy so I didn't venture out to the rocky peak. But the views were still wonderful. 

I love Big Bend National Park. It is a truly amazing wilderness area with mountains, deserts, canyons and the Rio Grande River. The scenic vistas just take my breathe away. It is a place that heals my soul and recharges my energy. The vast open space and dark night skies are a gift, but just days after returning home the Trump administration announced plans to build a border wall right through the park. My heart broke. I am angry, sad, and ready to fight. I cannot imagine the idiocy that is driving this decision. It will be an ecological and environmental disaster. It will destroy huge areas of the park. It will negatively impact the movement of wildlife as they search for food and water. I find myself at times fighting back the tears.

Please click this link for more information and a link to sign a petition to stop the Wall.  https://nobigbendwall.org/

Pictures from my trip...

South Rim

Sunrise from the Sotol Vista

Balanced Rock/Grapevine Hills Trail

Lost Mine Trail

Misc. Photos...

Terlingua - Ghost Town just outside the western side of the park.

New Trail

 The weeks are flying by. I can't believe it is already February. I'll be heading off to Peru before I know it. First though I have Big Bend NP coming up soon. It will be an adventure this time as the Chisos Basin where I will be based is currently without water service and I expect it still will be when I arrive. Port-a-potties are in place and they are telling everyone to bring all the water that they will need while there. Luckily I had been saving jugs of tap water the past nine months as we have had numerous boil water notices here at home. So I will have that to use for washing up and then my purchased jugs of spring water to consume.

Yesterday (Sunday February 1), I went hiking at Inks Lake State Park. It was my first time there. They have a five mile loop trail that looked like it would be a perfect hike for a cool winters day. The drive is about 80 minutes from where I live so it wasn't too bad of a drive. The trail I took is a combination of three trails to create the southern loop trail. The length was right at five miles. The trail has a good balance of terrain and views. There were rocks, boulders and stone formations, wooded areas, lake views and lake front and then hills with panoramic views across the area for miles all around. The trail was mostly well marked with few exceptions. I was glad to have the map downloaded from my All trails app. The weather was perfect, clear and sunny with a starting low of 40f to a completion high of 55f. I would classify this trail as moderate, but leaning towards the easier end of it. I never felt challenged, but I did get a good workout. This trail would be perfect for someone ready to level up from easy trails to moderate trails. 

I will be returning soon to hike the Devil's Backbone trail there and will be a regular on this Southern Loop trail. I liked it that much! They also have a tent camping area so I might look into that for a future trip.

Here are a few pictures from the hike.