Taking it day to day ...

 The countdown is officially on, I have 23 days left to work. 23 early morning. 23 days of driving 45 minutes each way to and from work. 23 days of stress and frustration.. 37 days until I am free to live my life without being tied to the 8-5 daily grind. I have a few Fridays scheduled off as I am over the allotted accrued pay-off on vacation time. The shortened work weeks really help. I am only working three days this week. So far the stress hasn't been as bad as last week. I was in knots last week and battled migraines for most of the week. I could barely bring myself into work the end of last week. My weekend was so nice. I left all thoughts of work behind and just focused on myself and my plans for retirement. Yesterday I was back at work but the boss was out all morning and I had a meeting with the HR rep for the City that will assist with my retirement paperwork. I asked her to keep it confidential for another week or so as I wouldn't be putting in my notice to my management team until the 14th. 

Three days off work meant three afternoons spent at the gym.

                   StairMaster        Treadmill                        Rower

Saturday    1600 steps       3 miles/1.5@ 15%          20 minutes

Sunday       2000 steps       3 miles/1.75@15%        15 minutes

Monday      2000 steps      3.2 miles/1.75@15%       15 minutes    

I've a hike planned this coming weekend with my daughter. She is coming up for the weekend. I should still get at least two gym workouts completed though as I am taking off work on Friday. I just have to get through the rest of today and tomorrow. The weekends are so important now as I am constantly on edge at work. I don't know what to expect once I give my notice. My gut tells me it's going to be a bit ugly. I really don't care any more. I am done with this 8 to 5. I am ready for sunrise to sunset in the mountains.

Life's Challenges...

 My last post I commented about how quickly life can change. Sometimes it can be wonderful (like in my last post) other times it can be heartbreaking. Just after I had written my last post the week became heartbreakingly sad. First a friend and the father of one of my son's best friends passed away. He had been an amazing father to his three boys and was such a really wonderful person. I hated to see the loss that his sons will face in the weeks and months ahead. I then received word that a co-worker that had been diagnosed with a brain tumor just a few months ago had passed away over the weekend. Him and his wife had just re-located to Temple from New York state just a year or so ago for retirement. She is now alone and away from her family with him gone. On Wednesday morning, my dear friend and co-worker received a call that his oldest son had passed away. Most likely cause a brain aneurism. My friend was devastated. It has broken my heart to see him hurt like this and know what he faces in the days, weeks and months ahead as he faces the grief of losing his son. I felt like I lost a member of my own family as him and I have shared so many stories over the years about our kids. You would think three deaths in a week would be enough. But no. On Friday morning I received a call rom my eldest sister. I knew the second I saw the caller ID that the news would not be good. Our nephew died suddenly Thursday night. He was my (middle) sisters youngest and only son. She had been the only one of us four siblings to have not lost a child. My nephew had been a really sweet kid. Red hair and a feisty personality to go with it. He lived large and partied hard. He had just been diagnosed with liver disease a few weeks prior. It was more serious than he had let on. I unfortunately am estranged from his mother, and I am not sure if I would be welcome at his funeral. I am leaving it up to her to let my eldest sister know if I am or not. I do not want to make her uncomfortable during this time.  

The uncertainty of life and death reinforces the importance of  chasing your dreams while you can. I was six months from retirement when things changed for me and made me reassess my priorities. I was holding on to the January retirement date for the extra money it would provide. But what I would receive in September would be enough. I want to start living my dreams now. I don't want to stay in a job where I am being beat down and not built up. If I can't change a stressful situation then I have to step away from it. I just want peace in my life. I want to get out and hike. I want to teach. I want to help those that need assistance. I need to do this now while I can. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Workouts this past week were a bit mixed. I didn't make it to the gym on Wednesday. I was just too drained after the tragic news of the day. On Saturday I went, but I struggled with my workouts. I only did 1500 steps on the stair-master, an hour on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the rower. My head was filled with doubts that I could actually get in shape for the Inca Trail next Spring. Sunday was a new day though and I did 2200 steps on the stair-master, just over an hour on the treadmill and twenty minutes on the rower. My total workout time was 2 hours and 15 minutes. I felt much better. My knees are also getting stronger and I've had very little pain the past two weeks. I also noticed an improvement in my yoga routine. I am more agile and stronger. I can easily transition poses without pause. I know that with the early retirement I will have plenty of time to achieve my fitness goals and successfully complete my hikes. 

Adventures are coming soon

 It is amazing how quickly one's life can change. Last week when I posted I was stressed, angry and questioning my immediate future. The day following that post everything changed. The stars aligned and a long awaited phone call finally came. The news was better than I ever thought it would be and I can go ahead with my dreamed of earlier retirement. I am now looking at mid-September, less than 8 weeks away. I am still just in disbelief that I will walk out of here four months earlier than I had thought. I haven't quit smiling.

I immediately started making plans for camping, hiking and other bucket list trips that I can try to fit in before I head to Peru next Spring. I booked a week at the Pine Springs Campground at Guadalupe Mountains Natl. Park in November. I'm watching weather and Aurora forecasts for Yellowknife, Canada. This has been top of my bucket list for years and we are currently in an active period for Aurora's, so I would like to try to catch it before it is too late. 

Retirement.... time to have great adventures.

