Is This a Pattern?

So I counted, and I've made every other hike so far. Or, I've missed every other hike so far,However you want to look at it.  The first hike I was out with the flu.  The third hike I was out with a sinus infection.  Is this becoming a pattern?

I sincerely hope not. I still have a lot of training to get under my belt! I think once we move out of this transitional state between winter and spring I will be more "sustainably" healthy.   I made it to the gym yesterday so that's a start. another start. 

I'm going to convince myself that this will only make me stronger....

The hike was absolutely gorgeous.  But let me back up a few hours and start at the beginning....

It started snowing on the drive out towards the coast, and we were in a minivan. Luckily we had chains, so as we got higher into the mountains and the roads got icier, we pulled over at a gas station to put them on.  Well, the driver (Michael) pulled over and the boys (Michael and Todd) put on the chains.  So, after we were all situated, off we went. We turned off the highway onto a park road and went about 7 miles to the trail head.  The park road wasn't plowed and it appeared as though we were the first there this AM, so it was up to us and our minivan to break trail and lay the tracks!

Shortly after we got there, a lady named Wendy who lives on the coast arrived, followed by Joe and Beth. They had come to tell us that the hike had been canceled.  Apparently the rest of the crew had gotten stuck at the tunnel a few miles back due to a bad accident.  Well, we had already made it out there, so we decided to go for our hike anyway.  As far as we were concerned, the hard part was over!

The skies were blue and clear, and the hike was steep and covered in snow! It was about a foot deep in most places.  The views were absolutely stunning.  There were a few points on the trail where you got a good view of the valley below:  a smattering of treetops dusted with snow and tree branches definitively outlined in white.  It was such a great day for a snow hike!

It was supposed to be about a 5 mi hike but it ended up being about a 4 mi hike.  Not too far in distance but the elevation gain was substantial, making the trail steep in a few spots.  The trail had begun to wash away, so there were areas that had been rebuilt with rocks and caging holding it all together.  I think the snow and ice actually helped hold it all together. 

We stopped on our way down from the top and had a quick lunch at a picnic table....one thing you learn is that when you are hiking in the cold, as soon as you stop you get really cold. Or at least i do.  So, it was on with the thick, puffy down jacket to keep warm while we ate.  

The hike back was relatively easy; though slippery in some spots, it was mostly cushioned by the powder.  This was a hike that I truly enjoyed!  

Training Week

It was time to get back into the swing of things.  Since the hike on Saturday went fairly well, I felt good about being over the bug.  This week I went to the gym four days, alternating between leg work and swimming.  

We went swimming today, and after we got back from the gym we went for a hike in a nearby park.  The ground was pretty muddy from the rain over the last few days. But it felt good to be outside breathing in clean air and being surrounded by nature. There is a creek that runs the length of the trail in the park, and in some areas it got so deep it was almost a river.  

Tomorrow we hike up Saddle Mountain.  It's on the coast so it will be about a 2hr. drive ( a little less), but the forecast is wet and cold.  It was supposed to snow, which I had really hoped would happen, but it looks like it will just be rain.  My only hope is that the wind doesn't blow too hard. 

Stay tuned!

Gone With the Wind

I attended my first training hike on Saturday.  When I stepped outside our apartment building to go to my car, I looked up at the sky and soaked in what felt like the beginning of a nice day.  It wasn't that cold, and the skies were clear.  A great day for a  hike!

We gathered at the Safeway parking lot near the falls to carpool to the trailhead.  When I got out of my car, the first thing that greeted me from the Gorge was a huge gust of wind! I don't know what the winds measured, but i think it would be safe to say they felt like they were going at least 30 mph.  I was not expecting this, that's for sure. Hmmm....maybe being in a Gorge had something to do with it? Not to mention "The Gorge" famous for world-class wind surfing.  

The wind was bitter cold.  I couldn't wait to leave and head off to the trail where hopefully the trees would block most of the wind.  After about a half hour of getting organized, we took off.  

The actual hike wasn't as windy, thank goodness.  But  by the time we were sheltered, the wind had made its way into my bones and my nose was running like hell.  I was Snotty Sami for the entire hike! My body felt great and recharged despite having been recently sick. By the end of the hike though my knees were pretty tired.  All the straight down hill was beginning to take its toll.  I'm afraid it might be time to start doing squats....

It was a 5.5 mi. hike at Multnomah falls, and included a 1600 ft. elevation gain.  The hike was uphill all the way for the first 3 mi or so, and then it was all downhill from there. The trail was covered in snow, ice, mud, rock, dirt, pavement, you name it, the trail transformed! I definitely was not expecting that either!

The people were all nice enough, and I enjoyed myself.  I was back home by around noon, and I spent the rest of the afternoon on the couch! LOL. After my hot shower, I was out of commission!  I was sneezing every few minutes , blowing my nose when I wasn't sneezing, and trying to rehydrate myself all at the same time.  But after a restful afternoon, a fondue dinner, and a good night's sleep, I was as good as new!