Kripaya

 Another week is flying by. I had thought the days would pass more slowly once I retired. Instead they are flying by even faster. I do find that I am quite busy and much more physically active now which probably helps. I can now spread out my household chores and yard work across the week instead of trying to get it all done on the weekend. I have tackled over half of the projects I had on my list. I still have a large landscaping project to get to, but I am waiting for cooler weather and a trip to Waco for supplies. 

I am still watching the Aurora Borealis forecasts, hoping to catch a strong showing. Fairbanks or Yellowknife, NWT are my best bets. But weather and aurora forecasts just don't seem to want to align. Flights and hotels are also a detail that has to work out. I keep watching and hoping.

Since returning from Colorado, I have really been doing great with getting to the gym or going hiking. On Sunday I hit a goal that I was aiming to get to in the next month or so. I did a full hour/3177 steps on the stairmaster plus an hour on the treadmill. It felt great. I then went hiking on Monday at Mother Neff State Park and completed a 3.28 mile hike. It was a beautiful morning and I got started early before it warmed up. Tuesday and Wednesday, I was feeling my energy start to drain and I was having a bit of back pain. I still went to the gym both days but cut back on the stairmaster. I think I may take a day off today. 17 days without a break, I think one is due!

I have completed the first two chapters on my TEFL course. It is so easy and at the pace I was going I would complete it in just a few weeks. So I have slowed down and just trying to do a chapter a week instead of one a hour. I am trying to spend more time on my Nepali course instead. I thnk it might be starting to sink in as I was watching show on HBO while working out at the gym yesterday. "The Pitt", set in a Hospital Emergency Room. They had a seriously injured woman come in and they couldn't understand her and could not figure out what language she was speaking. She kept repeating Kripaya, kripaya.... Please, please - in Nepali. I knew!! They did eventually figure it out. 

Please - Kripaya

Thank you very much - Dherai Dhanyvada

Retirement Updates

 I am now in my 4th week of retirement. It still feels a bit surreal. It is still sinking in that I do not have to go back to work. I guess I am still trying to get my daily rhythm. I spent my first week getting ready for my trip to Colorado. The second week I spent in Colorado. Thursday of my third week and I have started my project list. First up was a solar clothes dryer, aka a clothesline in my back garden. I have it completed. 

Colorado was fantastic! The weather was perfect for hiking. Our Air BnB  apartment was really nice and the location right on the main street in Manitou Springs was perfect. The bedrooms were on the back side so they were quiet. 

Our first hike was to Cheyenne Canon Park, where the trail was Daniels Pass to Mount Muscoco - 4 miles, with 1,040 ft. of altitude gain. I really enjoyed the hike and the views were well worth it.  

Wednesday morning I set my alarm for 4 am. I started up the incline by 5 am hoping to be to the top for the sunrise. I made it and did it 45 minutes faster than last year. As I started back down I had to decide if I would go all the way and attempt a second climb or partial climb later in the day or just hop back on the trail at the 1800 step bail out and go back up about 900 steps to the summit and then all the way back down the Barr trail.This is what I did... I was questioning my life choices at one point, but once it was accomplished my confidence to take on the Inca Trail was encouraging. 

Our final hike was our favorite hike from last year - The Crags Trail in Pike National Forest. It is a moderately challenging hike due mostly to the first mile being uphill, followed by a mile of near flat and then a half mile uphill to the summit. Elevations from over 9000 ft to 10,780 ft. Oh, but those views at the top! We got surprised by the cold when we arrived, as it was 29f. It was 48 in Manitou Springs and we were not prepared for it to be as cold as it was. Once we got moving, we warmed up. So it wasn't too bad after the first mile.

We spent our last day driving the scenic route to Denver. We were hoping the aspens would be as pretty as they were last year, but unfortunately, they are changing a bit later this year.  We arrived in Denver earlier in the day than expected so we paid a visit to the Denver Zoo. We really enjoyed it. Afterwards, we went to lunch at a local Ethiopian Restaurant before heading to the airport for our flight home. The flight was delayed a bit so I crashed on Fantu's couch before driving home on Saturday morning.

I spent part of my weekend watching YouTube videos of the Inca Trail. I wavered a bit but when I looked at how much I had improved from last year on these hikes and knowing that I have five months to keep training at a more intensive pace, I decided to go for it and booked the trek for next April.  So Monday morning I paid my deposit, completed my forms and now I sit back and wait until the end of the month to get confirmation once the permits are purchased on the 29th release date. I went with Alpaca Expeditions as they are the highest rated, most trustworthy and are a Peruvian-owned and operated company. Their groups are a little larger than I would have liked and they hike a further distance on day two than some of the others (which will be a challenge for me). But with larger groups, I can hope there will be other people at my skill level so I won't be left behind!

I think I am going to enjoy my retirement.