I have to get in shape first. As I said last week I was adding a mid-week workout. I did go. I enjoyed it and by going later in the evening the after work crowds have cleared out and I was easily able to get on the stair-master and rower. I am limiting my weeknight workouts to one hour so I am skipping the treadmill. In less than eight weeks though I can go every afternoon and do a two- hour workout! I do plan on taking one day off to get out and go hiking or just get out of town for the day. I hope to go to Austin at least once a month and hike with my daughter. Lots of good trails down there. I might even get down there before I retire as I have to burn up some vacation days that are over the max pay-out. Lot's of 3-day weekends ahead!

Retirement.... life is just getting started.

Exercising Frustrations

 

Last week was a stressful, frustrating, swear-word inducing week. It had nothing to do with training or traveling, it was all work related. It now has me re-evaluating my retirement plans and possibly moving it up by 3-4 months.  The new management/managers just dumped a bunch of new responsibilities on me that are outside the realm of my initial job responsibilities. While it is not anything I cannot do, it is just tasks that I thought I had left behind me over twenty years ago. They have nothing to do with office administration. I voiced my displeasure and then faced disciplinary action. The thing is the write up was for under-performing my job – but everything they wrote up was the new job tasks that I had not even been officially assigned. They explained the new job duties  after that. I was already struggling to stay motivated to come into work each day. I have less than six months to my planned retirement date – one that they are all aware of. It completely feels like I am being pushed out early. The thing is, it was not unexpected as I had mentioned to co-workers when the management change was announced that I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to push me out early. They did the same to a former co-worker four years ago when she was reassigned to that department just shy of her 67^th birthday.

Workouts benefited this past weekend though from my frustrated state. Saturday, I did 2000 steps on the stair-master, an hour on the treadmill with over thirty minutes straight at 15% and then the rowing machine for 25 minutes. Sunday, I skipped the stair-master as they were already in use when I arrived. So I went right onto the treadmill – 5-minute warm-up, 55 minutes at a continuous 15% then 15 minutes at -3% and a short cool-down. I then did close to 30 minutes on the rower.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will start my mid-week workouts to get in better shape for the Manitou Incline in September. I plan on concentrating on the stair-master. I plan on doing at least an hour mid-week and then continue with my two-hour workouts on the weekend.

No more excuses.

Drained

 I spent the holiday weekend at the Texas coast with my family (3 of my 4 kids, eldest child's partner and his 2 young boys and my grandson.. oh and 3 dogs). It was a fun weekend but was very tiring, I wasn't really expecting it to drain my energy the way it did. Was it the heat? wind? salty air? sand? or just the wonderful chaos of eight people under one roof? It was an experience trying to coordinate everyone getting together at various places at the same time. We all needed to arrive at the beach together as we had purchased the passes for the State park for both car's passengers together. There was then meeting up for dinner and a baseball game. 

I did get a bit of time to relax Saturday afternoon when just my middle daughter and I stayed at the beach house while the others went off sightseeing. I had an early start home on Sunday as I had to pick up my son (who lives at the coast) and his dog. I dropped my son off at the airport as he had soccer a tournament this week in Denver. I brought his dog home with me for the month as my son has a trip to Spain in a few weeks. 

I took Monday off work to get laundry done and shop for a few groceries. It rained most of the day. We didn't really need more rain as it had rained at my house the entire time I was at the coast... I think we had 10 - 12 inches total. I did make it to the gym Monday afternoon, 1000 steps an the stair-master, an hour on the treadmill (30 at 15%) and 15 minutes on the rower. Not a great workout, but I was still tired from the trip.

This experience left me full of doubts about having the energy and stamina I will need to accomplish my hiking goals next year. Was it just that the seashore drained my energy? I know that when I am hiking in the forests and mountains I draw energy and feel invigorated. Will that be enough to keep me going on those multi-day treks? I have been looking at a few things I can do to improve my iron and protein intake. I am adding a protein shake to my mornings a few days a week and will add a few more iron rich foods to my diet. It takes planning and research to get the right balance of nutrients when eating a vegetarian diet. My weight also dropped a few pounds over the weekend, so I need to get those pounds back. I will also starting next week be adding an additional workout mid-week. It won't be a two hour one, probably 2000 steps on the stair-master and 20 - 30 minutes on the rower. I'm going to need all the motivation I can get to go in the evenings. It seems every time I plan on going something comes up or I find an excuse to not go. I have to go. I have to get stronger if I want to complete a double hike up the Manitou Incline in the Autumn. I need to do a double on it to have the confidence to take on the Inca Trail.

Adventure Awaits

 Retirement is getting closer... 6 months, 2 weeks. The most common question I get asked is " what are your plans after you retire?' I of course reply travel, volunteer and hike. This blog is of course was originally created to document my journey to get fit, and prepare for my trip to Nepal next year. I have since added the hiking trips I have taken while getting in shape and then of course the plans I am making for new adventures. Colorado this autumn, Guadalupe Mountains next winter, Peru in the spring (autumn there) and then the big one to Nepal. 

My plans don't just stop at Nepal though.  I have so many more places I want to go and things I want to do. I am already looking at 2027 and a 6-8 week camping road trip to twelve National Parks in the western and northwestern states. I've looked at camping options in the parks, the hikes I am interested in so I can plan on how many days I would need to stay. I've looked at distances and drive times from park to park so I can see what stops I can add between them. I want to build in some days so I can be flexible, but I will have to also set a schedule to arrive in the parks if I have campsite reservations. The total distance I would be traveling is over six thousand miles, That is a lot of driving. Two of the National Parks I have been to, but did not do any or very little hiking, Grand Teton and Rocky Mountain. I love both parks and would love to explore them a bit more than I was able to on past trips. I also love the Jenny Lake Campground at Grand Tetons. It is my favorite campground of the ones I have stayed. 

