My Wild Hiking Journey

A good book will sometimes inspire you and change your life in a special way. It might motivate you to take the first steps toward making your goal a reality. It might change your thinking and help you see the world as a friendlier place. I was pleasantly surprised when my husband agreed to read "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed (Oprah's Book Club Version 2). I read the book on my Kindle and he read on his iPad. We didn't always read at the same time but we stayed together and finished the book on the same day.

We were inspired to take our own hike after we read about Cheryl Strayed's journey on the Pacific Crest Trail. We chose the 6.8 mile Chinquapin Trail at Huntsville State Park. This was the second time that we hiked this trail. The first time I suffered a nasty fall and decided that hiking was not my cup of tea. I also have to cope with the fact that I have two metal plates in my right leg.

Dean and I decided we were up for the challenge so we arrived at the park at 11:00 am on Saturday morning. I was equipped with three bottles of Gatorade and an old broom handle that I was going to use as a walking stick (no more falls!). The temperature was in the mid-90s and the heat was major factor that we had to deal with.

I really like the following quote from "Wild"....this explains exactly how an adventure like this can change your attitude;

Miles weren't things that blazed dully past. They were long, intimate struggles of weeds and clumps of dirt, blades of grass and flowers that bent in the wind, trees that lumbered and stretched. They were the sound of my breath and my feet hitting the trail one step at a time and the click of my ski pole. The PCT had taught me what a mile was. I was humble before each and every one.

I think I hit the "wall" at the 5.5 mile marker. I still had more than a mile to go and I wasn't sure I could make it. I was hot, my leg hurt and all the Gatorade was gone. My husband encouraged me to "finish strong." He told me that I could make it. I was praying for strength to take one more step. I really learned the meaning of a mile in that last hour of the hike.

I made it to the end and I am glad that I pushed myself to do somthing out of my comfort zone. If I can do this, there must be other challenges waiting to be conquered if I am willing to stay the course.

Are you ready to break out of your comfort zone and attempt some new challenges?

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Wild by Cheryl Strayed (Oprah's Book Club)

Wild (Oprah's Book Club 2.0 Digital Edition): From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Author: Cheryl Strayed

Publisher: Knopf (June 1, 2012)

About the Author
Cheryl Strayed is the author of three books: WILD, a memoir , TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS, a selection of her "Dear Sugar" columns from TheRumpus.net, and TORCH, a novel .
She holds an MFA in fiction writing from Syracuse University and a bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota.



A Life Lost And Found
Cheryl Strayed was dealing with grief and a loss of direction in her life. She could not move forward because she was stuck in the muck of the past. Her mother had died of cancer, her family had scattered and her marriage was broken. One day she noticed a booklet about Pacific Crest Trail in a store where she was shopping. She later went back and bought the booklet and started planning a trip that would change her life forever.

This book is a true story about Cheryl Strayed's solitary hike from California to Washington state. She did not have any hiking experience but her spirit was compelling her to do this. She learned that she was stronger and more courageous than she ever imagined. She completed the 1100 mile hike and escaped the demons that had haunted her in the past.

My Thoughts
Cheryl Strayed shared the physical and spiritual journey that she experienced when she hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. I had never heard of this trail and knew very little about hiking and camping when I started this book.

I felt like I was hiking right along with Cheryl as she faced heat, cold, hunger, loneliness, pain and many other challenges on the trail. She expressed the feelings that we all feel when we doubt ourselves and our capabilities. She was not defeated by the hardships that she faced during her journey. She proved to herself that she had what it takes to survive and thrive in a world that sometimes seems hostile and dangerous. She did not give up when she found herself in seemingly hopeless situations.

Cheryl had been running from herself and her feelings for her entire life. This journey gave her time to be alone and realize that her life was just as it should be and that she could accept herself just the way she was.

This book will challenge you to try things that are difficult. It will inspire you to do the impossible. The questions and comments in the Oprah's Book Club edition of this book are excellent. This is the kind of book that you will want to share with your friends and family members. Highly Recommended!

My Rating:  5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I purchased this digital book with my own funds. The large link at the top of this post is my Amazon affiliate link.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Oprah's New Book Club 2.0

I received my July Edition of O Magazine on Saturday and was happy to see that Oprah is starting a new book club. I read the article in the magazine about the first book club selection; Wild (Oprah's Book Club 2.0 Digital Edition): From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I decided to join the thousands (millions??) of other people who are reading this selection.

There are several resources that are offered to interact with other readers and discussion groups.

You can sign-up for Oprah's Book Club 2.0 on Oprah's web site. You can access Oprah's personal notes, the author's scrapbook, photos and discussion groups from this page.

You can use the hashtag #oprahsbookclub to connect with other readers on Twitter.

You can also join the Oprah's Book Club 2.0 Community on Facebook.

You can watch a video that features Cheryl Strayed talking about her book at Wild Webisodes: Week 1.

What Is This Book About?

"At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State and to do it alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker, and the trail was little more than an idea, vague and outlandish and full of promise. But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone."

 Getting Started
I purchased the digital copy of this book last night. The digital copy is expensive ($12.99) but the book club edition includes Oprah’s personal notes highlighted within the text and a reading group guide.

I read the first chapter this morning and I am hooked. In the first chapter of the book, Cheryl tells about her childhood and the death of her mother. She expresses the deep grief that she felt when her mother died of lung cancer at a young age.

Will You Join Me?
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. I will be blogging about this book over the next several weeks.

FYI ~ The Amazon link at the top of this post is my affiliate link. If you decide to purchase this book, I would truly appreciate your support. Thank you!

My Hiking Adventure

I recently wrote an article about my goal of walking 10,000 steps a day for fitness.  I walk up and down our driveway several times a day.  The driveway is approximately 1/3 mile long.  The terrain is flat and trees line the west side so it is in the shade in the late afternoon and evening.  I enjoy walking with my dogs but I wanted something more challenging.  I guess you could say I wanted a change of scenery. 
This morning my husband and I headed north to Huntsville State Park.  We decided to hike the 6.8 mile hiking trail.  It was a beautiful day.  The temperature was in the mid-70s, a nice breeze and partly cloudy.  The leaves in the park were turning from green to red, yellow and orange...spectacular views!
We started walking down the trail around 9:30 am.  The first mile was wonderful...fresh air, getting in touch with nature, etc.  The trail was hilly and there were tree roots growing across the trail.  I do not do hills.  I couldn't keep up with my husband but I was determined to make it to the end of the trail.
We had been walking about 2 hours when disaster struck.  I stubbed my toe on a tree root and fell hard on my right pelvis and side.  I heard a cracking sound in my back as I hit the ground.  There was one thought in my mind..."BROKEN BACK."  My husband heard a loud "Ka-Boom" and came running back to see what happened.  I was afraid to move.  I have two metal plates in my right leg so I was praying that I didn't break anything else.  I slowly started moving my legs and back.  I felt some soreness but no sharp pain.  I got up and kept walking. I had my video camera and my cell phone in the pocket of my jeans.  Unfortunately, I think I killed my faithful video camera.  Now I know what will be at the top of my Christmas list.
I walked another 3 miles after I fell.  We got back to the vehicle at 1:15 pm so we had been in the woods for 3 hours and 45 minutes.  I SURVIVED!
I have to say that every bone in my body is hurting this evening.  I learned a valuable lesson from this experience...I need to work harder to get in shape.  I can't wait until next time.