Rocks

Yesterday I ran a 16 hour gauntlet to return home.

 Our 6am flight home.

Technically, I didn't run.  Or exercise.  It was a 90 minute drive to the airport (we left at 3:30am EST, or 12:30am PST), our flight left at 6:30am and was 4 hrs and 45 minutes long (despite my best efforts, I did not sleep.). We landed in Vegas at 8:15am, PST.  We drove to Prescott, with a brief stop for lunch in Kingman, arriving around 1pm.  I packed up things for Ride, and drove to Mesa, hitting early rush hour.  At 4pm I settled in to change and head to dinner with my oldest (who still lacks a blog nickname.  Hm.  How about Oldest?)

Within minutes of sitting down for dinner, I received a text that shook me to the core.  Granted, no one was injured or dead, but my blood pressure skyrocketed.  This was something I so did not need.

Dole Whips at Disney World.

Our vacation had been as close to perfect as possible (only alone time for Mama and a few more IPA's would have made it so, but that's not a complaint, merely an observation.) The kids showed marked maturity, they got along, and the only arguments were when someone was hangry.

 This is Manchild hangry.  The Princess also got hangry, but she was harder to catch on film.  Hangry (for those of you without teenagers) is when you are so hungry and something upsets you and you don't hide it:)

It was no coincidence that as I drank in salt air and sun I knew the desire of my heart had been fulfilled.  I had longed for this.

 Siesta Key Beach, one of many we visited.

I got in a ton of shark tooth hunting, and even the kids came to enjoy my most favorite pastime.

 Addicting.  

Add in the wonderful time had with the Knight's mum and the hospitality and friendship of longtime friends who will be starting Ride in Florida, and it couldn't be better.

But I didn't exercise.

And in honesty, I didn't decompress.

I left Phoenix a tight bundle of nerves, hoping to sort out questions while I was gone.  While I did find the vacation to be relaxing, and I enjoyed nearly every minute thoroughly (the hangry portions required some self control) I didn't have the answers I sought.  As the trip progressed, I knew I had uncovered new pieces of the puzzle, but I didn't know how they fit together.  Last night's news?

I was livid.

I might have been hangry.

I was definitely tired and unable to deal with it properly....and my body knew it.  I went home to confront it and laid down for just a minute, to try and clear my head.

I slept instead.  While I woke several times in the night, still distressed, I managed a good night's sleep (with a two hour break at 3am, but hey-that's 6am in Florida, right? 😜)

I knew, immediately, I had to hike.

Hard.

 My poison?  Piestewa Peak.  It had been at least three months since my last trek; I admit that photos the Buckeye took the day before inspired my choice.  Phoenix in the spring is beautiful-and I'm a flower nut.  I love flowers more than anything else, and to hike among them?

Pure joy.

 

The Buckeye's pictures.  How could one not want to hike there? (Well, the 1190ft elevation change *might* deter some.)

So I started, and my calves started screaming immediately.

 For fun I walked the side like a balance beam😎

And not even half way up I had to use the inhaler a second time.

 

But the view was gorgeous...

As I hiked, I mildly regretted the ten days of no exercise.

 Yeah, my tummy is pretty poochy from that no exercise for ten days thing, too....

But the further I got, the happier I became.

And puzzle pieces started snapping into place.

The events of the night before gave me a new perspective; I knew I had to deal quickly with them and made immediate plans to do so.  Having decided on how to proceed, it quickly became apparent what path I should be on personally.

That peace enveloping me, I began to work on Ride.  Yes, I work while hiking.  Mulling over growth issues requires careful thought-and I can think of no better place than the trail to work them out.

 I so love Arizona.

I have a few hard hiking rules I don't break:

1) Hike armed and/or on well populated trails.

2) If you finish a bottle of water and only have one bottle left, no matter where you are on the trail, you have to head back with that last full bottle.

3) If I have to use the inhaler a third time, I must immediately turn around.

4) Always bring your well stocked pack.  Take time to check it and restock before you go if necessary.

 While in the South, I restocked on these two necessitaties...😃

Imagine my chagrin when I was down to an inch or so of water, I felt slightly nauseous and I knew my breathing was way off...and I was about 400 yards from the top.

I knew it was ok to call it.  I knew I could not push-the nausea kept that in check-but I so desperately wanted the summit.

I needed to make that goal.  It wasn't about pushing-it was purely about need.

 My happiest place.

I made the summit, having slowed to a snail's pace.  The coughing began the second I sat down, and I gulped the last water and grabbed my inhaler.

I'm not sunburned...that's the red from put-near almost completely overduing it.

I took a nice 45 minute breather, and noted down my plans.  The stress of the day before melted away, and I new I had found not only direction, but closed doors.

It felt amazing.

 

Before I headed down.

My hike down my legs got shaky, admittedly it's a tough hike and I was worn out.

 But the balance beam was sooooo fun regardless:)

As I marveled at how easily ten days worth of indecision had quickly molded into a truly workable plan, I made additional plans to hike more, not less.

My office.  I think golfing has moved up the list of things to do, too.

As I descended, I made a few more notes and contemplated my morning adventure.  Clearly, hiking clears my head like nothing else; I tried to recall my last hard hike and came up with Camelback in early February (or was it January?  Ugh.). These hikes have to be the norm, not the exception.  The other difference?  I took this hike as a time for connection.  It was my God time, and it was needed.  Not only did I sort out business and personal issues.  I talked to my Father about them, and had found peace.

While the road ahead may be rocky, hikes like today prove I excel the rockier it is.  My joy is so fully restored, and I'm excited more than ever about what lies on my path.  As I neared the end of the trail I noticed a girl sitting on the last bench, and felt that familiar tug.  I sat down next to her, and she turned her back to me.  Nonplussed, I got up only to immediately see a piece of paper on the trail.

Oh.  My.  Word.

My heart leapt as I read the fortune, knowing what small steps I planned while hiking.  For two seconds I thought of pocketing it, when I remembered the girl.

Tapping her on her shoulder, I handed her the fortune.  "I just found this, but I think it's for you," I said, and continued down the path.  My steps I already know are ordered of God.  

I cannot wait to see what adventures lie ahead. 

Especially when they involve rocks:)