Saturday I went hiking with friends. I really enjoy hiking, and was excited to go, especially since my roommate told me that we would most likely be back around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, and I would have time to do other things that day.
It all started out well, we met up with friends and found the place where the hike began. I didn't realize a friend was bringing horses, but that was fine, so we got them unloaded and saddled and began the trek.
It was fun and we were all happy. I was riding on Smokey the horse and all was well. Eventually we got to a good spot to change riders so I got off and the next person got ready to get on. Because the next rider was nervous about riding, I held the horse for her while she got settled. As she got up, the horse took a step towards me and managed to land on my two littlest toes I cried out in pain and tried to get the horse to move, but she was still getting on the horse, so I really couldn't move the horse whithout scaring her. Eventually I made the horse move and assessed the damage. It wasn't bad, so we proceeded in our journey.
Smokey was tired and wasn't too excited about this journey. For some reason, she would stop anytime we got to a muddy section that she didn't want to cross. We soon discovered that unless I went over and coaxed her through it, she wouldn't move. One of the times I was coaxing her, she managed, again to step on my other foot, just scraping it. Another time as I was getting her to move, I was standing on an incline on the side of the trail. Smokey decided to sidestep towards me and in so doing, knocked me off balance and I slid under her. There I was, under a horse, looking at all four of her legs scared to death that she was going to step on me again. The rider had seen what had happened and was telling me to get out from under the horse asap. I was telling her to not let the horse move in any direction for anything until I could get up. It was crazy.
So eventually we made up the 3000 or so feet that we climbed to Fish Lake and the boys started fishing. When they were done, we started our journey down the mountain. I was eager to get home because I wanted to have plans that night, but it wasn't looking good. We were going much slower than we anticipated and just a short distance after we started the descent, one of the people in our party got altitude sickness. So he was going slow and sitting every few minutes to get his bearings. The horses went ahead and I was too impatient to go slow with the sickie, so as I hiked down the mountian alone I made a list of the things I learned that day. Here they are:
1. When hiking with horses, make sure all the water is not with the horses
2. When riding horses, do not wear Chacos. They are great for hiking, but offer no protection if a horse steps on you.
3. When going hiking, expect to be there a few additional hours, because you never know.
4. You aren't going to have cell service when hiking most of the time.
5. Bug spray is a blessed, blessed thing.
6. So is sunscreen.
7. Take more water than you expect to drink. It is always good to have extra.
8. When you sit, bugs will bother you. If you are moving, they won't.
9. Enjoy the scenery.
10. Enjoy the company.
11. Hats are great when hiking, but make sure you keep an eye out for low trees (I learned that the hard way).
12. When you walk for a long time by yourself, you begin to wonder if you are lost, even if you are on the trail.
13. When you know horses went ahead of you, seeing fresh horse poop reassures you.
14. Be patient. People are in all different types of physical condition.
15. Sometimes people will get sick. Be patient.
16. It is fun to talk to random hikers.
17. Don't accidentally step in fresh horse poop.
18. When you start to question if you are going the right way, keep going, most likely you are.
19. When hiking for a long time by yourself, you start to make lists in your head.
20. It is wonderful when you finally see the car and know that a hot shower, food and clean clothes are not far away.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Wasatch Back
This post will be all about Wasatch Back and the adventure that is the race. For those of you who haven't heard of Wasatch Back, it is a crazy relay race that goes from Logan to Park City in the great state of Utah. It goes for about 188 miles and most of the teams that run it are comprised of 12 members. Each runner runs 3 legs of the race and each leg is between 3 and 9.6 miles. You run through the sun, the rain and through the night.
I have participated in the race the last 4 years. Yes, that was a 4. It is great! The problem with the race is that once you do it, it is hard to stop. There are so many different challenges to the race that you always want to do it again because you always want to do better or try a different leg of the race.
They have expanded and Ragnar Relays have relay races in several states. I would highly recommend it. In addition to bonding with your team through running, you have approximately 24 hours in which you are in the same van, so like any road trip you have plenty of time to bond...and discussions can get pretty crazy.
I am lucky enough to be on a team that is full of fanstastic runners. We placed 18th in the mixed division and 31st overall. That is 31st of the 650 teams that participated. So to all of you that came in after that, you just got passed by A Bunch of Sissies.
I have participated in the race the last 4 years. Yes, that was a 4. It is great! The problem with the race is that once you do it, it is hard to stop. There are so many different challenges to the race that you always want to do it again because you always want to do better or try a different leg of the race.
They have expanded and Ragnar Relays have relay races in several states. I would highly recommend it. In addition to bonding with your team through running, you have approximately 24 hours in which you are in the same van, so like any road trip you have plenty of time to bond...and discussions can get pretty crazy.
