Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter. -- Brad Henry

Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Training, Part 4

My sweet family helped me do a "trial run" on my big hike. Eric and the Little One grabbed their backpacks, camping gear, and a stash of food to join me on this final outing. 

This was my longest hike yet at 15 miles, plus I needed to test all the camping gear. Here was our lunch spot.

They were troopers! I couldn't believe they hung with me step for step. I guess they didn't need to train as much as I did because they were already in shape.


The hike was beautiful! Eric picked out some great trails that included waterfalls...


Overlooks...


And neat bridges.

We slept fairly comfortably and the gear held up well. Nice job, family! 


Now to grab some coffee on the way home.

Monday, May 3, 2021

Training, Part 3

For my long 12 mile walk today, the Little One came with me!  That was really a nice treat having her to share the morning.

We decided to walk along Altamont Rd, a winding, 6-mile road up Paris Mountain and down the back side, only to turn around at the bottom and reverse direction back the same way. It didn't take long for us to shed the sweat shirt. The steep road really got our heart rate up.

Along the route, the views were amazing!

We also noticed a lot of trash along the side of the roads, so we brought along several trash bags to collect debris that had been tossed. From beer cans and whiskey bottles to chip bags and fast food cups, we collected 5 bags!

Just before the real summit, there's a house called "The Summit". Since there isn't a permanent marker at the peak, this became a nice alternative for a photo.


Eric wanted to run up the opposite side, so we met him on our downslope. It's tough just walking up this road; I couldn't imagine running it. Super proud of him! After we shared our water, he kept going to the top.


The homes here and the views continued to be beautiful! This was one of my favorites. The view is looking South with Greenville, SC in the background.


On the downside of the mountain, the views to the north were just as awe-inspiring.


We were done by noon, then off for lunch and sweet tea at McAlisters. It was a great start to the weekend!