Looking forward

 Summer is winding down. I am so looking forward to cooler weather and knowing that I will be able to get out and hike without dying of heat stroke. Compared to the past three years this was a mild summer. Just a handful of days did the temperature hit 100f. We have had regular rain so that everything is still green. Usually by August the fields and roadsides are brown, and the soil dry and cracked. The humidity though has been a killer and as pushed the heat indexes up over 100 most days. The first cool fronts are starting to arrive, but they only bring the temperatures down a few degrees. It won't be long though until we start to see some drops that bring the days down to a pleasant "I wanna be outside" kind of day.

I have been looking at hiking trails that are within a easy drive to my house. I few I can make day trips out of, and some I can do an overnight camping trip. I plan on getting out on the trails at least once a week, with an overnight once a month (or more). I still plan on intense gym workouts on all the other days. So, speaking of the gym and workouts - I had a great weekend. Friday I did a full hour on the stair-master, 3010 steps, followed by 2 miles on the treadmill with 1.5 miles of that at 15% incline. I finished up the workout with 15 minutes on the rower. On Saturday I focused on the treadmill. Ninety minutes total with 55 minutes at 15% incline. I then did 30 minutes on the rower. I was feeling great on Sunday so I went for my full workout. 2000 steps on the stair-master, 3 miles on the treadmill with 1.5 miles of that at 15% and then 30 minutes on the rower. Sunday's total workout time was 2 hours and 10 minutes - my longest yet.  I was really tired by bedtime and a little bit sore, but I am fully recovered today. 

Peru is now seven months away and if I'm going to do the Inca trail I will need to get it booked by September 30th. I am also just over a year away from Nepal. I have to say I am getting a bit nervous about both trips. I am quite a bit older now than I was when I traveled to Ethiopia. I also had family with me on that trip That was ten years ago. It has been nine years since I last travelled internationally. I am not looking forward to those long flights. I have been looking into breaking up the flights to and from Nepal with a multi-day layover in Istanbul on the way over and then Singapore on the return flight home. I keep second guessing myself though about doing this, and wonder if it will make the trip even more stressful. I would love to see both of those cities and this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. But I would be adding additional days and expense to the trip. I also worry a bit about safety in both of those cities. I still have plenty of time to research it and decide. 

I've another three day weekend coming up - Labor day. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will be good for at least a hike at Mother Neff one day. Retirement is getting so close.... they are conducting interviews today for my replacement. As soon as they start (if it's before I leave) I plan on stepping aside and just be there to guide them as they learn. It's kind of odd though as quite a bit of what I will have to show them will  be changing in the next three months as new software comes online and then the catering and bars will be taken over by an outside vendor.  But it's best they are here to learn from the start rather than come in during the middle of all the changes. I am so glad I will not be here for it, hopefully I'll just be on a mountain somewhere!