I Hiked! With Rocks & Everything!

This happened one week ago…

One of my drivers to moving to Phoenix was a healthier lifestyle. In New York I used the cold weather as an excuse to stay inside. Exercise was a terrible, horrible idea to me.

One of the first things here in Phoenix I purchased was a Camelbak hydration pack. My hope was to use it some day outside with the “fit people”. Water seemed muy importante. I’ve kept that sucker out in view as a reminder. For three years. Seriously. (I had a detour with foot surgery, but still. THREE Years.) Some people keep bikinis out for motivation. I had my Camelbak.

So when you drive in Phoenix there are mountains everywhere. As my legs got stronger doing things in the gym I thought, “Eh…maybe. Maybe I can hike.”

However, seeds of doubt planted themselves. You might end up on the news. Disoriented, lost and/or injured. That seemed…bad. So the Camelbak hung out with my yoga mat. (Good buds. Hot yoga can wait. Maybe forever.)

This week OJ (Jennifer 🙂 and Amanda *graciously* allowed me to follow them up the second highest point in the Phoenix mountains. I say that as I was sucking wind on the way up. I have a healthy fear of heights and a terrible lack of balance.

Aside from trying to not face plant, fall off the side of trail or twist a joint my cardio clearly blows. It might be allergies, it might not. It doesn’t matter. I kept having to stop frequently as I was out of breath. (My nose was so stuffed!) My dear friends were not only patient they were cheering me on. (And half of the climbers that passed us!)

Thank you ladies for getting me up so close to the clouds!

“Don’t you want to stand for a photo?” (Not yet!)

The Team!

Woo hoo!

“We are going to push her off.”