Last July I started this nonsense, not only hiking every single week, but also blogging about it. I made a decision to get healthier, physically and in the mentals. The thing about exercise, it kinda helps you work out the other. You get out of your mind and into your body. It’s the best form of therapy.
Our first official Sunday together my sister and I walked the 9.5 miles of the North Portland Sunday Parkways. If you scroll down, a loooong way, you will find it. We did it cold. Neither of us had really been exercising at all. It was so hot. We ran out of water. I almost fainted in Subway afterword. It was really really hard.
Well, today I got a chance to come full circle. It was the exact same route. It was hot. I still only brought one thing of water and ran out, but none of that mattered. I did it lickety-split, literally an hour faster. I walked alone this time. My sister had to work. I didn’t tear up when I walked by the dream house that used to be my house and was taken from me. I didn’t yearn for it to be over. I just walked it. It was awesome. One little girl even said, “Mama, we saw that lady last time! I remember her stars!” She was right. I remembered her too. She was a cutie-pie. It was a brilliant walk. I can’t wait for next year!
I got to see the beautiful and wonderful Emily Baumbach. I also got to see her daughter, but she was mostly crying and walking away and not appreciating that her Mom and me were catching up. I get that. Bike crashes are terrible and adult-talk is the most boring thing ever.
I took a picture of myself after I finished. It’s above. I used to hate having my picture taken, like really a lot. Because of that, I don’t really have any before pictures. I’m okay with that. The after picture is good enough. When my sister and I reach 52 hikes, I will definitely post about how this journey has changed me physically. It’s pretty substantial. But like I hoped, it has also helped me to find myself. I’m the type of person who goes out in the community and walks 9.5 miles surrounded by crazy cyclists just because I want to. Who knew?
For information about Sunday Parkways click here.
52hikesin52weeks 