Just keep hiking

TamiVsTheTrail

I've had a list of hikes that I've wanted to do for a long time. I've waited to lose weight, I've waited for friends to get up to the same ability so they could come with me. I waited to come up with more excuses.

This year I decided it was enough and June 1st I changed from focusing on the scale and working to get stronger and healthier. My eating transitioned to eating to fuel my body (most of the time) and I made my list of dream hikes. I also decided it was time to remind myself that I liked to hike alone just as much as with friends and family.

Last week I completed my longest solo hike. It was 20KM long, the equivalent to over 650 flights of stairs and took me just over 7 hours. I was on a high for days and can't wait to do another long one. I've lost 16 pounds since recommitting to my health and fitting back into clothes that had dust forming on them.

The pictures are some of my favourite hikes. They are my inspiration and I've picked out a 32KM one for next year. I still have a ton of winter hikes and snowshoeing planned to make sure I stay focused and excited to keep hiking on.

RobbinH75

Good job on the hike!! That is amazing!! I love your pictures, they are so beautiful and serene. Keep up the good work

PKM0515

Gorgeous photos!

Sarahinthesunshine

Amazing! I love hiking too and often wait for people to go with...I love walking and talking but I would also love to add some solo hikes! I'm off to plan one for this weekend...thanks for the nudge.

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BartBVanBockstaele

@TamiVsTheTrail
Walking is the one thing I am currently doing. In the past, I regularly walked for 40 km and more, and actually bought a GPS to tell me it was time to turn around and go back. That is no longer an option, but I still walk almost everyday for several kilometers. I live downtown Toronto and have no car, but nature is still quite accessible and enjoyable. This is an example of what I saw the day before yesterday (20221023), a walk of 25,049 steps. Needless to say I saw much more, but I think it is clear enough. I walked from my home and back, nothing more, I did not use any other form of mechanised transportation:

TamiVsTheTrail

@Fit2btied2016 The pictures are Canada, the west coast of BC. The last one was Garibaldi in Whistler.
It took me awhile to get back into solo hiking and I do really like hiking with friends but there's something incredibly satisfying to me accomplish this on my own as well. All the trails that I do on my own are ones that are well populated so I know if I need help there would be someone by soon enough. I'm lucky where I live I can go snowshoeing close to home, I even get my husband out for that.

TamiVsTheTrail

@BartBVanBockstaele Your photos are beautiful! I love being out in the fall, it's supposed to pour tomorrow but I'll still head out to the trails and soak in the fall beauty while it's still here.

BartBVanBockstaele

TamiVsTheTrail wrote: »

@BartBVanBockstaele Your photos are beautiful! I love being out in the fall, it's supposed to pour tomorrow but I'll still head out to the trails and soak in the fall beauty while it's still here.

So are yours. Nature in BC is obviously of a far more spectacular nature than what we have in Toronto. Nevertheless, Toronto's nature is –to me– eminently satisfying and many of the trail systems are very walkable.
You are far braver than I am. Whenever the probability of precipitation is above 30%, there is no way I'll get out. That said, this leaves most of the year open anyway. Unfortunately, leaves have really started to fall now, so I suspect the colour season will be over in a week or so, if that.
I always walk on my own because I have a very erratic schedule. Also, even though it is not ideal, when I walk I always listen to something with my headphones. Right now, I am listening to "Downton Abbey" in Japanese in order to get better at understanding normal-speed speech while also carrying a camera in case I see the animals I am monitoring. It is a compromise and the only way I can do this, but killing three birds with one stone is not too shabby a deal, I think.

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the_real_me_lissa

Your pics are breathtaking; just wow!!! I love your story; good for you for finally taking those first steps & not waiting till everything fell into place.

Hiking is my favorite activity & I too just recently went on my first solo hike; nothing to the extent of yours, but I was happy to finally set my doubts aside & just go for it; it really does leave you with a high!

BartBVanBockstaele

the_real_me_lissa wrote: »

Your pics are breathtaking; just wow!!! I love your story; good for you for finally taking those first steps & not waiting till everything fell into place.

