I'm 40 ... and three months

[dropcap custom_class="normal"]H[/dropcap]ere we are: three months in, and progress on my #40before41 list has been slow this past month. (We dog sat for a friend's pup for two and a half weeks and that kept my focus elsewhere.) Need to kick it up in the coming weeks.

Turned this into three sections: Done, In Progress, and Ahead of Me Still. Notes intermingled.

• 40 Before 41 • 

Done!

• Develop a new website for my blog — Do you like? • Have a tarot reading done — A friend read the cards for me on my birthday. They indicated a lot of challenge over the next year, but lots of potential success too. • Find more opportunities to dance — Tap dancing every Tuesday evening at Ormao. Also making Sunday line-dancing more of a priority. • Visit a hot springs in Colorado — I visited Mount Princeton Hot Springs in Buena Vista, Colorado, with my dear friend Jessica. It rained as we sat in the pools and it was a lovely, sensory experience.

In Progress

• See my byline in a national magazine — I got an assignment and have written and submitted my story! Will see the byline this fall. • Yoga and meditation, daily — I'm pleased with my progress here. I went 23 days without a hitch, then missed a few days, but I'm back into it again. • Blog at least twice a week — Haven't made the progress I'd have liked, but I've joined up with a daily blog project for the month of August, and will see what happens. • Climb Pikes Peak — Walking and hiking. Follow my training journey on my blog in the weeks to come via "#Couch-to-14er." • Read at least 52 books — Still ahead of schedule. Sixteen books down, four in progress. I have to admit though, I've been slowed down some by the 800-plus-page A Game of Thrones. • Send a snail mail letter/card/postcard/gift once a month — On track. Sent a friend's daughter a surprise gift. • Plant and grow something edible outside — One tomato plant, chard, basil, baby lettuce and mint in the pots. Used a half cup of the mint in a new recipe last night. Don't think the tomato plant will actually produce anything even though it's getting tall. • Journal at least weekly — Still working on this. • Invest in a week’s worth of matching bras and panties (foundations matter!) — Five new sets purchased. Lots of lace. • Intentionally play music in the house every day — This has been awesome actually. Somehow it makes the house feel more like a home. • Participate in a stage show (play, musical, etc.) as cast or crew — Still waiting to hear on the audition. Callbacks are soon, and I know it's a long (long, long) shot, but I'm rather proud of myself for going through with it. • Play paintball — Recruiting friends to join in because this seems like it would be more fun with a group. • Continue to reduce my wardrobe, a la Project 333 — It's amazing, really, how much easier it gets each time. • Facilitate and participate in at least one improv writing session a month — This is happening (!) with a group of four friends. • Build a terrarium — Haven't built a full terrarium, but I do now have a mini hanging terrarium with rocks and an air plant. • Learn to bake French macarons — Looking for classes, have one potential option. • Show up (my 2014 “one-word” soul mantra) •

Ahead of Me Still

• Have at least one item of clothing tailored to fit • Visit Ojo Caliente • Take French language lessons • Make new connections with at least three bloggers I respect • Plan my next trip to France • Attend the Santa Fe Opera • Take classes on how to use all the buttons on my DSLR • Figure out my signature style • Skinny dip • Learn to make ginger beer • Find the perfect red lipstick (and wear it) • Add a piece of original art to my collection • Take a trip with a girlfriend • Give generously what I want to receive • Stay up once all night until sunrise • Perform at a poetry slam/open mic • Get will and living will in order • Get make-up tips from a pro • Take performance driving lessons •

What kinds of new activities are you trying out?

Random thoughts on #CouchTo14er

[dropcap custom_class="normal"]S[/dropcap]ee if you can follow along my afternoon contemplations...

For one of the items on my #40Before41 list, I decided to climb Pikes Peak. I've been somewhat training — mostly walking a lot with the dog and hiking longer local trails when I've got the time. (On a different, but related note, I've also been practicing yoga asana daily for 23 days now, so I can feel myself getting stronger in that sense.) I've not gotten to any higher elevations so far, and so I'm wondering if I can make this still happen by late August.

Do I actually have the stamina to do it safely?

Partially these thoughts come up as a result of a situation that occurred last weekend. A friend of mine, who's quite active, has climbed numerous 14ers and has lived in the area for almost 20 years, went for a mountain bike ride. He and his ride-mate trekked up a trail that started at around 7,900 feet, and rose in elevation more than 2,300 feet. Right before they hit their destination, he started feeling dizzy, fatigued and headachy — signs of acute altitude sickness. The two turned around and headed down as fast as possible, concerned about high altitude pulmonary oedema and/or high altitude cerebral oedema, aka fluid on the lungs or fluid on the brain, both of which can be fatal within hours. (In the end, it took him a few days to recoup but he's fine now.)

Still...see why I'm concerned?

