Hike # 35 Continued... Part 2 - Lily Marsh Trail

It was awesome!!!

It was hard. It was fun. It was strenuous. It was a shared family experience. It was scary in some places. It was challenging. It was beautiful. It was also a one-mile snow hike that was steep, challenging, and so worth it! The difference between "easy" and "intermediate" is expansive and incredibly more rewarding.

We did it! We made it to the end of the Lily Marsh Trail and the beginning of Huckleberry Trail head. I had seen it in September  and now I had fun of seeing it in February. They were two very different experiences!


We had hiked just under 3 miles in the snow, up and down steep hills...

At the end of  the Lily Marsh Trail, we stopped. We pledged to make the next leg of the hike (a steep 1 mile climb that was rated strenuous) next summer. Next goal -Huckleberry Trail, to the top of the mountain! But for today - Lily Marsh was the prize.

As we turned around, I felt the air leave my lungs ... sort of like a balloon deflating. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the adrenaline leaving my body once I accomplished my goal. Maybe it was the realization that the steep hills we hiked up, now meant downhill slides or Olympic-style nose dives. Or that the downhill slopes now would become overwhelming  uphill climbs. Whatever the reason, the hike back was harder for me than the hike to my goal.

The hike back was made even harder as my toes grew numb, my lungs were weak, and my hips screamed louder  than ever before.  I confess that I did walk slower- much slower.

However, this "slow"  time allowed me to take in the beauty of all that surrounded me. I barely noticed the snow laden  trees as we hiked toward my goal, when we started the snow hike. But as I hiked backed, and as I hiked more "slowly", I was much more aware of my physical limitations,  as well as my physical  surroundings. I seemed to notice more. More snow. More "quite". More of how the snow laid on the branches of the trees, and more of how the those branches labored under the weight of the snow. The irony was that the snow was powder. How could something as light as powder weigh down the branches of a tree? How could something as light as my imagined insecurities, weigh down the momentum toward a goal? As I walked slower, my thoughts pondered bigger questions. I think I am on the right path. Challenge + Drive =  Quiet Insight

In the end, I hiked 5.79 miles in the snow. My reward? Beer tasting at a new micro-brewery - Broken Horn. It was a great 35th hike!

Hike # 35: A Return to Ponderosa Park - In The Snow!

Snowshoeing is my new favorite winter activity. Last year, my favorite winter activity was sitting by a fire in the wood stove at our cabin. (Especially with a book and a glass of wine...ahhhh.) Don't get me wrong, that is still a favorite activity - it's just not an "active" activity. Now that I have been actively trying to get more "active" - snowshoeing  (snow hiking) is perfect for me!


Lucky for me, my personal trainer and her husband were ready to take me snowshoeing for a third time. Ponderosa Park in McCall, ID keep their trails maintained in both summer and winter. I hiked the Meadow Marsh and Lily Marsh trail back in September. I remember seeing the snowshoeing signs and markers posted high up on the trees - now I had the opportunity to see them at eye level in the snow!Heather, Chris, and I parked at the Ranger Station, strapped on our snowshoes, and headed to the Meadow Marsh Trail head.

Sadly, we had to leave my grand-doggie by the fire in our wood stove at our cabin... poor Sydney. If only she were human she would curl up with a good book and a glass of...oh well!



After a full week of training, I was not detoured by the fact that it had been snowing all day and continued to do so. Nor was I sidelined by my personal insecurities. Crazy thoughts wafted passed my consciousness like... "What if we can't see the trails? What if we get lost? What if we get caught in a blizzard? Will my GPS work? Will they find us? Could I make a snow cave if I had to?"


But once we hit the trail head - all was forgotten. All I wanted to do was start the hike and retrace the steps I had taken back in September to see what it looked like in February!


So off we went... into the forest, filled with hope, drive, and the security of knowing that the trails were well traveled and well groomed; so even though it was snowing... no snow cave would be needed!

One of the best things about snowshoeing (snow hiking) is the quiet. All you hear is the reassuring crunching of your shoes against the snow, the soft sound of your rhythmic breathing, and when you stop... you hear absolutely nothing. It is so still and quiet - it reminds you that everyone needs these times of silent - quiet. It quiets my thoughts. It quiets my worries. It quiets my soul.

But for me, there is nothing better than sharing these times with family. Somehow my daughter and son-in-law find this same sense of "quiet"  as they snowshoe. Not that we didn't converse. We stopped to comment on the beauty of the area and snapped a quick picture. We greeted fellow snowshoes with a friendly "Hello". They even gave me reassuring/congratulatory encouragement, as I huffed and puffed my way up a hill. But basically, the snow hike was wonderfully quiet. And then, before I knew it, we were at the top of the hill... ready for the next adventure.

