Strolling along

Took Dani strolling the other day. We went to Walmart (down hill). Did great all the way there. Browsed and shopped a bit and headed home. This is when the term strolling took on a whole new meaning. Lets see, Dani weighs around 20 pounds. I have no idea how much the stroller weighs but lets say its a tad more than Dani. A big tad. And if you've been paying attention you'll deduce that we were now traveling UPhill. Yes. Uphill pushing more than 40 lbs of baby and simple machinery. Nothing like a leisurely afternoon stroll to knock one on her fluffy butt.

Still Hoofin'

I've been able to walk every weekday morning the last few weeks. Sally is doing great and is even coming up with longer and tougher routes for us to hit. I dragged Katie along yesterday. That baby weight is tough to shake, but if she walks with me every day, she could drop quite a bit by the time David comes back. My walk is averaging 5 miles a day and I'm home by 8:30am and ready to hit the day. I'm feeling some results in the pants. That's the best part. School starts on Tues and that will shake up this nice routine, but I can still hit the hill every morning before coming home to get ready for work. Gotta keep it up.

Continuing on the path

I've hooked up with friend Sally and we've been walking every (M-F) morning for the past couple weeks. It's good to have a walking buddy again. We head out early, 7 am, to beat the summer heat and I'm back home by 8:15 am for iced coffee and the newspaper. I'm not all that thrilled to be waking up so early when I dont' "have" to, but I'll get over it. Early morning is the key because with work and above 100 temps and then all the crazy afternoon storms, that's the only time you'll catch this chick outside. The fire season is in full swing and the air is becoming hazy with smoke. Makes for incredible sun rises and sets, but crap to breathe. Anyway, I'm off to trot around on Shanks Ponies. See ya.

Good For What Ails You

A trip to the cabin is always a cure for what ails me. I couldn't wait to get there and couldn't stand the thought of leaving. We hiked to the waterfall through a narrow canyon of shear granite. It was cool and refreshing on a hot summer's day. Then on up to the top where there is a smaller waterfall that feeds the larger one below. We didn't attempt the decent from hell. We turned around and came back the way we went up. Feel so good to be in nature; smelling the smells (even the pine sol of the outhouse as the top of the trail head), hearing the sounds and just being. I also climbed up to robber's roost (see photo) which sits on the mountaintop overlooking the cabin. All the childhood tales of how it got its name came rushing back. As if robber's would really hang out up there and spy on the cabin, plotting their next big heist. What would they steal? The old enamelware basins? The hike felt great and then relaxing on the porch swing with a good book and a slightly cool beverage topped it off. Slightly cool because it was so dang hot that even the creek was only barely cool. Since that's where we chill our beverages, slightly cool was as good as it got. But it was over all too soon and it'll probably be another year before I get back. If only we lived closer.

To Do List

8:00 am.....Hike the "M"

9:15am......Take Chloe to the Bark Park

10:00am...Weed

11:00am....visit with Molly and Gracie

1:30pm......Weed

3:30pm......Blog

after that.....cold beer

Ah, life is good.

Get Moving

Walking gets the feet moving,

the blood moving,

the mind moving.

And movement is life.

~Carrie Latet

Gorgeous day today. Walked with Allison and Chloe. We went a new route, up and around some windy streets and cul de sacs and then down a very quiet road, passed some cows and too many dogs. It was 50 minutes. Just right. I feel full of energy, happy, and ready for the day. We talked about our walking options after school gets out next week. We made some plans for new routes for our walk and a few hikes. Should be a fun summer

Bring on the Rain

Boy did they ever!! Days of rain. Gallons of rain. So much rain we almost floated away. But today was good and tomorrow is supposed to be even better. So, after a few days of the stairs, I"m back to walking. I want to do the "M" again and there is a nice trail up Waterworks hill with fabulous wildflower sightings and the view is beautiful.

The true charm of pedestrianism does not lie in the walking, or in the scenery, but in the talking. The walking is good to time the movement of the tongue by, and to keep the blood and the brain stirred up and active; the scenery and the woodsy smells are good to bear in upon a man an unconscious and unobtrusive charm and solace to eye and soul and sense; but the supreme pleasure comes from the talk. ~Mark Twain