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Took a walk today

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    • I figured it was time for my monthly check in. I still haven't managed to fully kick this horrendous chest cough. I've narrowed down the culprit to the local Walmart. My job requires me to be in and out of various stores in the area on a daily or weekly basis. I can go anywhere with the exception of Walmart and I'm fine. Every time I go in that store I leave with what the employees there have dubbed "the Walmart Funk". I'm going on about two months now of being sick off and on.

      ANYWAY, with that said, the point of this post was the laugh at myself a little for how quickly I lost my hiking/walking legs and lungs due to being relatively inactive. My husband and I went to a local park over the weekend to play a round of disc golf and then I decided we should make a quick lap around the gravel track at the bottom half of the park. All was well and good until I had to walk back up the 50ft hill to get back to my car. Seriously....50ft and I was breathing like I had just completed a marathon. So, I took a short walk but it surely wasn't my best.
      “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T. S. Eliot
    • Ewok11 wrote:

      I figured it was time for my monthly check in. I still haven't managed to fully kick this horrendous chest cough. I've narrowed down the culprit to the local Walmart. My job requires me to be in and out of various stores in the area on a daily or weekly basis. I can go anywhere with the exception of Walmart and I'm fine. Every time I go in that store I leave with what the employees there have dubbed "the Walmart Funk". I'm going on about two months now of being sick off and on.

      ANYWAY, with that said, the point of this post was the laugh at myself a little for how quickly I lost my hiking/walking legs and lungs due to being relatively inactive. My husband and I went to a local park over the weekend to play a round of disc golf and then I decided we should make a quick lap around the gravel track at the bottom half of the park. All was well and good until I had to walk back up the 50ft hill to get back to my car. Seriously....50ft and I was breathing like I had just completed a marathon. So, I took a short walk but it surely wasn't my best.
      Might want to get the cough checked, one of my teacher friends was just diagnosed with TB.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • Ewok11 wrote:

      I figured it was time for my monthly check in. I still haven't managed to fully kick this horrendous chest cough. I've narrowed down the culprit to the local Walmart. My job requires me to be in and out of various stores in the area on a daily or weekly basis. I can go anywhere with the exception of Walmart and I'm fine. Every time I go in that store I leave with what the employees there have dubbed "the Walmart Funk". I'm going on about two months now of being sick off and on.

      ANYWAY, with that said, the point of this post was the laugh at myself a little for how quickly I lost my hiking/walking legs and lungs due to being relatively inactive. My husband and I went to a local park over the weekend to play a round of disc golf and then I decided we should make a quick lap around the gravel track at the bottom half of the park. All was well and good until I had to walk back up the 50ft hill to get back to my car. Seriously....50ft and I was breathing like I had just completed a marathon. So, I took a short walk but it surely wasn't my best.
      I’d ask that an investigation take place in to why so many are getting sick, somethings not right, could be faulty heating cooling system, it happens. Be well Ewok.
    • Dan76 wrote:

      Ewok11 wrote:

      I figured it was time for my monthly check in. I still haven't managed to fully kick this horrendous chest cough. I've narrowed down the culprit to the local Walmart. My job requires me to be in and out of various stores in the area on a daily or weekly basis. I can go anywhere with the exception of Walmart and I'm fine. Every time I go in that store I leave with what the employees there have dubbed "the Walmart Funk". I'm going on about two months now of being sick off and on.

