Holy Cow, we did it! Yesterday, if you have been following me, I went on a hike and found a really steep mountain I wanted to climb. I tried a portion of it and got scared because I was alone and headed back. But I knew I was going to conquer that hill if it was the last thing I did. Well, why not the very next day.

Last night I texted my girlfriend Kathy who hikes with me 1 or 2 times a week. I asked her if she was going to hike with me tomorrow and she said sure. I also asked her if she wouldn’t mind if we did harder than our normal hikes, and again she said yes! Whoo-hoo! Now I had a partner to go down and back up this mountain and be there in case something happened and I needed help. I went to bed feeling ecstatic in anticipation for the next morning. I arose at 5 am feeling ready to go, did my morning yoga session, and off I went to the park.

When we got to the park before we even set foot in Santiago Oaks Regional Park I asked her if she was OK with about a 35-40% trail grade and she agreed so off we went. When we got to the top of the trail, I think she did a triple take and was a little nervous about it even though she did not say it. We discussed how just 7 months ago, I would have never even contemplated doing a trial like this. I did not have good balance or footing and my fear would have overtaken the hike. As a matter of fact, we did a trial, Grasshopper, that was a pretty good grade and very rocky once at the beginning of the year and I almost had a heart attack doing it. I was terrified and vowed NEVER again!

Well, that never is here. Kathy and I took on Peralta Hills Trail going down very gingerly and slowly making sure every step was secure and firm. It took us probably a little longer than a nimble, not big or broken 20 years old would do, but we got to the bottom of that huge hill. As we meandered further along the trail we were keeping a close eye on the time. I wanted to give us double the amount of time it took us to come down to go back up. I wanted to make sure Kathy was able to get back to her car so she could get to work on time.

Once we were good ways down the trail it was time to turn around. Yeah, that is when the reality of what we had to do to get back to our cars set in. Yup, we had to climb that hill. So off we go. I have to be honest, it was not as bad as I ever thought it would have been. Going down was way scarier and harder. Thank God for my trekking pole. They help me so much with balance and keeping that firm footing on the path as well as giving me a full-body workout while I hike. Poor Kathy she does not have a pair.

Anyway, about 1/4 of the way up Kathy started feeling sick in the tummy. It was time to stop! Unfortunately, she was dehydrated and overheated. She had not hydrated up the night before or that morning. You see when you hike, run, or whatever in this kind of California summer/fall heat, it is so important to drink plenty of water the day before and then drink at the extreme very least 8oz when you get up an hour before the hike. Anyway, I told her to sit right there in the middle of the path, drink, and cool off! I had some extra iced water for my dog (clean water) and I poured some over her head and gave her some to drink as well. We actually had a nice cyclist stop and ask if everything was ok and if we needed help. Aww, most of the people I meet on the trails are so nice. Then we proceeded to watch this guy go down this ridiculous steep mountain at a speed that made my tummy start hurting!

Once we got her tummy and legs feeling a bit better we headed back up. Now I have trekking poles and my girlfriend does not, so unfortunately there were a few spots she had to use her hands to get up that hill. I am very grateful for my poles because my hands stayed clean-ish.

It was the most exhilarating climb I have had on these trails since I started back to hiking mid 2020. When we got to the top I stood there looking out and then I could not help myself. I put my arms high up in the air and screamed “WooHoo”! The rest of the hike was just basic, nothing too hard, but the whole way back to the car I was smiling. I (we) had achieved something I never thought I could do. We both felt so accomplished and able. Even as I write this I am still on a hiker’s High!

I am glad I decided to start sharing some of my hikes with you all. It has made me realize just how much I have accomplished in such a very short time. Especially since I am going backward and writing out my journal from early on in my journey. You can check out some of those posts on the category called My Journals.

Let me tell you if I can do it so can you! I mean obviously, you have to start at whatever level you are at, but just start. I have another girlfriend who is an ironwoman and runs miles and miles. And I realized one day when I was looking at her post and wishing I could hike and be able to keep up with her that she, at some point in her life, started out small as well. She did not go out the gate running 30 miles a day, right? And that is what I have learned from my experience with these hills I am hiking.

About 1 1/2 years ago I was on a scooter for most things that required any amount of walking including the grocery store. I would have never been able to walk the entire OC VegFest like I did last weekend. I was not able to go to Costco and walk the entire store without a scooter. Shoot I wasn’t able to stand and cook a full meal without sitting down every 5 minutes. And NEVER would I have been able to climb the mountain I climbed today!

Yes, I still use my scooter sometimes when I have problems standing still in long lines or anything that required lots of hard concrete walking like Knotts or Disney, but just look at what one step at a time haS done for me? I have come from quitting teaching choir because I could not handle the pain of 3 hours of teaching to hiking a 35% grade mountain. One step at a time has changed my life and It can do it for you as well! All you have to do is start and not expect your body to do what it used to do before your illness or injury. You want to start hiking and live near me, contact me. let’s do it TOGETHER!

BTW, when I say we hiked an hour I meant just an hour going down. We hiked another hour+ going back up.