Extreme Walking

Break time

I have been, what most would call, been searching for myself again. I have been starting to learn to use the word no. I have started to stop and think about the pros and cons of my actions. 

This has come after several moths of feeling tired, lost, angry, depressed, and just out of sorts. With very low dose med, a little therapy, and reading some very useful books I feel as though the fog over my path is starting to burn off in life's glowing light. 

While on this journey I have been filling my time with things that make me happy, things that made  me happy, or things that I just used to enjoy. One of the happens to be hiking.

I would say several years ago before I met New Dude and was still newer to the area that I currently live I was a hiking fool. I would go on a hike with pretty much anyone that would go with me. Into the woods, up the mountains, climbing to the top and enjoy the view, nature, and extreme walking. 

I prefer to think of hiking as extreme walking because it has the word extreme in it. I don't do many things that are extreme. 

Well.... I do sign a lot of release forms saying I wont sue if things go bad.... maybe just an insurance thing?

Anyway, when I was on this hiking kick for a few years I was working between 2 and 3 jobs so not much time for a dog. Things have not so much slowed down as much and been able to manage them better. The most important piece to this puzzle is I now have a dog.  

Yes, we climbed these, yes it sucked

I always thought it would be so bad ass to go on a hike with just you, a pack on your back, water, and your furry friend by your side. The answer to this pondering is yes, yes it is bad ass. Though, he did try to pull be both up and down the mountain, it was like a bucket list item I never knew was a bucket list item was accomplished.

This was about a 4 mile hike, one of the longer distance he has ever gone. It was nice hike mostly in the shade, not too many people, hard enough to strain the muscles and make you feel something. Not hard enough to start singing the "This is the hike that never ends" song. (Think the theme to Lambchop but change the theme to hiking.)

If you have a dog, or even if you don't, go borrow one, or help one from a shelter, and go for a hike with a 4 legged friend, it will be worth your time and great for your soul and peace of mind.