go hiking once a month

I did a nice little hike in Idaho with my girlfriend, her mother and sister, and their dog this weekend. We did the Mineral Ridge loop, a 3.5 mile trail which overlooks Lake Coeur d’Alene. The weather was great and the views of the lake were beautiful.

god i love camping, hiking, rock climbing- anything outdoors. i went hiking by myself last year (in a state park very close to civilization and with my cell phone) not knowing what to expect or how long i would even be able to last. it was so much fun, and before i knew it i hiked for 5 HOURS! man, it was beautiful and invigorating. towards the end it started to rain and i was driving home soaking wet, but i really dont think i’ve ever felt more alive. it inspired me to go camping by myself, and that was great too. i need to do that stuff more often.

I went snowshoeing this weekend with my girlfriend an another couple at Commonwealth Basin, north of Snoqualmie Pass. Conditions were good; high overcast and about 36°, with no wind. The snow was fairly icy, which made the hike fairly easy, as the snow wasn’t too powdery to get good footing. The trail was below the treeline for as far as we went, so we didn’t see any spectacular views, but everyone had fun. I think we all look forward to more hiking together as the weather warms up!

I love being outdoors. I need an injection of fresh air to keep my sanity. I usually go for a walk or play at the park [may sound childish, but it is invigorating!] when I am in need of a personal boost.

I am really hoping to go for a 2-3 day hike every month. We’ll see how this goes. My sweet sweet boyfriend just bought me a new North Face weekend pack. :) I’ll keep it stocked with my gear so that all I have to do is pick up and leave!

cheers to health and happiness!