Here is my list in the order I plan to visit:

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP
• Rocky Mountain NP
• Grand Tetons NP
• Glacier NP
• North Cascades NP
• Olympic NP
• Mount Rainier NP
• Redwood NP
• Yosemite NP
• Sequoia NP
• Zion NP
• Bryce Canyon NP

I plan a a later trip to Arizona to take in some places there that look interesting. I also have several places in New Mexico that I want to visit that I will add to one of these trips. 

I have ideas of places and things I am considering down the road. A volunteer trip to Guatemala to work with a Sea Turtle Conservation program. National Parks staff volunteer or seasonal employee. Summer work in Alaska at a lodge or park. I might even decide to return to Nepal to teach again and maybe trek the Annapurna Circuit. The problem with aging though is you never know what can happen. Illness, injury or death. I've had family members be active up to their 90's. I've had others that were old and feeble in the 60's. I am going to do my best to stay active as long as I can. I would love to still be hiking in the mountains well into my 80's. I just can't let myself slow down. 

Finding Calmness

 

What a week it has been and it is only Thursday. It had been very stressful up to last night. Things were finally resolved on a positive note and I felt as though a weight had been lifted off of me. I just had to quit imagining the worse case scenario and know that things would most likely work out for the best. You know what? It did! One bit of advice I have is DO NOT try to shop for a good used car right now. If you can wait - do so. I also had been worried about the new boss we were getting. The staff here was imagining the worst. She started on Monday and so far everyone seems to really like her. She is struggling a bit and is overwhelmed by the chaos and workload that has landed in her lap. I just tell her to breathe (something I have been telling myself a lot lately) and to let it all just fall into place. 

I had hoped that with the stress having departed and my mood more joyful, I would get a good nights sleep last night. Mother Nature had other plans. Sometime between 2 am - 3 am an insane thunderstorm came through and lasted at least two hours. Thunder, wind and heavy downpours. I went outside as soon as it was light this morning (after the storm had passed) and checked my rain gauge... It had over-flowed. It has markings up to six inches and then another 1.5 inches to the rim. So we had over 7.5 inches of rain in just those few hours. The rivers and creeks around us all flooded over their banks. Luckily the drive to work was not impacted and I easily made it in on time.

Workout updates... I have started watching YouTube videos during my workouts. One on the EBC trek, one on the Inca Trail and a few of other sights to see in and around Cusco Peru. They really help the workouts go by so much quicker than listening to music. On Saturday I did 1500 steps (30 minutes) on the stair master, an hour on the treadmill with 30 minutes at 15%, and then 30 minutes on the rower. I felt great. Sunday was a different story, 800 steps, 50 minutes treadmill and 30 minutes rower. It was all a struggle. This weekend I will try again for the 30-60-30 on Saturday. My daughter will be in town on Sunday so we hope to go hiking. I'm not sure how the trails will be after all the rain, but we will see. 

I do have a ton of yardwork to do so that will be a good workout too. 

Breath in

Breath out

Deep

Calm

Smile

Release

Present moment

Wonderful moment

In... out...

One more summer in the office..

 Summer is now here! This past weekend was the Memorial day holiday which is traditionally the start of Summer (here in Texas at least). I hate summer weather. I usually just dread the arrival of it. The only bright spot in it, is that morning traffic is so much lighter that I don't have to leave as early for work. This year though I am really feeling a bit excited though as it will be my final summer to have to get up and go to work. Next year if I get sick of the heat, I'll just throw my camping gear in my car and head to the mountains for a break. But I still have to get through this one. I am feeling though that the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. I've just over seven months to go until I will be retired! Once I get through this summer I will be in the home-stretch.

I enjoyed this past holiday weekend. I worked on a few DIY projects around the house. I drove to the big HEB store in Waco to do a good grocery shopping trip. They have a much better variety of vegan options there. The Gym was also open all three days so I got 3 good workouts in. Stairmaster (1200 -1800 steps) treadmill (45- 60 minutes) and rowing machine (15 - 20 minutes) My total workout time on Sunday was 1 hour 55 minutes. I am really enjoying the rower. It is a total body workout. I had initially thought I would just max it at 20 minutes each session, but I feel it is so beneficial that I will take it to 30 minutes. So I think for the summer I will aim to workout Saturday, Sunday & Wednesday evening.

Saturday and Sunday :

• Stairmaster - 1500-1800 steps
• Treadmill - 60 Minutes (3 miles) 5 minute warm-up, 30 minute 15% incline, 20 minute -3% downhill, 5 minute cool down.
• Rowing Machine - 30 minutes

Wednesday evening:

• Stairmaster or Treadmill - 30 minutes
• Rowing Machine - 30 minutes

I've a trip to Corpus Christi in July for a few days. Myself and my kids all renting a house near the beach. This will hopefully break up the summer with a bit of fun and sun... oh and lots of seafood!

Vegetariana/Shahakari/Vegitarian

 With the commitment to volunteer in both Peru and Nepal confirmed I now have to get serious about getting ready both mentally and physically for both of these trips. Yes I have been prepping for the past two years, and I have recently stepped up my workouts to a new level. This past Sunday I did 1300 steps on the stair-master , 3 miles on the treadmill with 2 of those miles at 15% incline. I also did 15 minutes on the rower. My total workout time was one hour and forty minutes. I am also still doing my daily yoga first thing every morning. 

