Last week I talked with my friend, Judy about her recent trip with the Road Scholars to South Dakota. She's gone on multiple treks with that group that offers educational and recreationally challenging experiences for those over the age of 50. The last trip Judy had taken was right before the lockdown from Covid in February of 2020.
"It was a bit harder this time," she said, referring to the physical requirements for the hiking and other activities. "Guess we have to accommodate some as we grow older."
While Judy's a few year older than me, she's always done a great job of taking care of her health-- keeping her weight in check and exercising consistently. She continues to jog daily and do yoga. She's a lot more fit than most I know who are seventy-one.
Our conversation stirred an idea I've had for a trip next year. I haven't been on a solo journey since my trip from Dublin to Doolin, Ireland in September 2022. This year seemed like the time to settle into my townhouse in my new community. It's also been a year of dating John. Getting to know someone is like going on a solo journey-- of being present with "the person in your path."
The trip I have in mind for 2024, would involve a lot of walking. In reading about the distance to be covered, the website advised "you need to prepare at least three months in advance." Thinking about what Judy had said, it occurred to me that I don't know if I can walk the number of miles required. On the third through the sixth days of the journey, there are two consecutive days of hiking 8 miles followed by two days of hiking 16 miles. Could I do that? I've never walked 16 miles in a day-- much less two in a row.
The trip would be next June and I would need to make a deposit to hold my spot in the group of ten. What if I started training now for three months to see what I can do? That is the only way I'll know if it's a reasonable venture for me. Since having pneumonia in May, I've realized how you have to work to build your body up--whether it's following an illness or needing to improve your level of fitness. I do love walking, life's best when you're outside, so a journey that involves a lot of hiking appeals to me.
I thought about walking trails in my community; most of them I've never explored. Coincidentally, this year has been declared as North Carolina's Year of the Trail "a celebration of North Carolina's thousands of miles of stunning trails, greenways, and blueways. Hike, bike, paddle, and ride to grand mountain vistas, along quiet rivers, on vibrant urban greenways, and through lush Piedmont forests." https://www.dncr.nc.gov/programs-services/featured-programs/path/year-trail
What if I get started now? I can't put this off or have an on-again-off-again approach if I want to have a realistic evaluation of what I can do. When you hike with a group, you don't want to be the "straggler", the one who holds everyone up. When you may be the oldest in the group, you don't want the "young folks" seeing you as a liability.
I decided to approach my plan by hiking at a nearby trail; I'd often passed but never stopped for a walk at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve.
I would become familiar with the area and start with a usual amount of walking. With the trail milage marked, I could easily use the various paths once I had a definitive training plan. The website for the journey I want to take, said that it's more important to focus on endurance, numbers of hours walking, time with your feet in your boots, than on difficulty with changing elevations, rock surfaces etc.
Walking down the Swift Creek Loop, I could hear the traffic in the distance, but at the same time, felt like I'd entered another world. There had been a few people at the Stevens Nature Center, but there was not a soul in sight walking beneath the thick forest canopy. Few of the hardwoods had started their autumnal color changes. When I reached the bluff overlook, I felt momentarily transported to our mountains, with the hemlocks--those gorgeous evergreens that aren't naturally a part of the Piedmont---our center section of the state.
When I saw a Danger Keep off the Bluffs sign, I remembered my last hike on a trail in Ireland that was part of the Wild Atlantic Way; that path was by the sea cliffs. Something about seeing a "Danger" sign made it a bit more inviting, a promise of adventure.
Like other hikes, I soon realized that even on an easy, mulched path that was flat, there is danger that you can overlook. I didn't see a root that was barely sticking up through the dirt and tripped, but kept myself upright. In the past year, I've had two falls from tripping myself in my own feet! As it happened, one was right before the pneumonia admission to the hospital. When they asked the "Have you had any falls?" question, something you get a lot as a Senior, I told the truth and ended up on Falls Precautions.
Note to Self: Be Vigilant for Tree Roots and Surface Changes!
My first walk through the Preserve was peaceful and reminded me of the beautiful resources all around us that we often ignore. I looked forward to future times of hiking the trails multiple times, in multiple seasons.
I left the Preserve ready to more forward with making a training plan for the next three months. Whatever I discovered, whether the trip in June would be reasonable for my level of fitness, my health would improve from working on increased endurance. Time on the trails, in the soul-refreshment of nature, would be good for my mental and spiritual health.
Altogether, it would be a Win-Win situation.
Now, I need to commit to a schedule of training with a record of progress and rewards for each step toward my goal. By next week's post, I'll share what I come up with. In the meantime, I wonder if there's some distant goal you'd like to achieve. What would you need to do to make that a reality?
As always, I want to journey with you on this path.
Best to you in the week ahead,
Connie
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