I pick.......ME!
My Saturday was packed full of choices. Watch Ben run (parental duty) for 52 seconds at a day l.o.n.g track meet, hiking with the Adirondack Mountain club, clean the house (needed), yard work (badly needed), or go to the grocery store, farmers market and complete other chores. Anyone who knows me is aware that cleaning came in last place. After agonizing over my top two choices for the better part of two days, I finally decided to hike.
I hiked up Cascade and Porter Mountains on Saturday, both high peaks in the Adirondacks. The trail head was off Route 73, a beautiful road flanked on both sides by lakes and mountains. The path was a steady climb up on an eroded, muddy, heavily rooted, rocky trail. We went to Porter first, before heading up Cascade with beautiful views to be seen in every direction. It was sunny with a light breeze, a perfect day for hiking and we were not alone, sharing the trail with lots of other hikers.
Coming down was harder for me physically, dodging the same roots, rocks, and mud that plagued me on the way up. My knees ached and I longed for the bottom. I like going up soooooo much more than coming down. But thanks to a patient hike leader, I spent some enjoyable minutes viewing the wild flowers spotted along the path; trumpet lilies, hobblebush and trillium and I happily took pictures as we went down.
So I bagged (hiking lingo) my first two 4000 footers, only 44 to go for a 46 high peak patch, a quest I'm not sure I want to go on. Saturday was not about the hike. It was about celebrating me. My surgery was one year ago May 21. My first year post op is done, something that seemed impossible at the start. And on a day when I could have done so many other things, I chose myself. I put me first. And that's what the hike was about and what I have spent this past year learning. I count, good or bad, fat or thin, I count and I am worth taking care of and celebrating.
I hiked up Cascade and Porter Mountains on Saturday, both high peaks in the Adirondacks. The trail head was off Route 73, a beautiful road flanked on both sides by lakes and mountains. The path was a steady climb up on an eroded, muddy, heavily rooted, rocky trail. We went to Porter first, before heading up Cascade with beautiful views to be seen in every direction. It was sunny with a light breeze, a perfect day for hiking and we were not alone, sharing the trail with lots of other hikers.
Coming down was harder for me physically, dodging the same roots, rocks, and mud that plagued me on the way up. My knees ached and I longed for the bottom. I like going up soooooo much more than coming down. But thanks to a patient hike leader, I spent some enjoyable minutes viewing the wild flowers spotted along the path; trumpet lilies, hobblebush and trillium and I happily took pictures as we went down.
So I bagged (hiking lingo) my first two 4000 footers, only 44 to go for a 46 high peak patch, a quest I'm not sure I want to go on. Saturday was not about the hike. It was about celebrating me. My surgery was one year ago May 21. My first year post op is done, something that seemed impossible at the start. And on a day when I could have done so many other things, I chose myself. I put me first. And that's what the hike was about and what I have spent this past year learning. I count, good or bad, fat or thin, I count and I am worth taking care of and celebrating.
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