After 1.4 miles, we made it to the Lily Marsh Trail head. The first part of the hike was considered "easy". (For me it was do-able and not overly exerting.) The next part was considered "intermediate". (Which intimidated me, because I remembered what it was like in September - without snow.) Although my heart was pumping and my hip joints were screaming as we hiked to the top of the hill to the Lily Marsh trail head, I felt the calm assurance that I could do an "intermediate" snow hike, because I had done it before, I knew where we were going, and basically - I was determined to see in February what I had seen in September. I know it sounds crazy, but the desire to return was a wonderful driving force - it was a physical goal that I wanted. Wow - did I turn a corner?

Gaining Momentum ...

Training has begun!

Wow - I said it out loud and now it is in print! This is serious...
Progress so far... in baby steps-

Monday - hiked 3 miles with Heather
Tuesday - walked two 15 minute intervals on the treadmill on an incline of 3 at the speed of 3 (whatever that means - I think it is a 20 min./ mile speed.) AND did weights with my personal trainer (Heather - thank you so much!)
Wednesday - walked for 30 consecutive minutes (for the first time ever...) at 2.5 incline at the speed of 3. This was my light day.
Tomorrow - My personal trainer has me walking for 30 minutes at an incline of 3, and doing my weight training, plus one more (toe tip), and stretches that she showed me on Tuesday. Moving forward - gaining momentum.

Training for the Alps?  Priceless!

Hike # 34: The Rose Garden

Today my daughter (and son-in-law) signed up to run Robie Creek. It is the hardest 1/2 marathon in the Northwest. (http://robiecreek.com/)  I guess their determination and her excitement was contagious. So I asked Heather if she would go with me on a hike today.

In fact, today was a great day for a hike! After the last few weeks of snow and rain, we had an unseasonably warm, sunny, 54 degree day, without wind -  in Boise, Idaho! Fabulous!

She and her dog, Sydney, agreed...and off we went. I was so excited to be walking (hiking) again - that I forgot to take a picture. But you can Google Julia Davis Park to see where went. We started at the Boise Art Museum and entered at the Rose Garden - http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-locations/parks/julia-davis-park/. Our destination - "The Greenbelt", east.

Although I had never "hiked" that section of the Greenbelt before, I told Heather that we were going for 6 miles. That seemed like a good number - plucked out of the air of my imagination. Since she was training for Robie Creek,  she was all for it. But after the first 1/2 mile, I started having second thoughts. My toes went numb. My hips hurt. My heels had blisters. I wasn't holding up so well. All I can say is...it was looooong winter!

I appears that after gaining 10 pounds since last year... I was packing more weight - which accounts for more problems. Darn... regression is a terrible thing!

So we cut the hike in half. Walked a beautiful 3 miles along the Boise River Greenbelt, in the sunshine. It was a great day, for sure. Canadian Geese were strolling about, walkers and families were everywhere, bikers were passing everyone by - and there we were - mother, daughter and grand-doggie hiking with the best of them. We even saw some para-athletes training with their specially designed wheel chairs - as I said, it was a great day!

But 3 miles presented a problem for me. And my daughter knew some intervention was needed.I guess I need a personal trainer -and who to better help me than my own daughter!

Heather proposed that she design a training routine for me. So whether or not I hike the Alps, I'd be in shape to do so when the time comes. I accepted and gave her my word that I was "really" committed. Every cell in my body screamed - "No... don't do it" - but I have to, if I want to be in physical shape when the opportunity comes. Because obviously today was a wake up call to my "out of shape" body and to my "rebellious/stubborn bad habits" of the mind.

Can't say I'm looking forward to it... but if I keep my eye on the prize, I know it is necessary. Here is my "personal trainer's" suggestion for me this week. We are expecting rain and snow again, so training is for inside and using what I have available until I can find a gym to join.

Monday: Greenbelt - 3 miles. Yeah! We did this!
Tuesday: Treadmill 30 minutes @ incline of 3, plus weight training
Wednesday: Treadmill 30 minutes @ incline of 2.5
Thursday: Treadmill 30 minutes @ incline of 3, plus weight training
Friday: rest day
Saturday: Snowshoe hike in McCall - can hardly wait!
Sunday: rest day

Weight Training - uhgggg - really not looking forward to this...
10 x 3 squats
10 x 3 lunges
10 x 3 bicep curls with 2 pound weights
10 x 3 tricep lift with 2 pound weights
10 x 3 crunches on a ball

Wow, after typing all of that - I realize this is serious. If I seriously want to go... I seriously have to train. Guess it is time to get serious.