I know I need to get in some training hikes at higher elevations, and there really is no telling who will or will not get hit with altitude sickness (even Olympic athletes have issues with it at times). But I wonder if there are ways to offset the possibility? And/or can you ever really train enough?

At the same time I've been considering all of this, I've also been trying to figure out my hiking companion situation. Originally, my husband agreed to hike with me. But he sprained his ankle during a mountain bike ride a few weeks back and he's just now in physical therapy and starting to walk without a limp. We've pretty much agreed that he's not going to be able to make the climb. (Not to mention he's been missing prime mountain biking season, and when he's healed, will want to be out doing that, which I completely understand.)

I've had numerous friends offer to come along — both friends who've done the hike before and friends who, like me, have never hiked a 14er. But I'm starting to feel an itch to go it alone.

That might be because I saw this awesome trailer for the upcoming film version of Cheryl Strayed's Wild (with Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl). And it could also be because I finally picked up the book to give it a read. (Way-Off-To-The-Side note: I'm half way through A Game of Thrones, which is 800 pages, and I'm feeling like I've got to get something else read from start to finish much quicker, before I go back to it. I'm an obsessive reader, what can I say?)

In both the trailer and the book (and in many ways, the last book I wrote about: I Promise Not to Suffer), there is such a sense of overwhelming loneliness and a sense of overwhelming power in being able to come to a place of acceptance of such loneliness. And, perhaps oddly, there's something appealing about accessing that type of experience. (Granted, Pikes Peak is not the Pacific Crest Trail, but I know it will be a physical, mental and emotional challenge for me.)

On top of all that, I'm an introvert and I'm not sure I could take anyone with me who was super extroverted. I might just push them off the mountain. (No offense, dear friends. I do love you all.)

I think (those of you in the know, correct me if I'm wrong), the Pikes Peak trail (particularly if I take the main route) is so heavily travelled that if I do go alone, and were to have altitude sickness issues, there would be people nearby to help. And yet, and yet... I might just be begging for someone to talk me through those final miles...

It's a lot to think about.

This is my 40 — Two months in

[dropcap custom_class="normal"] T[/dropcap]wo months in, and I'm steadily plugging along on my #40before41 list. This month's big "check-off" was my Colorado hot springs visit.

Turned this into three sections: Done, In Progress, and Ahead of Me Still. Notes intermingled.

• 40 Before 41 • 

Done!

• Develop a new website for my blog — Do you like? • Have a tarot reading done — A friend read the cards for me on my birthday. They indicated a lot of challenge over the next year, but lots of potential success too. • Find more opportunities to dance — Tap dancing every Tuesday evening at Ormao. Also making Sunday line-dancing more of a priority. • Visit a hot springs in Colorado — I visited Mount Princeton Hot Springs in Buena Vista, Colorado, with my dear friend Jessica. It rained as we sat in the pools and it was a lovely, sensory experience.

In Progress

• See my byline in a national magazine — I got an assignment and have written and submitted my story! Will see the byline this fall. • Yoga and meditation, daily — I struggled during my first month, but I've had movement in this area over the past two weeks. • Blog at least twice a week — Plugging along. • Climb Pikes Peak — Walking and hiking more and more. Follow my training journey on my blog in the weeks to come via "#Couch-to-14er." • Read at least 52 books — Ahead of schedule. Twelve books down, five in progress. Best novel of the past month? The Fault In Our Stars, by John Green. • Send a snail mail letter/card/postcard/gift once a month — On track. Sent a surprise, for-no-reason gift this month. • Plant and grow something edible outside — One tomato plant, chard, basil, baby lettuce and mint in the pots. So fun watching them grow. (Note: one day after I got everything first planted, we had a massive hail storm. Nothing survived. Had to start over.) • Journal at least weekly — This is about all I've managed. However, I just returned from a yoga/writing retreat and we shall see how that impacts my writing as I go forward. • Invest in a week’s worth of matching bras and panties (foundations matter!) — Three new sets purchased. Lots of lace. • Intentionally play music in the house every day — This has been awesome actually. Somehow it makes the house feel more like a home. • Participate in a stage show (play, musical, etc.) as cast or crew — Still waiting to hear on the audition. Callbacks aren't for another month, and I know it's a long (long, long) shot, but I'm rather proud of myself for going through with it. • Play paintball — Recruiting friends to join in because this seems like it would be more fun with a group. • Continue to reduce my wardrobe, a la Project 333 — It's amazing, really, how much easier it gets each time. • Facilitate and participate in at least one improv writing session a month — This is happening (!) with a group of four friends. • Show up (my 2014 “one-word” soul mantra) •

Ahead of Me Still

• Learn to bake French macarons • Have at least one item of clothing tailored to fit • Build a terrarium • Visit Ojo Caliente • Take French language lessons • Make new connections with at least three bloggers I respect • Plan my next trip to France • Attend the Santa Fe Opera • Take classes on how to use all the buttons on my DSLR • Figure out my signature style • Skinny dip • Learn to make ginger beer • Find the perfect red lipstick (and wear it) • Add a piece of original art to my collection • Take a trip with a girlfriend • Give generously what I want to receive • Stay up once all night until sunrise • Perform at a poetry slam/open mic • Get will and living will in order • Get make-up tips from a pro • Take performance driving lessons •

Are you trying new things? Share them with me, won't you?

