Gray Eagle Creek Trail

We were expecting snow up in Graeagle. According to the forecast, it was to snow until 3 am this morning. The temperature was only supposed to reach 55 today, so we didn't know what to expect. Since my dogs basically only have lincoln logs for legs, I left them at home just in case. I really felt bad because they would have been fine.

Cheri brought her beagle Simon with her today and he and Chyla took a moment to get to know each other but after a bit they were fine, I think only having one new dog for Simon to meet is probably a good thing since he is normally a leash walker.

The weather was a bit chilly but all in all the hike WAS moderate, there were some hills but nothing like Fridays hike. I don't think Cheri thought of throwing rocks at me once this trip.

It really is beautiful up in the Plumas National Forest area, next week we will be hiking on Tuesday at Hunter Creek which is in the Mogul area, so we won't have to travel, however it is a 7 mile hike so it will take us 3-4 hours. Cheri showed up sporting new hiking boots and said they really made a difference, so tomorrow after Mom and I do our "Fitness Express" class at noon, we are going to head over to Sierra Trading Post to see if there are any boots in our budget. (Budget, hate it, hate it, HATE IT!)

Check out the dew on this leaf, it really was gorgeous up there. We had a great time, Cheri was a trouper and I think we now have a hiking partner!

Cheri gave me a boost up for a photo opp. ......it didn't work as I had fantasized, I got up and slid right back down.......oh well! Got to love friends with a helping hand......

Race for The Cure

Today was cold. It is the first Susan G. Komen Race for the cure that Nellie, Liz and I had done, we had one other team mate Amber who ran with her sister. Because there were only four of us on our team, we didn't get a sign this year, which is fine because I don't think any of us could really feel our hands.
Most of the time we had to walk because there were so many people but when we got a decent passing lane we ran for a bit. That was enough for all of us, Nellie is probably the most fit out of the 3 of us (she's 21) and Liz and I lost our training motivation a while back. My right knee kept hurting, I think I will try a brace because while I got better at running, I actually was enjoying it. Nellie could run completely around Sparks Marina no problem and Liz was doing well too, but life happened for all three of us (Amber is a crazy runner so I am glad we didn't hold her back) so we lost our training motivation, time, schedules, etc.
Liz walked for our Grandmother and I unfortunately walked for four, Grandma Fake, Sharon Stephenson, Kathy Taylor and Judy Bitz. Had I known we could also wear a celebration for survival sign, I would have also had Michelle Gandolfo and Lynne Shoenberger on a list as well. Survivors that were walking had pink balloons with the years and months they had survived so far, there were a lot of balloons and we saw a few men walking for "My Beautiful Wife" which almost made me cry. I hope next year we have a larger team, Liz wants to start her own with an ad such as......
"Do you lay down and watch the sit-up segment of Jazzercize class? If so call Lazy Liz and we will stroll for the cure in 2010...." She may have some takers, good luck with that sis.
We burned around 640 calories this morning so the 3 of us finished at Starbucks and enjoyed a nice hot latte, Nellie had a steamer, and some more girl talk. It was fun, come to think of it, I am glad I didn't run it because the togetherness of girls was much better....yeah!

JOIN US NEXT YEAR FOR TEAM MOXIE LADIES!

The Broken Dog and Pissed off Friend.......

