Solo 2017 Day 2 Photo Summary

Sunrise as I hit the trail for day 2.  

The scenery consisted of a lot of flat seeming vistas, rough dirt roads and scrub. 

A certain sign that I wasn't the only one using this trail. 

Chains! What a refreshing change from the traditional squeezy wire. 

The trail signs helped keep me on track. 

Always take time for breaks. 

Bengoechea Cabin - not quite what I was expecting from the label on the map. 

A little rutting on the road for variation. 

The landscape wasn't flat after all!

I spy with my 30x digital zoom a car and a tent waiting for me. 

Clover Creek was flowing high and fast enough for me to be quite grateful for the bridge. 

I didn't stop to get water, because I knew the car was close. 

So excited to make it! I forgot to stop my chronometer, I was so busy crowing about hiking 50 miles in 2 days. 

Solo 2017 Day 1 Photo Summary

Getting started before the sun crests a nearby butte. 

Where are all my trees at? 

Sometimes the Idaho Centennial Trail signs were a bit hidden. 

Here the trail skirts the Jarbridge Bruneau Wilderness area. 

I swear the wind blowing in my face had been chilled on those snowy slopes. 

Sure, there's water out here. It's just all muddy and in wheel ruts and often cow pies. 

Teeny tiny desert flowers. 

Definitely an odd feeling to walk up to construction equipment in the middle of nowhere with no one around. 

They watched me carefully while I sat to eat lunch. 

Theoretically, there was once water down there. 

They were surprised to see me. 

Done for the day after about 25 miles. I was in shock that I'd covered so much ground. 

Backpacking and Crossfit - Solo 2017 Day 3

When I was out on my solo trip this year, I went out a lot faster than I intended to. I covered about 50 miles in 2 days, with about 11 hours of hiking each day. (So I could have gone farther, since I had 14 hours of daylight.) And in those 11 or so hours per day that I hiked, I divided my time up into 50 minute sections.

Every 50 minutes, I would stop for a brief break. The break was untimed, but it had to include either sitting down or taking my pack off. Often it would include a nature break. And rarely did I take more than 10 minutes.

For whatever reason, I felt good. I wanted to keep walking, to keep my pace up on this crazy journey.

It was on the third day that my breakneck pace began to catch up with me. I met up with my husband at the Bruneau Dunes Scenic Overlook (and made grateful use of  the restroom). After that, I hiked another 4 miles or so and met up with him again on the road.

I could have stopped there. About 65 miles in 3 days. Not bad, right?

But instead, I kept walking, right through the Saylor Creek Bombing Range.

And as I walked I thought about Crossfit. I thought about how I was doing AMSAPs (As Many Steps As Possible) in 50 minute time domains. I thought about the coaches yelling encouragement, hearing their voices in my head, urging me on to keep walking til that alarm sounded a break. I thought about the crowd cheering me on when I did the last workout of the '17 Open Rx.

I pulled on the discipline that I've learned, the ability to push myself past pain (when that pain doesn't signify injury) and the belief that I was not the only one who believed I could do this.

I did stop the next day, short of my 100 mile goal, but that goal was arbitrary. Part of my challenge was determining when I should stop versus when I should push. Sure, 100 miles is an impressive number, but so is 92. And I'm not going to stop doing my segments, no matter how long or short, until I've walked the whole of the Idaho Centennial Trail.

Good morning trail! (Photo courtesy of Ambrose)

The scenery that day changed but slowly. 

Hard to believe the landscape is hiding canyons and buttes somewhere ahead. 

A little companionship. 

As close as I got to the scenic overlook with my camera. 

This is a "draw" also known as a place where water may have been once upon a time. 

So tempting to just get in the car and go home. 

Into the bombing range. 

Heading out of the bombing range. 

Home sweet home for the night. I sincerely regretted the spot I chose once I tried going to sleep. Too slanty. 

Training as I Mean to Continue

I think I must be going insane. I voluntarily let the alarm go off at 4:30 in the am on Saturday morning so that I could drag myself out of that nice, warm, cozy bed, eat breakfast and take myself on a hike up to Table Rock.

Even though I don't strictly need to use trekking poles for this particular hike, I brought them. Rather useless on flat pavement, they sure come in handy going up the last few switchbacks to Table Rock. But that's not the only reason I brought mine and encourage Ambrose to bring his.

I believe that one should train as one means to work. Even on flats, even on roads on my solo trip this year, I had my trekking poles and I used them. Over the long haul, they reduce impact on my knees and feet. They keep my arms engaged in the hiking when they would otherwise be doing nothing. Why would I want to train without them when I would be working with them?

Well, on Saturday, I found one reason. It's not a very good one. 

After I finished Table Rock and climbed back down with a sore left IT band, I was headed home, walking on the sidewalk and using my trekking poles just a little, to move my arms and help keep me going. I wanted to beat 3 hours, and I also didn't want to check my time until I was at the door, so I tried to keep my pace up. 

An old man was walking on the sidewalk approaching me, so I lifted my poles so the ends lifted up behind me. In my mind, I was being courteous so as not to seem like I was going to stab his foot as I walked by. I don't know what on earth was going on in his mind when he decided to mock my trekking poles as we passed each other. 

He made these gestures with his arms, faking the movement one would make with trekking poles and gave me a look like I was just such a fucking funny joke. 

I was not amused. 

But I also didn't say anything. I didn't tell him that mocking women was not the way to get positive attention. I didn't put on an air of concern and ask him what was wrong, was he having a seizure perhaps? Did he need an ambulance? 

No, I had a time to beat, so I walked on and I stewed. 

So that's a reason. 

But it won't stop me from training as I mean to continue.