      ANYWAY, with that said, the point of this post was the laugh at myself a little for how quickly I lost my hiking/walking legs and lungs due to being relatively inactive. My husband and I went to a local park over the weekend to play a round of disc golf and then I decided we should make a quick lap around the gravel track at the bottom half of the park. All was well and good until I had to walk back up the 50ft hill to get back to my car. Seriously....50ft and I was breathing like I had just completed a marathon. So, I took a short walk but it surely wasn't my best.
      Might want to get the cough checked, one of my teacher friends was just diagnosed with TB.
      I know someone who had T.B. a bunch of us had to be tested, luckily no one else had contracted it.
    • Jake Ace wrote:

      Ewok11 wrote:

      I figured it was time for my monthly check in. I still haven't managed to fully kick this horrendous chest cough. I've narrowed down the culprit to the local Walmart. My job requires me to be in and out of various stores in the area on a daily or weekly basis. I can go anywhere with the exception of Walmart and I'm fine. Every time I go in that store I leave with what the employees there have dubbed "the Walmart Funk". I'm going on about two months now of being sick off and on.

      ANYWAY, with that said, the point of this post was the laugh at myself a little for how quickly I lost my hiking/walking legs and lungs due to being relatively inactive. My husband and I went to a local park over the weekend to play a round of disc golf and then I decided we should make a quick lap around the gravel track at the bottom half of the park. All was well and good until I had to walk back up the 50ft hill to get back to my car. Seriously....50ft and I was breathing like I had just completed a marathon. So, I took a short walk but it surely wasn't my best.
      I’d ask that an investigation take place in to why so many are getting sick, somethings not right, could be faulty heating cooling system, it happens. Be well Ewok.
      sick building syndrome, maybe off gassing something bad or something you're allergic too. Maybe used some cheap Chinese building products - my apologies to any Chinese out there but there have been issues with products made in China.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Not today, but me, Kathy, and our dog Tora took a walk this past Saturday.
      We went up to Harriman State Park and parked on the east side at the Diltz (sp?) Road trailhead parking lot.
      We arrived about 10:30, changed our shoes, adjusted our clothing, and hoisted our packs by about 10:50.
      From there we walked north until we got to File Factory Hollow and headed west.
      About 3/4 of the way along the hollow we left the trail and bushwacked to a woods road that I can't remember the name of and headed northish.
      We went around second reservoir and headed up to Big Hill shelter.
      We stopped there for lunch and met 3 young people on their very first over-nighter.
      They told us that it had been in the 20s over night and that they were not prepared for the cold.
      We encouraged them not to give up but to use this trip as a learning experience and they said they'd stay another night.
      After lunch it was the SBM and then the TMI trails, past what I think was third reservoir and back to the car.
      While some of the creeks had water, some didn't, and the reservoirs seemed pretty low.
      The weather was cool but not cold and the sky become overcast as the day wore on.
      It was about 3:30 when we got back to the car after having covered 6-7 or so miles, I'd have to check the map to be sure.

      Then we drove to NJ and paid a visit to Campmor.
      We browsed through the whole store and neither of us found anything we just had to have and left empty handed.
      It was surprising how few people were in the store, you'd never know it was the Christmas shopping season.
      I hope they were getting a lot of on-line orders because there wasn't much merchandise going through the store check outs.
    • LIhikers wrote:



      Then we drove to NJ and paid a visit to Campmor.
      We browsed through the whole store and neither of us found anything we just had to have and left empty handed.
      It was surprising how few people were in the store, you'd never know it was the Christmas shopping season.
      I hope they were getting a lot of on-line orders because there wasn't much merchandise going through the store check outs.
      Loved Campmor back in the day. Store visits were always kind of special due to size, variety and being able to touch and feel. Mostly, I ordered from their mail catalog then online, both personally and for the scouts. Now, I can't remember the last time I ordered from them. There are so many cottage online stores and other e-tailers more fitting for my needs. I do wish them well.
    • Thank you all for the concern. Luckily, I live with a medical provider, so I know that I just have a regular old cold that goes away and then comes back before my immune system has had a chance to recover. I think since we are in a fairly small town now it has less to do with circulation issues in Walmart and more to do with people congregating there and just being unsanitary. It doesn't help that one of the companies I broker for, owns a large portion of the cough and cold medicine brands. So, I get to go touch all the boxes and bottles that people have coughed and sneezed on.

