Dreams of Adventure

I'm reading a book called "Walker's Journal: Experiencing America on Foot" by Robert Sweetgall. This guy has walked across America SEVEN-times. The book was written about his 1984 11,000+ mile walk of the perimeter of the US, hitting all 50 states. I haven't gotten to how he managed Alaska and Hawaii yet, but I'm assuming he flew there, walked, and flew back. He did it to promote the importance of cardiovascular health and fitness. The book is pretty cool, because it's set up to encourage the reader to walk the 50 states, too. One mile for every 10 that Sweetgall walked. He walked 30 to 40 miles everyday!

I have two other long walk books on my TBR shelf. One is by Granny D, who at 89 (!) walked across the country to raise awareness for presidential campaign reform (!!) When I talked yesterday about the kind of old woman I want to be? Yeah. I want to be Granny D when I grow up.

The other is called "Sole Mates" by a married couple, Jerry and Cindy Schultz, who walked across the U.S. from Washington state to Atlanta Georgia to raise awareness for Habitat for Humanity. They were in their sixties.

For some reason, the idea of walking across the US appeals to me. Sweetgall was my age in 1984, but he was single. Granny D and the Schultz were older, and their kids were grown. That's what I'd have to wait for. Mamas with babies can't take a year off to walk. HAHAHA!

They all did it differently, too. Sweetgall had just a fannypack with him. The Schultzes had a support system of drivers who would load their supplies up in a car and drive it to the next destination, the next driver...maybe 50 or 100 miles away. I'm sure Granny D had some sort of support system, although I'm not sure.

I think what I like the best about the idea is doing something big--a big adventure. Maybe hiking the Grand Canyon? I really, really want to take my kids on a camping trip along the coast of California, and then back down on the interior of the state, hitting all the state parks. I want to kayake and go horseback riding. I found this website for a group that does Adventure Races in Nevada, California and Arizona. They sound so fun! One is 8-miles of innertubing (they give you a deflated innertube--you supply the air, and the means for propelling it. Oars, Fins, or just your arms and legs), followed by a 5-mile trail trek, using a map and a compass to find your way. How fun does that sound? There are also 20 to 30 mile races that incorporate things like kayaking, mountain biking, and rappelling, and take 24-hours to complete.

What are your secret adventure dreams?

***

Went to the Y today and did my weight program. I finished it faster this time. I'm not sure if that's because I was more familiar with it, since I did it Wednesday. Or if I rushed it and didn't get a good enough workout? I guess we'll see by the state of my muscles tomorrow! They are fine right now. Right after was Ruby's swim lesson, and we swam another half hour. I didn't do laps or anything, but swimming with Ruby requires constant water-walking.

Just like Wednesday, I came home and was exhausted. Sleepy-tired. Thank God, Ruby was, too, and I was able to lay down for an hour. If she wasn't, I think I would have collapsed. I wonder if maybe I need to eat more protein for breakfast on weight day? Does anyone else get sleepy after strength training? This doesn't happen after a cardio workout, for me. Especially walking or biking. I do get a little sleepy after swimming. I think it has to do with the body temperature changes.