Week 2 Completed

I had a great second week!  My blisters have healed up (actually I grew some new skin – very cool!) and I feel stronger and stronger every day.  I was sad to miss 2 days of hiking, but I was happy to be fully healed... which is ultimately more important in the long run. 

I mentioned briefly that we hiked West Canyon again on Thursday and I was able to go much further than the first week. 

Here's a few more pics:

 Friday we hiked a trail called Castle Rock.  It met up with the Chuckwalla trail and then back to its own trail.  The amazing thing about that was the last time I hiked Chuckwalla was Day 1... and it sucked.  But this time on Day 12 it didn’t suck.  Instead I was able to keep up with the lead hiking guide and was the first to get to the top of the mountain.  It was a real confidence booster!  ;)

Turtle Rock

Violet in front of Turtle Rock

Awesome Hiking Guides on Turtle Rock

Can you see the house being built on the mountain side?

Cobra Rock



Can you see the people hiking on the ridge?

 Our group didn’t do Stop Sign this week so I signed up for it on Saturday.  Voluntarily!  Eeek!  As soon as I saw the sign up list and saw who else was going I knew that I would be the last to the top.  Last week that would have really bothered me, but I decided that it wouldn’t get to me. 

I had 2 goals in mind:
#1 Make it to the top
#2 Shave a minute or two off my time from last week. 

And secretly I would love it if every week I can take a minute or two (or five!) off my time.
Right out of the van my legs felt tired.  I pushed as hard as I could but of course everyone took off and I was soon walking by myself... just me and my tunes.  I started to think that I needed to drop goal #2 and just focus on finishing.  I really do think of Stop Sign as a quest... and really I would happy just finishing the quest each time. 

Imagine my surprise when I got to the top (YAY!) and I pulled out my iPhone to check the time and I found out that I made it up 18 MINUTES earlier than last time!!  WHOOO-HOOO!!!  18!!!  I was shocked!!  If I hadn’t of timed these hikes I’d have no idea that it was such a difference.  Needless to say I am looking forward to doing Stop Sign again next week.  I really don’t think I can shave off another 18 minutes but I do hope to take off more time.  :)