Hiking in Southern Utah

On August 14, 2011 after church the four of us got into the car and headed south from Oregon towards Utah.  Ron and Vicki (our pastors and friends) joined Aaron and me on this expedition to see the nature that God so beautifully created in Utah.

Our first stop was Zion Canyon National Park.  Our motel was in Springdale, UT and we drove in and out of the park several times in our 2 days there.  Having a Senior Pass makes a difference.  Just give them the card with your ID and you are in.  We took the shuttles provided and saw everything.  We did a lot of hiking.  I was so pleased that I could hike much more easily after having lost so much weight and all the exercise I've done in the past year and a half.

Next was Bryce Canyon--just a couple hours down the road.  Here we stayed at Bryce Canyon City.  A very small city all virtually owned by one family.  Huge motel, shopping, restaurants and a rodeo--all owned by the family.  At Bryce you can do more driving in your private vehicle, but there is a shuttle bus you can take in also.  The Forest Service was doing proscribed burns so it was very smoky.  But it was beautiful anyway and we did a lot of hiking.  Aaron and Ron attempted to climb to the top of Angels Landing but didn't make it completely to the top.  A very steep trail, sheer drop-offs, and lots of other climbers led them to only go about 2/3 of the way.  Vicki and I did our own hiking on safer and lower trails.

Then it was off to Arches National Park.  Again going in and out and in and out.  Lots of walking to see various arches, to catch the sunset and sunrise.  Watching the tourists from other countries enjoy the beautiful sights in the USA was enjoyable.

This Tuesday, Sept. 13, Aaron and I leave for another trip.  Another trip....another blog.

Staying at home

In January we planned a trip to Sweden.  We would have left on June 6 and been in Denmark, Norway and Sweden until nearly the end of June.  Part of it would have been a tour and part of it we'd have left the tour group to visit the Swedish relatives.  Not enough people signed up for the tour and that particular one was cancelled the middle of April.  We received our $2000 deposit back and that money is now safely ensconced in the credit union.  We'll use it to take a trip part of the way across the beautiful USA in September.

I think both of us are ready for a trip, but we just have to wait for awhile.

Facing My Facts

Food!  It's what I think about nearly all of my waking hours.  What to have for breakfast; what not to have for breakfast.  Lunch....dinner....snacks.  Has it been long enough since breakfast to have my morning snack?  Has it been long enough since lunch, dinner?  Am I really hungry?  Am I bored?  How much should I exercise?  Cut back?  Do more?  Eat less?  Eat more?  Eat my exercise calories burned?  Don't eat my exercise calories burned?  Just about the only time I'm not thinking about this is when I'm asleep.

People compliment me often.  It is a good thing I am not a nudist, because if I were NO ONE would say anything nice.  The wrinkly skin on my arms.  The saggy belly.  The way my thighs spread out when I'm sitting down.  The ugly fat pouches on either knee, but especially the left.  My knee fat pads slap together when i walk.

And this is how it is since I've lost over 60 pounds.  I've been in the same place for the most part for over a year and a half.  I exercise 6 days a week.  I faithfully log my food eaten in the diary unless when traveling makes it impossible.

I'm told to "hang in there."  That eventually it will come off.  My husband tells me that.  My TOPS friends tell me that.  My Calorie King friends tell me that.  I'm beginning to not believe it.  I cannot get under and stay below 200.

I've given up Chinese food, most Mexican food, restaurant soup.  I seldom have french fries anymore.  Pizza?  3-4 times a year.  A milkshake.  What's that?

My closest friend told me I talk about my weight too much so I try not to do that anymore.  Sometimes it's hard to not have someone to vent to.  But other people need to vent also.  So I'm trying to keep my mouth shut in the public setting.

I'm 63.  Will I ever learn the perfect way to do this?

Am I alone in feeling this way?  No.  I know I'm not alone.