Monday, September 2, 2019

I Left It On Clayton Peak + #MyPostMonday The Week's Best Original Content

Happy Labor Day! It was a much-needed long weekend because I went back to work way too early! I needed just one more last hurrah before Fall really begins. 

So early this morning, like 4am early, I started to get ready for an "easy"  hike up to Clayton Peak, a hike my husband assured me would be done in 4 hours, tops!

We started out at around 6:15, a little bit behind schedule. We always like to start before sunrise to beat the heat (today it was a sweltering 100 degrees in the valley, so around 80 up in the higher elevations.) But intent and execution are two different things---We always have good intent to get off early, but we rarely execute our intent! 
 We climbed and climbed. We actually went off-trail and found our own route. And what was supposed to have been a 3.5 round trip ended up being a 6.66 round trip! But hey, more time with my babes! 

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Some of my favorite parts of the hike were when we saw 4 moose in a meadow below us, just waking up. One of them was extremely playful and kept running back and forth with wild abandon. It was so cute!  Another part was the incredible views attained as we gained elevation! It was just surreal! And of course, my most favorite part was when we stopped and had lunch. We have a little light-weight gas burner that will boil water so quickly. So we had some instant terriyaki chicken that was so satisfying and delicious after summiting Clayton Peak.  It was actually my first time doing class 3 scrambling to the top of the peak. 

Before summiting, I started having some symptoms such as nausea, headache, and dizziness. If any of those symptoms persisted, I would have had to abort making the summit. But I decided to eat a protein bar and my symptoms calmed down. We actually left our packs below the summit because of the scramble, which meant I would go without water for that part of the climb. At one point, I got so dry-mouthed and was just exhausted. But after resting a few minutes, I was able to keep going and make the summit! 
Wearing my Del Sol Solize 'Top 'O The World' Sunnies

When it was all said and done, it took more than 8 hours by the time we got home. All in all, it was a great experience and although I don't want to see another trail for awhile, I'm sure I will want to do another hike during Fall Break! But for today, I left it all on Clayton Peak!  What did you do this Labor Day? 
Today is "My Post Monday!", a curation of the week's best original content. It's all about posts from Crafts to Camping, Wellness to Wealth, Fashion to Food, and whatever else is on the brain!  I  open up with a post of my own and then follow it up with a linky of the week's top original blog posts! It's all about what the writer thinks, believes, and knows--in other words, they are active, writing blogs. If I happen to find a great original, non-sponsored post, I'll link it up and share it with you here and on Twitter via the #MyPostMonday hashtag!  I can miss some amazing posts, but I don't want to!  So, in addition, if you'd like to link up yourself, you can do that too!  I'll visit your site, comment, promote and publicize(Affiliate links welcome)    

7 comments:

Tamra Phelps said...

I admit I'm jealous of your hiking. I've been in physical therapy for a year learning to walk again after a bout with sepsis left me bedridden for two months. In March, I was walking, ready to go home, but a picc line got infected with STAPH, which became MRSA, and settled in my spine. I had to have surgery, which left me off my feet again...and, yes, right back in p.t. learning to walk again. Argh!!! Well, hopefully this time it will go quicker.

A GAL NEEDS... said...

Oh my gosh, Tamra, you've been through the ringer! Believe me you're climbing mountains, but they are mountains of character development that are testing you to the limit. Best of luck in your healing process. Get lots of rest, think positive, and get the best nutrition you can. Lots of love, Helena

Darren Scrubb said...

Great way to enjoy the weekend outside and also keeping your body healthy.

elizamatt said...

What a marvellous place for a hike, congrats on reaching the summit, I doubt that I'd have made it.

A GAL NEEDS... said...

Darren - Thanks, it is a great way to spend some time, doesn't cost too much and trying to stay healthy too!
elizamatt - Thanks so much! It felt good to be able to get it done!

marisela zuniga said...

Great photos! It looked like it was a really nice hike with great views

LILLIAN BROWN said...

Hiking is great for family time and the exercise is a binus for all