Peakbagging for Weight Loss...
Hello, it is August 9th and I have been suffering over the past two months (after being in remission from all of my infections since October and spending too much time being depressed over residual chronic pain and stress)with another severe infection. However, I got good news today...Another recent cat scan and trans ultrasound reveal that I do not have anything "serious: going on and that my cysts that were in my ovaries are "resolving" and that my (serious bladder) infection is treatable. My Urologist told me, "You are just one of those people who has to live with pelvic pain for the rest of your life..." and I just realized that I have to live my life in spite of the horrific, stabbing pain, the horrific, crippling and paralyzing fear that being chronically ill can create, and to revel in the times when I am entering remission, which I will hopefully be doing soon.
There have been a lot that EastKing and I have been through over the 11 years. I have allowed fear to rule my life during much of that time due to growing up in an alcoholic family and dealing with all of the feelings of inadequacy of being in a family where unconditional love is not a part of my life and where being heavy means not getting "approval" from them. My life is sort of reminiscent of that song "Second Chance" where the guy talks about "Sometimes goodbye is a Second Chance" and that is how I feel about my life. I have had to weed out some very toxic people and I have an uphill battle to climb. I weeded out toxic and bad neighbors and "friends", doctors who scoffed at and belittled me, people who said they would "be there" but left me alone and abandoned when my pain was at its worst. I am ready to bring in new, healthier people and I welcome them all.
I love my husband so much and I want to be part of this site so I can be part of his life more.
I have never really been of the philosophy to climb peaks just to do it, even if I was really fit and think and in shape, I just want to see what I can do and enjoy the journeys. I am only interested in bettering my life. I am not interested in competing with anyone.
I am ready to step out of the fear zone and lose the 120 pounds. I am ready to change. Ready to go. The doctors, the ones who have been there for me, tell me there is hope for me yet, but that I better start acting now.
I write this because there are TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT when my wonderful, courageous husband, Greg, who could have just up and left so many times during this ordeal with my health and the horrific stress it has created for him and both of us...but he has always encouraged me to hike...and to write...and to lose weight through hiking.
He is my hero...I am always awe inspired by this man. This wonderful, caring, and sensitive and compassionate man and hiker who also always cares about others on the trail.
I am listening to one of my all time favorite songs "Don't Look Back" by Boston and I am ready to move forward into my life. I am ready to go. I am ready to move forward. I am ready to lose 100 pounds.
I am looking for hiking partners...Preferably other overweight people b/c I will understand where they are coming from and they will understand where I am coming from on a that deeper, emotional level that most think or superfit people are not able to.
There have been many times when people's insensitive or downright piercing or compassionless looks or remarks on trails have gotten me so raging, so angry that I have been scared into submission and allowed myself to feel oppressed, afraid of the mountains because of my side.
During all of this time, I have always had EastKing by my side, encouraging me, but often feeling helpless as my husband over my chronic illness,and me, often unable to express to him how helpless I feel over not being able to see the things he sees...like awesome wildflowers or marmots. He is my hero, though, and I want to share that with those on this site...because he has fought for us with two jobs and I know he would be doing a lot more hiking if he could but our circumstances have not allowed it. I am working a crappy retail job where I am not getting enough hours, but I keep trying and praying for something better.
I know that I have to live life now hard core, live life like that "livestrong" bracelets or website says. I know that in order to lose the 120 pounds, it is going to take summoning all my courage, all my bravery of my 38 years, and to do it...to defy the doctors, defy the illnesses, defy the diabetes that I am not far from.
In fact, he help me start this "Peakbagging for Weight Loss" album as way to encourage to get out and enjoy the mountains and lose weight while doing it. Throughout the better part of 15 years I have had serious struggles with health and weight issues. Back in 2004 I started hiking with Greg to help me lose 90 pounds. Unfortunately on my toughest climb up Mount Lafayette when my husband and I were almost at even pace I blew out my knee and didn't hike at all for a couple of years. I did manage to hike occasionally in 2006 through 2008 but never really got into peak bagging until November 2009 where despite it being the rainiest month of the year I was able to go peak bagging quite frequently. But by February of 2010 I was yet again strongly affected by a number of bladder infections which caused me to spend a number of days in the hospital and I was not able to go hiking again until recently.
Greg has always motivated
At the point that this was written...it was a few months ago, but now I would be happy with 15 instead of the 20 that I had originally wanted.
I am not caring if they are difficult or not but I do want to be consistent in peak bagging because I know this is the only way I will reach my goal.
