#NationalForestWeek continues! #ThrowbackThursday

I want to share a few more photos from my adventures in the forest - this time, the ones I’ve shared with some of my good friends. The forest can be the most amazing experience alone, but every now and then you want that adventure pal or pals with you along the way.

Kayaking down the Salt River (Tonto NF)

I had made the journey out to Phoenix to meet up with a longtime online acquaintance for a backpacking trip in a special canyon. The fear of a flash flood kept us out of the area, and we made a backup attempt in the Superstition Mountains within the Tonto National Forest. The whole thing didn’t work - rain, illness, etc - so we trekked back out and had pizza and beer. The silver lining of all of this was that a day was freed and the Salt River was calling. I had never kayaked. The adventure was fun, I tipped, which felt wonderful, and got to meet another longtime online acquaintance.

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Lazy Days at Blanchard Springs (Ozark/St. Francis NF)

The pandemic was raging and I was in a cabin on the White River near Mountain View, Arkansas with one of my dearest friends. Life was good. We had drinks, we had a campfire, and we had a grill daddy. That’s as funny as it sounds. Nicknames. HA! Anyway, it was great, but only got better with a day trip to Blanchard Springs. The water was turquoise, the trees extra shade, and the streams cold as ice. It was a casual, lighthearted day of no agenda or plans.

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Hammock Beers in the most Superior NF

A trip to the cabin rarely involves hiking - unless it’s across the frozen lake. This time, it was late summer, and we took the boat from the cabin to the landing to go for a little hike on the nearby Border Route Trail in Northern Minnesota. We packed our backpacks with beers, our hammocks, snacks, and headed out. There was NO ONE on the trail, so we strung our hammocks across it and had a little break.

#WayBackWednesday - National Forest Edition

It’s National Forest Week here in the USA. I vote to have National Forest Week every week, because they’re just that dang special! I’m going to share some photos of the forest and a couple of little stories for this Way Back Wednesday revival. I have not included EVERY ONE of my favorite National Forests, that would take days, but here are a few for your enjoyment. May the forest be with you!

(Header photo is Tonto National Forest in Arizona)

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Superior National Forest - Northern Minnesota

This place is special for many reason - namely the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This series of lakes stretches across Northern Minnesota and offers great adventure for visitors. I’ve only ever been to the east end, this photo is at Pine Lake, but I have big plans to make my way through someday. The second photo is the BRT (Border Route Trail) which follows the US/CAN border.

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Lincoln National Forest - New Mexico

Since starting a job that takes me to a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, I have found weekends in the Lincoln National Forest completely necessary and perfect. My aunt and I first visited before I took the job on a pre-fall trip, and I was hooked as soon as I smelled the Pine.

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Santa Fe National Forest - New Mexico

Visiting Santa Fe National Forest is a treat. You climb up, out of the heat and into the trees. I’ve adventured here twice and always want to go back. There are trails, trees, and so much more. Every time I’ve camped, it’s rained, but it was never dull.

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Olympic National Forest - Washington

For this little post, I thought I’d save one of my favorites for last. I feel a connection like no other when I’m on the Olympic Peninsula - including under the canopy of this forest. The National Park and National Forest go hand-in-hand out on the peninsula. From places in the forest you can view Mt. Rainier in all her glory and see the ocean and even Seattle, if that’s your thing. You can go hours without another soul to see or you can end up on a popular trail. There are endless waterfalls, rivers, and hills. It’s a paradise if you love the forest and less than tropical temps, usually. (My apologies if the photos overlap between NPS and USFS)

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike June 2020 Review

June started strong, but slowly went off the rails. My hip was hurting, I had trips for work and pleasure (safely, course), and I was just not super focused on my food. I didn’t lose momentum, I just lost the time and freedom of being at home in a routine and the effort dwindled away.

The Good

• I did kayak a few days this month, worked out those kayaking muscles

• I spent 4 days off the grid, away from the world

• Food intake went a little crazy, but I didn’t lose my progress (except for a little bloat weight)

• I did have one stellar hike (an excellent camping weekend)

• I had some really great days with excellent workouts

• There was a lot of clarity found

• I read a book and started another one

• I spent a few days with one of my best friends in the middle of nowhere Arkansas and it was rejuvenating

• I spent a moment in a cave!

The Not So Good

• There were several days with less than stellar movement

• I did not track my food for the last half of the month

• I slept about an hour less, on average, per night

• I did not even come close to closing my rings on my watch every day

• I was 10% behind 2019’s step totals/activity goals

• I stopped doing anything (which can be attributed to working LONG days)

Mental Health Check In

• As mentioned above, I found some clarity on many things including this whole quantification of myself and my activities

• I managed to regain my positive energy despite these shitty-on-paper numbers this month

• Off the grid for 4 days really helped with the stressors related to work

• Work has wore me down

• I’ve felt kind of lonely, despite not being alone

• Routines are still my best tool in staying happy, healthy, and optimistic

Goals for July

• Get back on track with daily activity

• Ride my bike more often (honestly, just fucking do it)

• I want to run (going to work my hip out and try to get back on it)

• I’m upgrading to the Couch to 25K plan instead of just the 10K

• I’m reducing my overall caloric intake

• I will get my average monthly step goal back up to 12K and beat 2019

• Finish another book or two

• Get 150 miles of activity

Conclusions - Going Forward

• I’m still on track - mentally and physically

• My goals are still there and I’m a little easier on myself related to this numbers I keep

• I will keep trying - there’s no reason to give up because of a few bad weeks

Questions I’m asking myself

• What’s really important in life?

• What should I be focused on with fitness?

• Should I go back to the gym? Is it safe?

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: May 2020 Update

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THE GOOD STUFF

• Every day had at least a walk (only a few were less than 4 miles)

• Learned more about stretches necessary for keeping my hip, knee, and back in check

• I hiked! Oh my glob did I hike! It was glorious, too. Thirty miles of hiking felt wonderful after months with little to none.

• I feel well enough to start running again

• I managed to maintain my weight, without gaining anything

• It was another month over 150 miles of activity (168 actually, even 162 if you take out the biking)

• My lowest daily steps was in the 9000s which is great

• I closed my rings every day, in theory. I missed one day of standing because I left my watch on the charger for 6 hours. BUT, I did stand so…whatever.

• Average daily mileage was over 4 miles

• I know where I need to improve and refocus.

• I feel good and I think I look better. My confidence is a little higher these days.

• Ran my fastest mile to date!

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THE NOT-SO-GOOD

• I miss the gym

• I need more sleep

• I need to stop letting myself be dragged down by others

• I didn’t lose as much weight as I was hoping, and I certainly didn’t build any muscle but I maintained so I guess that’s a neutral

• My bike was neglected, as were my running shoes. Stupid hips.

• I had a lot of binge-type days that included truckloads of alcohol and snacks. I learned it doesn’t ruin the whole process, but certainly doesn’t help. The water weight/bloating from one snack/drink happy hour stayed with me for a few days and really killed my vibe.

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MENTAL HEALTH

• Even though work is at home, I’ve learned to leave it in the corner after hours.

• I’m about over my own stupidity. I have a lot of solutions for my own problems but no willpower or energy to do anything. It’s awful.

• Constantly having to respond and reach out to people can be tiresome, even for this extrovert. Sorry not sorry if I seem anti-social or haven’t reached out “enough” lately.

• Sleep is a constant battle… there was a period of time I was sleeping a lot, or a lot more than normal. Now, I’m back to being weird. I’m staying up late, which is my not so secret favorite, and waking up just in time to do a morning work call. This is not enjoyable. I wish there was a world where I could stay up late and get up early, like I used to, but there’s not. SO, I’m going to start trying to sleep before 11pm again and wake up at 6am. That’s the goal for June.

• I’m reminded of how lucky I am in these trying times. SO VERY FUCKING LUCKY, even if things sometimes just shit all over me.

• I am my own worst enemy.