      Thankfully, I haven't had to be in that store as much in the last couple of weeks and my lungs have gotten a reprieve. I was able to shovel the cement like wet snow off my driveway yesterday without coughing or wheezing.
      “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” - T. S. Eliot
    • Yesterday was a beautiful day here on Long Island so Kathy and I took our dog, jumped in the 1978 VW Microbus and headed to our local county park for a walk.
      We were on our feet for a couple hours, covering not too many miles.
      Then we drove over to a local Pizza place and enjoyed a nice dinner out.
      The whole affair was really more about spending time together, which we don't get to do much, and exercising the old VW than covering a lot of ground.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday was a beautiful day here on Long Island so Kathy and I took our dog, jumped in the 1978 VW Microbus and headed to our local county park for a walk.
      We were on our feet for a couple hours, covering not too many miles.
      Then we drove over to a local Pizza place and enjoyed a nice dinner out.
      The whole affair was really more about spending time together, which we don't get to do much, and exercising the old VW than covering a lot of ground.
      Hey LIHikers, I'm down in the Valley Stream area a few times a year visiting the in-laws. Looking for a recommendation of a place to escape to sometime when I want to take a walk within say an hour of there. Do you have one favorite?

      Last time down there I visited Roosevelt's house at Sagamore Hill. That was great, but not enough walking.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      LIhikers wrote:

      Yesterday was a beautiful day here on Long Island so Kathy and I took our dog, jumped in the 1978 VW Microbus and headed to our local county park for a walk.
      We were on our feet for a couple hours, covering not too many miles.
      Then we drove over to a local Pizza place and enjoyed a nice dinner out.
      The whole affair was really more about spending time together, which we don't get to do much, and exercising the old VW than covering a lot of ground.
      Hey LIHikers, I'm down in the Valley Stream area a few times a year visiting the in-laws. Looking for a recommendation of a place to escape to sometime when I want to take a walk within say an hour of there. Do you have one favorite?
      Last time down there I visited Roosevelt's house at Sagamore Hill. That was great, but not enough walking.
      I'll put together a short list this weekend.
      Just give me a little time.
    • Recently hiked a local trail to a bowl with two blind hikers. This trail is normally snowshoe only at this time of year. However we encountered a dry trail with mud in the shaded areas.

      Here's a pic of the area. The bowl is just below the second ridge from the left.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • How Do You Boost Creativity? Get Off Your Ass And Go For A Walk!
      BY IAN LANDAU


      Stanford University researchers say simply going for a walk boosts creative thinking by as much as 60% compared to remaining stationary with your ass planted to a chair.
      IN A STUDY just published in The Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, Stanford University researchers say simply going for a walk boosts creative thinking by as much as 60% compared to remaining stationary with your arse planted to a chair.
      For their study, researchers from the Stanford School of Education's AAALab (which, no joke, stands for Awesomely Adaptive and Advanced Learning and Behavior) tested study participants' creative thinking abilities while they walked and sat. They found that walkers scored significantly higher than sitters on tests measuring the ability to come up with as many ideas or solutions as possible to a given problem (what normal people call "brainstorming" and what academic nerds call "divergent thinking").
      This effect wasn't seen only after scenic promenades across Stanford's lovely manicured campus, either. The creativity spike also showed up if subjects traipsed indoors on a treadmill with nothing more stimulating than a blank wall in front of them.
      Of course, not all thinking is the same. There's brainstorming (where the goal is to produce numerous ideas, some of which are invariably good and some are not) and there's what you might call concentrated thinking (where the goal is laser-like focus on a single correct answer or solution). Researchers gauged the effects of walking and sitting on this second type of thinking—which is referred to as "convergent thinking" in science-speak—and found that walkers performed slightly worse than sitters, suggesting that too much activity may overwhelm the mind's ability to maintain a tight focus.
      The takeaway: When big ideas and novel thoughts are required, walks get results. Now go tell your boss that "walking meetings" aren't bullshit after all, and you have the scientific research to prove it.


      jackarcher.com/life/curated_ar…our_ass_and_go_for_a_walk
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      Recently hiked some more miles on the Cumberland trail and the Benton mackaye trail.

