I'm really excited for this week. I've been planning a day-trip into the mountains and finally the time is here. This week I'll be hiking up the side of Mt. Rainier, the largest mountain in the Cascades. I'm excited because I'm going to be hiking all the way up to one of the largest remaining glaciers in the contiguous USA and seeing one of the best wildflower displays in the state. The wildflowers are in full bloom!

I'm glad to be going to see a glacier before they're all gone. Given the increasing amount of rainfall that the mountain has been seeing, its probably a good idea to go now, while I can. Last year, Mount Rainier National Forest suffered 18" of water in 36 hours. Most of the roads were gone.

I tried planning the trip to go up the East side of the mountain, but the road there is still washed out (almost a year later). Too bad for me.. that was the road that took people to the highest elevation by vehicle and thats where the trails to the best view of the glacier started. So instead of hiking from 5900' in elevation up to over 7000', I'll only be going to about 6300' from a much lower 5300'. Still exciting!

Fitday thinks I'll be burning over 1200 calories along the way. Yay! Beautiful view, fresh air, and burning my buns off!

I'm really excited.

- Sunny

I love hiking, though sadly I haven't done it in so long. Hiking really does burn tons and tons of calories. I used to be down a pound after doing a 10 miler. Take some pics of the wild flowers if you can and have a wonderful time. Be safe and tell us all about it when you return!

Hey that sounds like a fun and really healthy trip. I really want to walk the Appalachain Trail some Summer for much the same reasons.

Hey sunny sounds like a blast but take bunches of pictures......

Hey Cannon,
The Appalachian is wonderful! The beauty of that one is that once you're up on the ridge-line, you rarely have to make a seriously steep ascent again. I've hiked nearly a third of the trail in total now with the longest stretch lasting one week. I've always wanted to do the whole thing, but that takes months, not including the training time.
If you can get up there this fall, I highly recommend it. Particularly in the area of West Virginia since I really believe that has the most impressive color display of the trees. Simply beautiful!!

hillbillylee and blancita, I intend to take as many pics as my camera battery will allow. So... around 400 pics? I hope to get a few good ones out of that. With any luck, the weather will be wonderful and I'll get some impressive shots. If the weather isn't pretty, my little point-and-shoot camera won't do nearly as well.

I'm gonna have to learn how to post pics on here.

Side note, I went to the gym and had a wonderful experience with a trainer! Exciting! He was actually able to help me with my problem of doing squats that don't hurt my knees. (Thanks for your help Steve! I've got a solution for the problem ) Tight buns, here I come.

Well, I'm gonna go finish some posts over some tea and hit the sack. I'm pooped.

- Sunny

That sounds SO GREAT, Sunny...ah I can picture the wild flowers now! What a great activity, and you know you probably won't be eating much since you'll be too busy hiking. But get some trail mix in there, woman!! I really am looking forward to you getting into the 170s, I can feel it coming and you're doing such a wonderful job with eating right, exercising, and drinking tea! Have a fantastic time!

I'm glad your trainer experience went well and you can do squats sans the pain!!!

Back to 180 this morning. I can almost taste 179!
I'll be taking lots of easy to eat munchies (healthy stuff) with me, including some trail mix and some peanut butter with apples for sure. I'll need to refuel a lot since I think most of this hike is uphill. Well at least I have to come back downhill at some point.

I woke up feeling pretty awful this morning with lower back ache and cramps. I never have both. Its always one or the other. I'm also super tired... need tea. I'm going to go make some and then check people's journals, I think.

- Sunny

woohoo... only a pound away from the 170s, girl. By the way, I'm so jealous... I've been wanting to go hiking for some time, but unfortunately it's difficult to do so with my husband's schedule at the moment. Bah... And yes, do take pictures! Have fun, little miss shrinking sunny.. haha


-Sheryl

PS Hope you start feeling better.

I am so glad that this trainer worked out better. I discussed the first trainer I talked to with my trainer today. I'll say this for her, she's darn hard to read. Anyway, I think its different strokes for different folks. Finding the right one makes a huge difference though. I'd love to do the trail in the Fall, but as a teacher I'd limited to time off in summer. Its two months so I'm not complaining, but I can't take a week off in October or something.

Oooh I bet you're really in the 170s if you're bloated and PMSing right now--just wait til after, yiah! Take care of yourself!

I guess thanksgiving would be a little late to go hiking unless you wanted to deal with snow... Hmmm.. I think if you go north, the leaves start turning in August. Not sure entirely, but I kind of remember them turning before fall was in full swing. I guess school starts in August for you though, doesn't it?

Hmmm... any way you could get a sub in for two days and take a four day weekend?

At the very least, the day you retire, you should start making plans to hike the trail, even if its just a day hike. I firmly believe that everyone should visit the Appalachian trail at least once in the fall before they die. Its just so beautiful!

- Sunny

I'm gonna sit here and tell myself I'm 179. Yea. I like that
Painkiller time. Its gonna be one of those days...

- Sunny

I wonder when I'll finally fit into a size 10. My jeans are snug on my hips and thighs at size 12 and 180lbs. Think 10lbs will make a size difference? I sure hope so. *pray* I'd really like to have an easier time finding pants in life.

- Sunny

Hey Sunny!

Thought I would stop in! So you are down to a size 12, good work ..
Size 10 is on its way!

Anyway the glacier hike sounds great. I love hiking small hikes. Can't quite work up the gumption to do Pine Mtn. Every time my mom says we are going to go, I shrink out of it..lmao ..its rather sad actually .. Cause I was able to do Mtn Bluejob.. the blueberry fields and up to the tower, so I should be able to do Pine Mtn. Very hard, but I should be able to... Just not feeling it I guess!

But I will just kick myself in the butt soon ..hopefully one of these days.. like this week ... lol maybe with a little inspiration from you and the others I will get up the gumption to do more ..

but anyway ...
Best wishes on the hike! Enjoy!

always
natalie jo

My father always said, "There's no time like the present," and its so true. I think he told me that a lot when I was a child because I was notorious for procrastinating. I'm trying to incorporate that age old saying into my life. I think I can probably blame a few of the lost lbs to telling myself "there's no time like now."

No one can make you do it but you.
Climb that mountain and say no to sugar cookies. You'll be miles ahead of lots of people at that point and you'll feel really good about yourself.

I believe in you, Natalie. I know you can do it.

- Sunny