• Apple Health isn’t the end-all-be-all. It’s a tool in bettering yourself. I rely too heavily on this for what? For my own tracking and motivation. I need to stop letting it really bother me. If I’m doing enough and feeling fine, fuck it.

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GOALS FOR JUNE

• Read a Damn Book!
  OK, TV be damned. I’m going to set a tough goal of reading 6 books this month to catch up for the year and get my head out of the programming.

• More Salads & Greens.
  Veggies are my friend. I haven’t had enough lately, and it shows. Time to re-up the salads and make them in bulk for lunches.

• Social Media Break (3 days, at least)
  I’m heading off the grid to the cabin to do some work/relax for at least three days.

• Run Run Run!
  May was a total bust for running, whatever. I will run my ass off in June. My race isn’t canceled, yet!

• Keep going!
  Now that the state parks are open, I plan to make up the lost hikes of 2020. I’m checking off quest goals while hitting mileage ideals.

• FOUR+ Hikes in June
  Got some really good hikes in during May, hopeful for as many ore more in June.

• 175 Miles.
  I hit 160, so I’m going to try for 175. Obviously, if I run, walk, and bike in the same day it could really amp it up.

• Lose 5+ pounds
  I know it’s not about the weight, but I need to rethink what I’m eating and drinking and really push to be better overall and I think this is a reasonable number to shoot for. I’d like to end the sixth month 50 pounds down for the year.

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THOUGHTS, NOTES, CONCLUSIONS

• I am on the right path. My momentum kind of stalled in May, but added hiking kept me going. I’m still working on my food/alcohol/exercise balance and getting more sleep. This is the right path and my clothes falling off are proof.

• I am using Noom. My Noom was reset by 4 weeks to help me improve and reinvigorate me. I’m basically using it to track and I really need to be more mindful of what the lessons are each day.

• I have accepted the new me. I still enjoy some days with indulgence, and that’s not going to change. If I have to cut something completely out of my life, I don’t succeed. The beauty of my main meals being overall better for me is that the indulgence days don’t completely fuck me over in the long run. Balance, baby! (Still a work in progress)

• I’m still like running. I am going to amp it back up this month. I’ve got pages of stretches and yoga moves to help keep me limber.

• For real REAL. I’m finally on a path that allows me to have the things I want with little sacrifice as far as food and drink go. It feels good to be in the 280s and not going back up. It feels good to know that I can have a burger and fries, once in a while.

“Oh, why do I compare myself to everyone?
And I always got my finger on the self destruct”

— Demi Lovato - I Love Me

Stay-At-Home, Week Whatever Check-In

It’s been a while since I’ve felt like doing any sort of update. My creativity was stifled - which is fine, I had plenty of work to do and TV to watch. The pandemic rages on with state beginning the process of reopening businesses beyond essentials. Reopening is causing plenty of mixed emotions and reactions - everyone’s got an opinion. I’m not sure where I fall on all of this, I am no healthcare expert and certainly don’t know shit about diseases. I’m grateful for everyone who has worked through this and don’t know how we’d function as a world without them. I’m sad that our government didn’t step in with instant benefits and relief for everyone. I know it was probably overwhelming, but people don’t have the luxury of waiting as businesses remain closed. It’s a terrible mess and it’s going to take years to dig out of it, but we will eventually find a new normal and hopefully we have learned a little about how our economy does not favor the working classes.

In lighter news…

I cut my hair this month, but who really cares? I DO. It feels so much better.

I bought a bike, but haven’t really taken many rides yet. The weight limit, which wasn’t clear on the Dick’s Sporting goods website, is a little lower than I am currently and I’m afraid of breaking the damn thing. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Part of me wishes I had bought a cheap mountain bike instead of the “hybrid” model so I could take it on the trails at the state park - not the hardcore ones, just a path around a lake that was pretty mild. We’ll see, maybe I’ll just try it and hope for the best?

Chewy the dog is the cutest, fight me. Our cat is very need and the cuddles are okay by me. The pets make staying home a lot a little better. The dog is getting a bit tired of walking four miles every day, and it shows. I don’t even know if we have a fish anymore, I just know there’s a fish tank and when it gets low Eric adds water and treatment. I probably need to go say hello, if there is a fish.

I’ve got baby tomatoes and plenty of fresh basil, mint, and oregano. Fuck yeah!

I updated our little board (see photo) with a Step Brothers quote because it felt appropriate.

We made naan style bread, homemade pancakes, blackberry cobbler, bread, broiler s’mores, and some applesauce. I think we made crepes too, with a friend on zoom, but I don’t know when that was now. The days all flow together. I am maintaining weight and not rapidly losing because of this whole “try new cooking and baking” bullshit. My self-control was always weak, and now it’s pretty much fucked.

I infused my tequila with jalapenos and it was pretty much the best thing. The tequila wasn’t spicy, it just had a peppery essence. Very good in a homemade margarita. I also juiced every last one of the citrus fruits in the house because they weren’t getting used fast enough. Had pints of various juices and it was nice.

My privileged ass went hiking at three different state parks this month so far, with plans for four more this coming weekend. I’m so thankful our state parks have opened for reduced capacity, reservation only day passes and camping. Truly lucky as hell right here.

State Park Quest Update | 52 Hike Challenge Update

My mental health took a hit this month, as it often does, but that sparked some creativity so I guess silver linings? I am kind of living in trip planning, adventure idea planning, and revisiting old photos. I had several fun happy hours with friends, and even went out to eat. Felt very safe.

I’m on a boat…

Memorial Weekend involved a pontoon, a storm, and me repeating “there’s nothing on the radar” at least ten times. I drank Corona Seltzers, which were pretty damn good in the realm of boozy water, and enjoyed the sunshine for about 30 minutes. We were cruising along and the weather took a turn. There was (say it with me) nothing on the radar indicating a storm, but our eyes told our brain the radar was a lying bitch. We hauled ass towards the house through some of the strongest wind and waves I’ve ever expereinced. We found a cove, with less wind, to bring down the sun shades because they were started to come apart. Everything happened so quickly! I’ve included some “on our way out” and “when we returned” photos below. Crazy stuff. Lightning, wind, and rain oh my.

It is time to be hopeful for the future, right? Hope for a solution to the virus. Hope we can open things up safely. Hope people can forgo evictions and collections. Hope we can get back to some kind of new normal where we truly take care of our most vulnerable and hardest working people.

How are you hold up? Send me a note, leave a comment… Hang in there!

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: April 2020

“So we go up up up, up up the mountain
Up, up and down the valley we go
To carry our doubt to the river mouth
Find peace in what the river knows
Cast a line in the river of time
Find peace of mind
Figure it out”

— Said The Whale "Beautiful Morning"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 405,258

Average daily steps: 13,509

Highest daily steps: 20,630

Lowest daily steps: 7,356

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 148.53

Total miles hiked: 0

Total miles ran: 17.9

Total miles biked: 4.07

Sleep stats: 6:04 per night average, 6 over 7 hours and 8 between 6-7 hours

Days of Activity: 30

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Sunny kayak day!

My new bike!

The Good Stuff

• I got to kayak and it was glorious.

• Added a minute to my average sleep per night.

• I had 11% more activity than April 2019

• Every day of April had at least one activity

• A bike was purchased and I even got a ride in. More to come on this.

• Carrot cake is one of my favorites so I made one and had some of it and shared the rest. I had other sweet treats also, and didn’t feel bad about it.

• My weight continued to decrease, even after an increase

• I completed Week 10 of Couch 2 10K

• My worst day was still better than my worst day last month, so that was good

• Despite quarantine for COVID, I lost 3.6 lbs overall and ended the month in the 280s

• Almost 5 miles of activity per day

• My boo has walked daily with me

• Work from home due to COVID is allowing me to exercise at more flexible times

• My hip feels better, so I’m back to running after a couple weeks off.

• I managed to create a better work life balance which eased my stress levels

• I didn’t get to hike, but they did reopen the state parks and I plan to get a few day passes

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The Not-So-Good

• I haven’t worked out in a proper gym since the middle of March and it’s not looking good for May. I really need to start some squats or yoga. I will work to reintroduce some of that.