Baby Steps

Went for a walk in my neighborhood for 25 minutes, today. Not much.... but it was a start in light of the weather. My daughter offered to be my trainer and to get me ready to hike the Alps. As a marathon runner, she knows how to knock out a training regiment. Scary...

Worse yet, I'm not sure if I am really going on this trip- haven't heard if it is even a possibility. I haven't heard if this can happen from the people who invited me last year. But it is still a goal. I do want to go...

Erik, our fly fishing friend (http://flyfishingboise.blogspot.com/ - you have to visit his site), offered to take me on a cave hike, as long as I wasn't claustrophobic. Sounds like fun -as long as he has been there before. ( I realize I need the comfort and security of someone who has taken the path I am walking...) Just saying - I'm a little insecure.

I realize now that I need my family and friends to help me. In order to actually move toward my goal - with all of the fear, doubt, lack of mental and physical readiness - I need them. Can't do this alone - wow. That is heavy (especially for a self declared, self sufficient woman from the 60's... who is 60 - damn). I really thought in the beginning, I could do it alone.

Feeling really wimpy. But  my soul wants to do it - all of it! My will...that's another story. Not sure how this will end.

It wasn't a hike, but...

The weather here in Boise has been bad for novice hikers, like me.  Since January,  I haven't done much. Even though my New Year's Resolution was to train for the hike I never made - to the Italian Alps - I haven't done a thing toward that goal.

Now it is February and training has been - well, not so much. So today, for the first time in decades, I climbed on my husband's treadmill.  Two 15 minute blasts of walking. Incline was 3. Speed was 3. I was encouraged.Going public here - must do more of that until the weather turns.

Hike # 32 and 33: Two Hikes in One Weekend!

I'm back in the saddle again...

Gene Autry had his lyrics and Aerosmith had their's... mine are written in the snow. 

After almost 3 full months of migrating back to a sedentary life of no hikes, no walks, no activity, I got back in the saddle - the hiking saddle.

For a Christmas present, my daughter and son-in-law gave me the present of a snowshoeing trip. Hiking in the snow! How awesome is that? So, last weekend, my husband and I joined Heather and Chris up in McCall to do Hike # 31 and # 32. I have shared the pain, so now let me share the joy...

Hike # 32: Jug Mountain

According to locals, the snow was down this year. We had to drive up the mountain to find snow deep enough for shoeing. Sun was out. Sky was blue. Snow was beautiful and white. It looked like a great day for a hike in the snow.

Mert, Heather, Chris, and I (and of course Sydney) headed to snowshoe on trails unknown, in unknown directions, and for unknown distances. But we were safe and secure in the fact that at 2 PM with favorable conditions, we would find our way back to the parking lot! We only saw one lonesome skier and 2 dogs in the parking lot and no one on the snowshoeing trail. We had Jug Mountain all to ourselves.

And so we did... 3 miles later, hiking over snow, ice, mud, parking lots, Nordic track trails, marked and unmarked trails we made a double loop - an infinity trail on Google maps... all in the snow... priceless!

Hike # 33: Bear Basin

Now this was a fabulous area - and I am definitely going back! On the start of this hike, Chris, Heather, Sydney, and I started out on the Baby Bear trail. Lots of snow. Lots of sunshine. Lots of blue sky. Lots of people in the parking lot. And unfortunately for Heather... lots of blisters, which resulted in significant loss of skin on both feet, both ankles. So although she is smiling...she is really in pain from the torn skin; and she keeps smiling due to the desire to encourage her mom continue hiking . This sacrifice was too much for me. I told her to hike back to the car and wait for me... because I was so on fire and "back in the saddle" that I would hike on...

Chris debated... Sydney whined... and I started hoofing it into unknown territories. Chris told me later, that he was along for the ride and that I could go as far as I wanted... or turn back when I wanted... but I secretly think Heather said "Don't you dare leave my mom to hike on her own!" So Heather hiked back to the car, as Chris, Sydney, and I hiked on.

I have to confess that I loved this hike! It was challenging for me, after 3 months. It was social, as we encountered lots of fellow hikers, and I got to talk with Chris... mother-in-law to son-in-law like. It was beautiful, as we could see Oregon from the ridge of the Grand Traverse in Idaho! It was fun and I could feel the confidence I once lost. And it was 3 miles round trip... not huge, but  a great "back in the saddle" type hike.

Sydney lead the way ...

I followed... (with Chris taking pictures and watching out for both us).

And all was well with the world!