Get a pedi ... and other tips for #CouchTo14er

[dropcap custom_class="normal"] T[/dropcap]hank you!

Lots of you came through with tips and tricks for my #CouchTo14er journey. For those of you who might attempt your own trek up Pikes Peak — or another fourteener, as many of these are general comments — here's a compilation of what I learned:

• Have a good pack with a water reservoir. Drink small amounts before you are thirsty, because once you get dehydrated, it's too late. (Suggestion of two quarts, with a refill at Barr Camp, or a gallon from the get-go.)

• Make sure snacks include some that are salty. And eat them in regular intervals. Kind Bars are good, and Clif Bloks electrolyte chews.

• Sunscreen! Hat! Layers! (Options: Shell, wind pants, light gloves, light fleece, extra socks.)

• Cut your toenails short (or get a pedicure about a week prior — "Nothing ruins a long hike more than long toenails.") (This particular friend lost two toenails after one of those long hikes.)

• Start early to avoid both the heat and summer storms. Plan to summit before noon, and have someone pick you up at the top or take the Cog down.

• Hike slow but steady. The first part up Mount Manitou is the hardest until the final mile/mile and a half. (Or go the back route, through the Crags — it's longer, but easier.)

• Wear boots that are well broken in. ("I always slather my feet in Vaseline before putting on my socks — and I wear SmartWools — and I find that really helps prevent chafing and blisters. Try that before you do the hike, just to be sure you don't mind the feeling. I always have Nu-Skin and Band-Aids with me when I hike, as well as Traumeel and Benadryl.")

• Additional stuff: "Since you're doing a peak, I'd suggest bringing a few things I wouldn't necessarily take on an average day hike. I'd include a headlamp, emergency blanket, a lighter, and some duct tape. Many outdoor stores sell mini rolls of duct tape, and you can get inexpensive headlamps, which are also sometimes handier around the house than flashlights. Plus, you can turn a gallon jug of water into a lantern by facing the lamp apparatus toward the jug."

• And last, but not least:

Don’t forget to look around; it’s really a pretty nice hike.

Keep sending those suggestions! Particularly any that have to do with good Front Range places to train-hike.

I Promise Not to Suffer, and more on #CouchTo14er

[dropcap custom_class="normal"] I[/dropcap]n the midst of planning for my #CouchTo14er, I started, and just finished, an inspiring and engaging book about a woman who joins her husband when he decides to hike the 2,663-mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada.

Gail Storey's memoir, I Promise Not to Suffer, begins in this way:

"I never much cared for nature, or rather, thought it okay as long as it stayed outside."

I read that, and laughed. Because, honestly, I've had a similar thought many times. I grew up in the ’burbs of Chicago. A girl most at home in museums and theaters and shopping malls and libraries and pizza parlors. And while over the past 20-plus years of living in Colorado, I've become somewhat of a short-trail, near-the-city, hiker, I don't like to bike, or ski, or camp. And bugs and crawly things usually give me the creeps.

I'm not afraid of physical challenges. And I've been known to be somewhat competitive. (I've trained for and run a half-marathon. I dance — it's hard to find a dance challenge I won't take on. And I climbed the Incline once. Although once was enough to be able to say, "Oh yeah, I've hiked the Incline.")

Mostly, I just prefer to be, well, clean. And air-conditioned in the summer, warm and cozy in the winter. And my slightly girly self. Which made completing the Colorado Spartan Military Race incredibly gross, what with all the mud. (After I found dark gook still hanging out in my belly-button three days later, I retired from all mud races.)

All that to say, this 220-page book grabbed me from the first line and kept me going throughout. Because while it tells the details of Gail and her husband's physical trek, it also focuses heavily on the emotional journey such a trek calls forth — as indicated in my favorite line:

"Would my Good-Girl self, never good enough, and my Bad-Girl self, never bad enough to have the fun my Good-Girl missed, make peace in the space and adventure of the trail?

As I've written previously, climbing Pikes Peak (our local 14er) is on my #40before41 list. Earlier this week I asked for suggestions on how to prepare for such a journey. Lots of you sent in ideas, which I'll compile and post in a future blog. Only one of you, however, mentioned the emotional side of things ... which, now having read this book, I think I may need to more seriously consider.

And in the meantime, I'm curious to know if those of you out there who are readers have other books of this ilk to recommend?