I think though the hardest thing I am doing is trying to learn two languages at once. I don't expect to be conversational in either, but would like to know enough to communicate some basic needs or ideas. The Spanish lessons aren't too bad, but having been in Texas for most of my life I have been exposed to Spanish for most of it. Learning Nepali though is on a whole different level as the sentence structure is different along with the lack of exposure to hearing it spoken makes it quite the challenge. I am focusing on some key phrases right now - Ma angrezi bolchu (I speak English), ma USA bata hun ( I am from the USA). Dhanybhad ( thank-you) Vegetariana (sp) - Shahakari (np) (vegetarian) and learning to recognize numbers so I can read prices on items. It really is harder to learn a new language when older. 

I did have a mild panic attack this past weekend... wondering what the hell am I thinking traveling to Peru all alone. I really should just stay in my nice comfy home all safe, snug and cozy. But then I stop and think about the exhilaration of a new adventure, one where I step out of my comfort zone. I know I will love the volunteer work, I will love the trekking and I will love the culture of both Peru and Nepal. 

It's going to be great - I just have to step out of my box.

 

I guess I'm going to Peru!

 I did it! I committed to a volunteer position in Cusco, Peru in the early Spring ( Autumn there) of 2026. I'll be at one of three animal programs. Most likely it will be a dog/cat rescue center, but it could be at a wildlife rescue/rehab run by the University of Peru or at a Alpaca & Llama sanctuary a short distance from Cusco. 

My stay will run through the Holy Week celebrations before Easter and will be an amazing cultural experience. I'll also be able to plan a trip to Rainbow Mountain and then of course trek the Inca Trail. I will look into booking it in a few more months. It is also too early to book any flights, but that time of year the prices look to be quite affordable. 

Making this commitment really gives me the motivation I need to take my workouts up another notch.   

I am excited and happy to have finally made this commitment to go to Cusco! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Level Up!

 For the past few weeks it has been a struggle to just do my weekend cardio at the fitness center as I am usually exhausted from all the yard work I have been doing. Well I still had plenty of yard work to do this weekend, but I had made up my mind to step up the workouts. Saturday I started off with 1065 steps on the stair-master (this takes about 20 minutes to do). I then moved on to the treadmill. 5 minute warm-up then 35 minutes (1.5 miles) at 15% incline, then 20 minutes at -3%, then  5 minute cooldown. My final stop was the rowing machine. I did 12 minutes on it. Sunday was pretty much a repeat but with just over 13 minutes on the rower. So I have taken my workouts from 60 minutes to 90 minutes in a very short time.

 I'm feeling really good about it as I had worked for over 2 hours in the garden both Saturday and Sunday mornings plus cleaned house. I even played with my power-pole saw and chainsaw on Sunday and did a major prune job on one of my trees that had limbs hanging over and on my roof. Once I got them all pruned off I had to cut them up into smaller pieces so I can dispose of them. Several of the limbs were over 12 feet with numerous branches. Looking at them all I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the job, but I got stuck in and completed in under two hours. 

Just a few years ago I took on a similar job. I ended up calling in help before I got the limbs cut-up. It feels great to be in so much better shape that I can easily tackle these challenging physical tasks and then still go to the gym. I will admit my shoulders are a bit sore today, but that is to be expected when using a power-pole saw. 

I was chatting with one of the Inca Trail trekking companies about the possibility of joining a 5- day trek next Spring. They said they aren't that popular so it would be hard to book if solo. I would really need to plan on doing the four day. So after a bit more research I feel pretty confident that it is within my ability to complete. I've eleven months to get prepared and with the improvements I am making, I'll be ready!

Second Anniversary - Look at how far I have come!

 Two years ago I started this blog to document my journey to get healthy and fit enough to trek to Everest Base camp in Nepal. I also had the goal of volunteering there for at least a month. I was not in the best of shape and hadn't hiked more than 2 miles on easy trails in years. I wanted to get fit enough to take on an 64.2 mile hike with altitude gains of almost 21000 feet. Oh and I was 64 years old and I would be 67 by the time I travel to Nepal. Totally nuts right?

It has been a journey with physical and mental challenges. Overcoming self-doubt, knee pain, and stamina has been at times harder than I imagined. But I have stuck with it and have never given up. In fact I added the additional challenge of traveling to Peru six months before Nepal to do some volunteer work in Cusco and then hike the Inca trail. It is 26 miles with an altitude gain of 8225 feet. It will be extremely challenging as the altitude gains are much steeper than EBC. I am more nervous about it than I am EBC.

So what was my plan to get fit? I started with Yoga and breathing exercises. I also started meditating and studying Buddhism. Getting mentally fit is as important as physically fit. I then added a mini Stair-stepper to my morning routine. I went hiking once or twice a month. Started with two mile hikes and quickly worked up to four mile hikes the first few months. Late that first Summer my daughter and I traveled to Alaska. I had a hike up Mount Healy at Denali NP planned. I didn't even get halfway up. I knew I had a long way to go in my journey. I kept up with the workouts and eventually got up to 500 steps on the stair-stepper. That felt good as I struggled to do 50 when I bought it. For my 65th birthday I headed to Enchanted Rock and Lost Maples State Parks, I had  two days of some great hikes and they were getting easier and more challenging. A year into this I went to Cloudcroft NM. Hiking at 9000 feet on hills and doing distances of four to five miles. I did well, but I felt like I still had a ways to go. When I returned home I joined the fitness center. I concentrated on the treadmill at inclines of 3% to 15% and the Stairmaster. By Autumn I was up to 2000 steps and was ready to do some harder hikes in Colorado, including the famed Manitou Incline. Success! I was slow, but I did it along with several five to six mile hikes in the mountains. I was beginning to see a big improvement. 

