Today was the first really challenging hike on our schedule. We hiked about 5 miles (2.5 out & 2.5 back the same way), with a steady uphill climb the whole way out. The terrain was rocky and a little slippery. I loved it, even though it was tough! I knew it was a tough hike when I got home afterwards and told my significant other I was just going to lie down and rest for an hour. Four hours later, I woke up ravenous and couldn’t stop eating for the rest of the evening. Whoo! Feels great to use my muscles like this!
This first difficult hike made me really appreciate two things that I don’t appreciate on a regular day – the shoes I was wearing and the food I brought. I bought a pair of hiking boots from the new END (Environmentally Neutral Design) company. I don’t wear leather because I’m vegetarian-just-about-vegan, and beyond the dead cow issue, I also think carefully about the environmental and societal impact of my purchases. So I was excited that this company started up recently, and just came out with hiking boots. I find them to be really comfortable, but I was initially worried because they are very lightweight. I’m not an expert in hiking and mountaineering, so there may be times where heavy boots are absolutely necessary. But for our purposes, they are perfect! I was thinking at one point during the hike that taking all those steps (thousands?) with heavier boots would have made me immensely more tired. Loving my END boots so far!
The second thing I appreciated today was food. I rarely use up so much energy that I’m deeply hungry, but the hike today made me hungry. It was an interesting reminder of how easy we have things on a normal daily basis – the grocery store, fully stocked, is always within a short drive. But we were out in the middle of nowhere, on foot, and hungry. I haven’t had to plan my food for survival in a long time. (well, maybe not quite survival, but the closest thing I’ve experienced in a while) I sometimes forget that this is what people in some times and areas deal with (or dealt with) every day!
*sigh* It’s so great to do something new and different. I find myself learning more about myself.
