chinooktrail
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- Joined
- Feb 27, 2004
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Geneva and I took a day off to take a nice walk in the woods to honor my sister Mary Lou. I lost her 15 years ago on June 15th to cancer at the young age of 31.
I decided on North and South Twin because I like the North Twin Trail and Geneva had not been to South Twin yet.
I did not really have my heart in this yesterday, and dragged my feet getting ready, so we didn't start out from the trailhead until just before noon. Almost a proper 'arm' start.
When I used to run long ago and wasn't into it, I always told myself 'just go for 15 minutes and see how you feel'. This usually did the trick for me. I have adopted this in a way for hiking solo, but I tell myself to just stick with it for an hour, and if I still want to turn around, at least I got a little workout. So far I haven't turned around after an hour.
The river crossings were ok, kind of fun to just trust yourself to rock hop! Made even more interesting by having a 35# ball of energetic fur trying to hop onto the same rocks, at the same time, when there isn't enough rock for 2 feet and 4 paws! But we made it through with minimal wet feet.
I like this trail a lot, it is a nice slow gradual uphill meander, with nothing too steep anywhere, and loads of soft easy grades and great footing... all good things for letting the mind wander.
My mind did wander as much as my feet, lots of memories of childhood and mountains climbed and camping and playing in the trees and in the backyard... all the good memories of childhood and a sister who was a best friend.
The weather could not have been better, nice cool breeze, temp just right, no bugs and sunny skies. We took a good long break at the view on North Twin, and I let Geneva decide where to go back at the cairn.
She chose to go to South Twin, I think she is becoming a peakbagger, so I followed her lead. We strolled along for a bit, and i decided to look for a place to ditch my pack for the walk over and back. This must have confused Geneva, or she thought she wasn't getting any more treats for the summit, so she just turned around and headed back down the trail toward home...
Again, I just decided to follow her lead, so we left South Twin for another day.
All in all, a very good day in the mountains, with all sorts of thoughts and memories, happy, funny, sad and everything else imaginable! I hope she knows how much she is loved, and missed, but I really think she does...
I decided on North and South Twin because I like the North Twin Trail and Geneva had not been to South Twin yet.
I did not really have my heart in this yesterday, and dragged my feet getting ready, so we didn't start out from the trailhead until just before noon. Almost a proper 'arm' start.
When I used to run long ago and wasn't into it, I always told myself 'just go for 15 minutes and see how you feel'. This usually did the trick for me. I have adopted this in a way for hiking solo, but I tell myself to just stick with it for an hour, and if I still want to turn around, at least I got a little workout. So far I haven't turned around after an hour.
The river crossings were ok, kind of fun to just trust yourself to rock hop! Made even more interesting by having a 35# ball of energetic fur trying to hop onto the same rocks, at the same time, when there isn't enough rock for 2 feet and 4 paws!
But we made it through with minimal wet feet.I like this trail a lot, it is a nice slow gradual uphill meander, with nothing too steep anywhere, and loads of soft easy grades and great footing... all good things for letting the mind wander.
My mind did wander as much as my feet, lots of memories of childhood and mountains climbed and camping and playing in the trees and in the backyard... all the good memories of childhood and a sister who was a best friend.
The weather could not have been better, nice cool breeze, temp just right, no bugs and sunny skies. We took a good long break at the view on North Twin, and I let Geneva decide where to go back at the cairn.
She chose to go to South Twin, I think she is becoming a peakbagger, so I followed her lead. We strolled along for a bit, and i decided to look for a place to ditch my pack for the walk over and back. This must have confused Geneva, or she thought she wasn't getting any more treats for the summit, so she just turned around and headed back down the trail toward home...
Again, I just decided to follow her lead, so we left South Twin for another day.
All in all, a very good day in the mountains, with all sorts of thoughts and memories, happy, funny, sad and everything else imaginable! I hope she knows how much she is loved, and missed, but I really think she does...