• I didn’t get to hike once. COVID has me staying home, which is fine, but I miss my trail.

• I probably had too many snacks and drinks than necessary, but oh well.

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Mornings!

Mental Health

• Work finally leveled off and I don’t hate life nearly as much as March

• I’ve adapted well to not really seeing many people due to COVID. I’m mostly stressed out about other people being dumb and not having any control over this.

• Regular video chats have continued and I’m loving them - though they leave me feeling a little lonely for my people far away.

• I’ve had a few days of everyone and everything annoying the fuck out of me. I can’t explain why, can’t really understand it… just gotta roll with it. It comes, it goes, and I don’t truly despise anyone. My guess, it’s a product of the tiny stressors I have with work or finances.

• I’m reminded of how lucky I am in these trying times.

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Daily walks by these pines reminds of the beauty in the world.

Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am on the right path. Going to keep this conclusion, because it is true. I have changed my life, and despite some minor issue, am headed to where I want to be.

• I am using Noom. I slacked a bit on my Noom in April, so my coach reset my weeks by a few so I could relearn the stuff I glossed over. I don’t rely on the support of my group, but I do enjoy it occasionally. I’m very much loving the app and the guidance.

• I have accepted the new me. I still enjoy some days with indulgence, and that’s not going to change. If I have to cut something completely out of my life, I don’t succeed. The beauty of my main meals being overall better for me is that the indulgence days don’t completely fuck me over in the long run. Balance, baby!

• I’m still running. I miss the gym, and will continue to probably not do too much at home in May. I will keep running, though, so there is that!

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2012 vs 2020

New runners!

Goals For May

• Read a Damn Book!
  I swear, I’ll read a dang book this month.

• More Salad.
  I just want to get more greens in my diet, even though there are a lot already. I’m aiming for salad lunches all month.

• Social Media Break (3 days, at least)
  I’m going to continue to distance myself from social media the best I can. When I feeling it weighing on me, I leave it alone. Hopefully a whole weekend without.

• Run Run Run! I am going to attempt to add a light run day in the midst of these long, difficult training days. It’s all relative.

• Keep going! I keep adding miles and the goal will be to get a month with 200! Until then, this will be on the goal list.

• FOUR+ Hikes in May
  REALLY hoping that I can start hiking again.

• 150 Miles. I hit 148, so we’ll try for 150 this month.

Stay-At-Home, Week 5? 6? 7? Check-In

It’s been a busy month, wow. I’ve worked a ton of hours, at least a little every day of April, and I’m ready for the weekend. My busy season is mostly behind me, with only follow-ups ahead in terms of work. I have a list of projects to tackle, but I can organize and prioritize them much more easily now that reporting season is over. Anyway, enough about work.

Things getting me through these past few weeks:

• My new bike (because my last one was stolen because I’m an idiot)

• Sleeping in (7:30-8:00 is AMAZING)

• Working from home flexibility when I’m not swamped

• Daily walks with my dog and my boo

• Coffee - ground daily!

• Kayaking

• Sunshine

• Cooler weather

• Thunderstorms

• Drag Race - Yeah bitches, I’m caught up!

• My home office white xmas tree

• The patio garden

• SALADS - yes, I said it

• Weekly happy hours with friends

I’ve had some hard times these past few weeks. I reached points of pure relief but also had moments when EVERYTHING anyone did irritated the fuck out of me. You could have said something so nice and I’d have thought you were just being the worst. I can’t explain those times, but I think it signals overload and loss of control for me. Either way, it’s all part of the spectrum of life.

I got an alert on my iPad in Week 6 when I was “supposed” to check in for my flight to Vancouver. I’d been working pretty hard and I was doing a good job of ignoring the fact that I wasn’t going anywhere. Some people I follow on the socials were posting pretty photos of blossoms up there and we’d likely have missed them or saw the tail end of them, so maybe next year we’ll plan for a smidge earlier in travels. We are re-booking this trip for 2021, and it will be our goddamn year.

Had a nice chat with the BFF squad on one of the Saturdays. We talked, and laughed, and made grand plans for our reunion and annual get together. I truly can’t wait to see them!

I’ve been thinking a lot about the places I haven’t been that are larger than life. Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Glacier, Great Smokey Mountains, Blue Ridge Parkway, Everglades, and more. I’ve been thinking that it’s time to finally prioritize them next year - even if it’s a good preview and not a week at each. There are so many, very interesting and lovely, small scale places that I want to see that these larger than life places end up on the back burner. Everyone speaks so highly of them and “everyone” has visited them, so I feel like I’ve been living through their words and photos already. I love trip planning, so I ordered a guidebook a friend wrote and I’m going to start with Yellowstone. We’ll see what comes out of this next year, how travel will change by then, and what other great places will be on my horizon. The first chance I get, I’m going to drive through the night up to Great Sand Dunes and spend a long weekend there, maybe work from the car one day if I have to. I want to hike from the park/preserve through the mountain pass.

Things to remember… it’s okay to LOVE or HATE this quarantine life. Some people are thriving and that’s their business. I’m mixed - I want to keep doing the things I did before, which didn’t involve many people or interaction much with anyone. I just want to be able to road trip and hike again without judgment or catchin’ that COVID.

For a distraction, here are some photos from various hikes over the past few years!

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Santa Fe National Forest (2018) - SFNF is one of my favorite places and it really caused me to fall in love with New Mexico. Since visiting this part of NM in 2017, I’ve been obsessed. I can’t get enough of the variety throughout the state. I am so excited to work for a company that has a field office there so I can visit even more!

Border Route Trail - 2019. This is along the Canadian border in Minnesota and it was a real treat. The bugs weren’t bad, the weather was comfortable, and we even got to put up hammocks and have a trail beer. This trail wasn’t highly used so it was bushy and vibrant green.

Lost Man Creek - Redwoods National and State Parks, 2016. I could live in the Redwoods and be FINE. This was an easy hike, before I was really “hiking” too much for the record and it was a gorgeous day/trip. We were in California in June, enjoying the gorgeous greenery.

Chugach National Forest - Alaska - 2017. Alaska is where my other half’s family lives and I’m truly lucky to get to visit them and the great surrounding areas. This was a family RV trip around to various places including down to Kenai Fjords NP. What a trip this was. This particular hike was a bit wet, but as you can see vibrant and alive with freshness.

Herman Vogler Conservation Area, Rogers City, MI - Winter 2017. This hike is just down the street from my grandma’s house and now my mom’s too. It was a place my grandma took us frequently as throughout life and it is very special to me in terms of places to go. Winter hikes are fun!

The Hike to Mt. Storm King, Olympic National Park - 2018. This will forever be a favorite hike - my first hike with REAL elevation change. I loved every difficult minute of it. I’d love to go back and do it again now.

Stay-At-Home, Week 4 Check-In

I had a huge rant about everything being closed and how shitty it was, but it was deleted. I think we’re all better off for that, so here goes…

Everything is canceled, but life still moves on. March is my busy month, but it seems to have leaked into April this year. At the end of March, I transitioned to a new job and also transitioned to working from home. This was a complete clusterfuck. I’m very lucky, still, to have the ability to work from home and still get paid. So many of my friends are either out there working, getting their salaries slashed, or being laid off. I have to remember to shut the fuck up sometimes and be grateful. So, I’m shutting up about work. This too shall pass.

Texas closed their state parks on April 7, which is kind of a bummer. I had plans to finally go hike at Daingerfield State Park on the 10th, because it’s a holiday at work. Oh well. I vented about my frustrations on Twitter and was reminded they will be there when this over. So true. But, I’m allowed to be sad or pissed and I was/am. Moving right along… This week, I officially canceled the rest of my plans before August. I made some new plans for October, and added a potential thing in November or December. Woop-Woop, we have airline vouchers to use until they actually refund them per federal mandate. (I may take the cash back and cancel everything thing) This too shall pass.