      I was missing a short section of the BMT south of Fontana. Logistically, it has to be done in two, out and back hikes. Hopefully, the second part can be done soon.
      I can relate to the out and backs, the Ouachita Trail is only 223 miles, but by the time I was done I was probably closer to 300. :rolleyes:
      Now that I am in New England the AT is a pain to get to, but I only need to walk one direction once I get there. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Took a snowshoe today in the woods around my house...

      This is the trail, all the young pines were bent across.


      An abandoned beaver pond.


      My pond in the snow. All-in-all a pretty good day to be stuck at home.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • went to the woods today for the first time since i hurt my back last august and walked 3 miles. got tired of walking around the neighborhood.

      the medical profession -- and time -- has taken me from constant pain to where i can (usually) walk 2 miles pain free. the next step is back surgery; i've done everything else they have to offer.

      so before that happens -- i'm trying chiropractic traction every day for 5 weeks. initial results are promising -- time will tell how much this helps.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      went to the woods today for the first time since i hurt my back last august and walked 3 miles. got tired of walking around the neighborhood.

      the medical profession -- and time -- has taken me from constant pain to where i can (usually) walk 2 miles pain free. the next step is back surgery; i've done everything else they have to offer.

      so before that happens -- i'm trying chiropractic traction every day for 5 weeks. initial results are promising -- time will tell how much this helps.
      Have you considered acupressure or acupuncture?
      I ask because I had an uncle who was cured of a bad back problem that way.
      Medical doctors had done everything they could and wanted to do surgery.
      My uncle refused to let them cut his back and was cured by acupuncture/acupressure.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      went to the woods today for the first time since i hurt my back last august and walked 3 miles. got tired of walking around the neighborhood.

      the medical profession -- and time -- has taken me from constant pain to where i can (usually) walk 2 miles pain free. the next step is back surgery; i've done everything else they have to offer.

      so before that happens -- i'm trying chiropractic traction every day for 5 weeks. initial results are promising -- time will tell how much this helps.
      Have you considered acupressure or acupuncture?I ask because I had an uncle who was cured of a bad back problem that way.
      Medical doctors had done everything they could and wanted to do surgery.
      My uncle refused to let them cut his back and was cured by acupuncture/acupressure.
      thanks; that's worth looking into as a next step before the knife.
      2,000 miler
    • Been on a walk, was supposed to finish the BMT on my birthday. I’ve worked on it for so long, it seemed a fitting day to end. I’ve dreamed about it.

      Alas, life had other plans and I’m off trail in Cherokee, heading home due to a death in the family. I’m not bummed about the hike. As Sandy said, family is more important.

      19.4 miles to go but will re-hike a section to finish at Big Creek making it 31.5
      Lost in the right direction.

      The post was edited 2 times, last by Traffic Jam ().

    • Bo Peep wrote:

      Been on a walk, was supposed to finish the BMT on my birthday. I’ve worked on it for so long, it seemed a fitting day to end. I’ve dreamed about it.

      Alas, life had other plans and I’m off trail in Cherokee, heading home due to a death in the family. I’m not bummed about the hike. As Sandy said, family is more important.

      19.4 miles to go but will re-hike a section to finish at Big Creek making it 31.5
      My sincerest condolences on your loss of a family member. And congratulations on nearly finishing the BMT, I hadn't realized you had hiked so much of it. I'm sure you'll finish it soon.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      Been on a walk, was supposed to finish the BMT on my birthday. I’ve worked on it for so long, it seemed a fitting day to end. I’ve dreamed about it.

      Alas, life had other plans and I’m off trail in Cherokee, heading home due to a death in the family. I’m not bummed about the hike. As Sandy said, family is more important.

