OMG IM GOING TO DIE!!!!!!!!! (long)

OK, Im the biggest exercise slacker in the world, but did I move to lose today???? YES, OMG did I ever!!!! Hubby and I decided we would go for a hike this morning. We headed off to a place here in the Phoenix Metro area called South Mountain, a huge desert mountain area in the middle of the city, there are tons of trails for biking, hiking, horse riding etc. Its a very popular place, its a little oasis inside a huge city. As both our physical levels could be greatly improved upon, we looked atvour online resources and decided on the Javelina Trail. It said it was 1.7 miles, Easy to Moderate.... sounded perfect for us to start with. We arrived at 7am, bright and early to get walking before the major AZ heat started. We parked in the lot, found the trail head and off we went. It's was a gorgeous sunny morning... about 5 minutes after starting we watched 2 Coyotes cross the trail about 20 yards in front of us.... we stopped and watched them, they werent too scared off us... Im sure because South Mountain is used a lot, they are more used to people... but it's one of the closest (out of car) experiences Ive had with them. How much fun!!! The start of the trail isnt bad, a small slope, mostly level and downhill..... but about 0.5 a mile in the trail starts going up, and up, and up for the rest of the 1.2 miles or so....not too steep of an up, after all it was classed as easy to moderate... but enough to kick my butt, as Im totally unfit. We both walked our little hearts out.... waiting for the trail to turn around back to the parking lot... we thought it was a loop.... ummm "thought" is the operative word there. After the full 1.7 miles we were to the top!!! There are tons of other trails and lots of people around, so we decide to follow they way back down where the majority of everyone was coming from.... we felt good once we reached the top, and figired it was probably another 1.5 miles back... we could make it. It was a nice walk down.... mostly downill, on more of a diort road... we finally see cars.... ummm this doesnt look familiar.... we had asked several people along the way if we were heading to the right parking lot... they said we were... but when we got there NOPE!!! OMG we could have died. We assessed the park map and realized we hadd gone the wrong way and were at a totally different parking lot. We started off again hiking the trails back to the car. In the end, 2 & 1/2 hours and 4.5 miles later we made it back to our car! OMG I am so tired!!!!! My body aches... but a good ache. EJ was breaking down at the end, by the time we got to the car he was really starting to feel it.. Can I say how completely amazingly proud I am of EJ??? Just under 12 months ago, there was no way in hell he could even have walked for 15 minutes of this. I have never seen this man go like this... he walked 2 & 1/2 hours non-stop... I have never seen him walk 4.5 miles before! He is so happy and hopeful about his future life... almost 12 months ago he was depressed, and never thought he would ever go hiking again. In the spring he and his brothers & some friends are going on a Javelina hunt... part of our hiking was to help prepare for that, as he will have to hike and keep up with several fit family members. WLS was the best thing he has ever done! Anyway we went and showered at EJ's Moms... ate some stew... I could feel my body completely craving food after that walk.... ran some errands, and then came home... we both lay down and slept for 2 hours straight hahaha... it completely kicked our butts and it feels so good!!!!! We are going to try do a hike every Saturday morning now... we will do this same one (But go the right way) next time, around 3 miles long... Boy am I going to feel this tomorrow morning!!!!! Darlene -122lbs

Ok, I did't go back and proof read my post before clicking submit.... excuse all the typo's!!!!

What a great hike.....and isn't it just the BEST feeling of accomplishment ever!!!!! Congratulations to both of you!!! Laura A.

I am so impressed with the two of you. I admit, I hate walking. If I walk I get bored so I will stop after about a mile (I need an MP3 player). I much rather swim or do water exercises. Yes you are going tofeel it in the a.m. lol MJ

Thanks MJ! I find regular walking boring too... but hiking is diffrent to walking.... the scenery is gorgeous, lots to look at (Not just housses) and the trail varies... I mean we saw coyotes... how cool! LOL

Congrats on that challenge. It sounds like a great place to hike! Here in MI the hiking season ends for me. I can't stand being out in the snow. I wish I could winter in AZ!!!!!!!!!! Hope you feel OK tomorrow!~ Mary

I am very lucky we can hike all year round!!! Winter is the best time of year for it... summer, you can hike.... just don't so it after about 9am or its too hot LOL. You have to get a super early start in the summer.

Congratulations Darlene! That sounded like too much fun. I wish there was some place near me where I could do that. My husband and I bought bicycles today and I exercised for the first time since surgery (same say as your surgery.) I despise exercise but it felt good! I'm tired, but it's a good tired. I'm going to try to ride everyday or at least every other day to begin with, as right now, my tushy is hurting from the bicycle seat as I haven't rode a bike in 16 years! Hopefully this exercising thing will help jump start my weightloss again! Kim 359/240/150

We bought bicycles a few years bac for our Christmas present--- it was when we were doing the south beach diet... we used them once, and they have been hanging in our garage for years LOL They are brand new!!! Hurts my butt too, probably more so now ive lost weight. We want to strengthen our musclkes walking, and I think we will get back to biking too... we live in the midddle of the desert, a little bit farther from the main metro area, so we have tons of nice sceneic trails we could bike around.

Sounds like an adventure! LOL I probably would have sat on the parking lot and waited for EJ to come pick me up. HAHAHA