I have continued my workouts at the fitness center. I gradually spent more time on the treadmill at a 15% incline. My birthday hikes to Enchanted Rock and Lost Maples were so much better than the year before. My time improved and I they had become easier. My Spring hiking trip was more of a Winter trip as Big Bend warms up very early in the year. I went solo and hiked 5- 8 miles a day with some challenging elevation gains. I was still slow, but I was successful at completing all my hikes. I was feeling stronger. 

Since returning from Big Bend I have completed full hour workouts on the Stairmaster. Fifty-five minutes on the treadmill at 15% with an additional twenty minutes at 6% to -3% . I have also added some time on the rowing machine and am increasing the time spent on it by 1-2 minutes each time. I haven't had much opportunity to go hiking as the weather has been lousy on the weekends. I also just don't get enough of a challenge on the trails around here so I just spend my time at the gym. 

Changes I have made includes not eating any meat, cutting back on dairy, and I rarely eat any processed foods. I do still eat fish, some eggs and some cheese. Just not as much as I used to. This change in my diet has really helped how I feel. I lost a few more pounds, my digestive system is much healthier and I just feel better. I consciously do my best to live mindfully and in the present. I am so much happier with my life. I still do a daily Yoga routine, meditate and read Buddhist lessons and wisdoms. I am slowly learning the Nepali language, and hope to have enough basics by the time I go to get by. I have already committed to teaching English for 8 weeks at a Buddhist monastery in Salleri, a village in the Everest region of the Himalayas. I will be committing to do Volunteer work in Cusco Peru probably within the next month. I plan on working with one of the Animal rescue centers there for two weeks.

I've just over eight months now until retirement. I will keep on the path I am currently on until then. Once I retire I will have about three months to really prepare for Peru. I will hit the gym daily with some intense workouts. I also plan on some multi-day mountain camping/hiking trips. I am so looking forward to retirement. The weeks are flying and I will need each one of them to be successful in fulfilling my goals.

Pictures from some of my adventures the past two years.

Switchback Trail - Cloudcroft NM

    

Manitou Incline with my daughter

Lost Maples State Park

Colorado Bend State Park

Enchanted Rock

Last Maples State Park

Denali Nat. Park

Big Bend Nat Park

Boquilas Canyon

Big Bend Windows Trail

Big Bend Lost Mines Trail

Row row row your rower?

 Just a quick update on the workouts. This past weekend was Easter so the gym was closed on Sunday. On Saturday I worked out in the yard all morning, mowing, trimming, weeding and pruning so by the time I went to the gym I was pretty worn out. I did forty-five minutes on the treadmill with thirty of that at fifteen percent incline. I then decided to give the rowing machine a go and did ten minutes on it. I enjoyed that and I think I will add it to my workout . I need to work on upper body strength and it should be good for that and my core muscles.

I once again did not get to go hiking at Mother Neff. It rained early on Sunday morning and the trails would have been too messy. I had a lot of housework to do so I stayed busy and got a good workout at home. 

I did get to Austin on Friday and made it to REI and got a new pair of Hiking boots. These are the ones that will see me through the next few years of trekking. They feel light weight but sturdy and of the three different pairs I tried on they fit the best and were most comfortable. I'm looking forward to breaking them in. 

Soloman X Ultra  https://youtu.be/w8tpSs2V6_0

 

Nothing goes as planned

 This past weekend did not go as planned. We had two inches of rain overnight Friday night into Saturday. And then it was overcast, chilly and windy the rest of the weekend. Every time I stepped outside I started sneezing. So no yard work for me, and the lawn really needs mowing. My big weekend project was to finish the decoupage on the dresser I am re-doing for my daughter. Well something went terribly wrong when it dried and air bubbles appeared all over it. It is a disaster. I now have to strip it and start all over again. I am really trying to get it finished by Good Friday so I can take it to her on my day off. It is going to be quite the feat if I can pull it off now.

I finally broke down and purchased a new cell phone. My old one was, well...old. Battery would barely last a day even though I rarely used it. Samsung no longer supported it with updates so many of my apps had quit working. I had really liked the phone and they longer made this model. I just wasn't sure what I wanted to get and not break the bank. It was a nightmare getting everything switched over from my old phone to this new one and I ended up at the phone store where I had to wait an hour for assistance just to get a new SIM card as the one in my old phone was way too big. This new phone better last as I sure don't want to mess with that again. It has been fun trying to remember my logins for my apps and getting it all set up to my fingerprint. I nearly have everything on it now. I just have to get used to the new OS. 

I did not make it to the gym on Saturday and was not sure if I would go on Sunday. But with the dresser such a mess I went at my usual time and did an easy hour on the treadmill. I varied the inclines quite a bit more and didn't do as long at 15% as I had been. I did set it at a faster pace though so I could work on that. I really just wasn't feeling it and needed the break. Too much stress at work lately and sleepless nights has left me feeling a bit rundown. It is discouraging, but I am trying to focus on my mindfulness meditations and follow the Buddha's advice to stay in the present moment. 