My mom and I started hiking a month ago, and our goal is to hike/snowshoe/cross country ski once a week to be one with ourselves and nature. I apparently (this I found out JUST yesterday) am weird for loving to exercise the way I do....hmmm. So my Mom went to Barnes and Nobles and bought a hiking book for the Reno Tahoe area. So far we have done Ophir Creek Trail (Davis Creek area) Thomas Creek Trail (Arrowcreek) Mt. Washington (Plumas National Forest) and yesterday was Bear Lake Loop (Graeagle, Ca.)Yesterdays hike said 3.4 miles of moderate and scenic hiking.......I think that means if you stay on the trails that are in the book. Well who needs a book with memories such as ours, plus it is an adventure, right? We were supposed to loop around 4 lakes, Little Bear, Cub, Silver and Round. Only we kept on going, as the hike progressed into the most difficult hike so far, (and we brought a newbie, Cheri along since it was her first time we thought this moderate hike would be perfect to break her in) basically rock climbing, we came onto Long Lake. As my Mom said, "We should have know when the man we ran into said 'Worth the hike isn't it? No you don't want to go that way.....you want to go back around this way. Well ok, I am going this way, you girls have fun...' then split quickly." As we continued onward, I mean upward.....it got more and more difficult. Then we started to see signs that said 'Pacific Crest Trail' and 'Mt. Elwell'. Signs are a good sign right?
Cheri started to question my natural ability for finding our way back.....I assured her she did not need to be concerned as sometimes these trails can be deceiving and we always find our way back. After around two to two and a half miles of climbing up, and quite a few rests (photo opps.) I told them to hang on and I would hike further up and see where the trail was heading. At that point I came down and told them that I thought maybe we should turn around since there was a guy in Leiderhossen's (sp) who didn't speak any english but I think he was asking for my passport. So we did turn around then found the same sign we had found before that said 1/2 mile to Round Lake........why didn't that make sense before? I don't know. Onward soldiers. We are now 4 miles into our 2-3 mile "moderate" hike. Why is it when you are hiking, you are always hiking uphill? Even on your way back? Does that happen to anyone else? Cheri is now not speaking to me and she has sunglasses on but I am pretty sure she is glaring at me...... We continued to hike up, found an old mining camp that we were sure was a plane wreckage..and the dogs dug for buried treasures which gave us some time to get water, rest and have a snack. Eventually we came to the top of the crest and started to head down, which seemed like it was taking a lot longer than we had anticipated that could have just been us because we were all exhausted, but an hour later, we came to where we had started. Luckily there was a map so we could track were we had gone and found that according to the legend, we went approximately 8 miles and were heading towards Alaska. My Timex watch that Jay bought me last Christmas doesn't have a pedometer, (I need to use Jay's I think) but it tracks your heart rate and it said I burned 1327 calories. That is more than most people burn in the gym for the week! We will continue to hike weekly, even thought Dyna has thrown up on two of our hikes (sorry Chrissi) and Raider was limping last night (I think he pulled something jumping out of the car at my Mom's house he is better today) and Cheri said she will go with us again on Monday, even though
in the car, she admitted to both of us that at one point, had she been able to bend over and pick up a rock, she would have thrown it at the back of my head. But she completed the most difficult hike for us so far, and my mom and I are a month into it on top of an exercise program. Good job Cheri. Hope to see you Monday, 9:15 for the Graeagle Creek Trail, 4.4 miles of "moderate" hiking..........yeah, we'll see.............

I'VE MET GOAL!

We started Weight Watchers on August 1st. It's amazing how you gradually put on weight and don't notice it until one day you see a picture of yourself and then think to yourself, no wonder my clothes are so uncomfortable! Today I finally reached my goal! I am so excited! In the past, when I have gotten down to my weight I started introducing "bad" foods back into my diet because I had lost weight. I will now stick with weight watchers to monitor my weight. I started with meetings and then Jay, Stevi and I figured out the point system and have been doing it ourselves ever since. As of today, all 3 of us have lost 15 lbs. ea.! I feel much better and I know I look better, you can see it in my face mostly I think. What a great way to start your day. Now I can start using my activity points as I earn them and I think you get 4 more points a day on top of that. It doesn't sound like a lot but when you only get 20 points a day, that's huge, (it equals around 200 more calories a day). So for now, I will continue to exercise, and eat 20 points a day plus my 35 weekly flex points, add in my activity points when I earn them and weigh myself daily. If I need to add extra points in because I am continuing to lose, I will, if I start to gain I will take them away again, either way I will figure it out! Oh Happy Day!

Has it really been 6 weeks.......