I’m so damn grateful to have memories of places throughout this beautiful country. Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I’d see the Redwoods or Arches. I had no idea what these places were, besides blips I saw in travel commercials. The internet wasn’t a huge thing until I was in high school and college. I didn’t have high speed internet until college - so reading about these places or enjoying the access we have now was unheard of back then. Once in college, I met people who helped me branch out and explore the idea of road trips. I met people who really hadn’t been anywhere either and thought we should just say “fuck it” and go. While people planned spring breaks to the beaches, we planned drives to places we’ve never seen.

Some of my favorite highlights from National Park Properties (in no particular order)

• Death Valley NP - Dante’s View, Badwater Basin, stumbling upon a desert in bloom, the signs that tell you the elevation (this was also one of my favorite things about driving out west)

• Olympic NP - Hoh Rainforest drive, Hike to Pony Bridge, the Ozette Triangle, Ruby Beach, and just driving through those forests

• Big Bend NP - the road to the Chisos Basin campground, Lost Mine trail, waking up in the Chisos Basin campground, Santa Elena Canyon at sunset, spring flowers

• Pictured Rocks NL - Sable Falls in fall and winter

• Bryce Canyon NP - Hoodoos covered in snow, sunset over the hoodoos, hoodoos in general, Rainbow Point, bristlecone pines

I could go on and on about this. A factor that isn’t mentioned is the people with whom I shared some of these experiences. My other half, best friends, and new friends are all part of why these places were so great. Together we pooled our money and made these adventures happen. Every year, my BFF and I try to go somewhere new together. We went to Utah two years in a row, but we tried new things each time. My other half and I drove to Oregon from Texas, making a pit stop at Arches along the way. Life’s a journey, and all the other cliche messages about loving life. What are some of your favorite places?

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#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: March 2020

“I don’t want to be anything
Other than what I’ve been trying to be lately”

— Gavin DeGraw "I Don't Want To Be"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 446,305

Average daily steps: 14,397

Highest daily steps: 24,467

Lowest daily steps: 6,427

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 140.36

Total miles hiked: 8.5

Total miles ran: 27.7

Sleep stats: 6:03 per night average, 4 over 7 hours and 15 between 6-7 hours

Days of Activity: 28

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A morning run!

The Good Stuff

• Hiked twice - one of them being at my favorite local spot and one during a conference call on a Saturday *shrug*

• Managed to average just over 6 hours of sleep each night and only had a few nights of less than stellar sleep

• I had 31% more activity than March 2019

• The length of daily activity was up from February and way up from last year

• I hit 140 miles of activity - that’s 36 more miles than February!

• My habits have changed and even when I have pizza and beer, I’m still doing OKAY because life isn’t about cutting shit out.

• I’m continuing to see more definition in my legs and that’s motivation!

• I completed Week 8 of Couch 2 10K and I’m loving running more and more.

• I’m down another 11.6 pounds this month, making that 31.5 for 2020 so far.

• I’m working from home, during this pandemic, so walks and runs are happening more frequently.

• I ran two miles without stopping, and then started Week 9 by running 3.47 miles.

• My other half is working on health and fitness, which makes this even easier to do at home together.

• I’m UNDER 300 pounds. This is a big deal for me.

• It’s been three-four months of changed habits, better food choices, and working around things I can’t live without; I have a new life and I’m still going.

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The Not-So-Good

• I haven’t worked out in a proper gym since the middle of March and it’s not looking good for April. I need to invest in some dumbbells for at home. My muscle goals are not huge, I just want to maintain and build strength so I can continue to lose fat. Healthy weight.

• I had some terribly lazy days in March. My body did not want to move some days, and that’s okay. Going forward, if I find myself on day of blah, I’m going to at least try to do a 2-mile loop to see if it works to energize my brain.

• I have been consuming empty calories during this pandemic - mostly in the form of alcohol and snacks - so I’m going to continue to be more conscious of this and pick and choose when it means the most to do those things.

• I had to readjust my sleep schedule to overcome insomnia. I’m working to maintain normalcy during this time of social isolation and working from home.

• I’ve changed jobs, which is great, but I’ve lost my lunchtime workout buddies. Yeah, the pandemic halted that anyway, but they will not be there for me afterwards and I’m not sure I’ve accepted it yet.

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Technically woke up in a tent on March 1, to the warm sunshine.

Mental Health

• My trips for April, May, and June are all canceled or rescheduled. It’s not exactly fun, inspiring, or good news. I know it’s for the overall good of the world, but I need a minute to mourn.

• Working from home has been stressful in that it is the busiest time of year and I’m way behind on work which stresses me out and makes me irritable/withdrawn

• During times of social distancing, I’ve had a lot of conference calls and fun video chats with friends. Makes life way better!

• Exercise is part of routine and the routine makes me happy.

• Not commuting during this time of pandemic has reduced my stress by 50% at least. I am dreading the day when we have to all crawl on the freeway to get to work again.

• I haven’t been writing as much, and maybe I need to get some stuff out.

• I became obsessed with the daily weight on my scale and it was dumb. I stopped weighing myself for a week and self-corrected. The weight isn’t even the main goal with me, it’s simply being healthier and happier.

• I had a great evening with two wonderful friends and we booked a fall trip, pending the way the pandemic plays out. Camping and exploring Rainier and Olympic - two of my favorite spots with two fun people is going to be just what I need after this whole first half of the year.

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Dinosaur Valley State Park - creek crossing

Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am on the right path. I’m still working towards a healthier life and I’ve made a number of permanent changes that are keeping me on the track.

• I am tracking my food. I’m tracking everything I eat - whether it fits that plan for the day or not. It’s about honesty and transparency. If I keep myself honest, I will know how to adjust to avoid problem areas. I’ll never give up good beer, pizza, or pasta and I don’t have to as long as I even it out and kind of plan for anything.

• I’ve settled on some personal goals regardless of anyone else and their goals. I’ve developed my own goals, plans for reaching them, and opinion about working out. SO thankful for everyone who helps me on a daily basis adhere to them.

• I’m better than I was before. March was great and had a few missteps, but that’s life. I worked hard, ran farther, and continued on my path to a more balanced daily diet. These changes aren’t like the fad diets of the past. I’ve created a sustainable way to live and love life through food and exercise.

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March run selfies.

Spring has sprung.

Goals For April

• Read a Damn Book!
  This is a real issue for me! I want to read the books, but I am not taking the time to do it and it shows. I have a shelf of new books, thanks to one of my many mothers, and I just need to devote some time!

• Less Fake Shit, More Citrus Shit
  I consume a large quantity of sparkling water with various squeezes of flavoring thanks in part to our SodaStream. My goal is to replace some of the squeeze stuff with lemon and lime juice instead.

• Social Media Break (3 days, at least)
  I had a half day off in March, so I’m going to work towards a full weekend in April. Being that we’re all stuck at home now, it’s a little more challenging when trying to stay in touch. But, I’m going to try!

• Run Forrest! I’m going to try to add a fourth day of running each week - just for shits and giggles.

• Keep going! I keep adding miles and the goal will be to get a month with 200! Until then, this will be on the goal list.

• FOUR Hikes in April
  REALLY hoping that we can start hiking a bit further from home again… If not, I’ll be hitting up my local spots over and over until they’re boring.

• Yogi the Yoga Bear I am going to add yoga once a week, that’s easy enough to try.

• 150 Miles. I had 140 in March, why not 150 in April? (maybe the weather, who knows, but we’re gonna try!)

• I am aiming for 50%+ vegetarian. I am working to make my breakfasts and lunches more veggie focused - still a work in progress.

My favorite trees along my daily walk and run route.

Stay-At-Home, Week 3 Check-In

I’ve got road trips on my brain, again.
Do they ever leave my brain?

I’m longing for one of those GOOD road trips that involve little planning and maximum adventure. Back in the day my buddies and I would get in the car and plot out some stops and fill in the rest as we went. We made minimal hotel reservations, didn’t know when or where we’d stop to eat, and didn’t much care.

Read about the four trips I did with some best friends as I transitioned from college to real life.