Hiking is my favorite activity & I too just recently went on my first solo hike; nothing to the extent of yours, but I was happy to finally set my doubts aside & just go for it; it really does leave you with a high!

Congratulations on your walk. No matter how short or how long, there is always something to see and experience, isn't there?

jwhitephoto

Keep on busting it! Best overall exercise one can do. Works the cardiovascular system, and all of the muscle groups. Best of all, it builds your stamina as nothing else can. When you are 20 miles from the nearest road, and you are packing 30 pounds on your back with your food, water, and shelter, there is no such thing as quitting.
I am 71 years old and I have been hiking for the past 25 years. That and the right diet keep me fit and trim @148 pounds!

lacylucy1935

Amazing views, no wonder you are enjoying that!!

alteredsteve175

Thank you for starting this thread, @TamiVsTheTrail. I like to hike, too. I will be checking here when I can and posting some photos from some of my hikes.

conny717

I love this thread! I live on the Baltic Sea coast in Germany and have managed to walk an average of 10km a day for the past 12 months. No mountains but beautiful water is the backdrop of most of my walks (very flat routes though, I must admit). I have to take a bit of a break due to a problem with my heel but am chomping at the bit to get going again. Sadly, I do most walks on my own as I can't really find anyone to come along. Walking is the one activity I can/will stick with no matter what. I am a fresh air addict and need my fix every day!! )

mjcavey

Fantastic! I think it helps a lot when you have a physical activity that you enjoy that can help motivate you to get in and stay in shape...plus doing the activity helping too! I love hiking and that looks like a dream hike to me as well, I can almost smell the mountain air! Keep up the great work!

wae2go

I can’t get anyone to hike with me either. Anyway, I like to hike the state park trails in the East Texas piney woods. Can’t really afford to travel elsewhere.
Hiking and fishing are what I live for!

BartBVanBockstaele

wae2go wrote: »

I can’t get anyone to hike with me either. Anyway, I like to hike the state park trails in the East Texas piney woods. Can’t really afford to travel elsewhere.
Hiking and fishing are what I live for!

One of the things I do, and it is a compromise, not an ideal situation, is to listen to programmes in different languages through my headset while I am walking. Since the temperatures are dropping right now, the headset plays the role of earmuffs while listening to stuff I would otherwise not have time nor patience for.
Another thing I do, is walk to stores I would normally never go to because they are too far away. For example, today, while listening to an anime series, I went to the only store I know that has frozen sliced okra and my favourite frozen vegetable mix. Even better, that store is cheaper than the one I usually go to in my neighbourhood.
As a result, I got 13,333 steps, got some extra practice listening to Japanese and I saved about 40 CDN. It is a bit like getting paid for doing some exercise. I like that ^_^

ddghike

Love this !!!!! There is a canyon near me, so my dog and I hike it often.

putotherpeoplefirst

What fabulous photos! Good on you for hiking. I live in the southern hemisphere, so summer is fast approaching so going to be doing a lot of walks this summer.

Hodgy2357

Your photos are stunning! They made me think of Cumbria in England but like on steroids! The scale is breathtaking! I've got a tentative plan to head off and walk the Camino de Santiago Frances in the spring of 2024 to get headspace and take stock of life between finishing uni and taking up my first post as a registered nurse. Pure bucket list dream!

alteredsteve175

From today's hike.

alteredsteve175

Blondie has been getting too many biscuits and not enough exercise lately.

alteredsteve175

Rock formation at the pool below the falls.

alteredsteve175

The Snake River valley viewed from Lizard Butte.

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TamiVsTheTrail

@alteredsteve175 Great photos! I've been out quite a bit the last couple of weeks and will post some new photos. I'm working to do a 32KM one this year. I want to drop 50 pounds this year so I can haul up less me and make the gear fit easier.

TamiVsTheTrail

Heading up the mountain, no snowshoes needed just microspikes

TamiVsTheTrail

Loved this spot, it was completely silent and an incredible spot to just take in the beauty

TamiVsTheTrail

Made it to the top, completely alone (accept for a couple of very noisy crows looking for a handout)