In 6 weeks...........

Stevi started 7th grade

made new friends, and All-Stars for Soccer

played football with the neighborhood boys

figured out her middle school locker.

In 6 weeks.......

I've rolled Lumpias with Dora for Jeff's dinner party

gone hiking up the Pass

cut my hair short

took my Mom to an exercise class.

In 6 weeks......

Jay has golfed 3 times

made friends with all the neighborhood boys

got laid off from Q & D

is now out of town but under employs.....

In 6 weeks.......

I have missed reading all my blogs

worked way to much

saw Marilyn Manson

and I'm now back in touch.

In 6 weeks.....

I have read too many books

ridden my bike

lost 14 lbs.

and now love to hike........

In 6 weeks........

Day 3 Family Reunion.....

Day 3 also started with a walk to the store, I got everyone except the kids to go, actually, that is not true. Guoda got up and went with us and she ran with me here and there for exercise, as if she needs it! We planned our adventure this day to go to Turtle Bay and explore the Museum and the Sundial Bridge. It was so much fun, we also went into the Butterfly and bird exhibit, they land on you and in the Bird exhibit, they give you food sticks so the birds land on you and eat out of your hand. The Sundial bridge was really amazing and also the Lego exhibit. We had our lunch there and I think we were there for a total of around 4 hours. Since it was Friday, Jay would be heading up after work. The kids and Aunt Pat and I stopped at Safeway on our way back to the lodge and got food for dinner, we had fajitas. Jay actually made it by 6 pm which was amazing to me, but we were all happy he made it up so early. My mom made her famous London Fogs for everyone (I had mine with a weight watchers smoothie and saved 14 points) which are half gin, half vanilla ice-cream. It was fun to watch all of the "Adults" enjoying themselves, even Aunt Lita, who shares an alcohol allergy with me had a WW smoothie with gin with me. We started to play Trivial Pursuit as we waited for Cory and her family to come up and even thought Stevi and I got the first wedge of pie, Guoda and Aunt Pat started to dominate the board, thankfully we were saved when Cory, Brian, Nat and Ethan showed up around 10:15pm. As Jay and Brian sat outside with their cigars and got to know each other, we sat around and figured out who was going to sleep where, and because we were sure they were exhausted from working all day and driving 4 hours, we let them go to bed. It was a wonderful day, beautiful weather and great family bonding!

Family Reunion Day 2.......

Day 2.......Woke up pretty early and walked down to cabin 5 to enjoy coffee with my Mom and my Aunts. Everyone was still asleep and Stevi forgot her toothbrush so we walked to the store which was around a 1/2 mile down the road. Got a little exercise, some fresh air and enjoy each others company. After Uncle Pete and Aunt Lita got back from grocery shopping we had lunch and headed up to the Shasta Caverns. Uncle Pete and Aunt Lita went sight seeing around the lake and we took the ferry over to the other side of the lake and got on the bus and headed up the hill. The bus ride up was much nicer than it used to be because they got new buses. They used to be very very old school buses, I wish they still had them though, that was half the experience right there! We got inside the caverns and it was nice, lots of stairs and a little slippery in some areas because of the moisture, but very educational and interesting.

We headed back to the lodge and we were all pooped because of all the stairs, I couldn't get my legs to stop shaking, I thought they would actually give out at one point, that's a sign that I need to work out more for sure. We relaxed for dinner and had deli chicken, corn on the cob, salad and Aunt Lita's famous Green Tea, she gave me the family recipe, I will share that at the end of this post. After dinner, the kids all went swimming, the adults were exhausted so we sat around and chatted then ended up in bed after having a So You Think You Can Dance Finale in cabin 5.........We had all voted for Jeanine the night before and she won so it was fun........off the bed right after the show!

Aunt Lita's Famous Green Tea Recipe:

• Pitcher
• Water
• Ice
• Lipton Green Tea Powder Mix
• Stir

Since this is a family recipe, please do not copy and paste......Thank You.