Memorable trips more recently include drives back to Michigan, trips to Missouri, long hauls to the Redwoods and Oregon, and shorter ones to places like Big Bend or New Mexico. I have the Redwoods on the brain today, but who knows where I’ll be tomorrow? Daydreaming is getting me through this time of quarantine.

My Top 5 States (in no particular order)

1. Washington

2. Michigan

3. Oregon

4. New Mexico

5. Minnesota

Some honorable mentions are Alaska, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, California, and Nevada. I have yet to truly dive in to Wyoming, Montana, and the Dakotas. I haven’t done much out east, either, and it shows. I am not opposed to the east side, I just love what I find in the west. I think my top five list is based on accessibility - it’s easy to explore in those places, or I have connections. We have family in Alaska, so if it were a top six it would be on there. Alaska is expensive to get to and expensive to navigate if you want to get off the beaten path. The west is best.

I’m so excited that two of the trips I have planned for late summer/fall are to Washington. Some friends and I are going to camp on the beach in Olympic National Park, hike through the forests of Rainier, and anything and everything in between. Then, I get to go back a month later to run my first 10K up a mountain in the same area! Have I mentioned I love Washington?

Travel is clearly my escape. I know it’s a privilege, and it can seem very annoying to whine about canceling trips. I posted a similar statement on Twitter, only to be refreshed at the responses. I hadn’t thought that people, like myself, prioritize trips in their lives over other things and events. I forgot that trips to nature are the literal escape our brains need sometimes and it’s okay to miss it or to have feelings about it overall.

We’ll all get to travel again, when we get a handle on this virus. One way or another, the world still spins madly on. Enjoy some photos from my favorite states.

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Stay-At-Home, Week 1 & 2 Check-In

I’m writing to calm my brain. I’m going to start writing little blurbs every week to check in, document what’s going on, and put some shit out there for the world if they need a distraction. Currently, I’m on week two of working from home and the first week of “shelter in place” mandated by the county in which I live.

My days are honestly wonderful…

• Get up, run if it’s a run day, make breakfast, and watch some nonsense, check some emails

• Go to my “home office” and start actual work, beyond communications

• Take a break to go for a walk, then have some lunch

• Go back to work until dinner time

• Make dinner, maybe do some work or email stuff

• Watch some nonsense, read something not for work, and/or work on Campfire Stories.

I’m going to check my privilege here, because I know I’m pretty damn lucky. I work for a company that has allowed us to work from home and receive normal pay. My job can be done at home easily, even though some things are just better in person, and I’m grateful for the flexible productivity. I am having an awful time focusing - not going to lie about that. Oh well, I’m getting work done on my own schedule and that’s all that matters. Thank you, company, for letting me work from home and allowing me to continue to support local businesses and friends who need it.

In between work, exercise, and doing absolutely nothing, I’ve been looking through old photos. I’m working on re-mapping my old trips in Google Maps because Microsoft Streets and Trips is obsolete and my files don’t work. Talk about Throwback Thursdays. I’m going to share a few of those photos here and when I get some maps done, I’ll probably share those in a post for Campfire Stories next month.

Today I’m dreaming of being at the family cottage in the warm summer sun. The cottage is situated up on an inland lake on the northeast side of Michigan’s lower peninsula. When I first heard we were going to have to isolate, I immediately though of packing up our lives and moving to the cottage until this blew over - but things didn’t happen the way I had hoped.

With my grandmother aging, and the dementia taking hold, the family cottage is never going to be the same. We have uncertainty about of what new memories will be made there, but the old ones will never be erased. The cottage will always be a place, as long as we own it, for family gatherings and good times. I’m going to share some of my favorite photos from time spent there to lift my own spirits and encourage others to stroll down memory lane.

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: February 2020

“So come on, come on, come on
Let’s get physical”

— Dua Lipa "Physical"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 414,527

Average daily steps: 14,294

Highest daily steps: 27,708

Lowest daily steps: 6,934

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 104.74

Total miles hiked: 14

Sleep stats: 6:13 per night average, 5 over 7 hours and 15 between 6-7 hours

Days of Activity: 27

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A nice hike in Cloudcroft, NM at 9000 feet with a little snow and a little sun

The Good

• Had a couple of good hikes with some nice scenery

• Increased my sleep by going to bed earlier

• I had 42% more movement than February 2019

• I was more active and my daily numbers were higher

• I hit 104 miles of activity!

• I feel lost when I don’t go to the gym

• Seeing slight results in my shoulders, face, and upper body

• I don’t feel bad about a few “bad” meals here and there - it’s not a derailment like in the past

• I did four weeks of Couch 2 10K - and it’s getting easier

• I’m down another 9 pounds this month

• I got out in my kayak one weekend and it was glorious!

• I had enough social interaction to feel like I was still part of the world but not enough to make me tired of the world

• I had an epic last day of the month with a 7 mile hike and my first trail run of 2020

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The Not-So-Good

• I had a couple of “zero days” that I just couldn’t get myself moving - the zero isn’t the bothersome part, it was the lack of any motivation

• Another month of a few weeks out of town - it can be difficult to overcome the temptation to eat and act like a lazy version of myself

• I didn’t work out one whole week in the gym and it was depressing - but I think I found a hotel in the town I go for work that has a complimentary gym membership

• My Apple Watch fell out of my gym locker and it shattered - did get it replaced, but it ruined my streaks in the Health App

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Kayaking was good for my soul!

Mental Health

• February was an overall win for my personal mental well being

• Finding a balance of work and life is difficult for me now, but I’m going to continue to work on it

• Writing daily or recording my thoughts really helps

• Exercise brings me back to sanity

• The CALM app has been very helpful

• I had my few bad days, and of course I get in my head about things, but they’re fewer

• I had some issues with the scale, I really was being too critical of myself, and I let it get to me too much. Need to take a break on that front.

• Had a great bunch of weekends that included hikes, kayaking, drinking games with friends and family, and nights out w/ other friends. Great for the spirit.

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Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am on track. I have clear goals and I’m working hard to achieve them.

• I am tracking my food. I’m still keeping track of everything, unless I’m off the grid. Even “red” days with too many items I should really balance out. I track everything - food, exercise, and sleep.

• My coworkers are working out. I’m going to miss lunch workouts as I have so much out of town work ahead of me and my eventual transition to a different company. These guys are my rock some days, and definitely always inspiration.

• February was a big win. I added running, longer daily activities, and kept on lifting. I really did push myself pretty hard and sometimes it was stressful to try and keep up, but it was worth it.

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Goals for March

APT gym for the win.

Evening runs are better than no run at all!

• Read/Listen to at least 1 book per month
  I didn’t quite get through a book in February either — gotta triple down in March.

• Drinking more water
  My water intake in February didn’t quite go up as much as I would have liked - so it’ll be a continued effort to drink more water.

• Take 2 days off from social media
  The last weekend of February was the perfect time to take two days off from the world in general - no cell service meant two days off the grid and I hope to replicate that in March.

• More jogging I’m going to continue my 10K training and maybe even include some in between.

• Working on increasing my daily average for activity I increased my daily activity to almost 4 miles and 14k steps so I’m hoping to up it from there.

• More adventurous hikes - I have a few spots in mind.
  I’m hoping to snowshoe in New Mexico and find a few hikes on the weekends I’m out there for work.

• Continued daily mindful breaks and reading The Awakening I need to get back to taking a few more minutes for this and maybe some yoga.

• There’s no reason I can’t hit 100 miles for March. I had 104 in February, so lets shoot for 115-120 in March.

• I am aiming for 50%+ vegetarian. I want to be concerned about this, but when I’m out of town it can be tricky for me.

Started the month off with a sunrise in Granbury, TX on the lake… after a great night of debauchery with friends and family.

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: January 2020

“One foot in front of the other
All that we have is each other”

— Walk the Moon "One Foot"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 347,526

Average daily steps: 11,211

Highest daily steps: 16,804

Lowest daily steps: 6,543

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 60.04

Total miles hiked: 9.06

Sleep stats: 5 1/2 hours per night average, 7 nights over 6 hours

Days of Activity: 26

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Finally got to Guadalupe Mountains NP!

