Hiking With The Bear

January 15, 2024 Today marks 157 days until I embark on the journey of a lifetime. I’ll be leaving the United States and heading to Tanzania, Africa, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I just purchased my flight to and from Tanzania, making this dream feel more real than ever. As of now, I have 136 days left to train for the climb, and I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. This trip feels like a step into the unknown. I’ve done my research and know what I should do to prepare, but the reality of being there—facing the mountain and all its challenges—feels like uncharted territory. Training on the East Coast hasn’t been easy. Preparing for Kilimanjaro’s high elevations is a challenge in itself, and the snowy, frigid temperatures we’ve had recently have forced many trails and parks to close. Still, hiking in the snow has its own way of challenging you—both mentally and physically. The cold, uneven terrain, and extra effort required to navigate snowy trails push me to dig deeper, which I ...

December 28th and 29th 2024 As 2024 drew to a close, I knew I had to squeeze in one final adventure before the year ended. Originally, I had planned a simple 3-mile out-and-back to Little Crease in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. But with a late start and a longer-than-expected drive (it was already past noon), I made the decision to head to Shenandoah National Park—a place I know well and love. I opted for the Jeremy’s Run Trail starting at the Elkwallow Wayside Trailhead. What was supposed to be a straightforward hike turned into one of the most memorable trips of the year. An Unexpected Adventure: What began as a short, easy hike quickly became a challenging 11-mile journey. The Jeremy’s Run Trail took me through dense woods, past waterfalls, and across 13 stream crossings. Each stream crossing was different: some required navigating slippery rocks, others had me wading through the cool, fast-moving waters. Both days of hiking were 5.5 miles each,...

  Welcome back to the blog! It’s been six years since my last post, and I’m excited to reconnect and share my journey with you. Right now, I’m just one week into my training regimen for an adventure I’ve been dreaming about: climbing Mount Kilimanjaro next June. This past week has been both exhilarating and challenging. I hiked three trails, covering a total of 17 miles. One of these hikes took me up the George Washington Monument trail, where I gained over 1000 feet of elevation. I also added a yoga session to my routine. It’s interesting to see how yoga will benefit me, helping with flexibility and overall body strength. In future posts, I’ll delve into the last six years—what’s happened, what I’ve learned, and how I got to this point. For now, I’m focused on the climb ahead and excited to take you along on this journey. Stay tuned for more updates as I prepare for Kilimanjaro!

First, I would like to say Good Morning and Welcome! This is my first blog and I’m going to be as honest as possible. I’m 40 years old. I’ve been battling with my weight for most of my life. I maintained a weight of 220lbs throughout high school. After high school, my weight started to increase. By 21, I was 300lbs and diagnosed with high blood pressure. In 2001, I was diagnosed with cellulitis in my right leg and in 2008, it happened in my left leg. You would think by now I would have been ready to do the right thing. By age 32, I was knocking on 400lbs’ door. The doctors kept telling me I need to lose weight or I won’t see 35. I tried every weight loss plan there is – Jenny Craig, Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Slim Fast and even Fucking Trim Spa…lol. They all worked but the effect was temporary. My mind wasn’t ready. In 2008, my doctor suggested that I think about bariatric surgery. I said let’s do it. I was more than qualified for it. All I had to do was unde...