On a positive note, this time next year I should be on the Inca trail on my way to Machu Pichu. The trail was a month late opening this year due to an extended rainy season. It usually only closes for the month of February. This year though it was delayed until April 1st. I have been following the weather in Cusco and this week is the first one in  months that doesn't have rain in the forecast every day. I do plan on purchasing a good rain jacket and rain pants before I go. I'll be needing them in Nepal too so a good quality set won't be a waste. 

So I've a full week ahead and will be spending my evenings getting all the things done that I didn't get to this past weekend. Oh I'll be glad when I am retired. 9 months 2 days. 

Inspirations to quell the doubts.

 

I printed this off earlier today and posted it where I can see it throughout the day. It was posted on Facebook by Tiny Buddha. 

Inspiration when I need it. 

New Goals

 Last Spring when I started going to the gym I had a goal of getting up to 2000 steps on the stair master. I did it earlier than my targeted date. I had it though in my head that at some point in the future I wanted to be able to do a full hour on it. Yesterday was the day I accomplished it! Pretty good since I haven't done 2000 steps on it since last September and only in recent workouts was going 1500 steps in thirty minutes. When I started my workout yesterday I told myself to go for as long as I could. I was hoping to do 2000 steps but was curious to see if I could last the full hour. I did set my pace a little slower than normal. I would usually do 55 spm, but did most of the workout at 50 spm, then 45 spm after hitting 2000. the last five minutes were a struggle but I hit 2850 steps in the hour.  

On Saturday I concentrated on the treadmill. I did seventy minutes with 53 minutes of that at 15%, a few at 12%, the remainder was warm up / cool down. That has been my best to date.

New goals are Stairmaster 3000 steps in one hour. Treadmill 55 minutes at 15% after a five minute warm-up. I need to get my -3% up to ten - fifteen minutes before a five minute cool down. So going forward I will concentrate on the treadmill on Saturdays and stair master on Sundays. Once I retire I will aim to do both workouts in a single day at least one to two days a week. 

I have had to increase my calorie intake to maintain my weight. I am enjoying that as I have put desserts back on the menu. Last week was homemade coconut milk chocolate ice cream, this week a homemade Key lime pie. Last year when I decided to cut back on meat and only eat it every other week I soon last my appetite for it and only occasionally ate some. I have now completely lost my appetite for it and just the smell of it cooking turns my stomach. I am still eating fish a few times a month, but no meat or chicken. I do still eat dairy and eggs, but not as much as in the past. I feel so much better, healthier and my digestive system is working so much better. I enjoy what I eat and am often trying new recipes. I love spicy foods so I explore cuisines from around the world. I love Korean food and Indian curries. I am also a big fan of soups and will eat them year-round. I will cook a big pot full when I make a soup and will freeze individual servings so that I always have an assortment to choose from for lunch or dinner. Maybe I should start a new blog - Vegetarian Soups! 

Have a good week everyone!

Another week nearly complete...

Another week is nearly done. They are flying by. 9 months, 19 days until retirement, not like I'm counting it down, ha ha. 

So it has been five weeks since my trip to Big Bend. I finally put together a slide show to post on YouTube of my favorite pictures.  

Big Bend 2025 Video link

I enjoy having these little videos of my adventures to look back on as the years go by. I was able to put the entire trip this time into one video and not multiples like I did after Alaska. I wonder how many I will have after Peru and then Nepal? I'll probably be weeks if not months creating the ones for Nepal after I return. I do plan at some point creating one with photos of my life, something maybe for my Memorial Service when I have passed on from this realm. 

My workouts last weekend were not great. I had spent so much time working in my yard and garden, I was pretty worn out. I did get an hour in each day and 1500 steps on the stair master. I felt it though for the first few days after. I was more exhausted on Sunday than I was after hiking the Pinnacles Trail at Big Bend. I really was not expecting that. But it has been months since I had that much yard work to do. But it is paying off as the yard is looking so much better and spring is making a strong appearance now.

Native Violets

Veg/Herb Garden Makeover

I have planted tomatoes, mixed lettuce, eggplants and peppers, this year. I have onions and asparagus that were already in the ground. Herbs are basil, fennel, sage, oregano and parsley. The black planter has rosemary which I have had since 2020. The hard work is now done so hopefully it will just be maintenance to keep it looking good and I can enjoy the rest of the spring and Summer. It is looking like we will remain in this long drought so that at least cuts back on the mowing. I have given up on having a lawn. It is just to costly and environmentally unhealthy to maintain. I'll be gradually replacing it all with native plants. 

Looking ahead to 2026 trips, in my research for Peru I think I will consider as an alternative to the Inca Trail to do the Lares Trek instead.  It crosses two passes that are higher than Dead Woman's Pass on the Inca trail, but the total elevation gain across the hikes is less and it doesn't have as many stairsteps. It doesn't go all the way to Machu Pichu, but you do continue on by bus to the site after a three day trek. Since I'll be traveling solo I will need to be flexible and join an existing group. I really want to avoid the 4 day Inca trail as I think it is just too intense for me at my age. I still prefer the 5 day Inca Trail, but my goal is to just see and spend some time in the Andes mountains. 
 