The Good

• Started off the year with a couple of hikes this month and one bucket list hike

• I salvaged the month in terms of steps, activity, and overall trajectory

• After battling the flu and trips, I managed to get back to my routine

• I beat January 2019 for steps, days of activity, miles of walking/hiking/running

• Lifting more weight and feeling more confident about my presence in a gym

• Seeing slight results from gym/food adjustments

• I don’t feel deprived of food, fun, or life due to being conscientious about my food intake

• I have developed habits already, and continue to do so daily

• I’m down 11 lbs since the start of January, which is not the main goal, but certainly helps keep me motivated

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The Not-So-Good

• Started the year with a severe cold or flu issue - making walking, running, training, hiking, and just about everything difficult or impossible because I was also working 13-14 hour days out of town so I just needed to rest instead of pushing myself

• I did not run much in January, but that will change in February

• I had a few days when I just said “fuck-it” and that is something NOOM is helping me overcome, honestly.

• I did not exactly hit my daily activity goal in the way I wanted, so that will be a major focus in February by adding more activity in the mornings.

• Many nights were lacking in sleep. I have a plan for this issue.

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Walking it off… because sometimes that’s all it takes to change my mood.

Mental Health

• I was feeling VERY defeated in the beginning

• Routine makes me happy and getting back to it saved me this month

• Writing in my journal daily is a vital piece to maintaining my sanity

• Exercise is when I clear my head - lifting makes me focus on breathing and just doing the damn thing instead of worrying or hurrying

• Despite the stress of work keeping me tense for ten days, I made it through the month quite well and upbeat

• I was away from my bed for 17 nights and it really taught me how to chill out and just accept things in life. Silly, but true.

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Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am on track. I have clear goals and specific plans to achieve them.

• I am tracking my food. I’m tracking my food every day, even if it is one of those days I have too much of a good thing. Keeping my food log keeps me honest and makes me want to do well with my choices.

• My coworkers are working out. Honestly, I have the coolest friends at work who work out at lunch and have taught me so much.

• January was a win. I would have liked to push myself more, and I did let working out of town kind of slow me down a little, but the month was an overall success. I hit some goals and have adjusted others. I learned how to function out of town and still live within my food and exercise program.

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Goals for February

I used that hotel gym the best I could!

Hiking is my happy place, most of the time.

• Read/Listen to at least 1 book per month
  I didn’t quite get through a book in January, so I’ll have to double down in February.

• Drinking more water
  My water intake in January was lower than it should have been, so I’m trying to focus in on that in February

• Take 2 days off from social media
  I’m going to have to work harder with this in February, January was a complete miss

• More jogging There will be WAY more jogging in February as I embark on my training for a 10K (so first, I will focus on actually running a mile… crawl before you walk)

• Working on increasing my daily average for activity I hit over 11k per day on average, but there’s room to grow here.

• More adventurous hikes - I have a few spots in mind.
  We will be camping as a family in Caprock Canyons State Park - back to Fern Cave I go!

• Continued daily mindful breaks and reading The Awakening I’ve read my “The Book of Awakening” every day in January and entered writing daily in my journal.

• There’s no reason I can’t hit 100 miles for February. Only 60 in January, so what’s 40 more?

• I am aiming for 50%+ vegetarian. I’ve been pretty good about breakfasts being vegetarian, but I haven’t mastered the lunch and dinner yet.

It was a cold and sunny morning - my favorite. Felt cute, didn’t delete later.

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: September-December 2019

“Here come my tears
Like a dancer on a stage
I got nothing to fear
Just a hurricane of feeling
Baby, come here
Show me how to shake
I wanna move like the air
A pirouette of pain”

— Mother Mother "I Must Cry Out Loud"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: Sep: 242,452 / Oct: 292,547 / Nov: 313,324 / Dec: 382,398

Average daily steps: Sep: 8,082 / Oct: 9,438 / Nov: 10,444 / Dec: 12,335

Highest daily steps: Sep: 22,014 / Oct: 14,353 / Nov: 15,185 / Dec: 16,481

Lowest daily steps: Sep: 3,956 / Oct: 2,536 / Nov: 3,421 / Dec: 8,582

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: Sep: 21.95 / Oct: 62.66 / Nov: 54.76 / Dec: 85.7

Total miles hiked: Sep: 11.88 / Oct: 0 / Nov: 8.92 / Dec: 2.72

Sleep stats: Sep: 5:24 / Oct: 5:13 / Nov 5:03 / Dec: 5:38

Days of Activity: Sep: 9 / Oct: 23 / Nov: 26 / Dec: 31

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Fall temps and colors hanging on in Texas!

The Good

• Finished the year by starting a workout routine in the gym 5 days per week

• Enjoyed a few good hikes with great intentions for 2020 (as always)

• Spent a little more time on trails in November and December, which was a welcomed change

• The weather is cooler and the holiday lights are uplifting - especially on evening dog walks

• I increased my activity and steps as the year ended - helping me reach goals and set the stage for 2020

• Really started to reign in the poor eating and drinking habits in November with a big shift to saving money, eating in, and eating food better for my body

• Experimenting with food to see what is helping me gain the muscle I’m training for while losing the excess fat

• My aunt and I had a nice little hike in the Lincoln National Forest over in BEAUTIFUL New Mexico. The trees smelled so good and it was a nice little change of pace.

• Had the most amazing hike in North Cascades National Park - challenged my fitness, cleared my head, and brought me right back to the moment. I honestly haven’t felt as good as I did on that hike in a while. (September)

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The Not-So-Good

• I haven’t been as committed to vegetarian meals

• Despite an increased effort, I haven’t been able to sleep more

• Did not hike NEARLY as much as I’d have liked (this quarter and the previous two months)

• I did not lose 35 lbs by 35 years old - but it’s not for a lack of trying

• I did not kayak really at all the final quarter of the year - SO SAD.

• Barely rode my bike. I wonder if part of it is how I think I look on my bike and the other part of it is having to fold my seats down to take it anywhere but the nearby neighborhood because crossing all of these main roads scares the shit out of me? **update: bike was stolen from porch so in the process of a new one

• After one leg day in November, my knee was fucked. It had swollen to a very large size and remained in pain for a few days. It has been better, but I’m still afraid to do lunges. I did still do other leg day activities and squats seemed to be OK, even with added weight

• The Holidays really jolted my habits and I’m ready to get back to normal.

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Walks with my love and the best dog

Mental Health

• Work was absolutely draining and the main contributor to my depressive episodes over the past four months

• Did not read my daily motivation or write daily, which needs to happen in 2020

• Did not get to disconnect as often as I’d like, but have scaled back my social media

• Weightlifting has been helping my overall mental health be more positive

• I’ve been writing poems or little blurbs that make no sense but make me feel better

• Focusing on things I can control and can change has made a huge difference in my overall outlook on life

• Realizing that I’m making progress in other areas of my life makes me less hard on myself for my older poor life choices

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A glorious hike at North Cascades National Park - Cascade Pass trail

Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am currently on track. I have found my way again - in a balanced sense. I know what I need to do, I’m doing it, and I’m working harder than before. I’m adding weight as I gain knowledge and skill, walking daily, and eating more intelligently.

• I am tracking my food. I’ve signed up to use NOOM until August, 2020. I’m working on changing my habits and their monitoring and database is pretty good for weird things. They are kind of like Weight Watchers where they focus on types of calories.

• My coworkers are working out and trying too. Having some support, is helpful and I’m so lucky to have some people to go to the gym with over lunch break

• 2019 Was a huge success overall. I had many great months and plenty of excellent memories. I have been more active than 2018 and learned so many skills to take into 2020. I finished the year with a 325% increase in steps and activity, numerically speaking. I walked more, though I hiked less, and added weightlifting. I have goals, public and secret, that are pushing me on towards the finish line in 2020.

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Goals for January 2020 & Beyond

Flashy shoes make everything better

More weight, please!

