Hiking 2017 Reloaded

[Catrin]

I wound up creating a new hiking thread for 2017 in another section, which is potentially confusing. So I'm recreating it here - and here is a link to the posts there. Hopefully I'm just not adding another layer of confusion with this new thread.

[Catrin]

3 miles today on the local canal tow path with a friend. Loads of sunshine, high winds, and a child-size scoop of coconut chocolate chip ice cream to follow

[Crankin]

Yes, it was windier here than I expected, too. Sounds nice!

[Catrin]

Yes, it was windier here than I expected, too. Sounds nice!

It was, which brought my total for the weekend to just under 8 miles. Frankly that was likely too much and will see how my shin splints behave, but it was delightful. This is the first day I've been able to open all of my windows and run around the apartment in shorts

[Catrin]

I was curious and went back to add up all of my walking/hiking mileage for the year. 43 miles so far!!!! Much of that on pavement since it's been so wet and muddy. Guess that's a result from a mild winter. So my hiking/walking goal for the year is 200 miles. I don't think that's unreasonable as long as I don't try to do it all in one month.

Who...me? Would I try to do such a thing? Those who know me here know the answer
..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[ny biker]

Late to the party, wanted to comment re: doing tai chi outside -- when I drive up to NY to visit family I usually do it at night to avoid traffic. I generally stop at a rest stop on the Jersey Turnpike around midnight - 1 am-ish. Some years ago when I stopped there I saw a man standing in the middle of the parking lot doing tai chi. I usually need to do some stretching by the time I reach that stop, standing in front of the sinks in the ladies room, so I totally understand why someone would want a tai chi break during a long drive. It was an unusual sight but not the strangest thing I've ever seen.

(I am not walking at all these days -- I'm lucky if I can run errands without ankle pain. With the beautiful weather we've been having, I would love to get out for a stroll around my neighborhood to see the flowering trees.)

[Catrin]

Hit a new series of local mtb/hiking trails today - well new to ME. They are quite different from the other offerings and I really appreciate that. On one hand I was checking it out for my hiking group, but also for something different for me. These trails were designed to be steep rather than to smooth that out as has been done on some local trails and there are quite a few pump-track sections. The signs are well placed as several sections are NOT appropriate for hikers due to the trail features, the narrowness of the rock armored trail, the steepness of the decline, and the speeds of the mtbr's. The state's MTB association are careful to only post warnings like this where they are really needed. As for me, I didn't need the sign to know that I shouldn't take those particular trails - NO way would my knee have allowed that.

Only 2 miles today, sadly - my quads NEVER loosened up. Half of that distance was much steeper/longer than other local trails so I did get my HR up a bit. Followed with a little TaiChi in the grass to cool down and stretch. I'm coming to enjoy that at the end of my hikes - the solo ones at least.

NY Biker I feel your pain, may you find relief soon and am able to get out.

[Crankin]

I did my first post snow season hike today; it's Patriot's Day here in MA, so since most of the festivities take place in my town, we hung out at home and then went out after lunch. We went to a local conservation area in Acton that is quite close and we have hiked many times with our friends who moved, as well as quite a bit of snow shoeing. I rarely have been in here in the spring and summer, though. The All Trails app has been updated, so DH was able to map a route in the same way you can do a ride on Ride With GPS. We went on trails we had not done, with some awesome water features, waterfalls, ponds, etc. This is a pretty flat area, with one teeny hill, that is much worse in the winter, as it's icy as hell. We saw less than 10 people, and I was surprised, as it is a holiday here. Not everyone has the day off, but between the Revolutionary activities, the Marathon, and a daytime Red Sox game, it is pretty hard to get around or ignore the celebrations! And, it is school vacation, too.
I used to think one part of this was scary, with rocks. Now that I have done some real hiking in the past year, it's nothing. I can't believe how much my balance has improved from hiking.
4.5 miles and I am tired.