Have a good weekend. I am hoping for good weather on Sunday morning so I can get on the trails at Mother Neff State Park. The Wildflowers are starting to make their appearance!

What a difference a shoe makes...

My old athletic shoes had lost most of their bounce and cushioning. I had purchased them over six years ago ( maybe event longer than that). I never wore them a lot as I had several other pairs that I wore with different outfits. It was only after I started going to the fitness center that I wore them more frequently. I was beginning to suspect that my recurring knee pain was partly to blame by these shoes starting to wear out. So I started doing my research and thought I would look into a pair of New Balance trainers that were available in a narrow fit. But I needed to go try some on in a physical store before I ordered anything online. So last weekend when I was in Waco I ended up at Academy (not a fan of the store, but there really weren't other options). I first tried on the New Balance in a medium width ( they don't stock narrow) I did not like them at all. So I tried a Nike - nope, Asics - nope, Under Armor - nope, plus a few others. Nothing fit, or felt good on my feet. I had hoped to try on a Hoka brand as I had been reading good things about them. But they do not carry them. So I returned home empty handed and started my research a bit more intensely focused on Hoka's. I decided to order a pair from Zappos knowing that returns would be easily made. Research led me to the Clifton 9 style. It was on sale and they had a color combo that I really liked. I received them on Thursday. I tried them on and wore them around the house for a few minutes. The fit was good, they laced up without puckering up (which happens when they are too wide and I lace them to fit), they were really comfortable. My only concern was the width of the toe box, but since the heel and instep fit so well, I decided to give them a go at the gym on Saturday. 

Saturday rolled around and I headed off to the gym wearing my new Hoka's. First was the stair-master. The first few steps felt a bit awkward due to the over-sized sole. I did find my rhythm and did my 1000 steps easily. On to the treadmill... 65 minutes, 40 at 15%, 10 at -3%. I felt great. These new shoes really made a difference. On Sunday I went all in. I focused only on the treadmill (the stair-master wasn't available when I arrived). I did my five minute warmup at 3 mph at 3%, then I went right up to 15% for 55 minutes straight. No break. then 10 minutes at -3% and a 5 minute cool down. No knee or hip pain. I was just hot and sweaty. Even after returning home, I still felt great. 

I'll be keeping my Hoka's. 

The trail so far...

 I was just looking back at a post from a year ago to see how far I have come. I was struggling to do 300 steps on my Stair Stepper. That and yoga were the extent of my workouts. I am now going to the gym twice a week, doing well over 1000 steps on the Stair Master, followed by one hour on the treadmill with forty minutes of that at the 15% incline. My hikes have increased substantially in difficulty and my recovery is quick. I have no problems doing  5 to 8 mile hikes several days in a row. I've gone with just surviving 500 - 600 mile altitude gains to more easily completing hikes with altitude gains of 2000 feet. 

I am getting excited about taking on new goals of more challenging hikes. I've ten months until retirement and will probably only get to go to Manitou Springs in the Autumn before then. I will keep pushing myself at the gym and maybe do a few local hikes just to get outdoors. Oh but once I retire.... I'll either be at the gym or on the trails every day. I am already planning a trip probably next February to Guadalupe Mountains National Park with the goal of making it to the top of Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas. I will also try to get to many of the State parks that have good hiking and camping so I can keep challenging myself to do some long hikes, even if I can't get the altitude gains. 

The Inca trail in the Spring of 2026 will be my biggest challenge. It scares me. Day two across Dead Woman's Pass is unlike anything I have done. But when I look at how far I have come in the past year, I know I can be ready to take on the challenge successfully. I just need to stay focused, stay positive and know how great the reward will be to complete these challenges and more.   

     Top of Guadalupe Peak

Near the top of Dead Woman's Pass - Inca Trail

Last year on the top of the Manitou Incline with my daughter.

The journey is long...

 When I started this journey I knew it would be a long road ahead. I was so out of shape and I knew it would take months, even years to get to the fitness level I need to be in to trek in the Himalayas. So much could happen to derail my plans. So far I am still on track. I have remained healthy and mostly injury free. I am getting stronger, fitter, and healthier. My stamina has improved and my recover rate surprises even myself. 

This long training and planning stage though makes it hard to stay focused and excited about the goal. It is still so distant. My focus on the weekends is planning my workouts and getting to the fitness center. My vacations focus on hiking in the mountains. Some days the excitement just isn't there. I have been training for nearly two years. I have over a year until I travel to Peru and eighteen months until Nepal. I am over half way there. By Autumn I will get stuck in planning for Peru and by early 2026 I will start getting the details confirmed for Nepal. Maybe once that begins I will start to feel the excitement once again. The Spring trekking season is just around the corner. The social media posts increase as more people share their pictures and experiences. I do enjoy that and it does help to encourage and excite me about my plans. I look forward to the day I get to share my journey. The excitement will return. 

Big Bend

 I've now been home a week after my five night Camping and hiking trip to Big Bend National Park. The hikes were great, the camping had a few cons. But overall I really loved the time there.

I arrived on a Sunday afternoon after an eight hour drive. It took longer than I was expecting but for 80% of the drive it was foggy and drizzling rain. Big Bend was sunny and warm when I arrived. I immediately set up my tent and campsite. Thank fully I had booked a site on the end of the row as the sites were smaller and closer than I had expected them to be. I had also thought that the parking would be a pull-in onto the site, but it was just a paved area on the side of the road. The sites were so close you could hear the conversations from all the neighbors. Not ideal for this introvert, but I did my best to keep my focus on the beautiful scenery around me. I also did discover after arriving that the AT&T coverage that had previously been available at the campsite was no longer provided. I would have to drive to the Visitor's Center and connect to their WiFi. While it was nice to unplug for the week, my daughter worries and likes to get updates at the end of the day to make sure I survived my hikes. 