• Read/Listen to at least 1 book per month
  I have failed at larger numbers, so we’ll start with a bare minimum of 1 book per month with hopes it’ll be more. I have a huge stack to get through in 2020

• Working on drinking less booze, and more water. Currently, drinking less alcohol is really easy as it aligns with my plans to get stronger and leaner. Water, well, that can be a challenge when swamped at work or on the road.

• Take 2 days off from social media My plan is to take a weekend off in January and every month thereafter

• More jogging I’m beginning my training for a 10K in September. I have 9 months and January seems like an appropriate starting point. I will also include more leg work and actual trail runs. More hiking will also help. The 10K I’m doing is up 2000ft in 3 miles. I’m exploring the option of delaying my workday until 9AM if it means I can try to get to a trail beforehand - we’ll see how that goes.

• Working on increasing my daily average for activity I consistently increased activity and movement through December and don’t plan to backslide. In January, I hope to hit a 12K steps per day average and run at least 1 trail per week (or attempt to run) Hoping to walk the dog at least 3 miles per day through January, which is a real challenge because the 2 mile route is easier and faster when I have a shitload of things to do every evening.

• More adventurous hikes - I have a few spots in mind.
  I have high hopes for a few big trips - and trail runs will count as hikes in 2020. I will re-attempt the Adventure Series of the 52 Hike Challenge again in hopes of actually completing the list.

• Continued daily mindful breaks and reading The Awakening Daily reading and journal logging is going to be a requirement for January and beyond. Points of reference would be helpful with my spreadsheets of data on health/fitness. There was a huge dip in August and September and if I had taken better notes along the way I may know exactly what caused it. Added bonus - notes help release thoughts which can lessen the darkness….

• There’s no reason I can’t hit 100 miles for January. More walks, hikes, jogs, and bike rides.

• I am aiming for 50%+ vegetarian. I’m going to use this as a target, but may have to adjust and add sustainable seafood. I just can’t eat that many beans and lentils. Most soy stuff, not even super protein rich, is irritating to my system.

Minnesota - One of My Happy Places

I typically get to Minnesota every year at least once. You know those friends who become family? Well, I’m fortunate to have those in Duluth, MN. My best bud, who went on all of the road trips with me, has family and a cabin up there which allows for awesome escapes.

Enjoy a little recap of 2019 in Minnesota.

Early February

This trip required a flight into the tundra known as Minneapolis The flight was delayed and so was our arrival to the Land of 10,000 lakes. We rented a Chevy Silverado, because we needed 4-wheel drive anyway, and headed up to Duluth. We didn’t get in until late, didn’t get up to Duluth til very late, and probably had more of a nap than a sleep. After coffee and packing up, we headed up to McFarland. We always stop at the Gun Flint Tavern in Grand Marais, MN. If you don’t stop there, does a trip to the cabin even count? They have great brews on tap and excellent food and are busy all year, so plan ahead if you stop by. From the tavern, it’s a short walk to the municipal liquor store and co-op if you need supplies.

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Once to the lake, winter trips to the cabin require snowshoeing across then up the hill to the cabin. This year was eventful, to say the least. To start, there was a lot of snow and it was very cold - all good things for going across a frozen lake in the winter. Apparently, though, there was some slush under the upper crust of snowy ice creating a slushy lake on top of the actual ice, which was very thick. My snowshoe went through the upper crust, into the slushy lake on a lake, and slipped off my boat and floated away. I was worried I was going through the actual ice and entering a true emergency situation, but when my knee slammed down on the ice, I knew figured I was pretty safe. I worked to get out of the situation, but it was not easy as I broke through in every direction. Eventually, with a little help from Kevin, I got to the surface and freed myself from my lonely snowshoe. The snow on top of the lake wasn’t too bad, so a pair of snowshoes was only an added convenience. Bitter cold, wet, and frustrated, I made my way to the forested lakeside and up to the cabin.

A fire was built, frozen clothes stripped away, and dry clothes put on. Consumption of beer was immediate but warming of the cabin took what felt like centuries. Eventually dinner was had, more drinks were had, and laughter ensued about the incident earlier in the day. We made it before darkness, which was pretty early, and that’s all that mattered.

After a couple of days secluded from the world, we had to head back to reality. The trek back across the lake was only mildly annoying and there were no more issues. Back in Duluth, we had an evening to rest before driving back to Minneapolis to catch a plane. Of course we needed a good dinner and some beer, so we ran to Wisconsin to get the lowest legal beer prices around. It’s the little things - snow, seclusion, friends who became family, and low legal beer prices.

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Late August

There is nothing quite like a whole week off the grid. My job became overly stressful and I was looking forward to five days without notifications, emails, or contact of any kind. Kevin and I decided we were going to drive up to Duluth, then the cabin, for this visit. We wanted to bring Chewy to the cabin to experience true freedom, so driving was the only way!

It started off in a typical fashion of hanging out with the family and stocking up in Wisconsin with the lowest legal beer prices. We made our way up the North Shore with our usual stop in Grand Marais at the Gun Flint Tavern, Municipal Liquor, and grocery store. It was a sunny day with blue skies, mild temps, and plenty of fresh air. The road to the lake was dusty, as usual, and we had to stop at the usual overlook for a quick break. We arrived at the boat launch, unloaded the boat, loaded the boat with supplies, and began our journey across the lake. As we approached the dock at the cabin property, we noticed it looked a little funny. Upon closer inspection, it appears part of the dock was washed away making transferring supplies a little more difficult than usual. I misjudged the balance of the dock without decking and tipped the whole damn thing and landed in the water. Brisk is one word to describe the water when one is used to Texas temperatures.

We made a classic mistake by drinking too much beer the first night. It was a pretty quiet couple of days in the beginning as we nursed hangovers in our 30s and laid low for a while. I explored the woods around the cabin a little and eventually we made it over to the Border Route Trail to do some hiking. The weather was mostly good, cool, sunny. A major project we had to do while up was to reinstall the composting toilet and it was accomplished in a day. Nights were spent by the fire, making food and having beers while Chewy the dog begged/listened to the woods. At one point, we swear we heard a moose trudging through trees in the distance, but it can’t be confirmed with a visual.

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Eventually, we had leave the cabin and all of the beauty of living off the grid. We packed out the trash and closed everything up and made our way across the lake. We spent one last evening in Duluth, with a little outing to Canal Park Brewing Company. It was a cool, windy evening on Lake Superior, but the beers and food were great. Since we drove this time, we could take it a little easier as we headed south so we made a stop for lunch at Bent Paddle Brewing Co in one of my favorite parts of Duluth. There was a pizza food truck and plenty of beers to choose from, so it was what some would call an extended lunch. We met a fun bartender, who actually lived in Michigan before, which just added to my instant love for the brewery and brewpub atmosphere. It’s always hard leaving Duluth for me because it’s somewhere I feel home and could see myself living out the rest of my life. It was Saturday afternoon and we made it back by Sunday morning which gave me a quick turnaround for work on Monday.

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What a trip this was, living off the grid and reconnecting with Minnesota. So many great sunrises, sunsets, and moments in between. I look forward to 2020 visits to Minnesota, sprinkled between other adventures along the way.

Finding A Way

If I could find a way

To fix all of the mistakes I’ve made

To redirect my life

To feel alive again

To pay off the debts I owe

To learn the things I want to know

To love me even more

I would.

If I could find a way, I’d be less of a zombie

If I could find the strength, I’d be more alive

If I could find a way, I’d be more me.

But I haven’t found a way

And I can’t figure it out

And I feel helpless, hopeless, and completely lost

And I’m not ready for life to suck so it can be better

I’m not ready to be stuck at home

Or without freedom

Because work already does that for 9 hours a day or more

And I need to escape

And I want to show him the world

And I want to see the world too.

I wish I could find the strength

I wish I could find my motivation

I wish I wasn’t so bad at life

I wish I wasn’t so self-destructive

I wish I wish I wish.

If I liked my job

I’d be okay not needing escape

And If I liked my work

I’d like my job

If I had accepted that job for less money

Would I be happier?

