Queen of the Mountain

Well another weekend is done.  BOOO!   Moving onward!   

My weekend was fun!  However, aren't they all?

On Saturday Jason and I headed to Colonal Denning State Park in Pennyslvania. Jason suggested the park and we both did a little research before hand.   Separately we both stumbled upon information for a specific trail leading to Flat Rock Vista/Overlook.   Jason found it because an online trail guide talked about the beauty.  I found it based on a geocache that is hidden near the overlook.  Combine an amazing view with the promise of a geocache and that was the trail we decided to do.   We talked before heading for the park that the trail was listed as more difficult....ok it's listed as Strenuous.  But seriously.....'we are tough'  we can handle it!  So off we went!

We quickly found the park and the parking lot at the trail head for the ascent to Flat Rock.  Of course the sign denoting the difficulty of the trail was posted (showing strenuous/difficult of course).  Jason pointed to the sign and jokingly remarked that the sign should just say 'welcome to hell'.  We chuckled and off we went!

Uhhh yeah we hadn't gone long when the comment was made "yes, it's hell"!!   It was steep.  It was rocky steep.....navigating the trail was a puzzle as we constantly searched to find the best footing  among the large boulders, the smaller rocks, the loose rocks/stones and the piles of leaves.   There were no switchbacks to make the ascent easier.  It was pretty much up.....at some areas were the ascent was a  bit too steep to navigate safely, they made steep steps....but otherwise it was just up (well steps are up too....and just as difficult because they were not a low rise step ha ha ha).    We laughed about the mountain to the left of us being where we would end up.  We were wrong.   We did climb that mountain.....but when we  reached the crest of that mountain and then descended a bit before heading back up to another ridge ...then back down a ways to where the overlook was located.   Was it worth it????   YES.......  ABSOLUTELY!

We searched for that stinkin' geocache and could not find it!   GRRRR  After a long search in the woods....we headed back down the mountain.    Somehow in the search for the geocache I dropped my top layer/sweatshirt that had been tied around my waist.   Luckily I figured it out maybe only 500 feet back the trail (which is bad enough) so back up I went.  I found the sweatshirt and we headed back down.   Going down was just as difficult.  It was easier in terms of cardio...but it was still pretty tough.  

Will I do this trail again?   Well.....as we were going up we made the comment, "Who in their right mind would do this more than once?"  On the way back down however, we were talking about consistency with hiking....and how if we continue to hike at least weekly that we would probably zoom up the mountain like it was nothing.  SOOOO, before we got back to the car we have decided to do the hike again....this fall.  Furthermore, it has somehow turned into a challenge....first to the overlook wins. (I don't know what the winner gets...we didn't get that far!   So a race up and a leisurely walk down together!)   Besides I still have to find that geocache since I didn't have any luck!  (I forgot to take my lucky pen!  Lately, if I don't have my lucky purple pen it seems as if I don't find the cache!  But if the pen is with me, I find the cache!)   

Sunday was sadly rainy and icky.  We had a nice laid back kind of day.  We did some geocaching.  We took a longdrive.  We hit up a few stores.   And we stopped by the James Buchanan Birthplace State Park   I always wanted to go in.  It's just a tiny little park...but a really neat and pretty area.  I wasn't overly impressed with the monument but oh well.   

So how did my legs fare after the hike on Saturday?   On Saturday night I was standing somewhere and I could feel the muscles in my legs quivering a bit. Not really hurting, I could just feel them.   But that passed and Sunday I had NO ill effects!   

I  didn't weigh myself this morning.  Tomorrow hopefully!!

Last week on Monday I set some goals in my blog post.    They were relatively simple...

1.  RUN  on Tuesday and Thursday

2.  TRACK (my food)!    And Stay within Budget

3.  HIKE 

4.  WATER ---chug a lug!

I am happy to announce that I ran on Tuesday and Thursday!  Both days were over three miles.   They were slow but I did it!

      

I tracked every bite of my food...so that continues to be a victory!   However, I was over budget a bit on a few days.

This is the total calories

This is net when you add in my exercise/activity!

SO not exactly a victory but really in the grand scheme of things not too bad!!!!

Hike.... Check and check....one easy on Wednesday and the  killer on Saturday

Water......I struggled at the beginning of the week but by the end of the week I was chugging over 120 ounces of water daily!

I'm going to call it a victory with last weeks goals.

This week?   Pretty much more of the same.

1.  Water

2.  Run at least 2 times (preferably 3!)

3.  Track and stay within my caloric  budget (not eating too many of my earned calories!)

4.  Hike and walk.

5.  Use the stair stepper at least ONCE!  Right now my cat is the one that uses it....ok, maybe not 'use' but she sits on it!

So this weeks goals are nothing too fancy and exciting...just living a good healthy lifestyle.