The first night just as I was falling asleep the winds picked up. It was insane, the gusts were almost collapsing the tent. It pulled free from the stakes at two of the corners, and the tie down loop at one corner tore free from the tent. I had to find some large rocks to place inside at the corners to hold the tent down. I think I got at most three hours of sleep. 

I was up before the sun and had my coffee and breakfast in the dark. As soon as it was light enough to see to walk on the trails I set off on the Windows Trail. It is one of the most photographed areas of the park. It is a downhill hike to the Window, with of course, an uphill return. 961 feet in elevation gain, 5 mile round trip.  It was a beautiful hike and I pretty much had the trail to myself on the way down and only passed people heading down on my way back up. It was a good start to my planned hikes.

Monday afternoon i hopped in my car and headed out to the Southwestern corner of the park. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive is a 30 mile road that ends at the Santa Elena Canyon. It has multiple scenic stops along the way. I took my time and was remaining optimistic that the weather would stay cool enough to do the hike through the canyon along the Rio Grande River. It was perfection. 65f degrees, partly cloudy skies. The trail was somewhat busy, but I was able to find my own isolated pace that gave me the solitude I desired. It is a great hike, 1.8 miles round trip with slight elevation gains - mostly at the start. It would have been perfect except some kids coming up the trail behind me discovered that when they yelled they heard their echo. They were loud and managed to scare off all the birds in the area. That was a bit annoying. 

                                                                 

The winds died down from the night before and it was a pleasant evening and night. The moon was full which was beautiful, but it was so bright that the stars weren't as visible as they are when it is not.

A few pictures taken around the campground.

A good nights sleep and another early morning. The planned hike for Tuesday is the Lost Mine Trail. 4.8 miles with 1131 feet of elevation gain. I once again started barely at first light. I was a mile up the trail at a spectacular over-look just in time for the sunrise. 

This is one of two of my favorite pictures. The other one is of the cactus on the Windows trail. 

I loved this hike as it was challenging but not difficult. It was very scenic and the views from the peak were amazing, but if heights bother you it can be a bit dizzying. 

                                                                      

After this hike I went back to the campsite, ate some lunch then fell asleep for an hour. I just spent the rest of the day relaxing, reading and just enjoying the views and wildlife. 

Wednesday I slept in, and stayed all warm in my sleeping bag until the sun was up. The lows had dipped into the low 40's overnight. I had adjusted my hiking plans and had decided against driving the seven miles down a rough dirt road to get to the Balanced Rock trail. I would've loved to do the hike, but the Park Ranger warned me about the bad conditions of the road leading to it. I did not want to risk damaging my car so I decided to get out and explore the Southeastern corner of the park. This area includes Rio Grande Village, Boquillas Border Crossing and Boquillas Canyon. My first stop was Boquillas Canyon. It was warming up quickly and those canyons get hot fast. This one isn't as scenic as Santa Elena, but I still enjoyed the hike. It also wasn't as busy and was much quieter. From there I drove over to Rio Grande Village but there really wasn't anything to see or do there. I had been interested in a trail there, but I couldn't locate it. I asked at the Visitor Center nearby and he said it wasn't safe to hike when temperatures get above 80f, it was already 84f. So I got back on the road and headed back north. Not too far up the road I met a coyote walking down the road heading towards me. I stopped and rolled down my window to take some pictures. He stopped by the car and looked at me with interest. So I talked to him for a few minutes, then suggested we both be on our way before another car comes along. He continued on his southward journey and I headed on north. In addition to the coyote and the various bids I also saw Wild horses and Burros, Deer, and fox. 

Wednesday night was rough. New campsite neighbors had a 14 month old with them that cried and fussed most of the night. I got very little sleep. I gave up at 5:30 am, and decided to head on over and start up the Pinnacle Trail before daylight. I have a headlamp and I figured if I took it slow I'd be fine. I could see one other person ( their headlamp) on the trail ahead of me and I knew others would soon follow. The Pinnacle trail is classified as a hard trail. It is over 8 miles in length with about 2000 feet in elevation gain. The trail takes you up to Emory Pass to the base of Emory Peak, the highest point in the park. It is nearly all uphill for four miles. This would be the longest single hike I had ever done. The trail has a lot of stairs and switchbacks. The only time I had difficulties was that some of the steps were a bit tall for me. ( I am only 5ft 3 in.). Hiking poles really helped on both the ascent and descent. I did get passed by five different people on the way up. All much younger men. I was proud to be the first woman to the top that day and also probably the oldest. I hiked a bit further past the top to catch a view out over the east side of the Chisos Mountains. It was quite the beautiful sight. It was early afternoon before I returned to the campground. My feet were sore, my legs were tired but I felt amazing as I was so proud of what I had accomplished this week. I look back to where I was 22 months ago and how badly out of shape I was. I still have a ways to go to be ready to do the Inca Trail in 13 months and EBC in 18 months. I am more confident and determined though to complete those goals. 

Here are the last of my pictures from my final hike - The Pinnacles Trail.

Al

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