Would I be on a career path I’m proud of?

What if?

No one ever really knows.

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: August 2019 Check-In

“Another falling wave
Upon this crumbling beach
How many more
Until we meet?”

— Geographer "Summer of My Discontentment"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 351,954

Average daily steps: 11,353

Highest daily steps: 36,077

Lowest daily steps: 4,201

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 63.61

Total miles hiked: 21.09

Sleep stats: 1 day over 7hrs, 12 days in between 6-7hrs, and 18 days under 6hrs

Average daily sleep: 5 hours 19 minutes

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Little Backyard Adventure trail race”
Olympia, WA

The Good

• Plenty of good behaviors developed over the month

• More activity than July

• Spent more time on the trails

• It’s almost fall?

• Ran a trail race and didn’t come in dead fucking last. Lots of work ahead on that front.

• Hiked some good hikes in excellent places and with good friends

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The Not-So-Good

• Only 30% of my meals were vegetarian

• Sleep did not improve but 1 minute

• Need to fully evaluate my relationship with alcohol and health

• Ate a bunch of shitty foods on repeat

• Had some vacations with shitty days related to food and fitness goals

• Gave up after those trips and on those trips, thus making it hard to start September

• I am not on course to lose 35 by 35

• I did not kayak, was too busy

• Barely rode my bike, too busy

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Off the grid in Northern Minnesota

Mental Health

• Work was mentally draining the entire month of August

• Stopped reading my Daily Awakening and it shows

• Disconnected for 5 days and it was GLORIOUS - wrote a lot on that trip too

• I am a sad boy at the end of August, hoping that exercising more will help again

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A glorious hike at Mount Saint Helens Volcanic National Monument

Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am currently NOT on track. I gave up and need to find my strength and motivation again.

• I am tracking my food. I am working on doing this with more care.

• My coworkers are working out and trying too. Having some support, is helpful.

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Goals for September

More big trees, please!

• Read/Listen to at least 3 books
  (I read one in August)

• Working on drinking less booze, and more water. I need to adhere to this.

• Take 4-7 days off from social media (I will do another weekend off the grid)

• More jogging (I will continue to strive to do a 5k run, still working on a single mile)

• Working on increasing my daily average for activity It feels good, both mentally and physically.

• More adventurous hikes - I have a few spots in mind.
  I’m headed to New Mexico and Washington with lots of potential

• Continued daily mindful breaks and reading The Awakening (at least 2 reflective hikes)

• There’s no reason I can’t hit 100 miles for September. (Daily walks and jogs + hikes = c’mon man - still trying for that hundo)

• I am continuing 50%+ vegetarian. For the planet, for my body, I’m reducing overall meat intake. I’m not going vegan or cutting all meats out, just less overall. It’s been quite easy so far, and cheaper. (I’m trying, really)

Keep Living.

Keep Living

I’m not a competitive person.

But, I’m in competition with myself.

You reaching your goals motivates me.

But, you reaching your goals is your achievement.

You reaching your goals doesn’t make me want to reach your goals.

I love myself.

I love my body.

I love what I can do.

I love what I’m capable of.

I love being lazy.

I love being active.

Some days, I just can’t.

Some days, I just can’t try.

Some days, I just don’t want to.

Some days, I do.

Some days, I’m motivated.

Some days I fucking crush it.

I want to run.

I want to hike.

I want to ride.

I want it to be fall.

I want to be fit.

I want, I want, I want.

I need to try.

I need to be fit.

I need to try to be fit.

I need to try to be more fit.

I need to be good to myself.

I need to stop being self-destructive.

I need to keep living.

I need to live.

I need to live well.

#MondayMotivation - A Healthier Mike: July 2019 Check-In

“I like myself most of the time
This ain’t a crime, this ain’t a crime
I like myself most of the time
Is that a crime? Is that a crime?”

— K. Flay "I Like Myself (Most Of The Time)"

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Quick Stats

Total steps: 335.996

Average daily steps: 10,838

Highest daily steps: 21,013

Lowest daily steps: 3,958

Total miles walked/ran/hiked: 81.15

Total miles hiked: 9.33 (back on the wagon, thankfully)

Sleep stats: 4 days over 7 hours, 4 days between 6-7, and 23 days under 6 hours

Average daily sleep: 5 hours 18 minutes

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Outside Experience with one of the best!

The Good

• Joined the gym, through my insurance for next to nothing and NO contract

• Total activity is greater than June, daily activity average is higher as well

• Back into the hiking mode! I missed it and it was an instant high.

• I’ve increased my workouts and added lunch time routines as well - more physical activity feels SO GOOD.

• I did not kayak, but I did bike! Oh yeah, I bought a bike! It’s nothing expensive or special but it serves the purpose of biking around on paved paths or gravel stuff. I’m not ready for the real trails….yet.

• I am working out twice a day at least 5 days per week

• I’m down 12 lbs since January, it’s been up and down. July was a good month, 6 lbs down overall.

• Made more food at home

• I pushed through my bad weekends

• My meals were 61% vegetarian in nature. It’s so easy, and delicious.

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The Not-So-Good

• I didn’t find time to kayak, which is more sad than bad

• I did not really increase my sleep. I plan to make a real effort in August

• Had some bender weekends for food/drinking - speed bumps

• Dined out too much, but mostly on trips

• I still have days when I give up or eat too much, but tracking it makes me aware

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An excerpt from The Awakening

Mental Health

• Work was mentally draining the entire month of July

• Have not been writing as much as I would like, but I have plans for August

• My phone is a constant source of anxiety and so use of my phone is continuously being reduced

• I am in a good place, overall, but there’s always work to be done.

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A night of swimming at Lake Granbury w/ friends and family. Good for physical and mental wellness.

Thoughts, Notes, Conclusions

• I am on track. Slow and steady wins the race. Realizing excess happens is a big step and exercising no matter what is important.

• I am tracking my food. It helps, but it isn’t perfect.

• My coworkers are working out and trying too. Having some support, even if it isn’t for the same goals. It’s nice to have friends on the Apple Watch or to go to the gym with at lunch time.

• Epiphany of the month: If I’m trying, working on it, and making strides to be better in all aspects of life then I’m fine. Even if I’m not doing my best some days, I’m still moving forward and still trying overall. I feel better, mentally and physically, and that’s what I’m after.

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Goals for August

More hiking, please!

• Read/Listen to at least 3 books
  (A constant goal is 8, I’m always coming up short… so I’m making it more realistic)

• Working on drinking less booze, and more water. I have a lot of cabin time and weekends away, so it will be a real challenge.

• Take 4-7 days off from social media (I’m heading to the cabin for 5 nights, which is off the grid—-can’t wait!)

• More jogging (I will continue to strive to do a 5k run, still working on a single mile)

• Working on increasing my daily average for activity It feels good, both mentally and physically.

• More adventurous hikes - I have a few spots in mind.
  (This is loaded because I’m headed to the Pacific Northwest and Minnesota)

• Continued daily mindful breaks and reading The Awakening (at least 2 reflective hikes)

• There’s no reason I can’t hit 100 miles for August. (Daily walks and jogs + hikes = c’mon man)

• I am continuing 50%+ vegetarian. For the planet, for my body, I’m reducing overall meat intake. I’m not going vegan or cutting all meats out, just less overall. It’s been quite easy so far, and cheaper.

And more meetups with friends, please.

A little Minnesota for this #ForestFriday

I’ve got Minnesota on my brain. I have a lot of things on my brain, but Minnesota is sticking out. I’m returning to the land in the Great North mi- August to go to the cabin off the grid and check out of society for a while. My friend’s cabin is one of my favorite places to be because it makes me slow down and take in every minute of daylight. There’s always some work to do, always a trip to the Boundary Waters, and usually a lot of beer and cards by lantern into the night. Northern Minnesota is truly dark at night, silent in terms of the modern world for the most part, and completely refreshing.

Here are some photos from over the past 15 years of visits to the cabin for your viewing pleasure.