[Catrin]

Sounds wonderful Crankin! So glad to read that you've seen such improvement in your balance.

Unsure what was off about my hike on Saturday - but I suspect I had already upset my knee, and that is why my quads were so cranky. Glad I went, though I had intended to spend much more time on the trails than I did. I will certainly go back, and am also looking forward to organizing our first group hike of the year. Apparently I jumped the weather gun, so to speak, have already had to reschedule it twice. So the next one is in mid-May...but I will certainly be hiking (both solo and with friends) before then.

[Crankin]

I didn't get to ride in California this weekend, but I did hike. We went to the Claremont Wilderness Hiking Area, which is right in the city limits. We tried going here in September, but it was closed, due to fire danger. Originally, we were going to go back to Mt. Baldy/Ice House Canyon, with my son and the baby, but my son was tired and was trying to be polite and said, "I know you don't want to go," so DH and I wnt out around 4 pm. It was not too hot at all, sunny, around 75, with a nice breeze. This place gets crowded with trail runners, hikers, and walking groups, but there were not many others here. When we finished, more people were coming, as it was just after 5 pm, on a Friday.
The trail is a 5 mile loop, and since we started late, we decided to do an out an back, knowing it would take us 2 hours to do the loop. It was very different than hiking in the northeast, or even Mt. Baldy, which is about 17 miles up the road, but in a different climate zone. Wide dirt trail, just a few rocks. Lots of trees along the trail, though, as well as wildflowers, and some running water/ streams near the start. However, this trail had elevation. It did feel hard ascending, but I didn't realize how steep it was until we turned around and went down. We did 3.6 miles, with 650 ft. of climbing.
I would have liked to do the loop, but we had promised my son and DIL we wold take care of dinner. It was just as well, as all of the sitting on our travel day, flight delays, etc did a job on my back, and the hike kind of pushed it even more. Thankfully, although we had a day of hell coming home yesterday (got home at 4 AM this morning) as well as a high level of back pain from all of the extra sitting, it is resolving today. I am thinkig I shouldn't hike until after more PT and after I get back from my bike trip. We won't ever be coming back to Claremont but there are similar places in San Diego, where I do go, to visit my brother.

[Catrin]

Sounds like fun Crankin!

I did manage to do a 3-mile MUP trail walk last Saturday with a couple of my hiking friends - the trails were just TOO wet. I thought this weekend might be an option, but no, things are even more muddy. It has to stop sometime though!

[Pax]

Sounds like fun Crankin!

I did manage to do a 3-mile MUP trail walk last Saturday with a couple of my hiking friends - the trails were just TOO wet. I thought this weekend might be an option, but no, things are even more muddy. It has to stop sometime though!

We had three whole rain free days, all the fields are still filled with standing water, and we had another gully washer yesterday. It is a sea of mud out there.

[Catrin]

I FINALLY was able to manage a little 3 mile hike on a couple of trails that were actually boot dry! My neck and shoulder seems to get cranky right now at about 3 miles, so I stopped while I was still feeling well. Major bugs however, obviously this will be a year of bug spray and hats... I suspect I won't be able to hike for the rest of the year once the medical rodeo starts at the end of July - but I will get in as much as weather and body allows!

[emily_in_nc]

Glad you got a little hike in, Catrin! Better than I am managing...just starting back to walks, and those aren't very comfortable yet as my jaw bounces around more than it should, so I have to go slow and steady. I think bugs are gonna be bad everywhere this year!

[Crankin]

We have so many mosquitos outside our house... we back up to a small wetlands area and it is definitely worse than my previous home. Beautiful to look at, though!
Emily, just being outside should make you feel better. The walking will come. Hope the healing is going well.
Catrin, get in as much as you can before your surgery.
I need to not hike until after my trip, as hiking requires a bit more aggressive stretching on my part, afterwards, than riding, to keep my back in shape. I'd love to go today, but...