500 lbs up a mountain

As I keep going on my journey I am always looking for ways to push myself to go further then i have ever gone before.  I have always had a goal of climbing the 48 4000 foot peaks of New Hampshire.  I grew up camping I was a boyscout when i was younger even made it all the way to Eagle Scout.  There is something about nature that has always been in my heart.  Probably the hardest part of being over weight is it took me away from the outdoors.  The thought of going on a hike was never something i would consider in the recent past.  My good friends Jay and Jess are big inspirations for me they recently did a trip to Yosemite and they were showing just how truly beautiful it was.  They said the next time they went i should go with them.  In my heart of hearts I wanted nothing more than that but I knew at my state of being it was an impossibility.  Once Jonathan and I started this journey the goal for me was to able to hike.  This last weekend I did my very first Hike.



 

My Friend Dan was originally supposed to go with me but had to cancel the last minute.  I was not going to let in stop me and decided to go up on my own.  My first hike was to Bridal Veil Falls in Franconia New Hampshire.  About two hours north of where I live.  I decided to take my Dog Brady with me as I have not spent alot walking time with him and I really wanted to change that.  The weather was overcast with a high possibility of rain but i was determined.  The drive up alot of anticipation was building up.  I had been working out since the beginning of February but this was by far going to be the toughest thing I had ever attempted so far.  The trip up was worth it the views were amazing.  The mountains of New Hampshire have to one of the greatest places on the planet.

Once I reached the area the trail was about a half mile from the parking area.  Treadmills are liars, i can walk on a treadmills for hours but 3/4 of mile into the hike my legs were already burning.  The trail was easy at first just a slight steady incline and very smooth. then I hit my first obstacle.

There was about three of these in total on the hike; high enough to not go over them yet low enough you could not duck under easily.  I employed an exercise we had done at the gym one i always hated but hey i worked.  That's right i bear crawled under these trees like a champ.  The trail continued on and I was handling it pretty good.  about a mile in you reach the creek and that's when the trail became pretty rough.  Now it may not be rough for well the old people passing me but hey i thought it was pretty challenging.

I kept thinking to myself that you are far away from the car you cant afford to hurt your self out here you are by your self and if you go down you are on your own.  I kept plugging along my legs were on fire i was dripping wet.  About 1.75 miles into the hike I started hitting some rough vertical inclines.  they were steep and very rocky.  I started thinking that this might be too much for me.  My legs were like rubber and i kept thinking i cant do it.  Amazingly I had cell phone service up there i started calling looking for someone to tell me what to do one way or the other.  I tried Jess, Jonathan, Edmund no one answered on a hope I called my friend Courtney who is on the biggest loser this season and she actually answered.  She yelled at me to not quit and told me she wanted a picture of the waterfall in an hour.  It was what i needed and i pushed on.  Pictures don't do justice to how amazing this place is.


It took me a little over five hours to complete the 5 mile trip.  I just kept pushing and pushing.  As i close in on my first 100 pounds lost I think back if you asked me in January if you thought i would be doing a five mile hike up a mountain to a waterfall I probably would have told you that you were nuts.  I am sore still now as i am writing this.  I am not much of a crier but it was a little emotional for me to think that i am getting my life back that i am not going to an early grave without a fight.  This is just the beginning of this journey.  I have a long way to go and a lot more weight to go but i can take this moment to enjoy this little victory that i had.  I needed some encouragement from a friend but i got it done and i am looking forward to the next challenge in my life.