I am lucky enough to be on a team that is full of fanstastic runners. We placed 18th in the mixed division and 31st overall. That is 31st of the 650 teams that participated. So to all of you that came in after that, you just got passed by A Bunch of Sissies.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Days of Unemployment
Day 2 of unemployment went well. I was worried because day 1 of unemployment started with me waking up at the regular time for work, despite not having an alarm set. I tried at first to go back to sleep, but once that proved useless, I gave in and got out of bed.
Day 2 was much easier to sleep in. It was a great day. Got up, ate breakfast, cleaned, got a phone call about an interview and went to the gym. Showered and then went to my sister's house to use her internet access. That is when my day slowed down...for some reason my computer would not connect to her internet and so I used her computer and stayed for dinner. Not a bad day.
Day 3 was great. I went to Logan to start runing in Wasatch Back (see my post on that) and that was basically day 3 of unemployment.
Day 4 was also Wasatch Back, when we finished, we cleaned out the van and went to dinner. I went straight to bed...and let me tell you, my bed has never felt better!!
Day 5 was pretty easy. Church in the morning and then it was Father's day so I went down to Payson to spend time with my family.
Day 6 I had an interview in the morning. I think it went well. I was comfortable with the people that were interviewing me and felt the interview went well. That afternoon a friend of mine called to tell me about a job possibility.
Day 7 I went to the outplacement services place my company hired to help those laid off find new employment. I went to the seminar and it basically lasted all day. During the seminar I called my friend to find out more info on the job...and it sounded great! She set up a meeting with the CEO for after the seminar and I hurried over there...and after some small talk, got HIRED!! YAY!!
Day 8 I went ahead and attended the second day of the seminar. It was informative, but not super useful. Probably because I got a job!!
Day 9 I showed up at the company's office in Sugarhouse and signed the hire forms and went to my new office in Draper. Yay for finding a job quickly!!
Day 2 was much easier to sleep in. It was a great day. Got up, ate breakfast, cleaned, got a phone call about an interview and went to the gym. Showered and then went to my sister's house to use her internet access. That is when my day slowed down...for some reason my computer would not connect to her internet and so I used her computer and stayed for dinner. Not a bad day.
Day 3 was great. I went to Logan to start runing in Wasatch Back (see my post on that) and that was basically day 3 of unemployment.
Day 4 was also Wasatch Back, when we finished, we cleaned out the van and went to dinner. I went straight to bed...and let me tell you, my bed has never felt better!!
Day 5 was pretty easy. Church in the morning and then it was Father's day so I went down to Payson to spend time with my family.
Day 6 I had an interview in the morning. I think it went well. I was comfortable with the people that were interviewing me and felt the interview went well. That afternoon a friend of mine called to tell me about a job possibility.
Day 7 I went to the outplacement services place my company hired to help those laid off find new employment. I went to the seminar and it basically lasted all day. During the seminar I called my friend to find out more info on the job...and it sounded great! She set up a meeting with the CEO for after the seminar and I hurried over there...and after some small talk, got HIRED!! YAY!!
Day 8 I went ahead and attended the second day of the seminar. It was informative, but not super useful. Probably because I got a job!!
Day 9 I showed up at the company's office in Sugarhouse and signed the hire forms and went to my new office in Draper. Yay for finding a job quickly!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Turn of Events
Honestly, I never thought this day would come. It is the day after a series of events transpired that have turned my world upside down. It is the day after the economy really affected me. It is the day after I was laid off.
It is difficult to go from a star player/go to team member to one of the casualties. It is difficult to go from, 'we can put her anywhere in any role and she will do just fine,' to 'your termination date is today. Would you like to pack your things today or would you like to come back to do that?'
The most difficult thing is trying to not take it personally.
So now the task at hand is to decide where to go from here. School? Soul search? Jump into a new job? Start a new career? Anyone have any ideas?
Over the last few months I have thought a lot about how jealous I am of the morning joggers I see running on the side of the road while everyone in their car is driving to work or other responsibilities. I guess I can now be one of those 7 am runners.
It is difficult to go from a star player/go to team member to one of the casualties. It is difficult to go from, 'we can put her anywhere in any role and she will do just fine,' to 'your termination date is today. Would you like to pack your things today or would you like to come back to do that?'
The most difficult thing is trying to not take it personally.
So now the task at hand is to decide where to go from here. School? Soul search? Jump into a new job? Start a new career? Anyone have any ideas?
Over the last few months I have thought a lot about how jealous I am of the morning joggers I see running on the side of the road while everyone in their car is driving to work or other responsibilities. I guess I can now be one of those 7 am runners.
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