      19.4 miles to go but will re-hike a section to finish at Big Creek making it 31.5
      Sorry to hear that TJ, yup its times like these that center and ground us, be well.
    • max.patch wrote:

      went to the woods today for the first time since i hurt my back last august and walked 3 miles. got tired of walking around the neighborhood.

      the medical profession -- and time -- has taken me from constant pain to where i can (usually) walk 2 miles pain free. the next step is back surgery; i've done everything else they have to offer.

      so before that happens -- i'm trying chiropractic traction every day for 5 weeks. initial results are promising -- time will tell how much this helps.
      I hope the traction works. Glad you got out to the woods for a bit.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • Bo Peep wrote:

      Been on a walk, was supposed to finish the BMT on my birthday. I’ve worked on it for so long, it seemed a fitting day to end. I’ve dreamed about it.

      Alas, life had other plans and I’m off trail in Cherokee, heading home due to a death in the family. I’m not bummed about the hike. As Sandy said, family is more important.

      19.4 miles to go but will re-hike a section to finish at Big Creek making it 31.5
      So sorry for your loss.
    • It was a beautiful day here on Long Island. The blue sky was sunny,and clear, the temps were just into the 60s during the afternoon and there was a gentle breeze. Our dog Tora, Kathy and I headed east to some state land in Rocky Point. There's a bit over 5000 acres of undeveloped land with all kinds of trails and woods roads. Some are for horses, some for mountain bikes and some for hiking. The land used to be an antenna farm for the RCA Corp, read about it here rockypointhistoricalsociety.org/rca-radio-central/
      Most all the infrastructure is gone with just traces of what existed, if you know what to look for. We did about 7 miles. Then when we got home I jumped on the new bicycle and pedaled to the post office to mail a letter. I rose about 5 miles and even managed to ride past a Dunkin Donuts without stopping. All in all in was a glorious day!
    • Did 27 miles this week end on the Pinhoti, met my hiking buddy Bethany late Friday afternoon at the Shoal Creek ranger station, left her car there and went to the Cheaha Restaraunt for a traditional hiker meal of cheeseburgers, fries and beer (wine for Bethany), and hiked down the road to the trail crossing, did a two mile night hike to Blue Mountain Shelter where we planned to camp but some young guys had a smoke lodge set up near the shelter so we hiked back to main trail and camped, had a fire going by 9:00 and chewed the fat until after 12:00. Did 12.8 miles Saturday to a great camp spot below a large waterfall, previous occupier left a nice pipe but with nothing to smoke in it, had the best night's sleep I've ever had on the trail, in the hammock at 8:30 and didn't get up (even to pee) until 6:30, did 12.3 miles Sunday back to our shuttle car, weather was much, much, warmer than expected during the days...in the 80's.
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      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Kathy and I went to NY's Harriman State Park today for some hiking.
      We got there around 11AM and hiked until 4PM.
      If I had to guess I'd say we hiked about 5 or 6 or 7 miles.
      Not much but it was soooooooooo nice t be off of Long Island where the hiking is dead flat.
      At least today we had some hills. It was in the 30s when we started off but got well into the 40s by afternoon. When in exposed areas there was a pretty stiff breeze.
      Over the course of the day, I think we saw more trail runners than hikers.
    • LIhikers wrote:

      Kathy and I went to NY's Harriman State Park today for some hiking.
      We got there around 11AM and hiked until 4PM.
      If I had to guess I'd say we hiked about 5 or 6 or 7 miles.
      Not much but it was soooooooooo nice t be off of Long Island where the hiking is dead flat.
      At least today we had some hills. It was in the 30s when we started off but got well into the 40s by afternoon. When in exposed areas there was a pretty stiff breeze.
      Over the course of the day, I think we saw more trail runners than hikers.
      Had similar conditions here which I thought was ridiculous for here in April. :thumbdown:
      But I guess I should get used to since I may get that or worse in June/July in NH and ME. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General