At first this album might boring because I will be doing a lot of lower end hiking but hopefully by the end of the year I can tackle some more interesting mountains.
I will be updating this mountain as I attempt to reach all 20 summits. None of the 20 summits will be drive ups because the whole idea is to use it for weight loss. Hopefully by the end of this year, I will be triumphant both personally and professionally and more than I am now, and I can make Greg proud.
1. Sugarloaf Mountain
March 28th, 2011
Sugarloaf Mountain SP page
This mountain did not have the best views but the nice grade of the road was great for me, who is really just trying to get my feet wet into hiking again. The beginning with the broken up car was a little eerie but it was great to be out again!
2. A mountain we later found out was on private land
April 5th, 2011
I got information about this specific mountain from an article in the paper. The article was later pulled because the southern part of the mountain is on private property. The first time I have been on a summit with someone else but EastKing in a long time.
3. Pinnacle Peak (Mount Pete)
May 8th, 2011
Pinnacle Peak (Mount Pete) SP page
This is the first hike in over a year that I have done with over 1000 feet of elevation gain. It was also the first I have done in a month. It is a repeat summit for me but I was glad to tackle this peak once again with hubby EastKing and friend Veronica (HiT).
Training (May)
When I don't have the time to peakbag I hit the 200+ foot hillclimb at Lincoln Park where I knocked the time down from 5 minutes to 3 minutes. I right now still get winded but I am now beginning to feel better going into summer.
4. Long View Peak (Sub-Peak on Cougar Mountain)
June 26th, 2011
Main Cougar Mountain Page. Long View Peak is briefly mentioned here.
For the last month and a half I have gone through a dramatic move and had to go to the hospital for a number of serious issues. Therefore I was out of commission for a little bit. The weather this spring has not been the most encouraging either. So the end result is that I have not been very active.
I decided to head to Cougar Mountain and do a sub-peak on the mountain. I did Wilderness Peak a few years ago but was not very happy with the lack of views. With a name of Long View Peak I was expecting good views but unfortunately the views were overgrown. :( Still it was good logging 4.5 miles and 1200 feet of elevation gain. I promise though that there will not be a drought this long ever again though.
5. Alger Alp
July 9th 2011
Alger Alp SP page
Okay it time to get serious here about not only this alaum but in weight loss in general. My husband has just made reservation for Lassen Peak and I have to get myself in primetime shape. He says we are going no matter what for this peak and that I have only two months to get myself ready for it. Well it time to get start.
Today I went to Alger Alp with him and Jimbopo. The hike was a great roadwalk and thankfully had a good view near the summit. I enjoy this peak and the elevation gain was just right! Both Jimbopo and EastKing were great company. EastKing wanted me to use his pictures from Alger Alp.
6. Antler Peak
August 10th, 2011
Antler Peak
There will probably be a TR on this one. Today was my first off-trail scramble and the elevation of Antler Peak represents the highest elevation I have hiked to in my life. My husband had me wear a helmet for precautionary reason and to add comfort and safety to the trip.
7. Little Si
August 17th, 2011
I impressed a couple of people at work by proving to them that I could make it to the summit of Little Si. Little did they know that this was my third time on this mountain. They were quiet impressed with the fact that I did not stop. It did take me a while to get up there. It took me an hour an 25 minutes which was a little slower than my friends but still I made it through it.
I went to Weight Watchers and I discovered that I had lost 10 pounds in the past three weeks. This weight loss is great news and positive reinforcement that the hiking is starting to help me. Now that I have two and a half weeks left until my Lassen Peak I need to get out more and get myself ready.
8. Mount Fremont
August 23rd, 2011
My husband was really pushing this peak on me for a reason. Now after going up there I know why. Unfortuenately he could not go with me. But his friend Josh Lewis did. We got there late due to signage on the road and getting a little off track.
I will likely put up a true TR in a little bit but this hike was the most scenic hike I have ever been on. I want to thank Josh for being patient with me on this trip.
9. Mount Lassen
September 6th, 2011
This was my summer goal mountain and I finally got it! I was very lucky to be with the three people I was with but with their guidance I made it to the highest peak that I have ever been to!!!
Pinnacle Peak (Mount Pete) again
September 17th, 2011
We were heading to something more into Mount Rainier National Park but then the weather opened up on the way there. Realizing that hiking in cold heavy rain and thick fog wasn't going to be very fun we decided on Pinnacle Peak, a peak I have done two time before. The 11 day layoff really showed here. I need to literally be hiking once or twice a week. My feet were giving me some issues but I fought through them and made all of the way to the summit again. A little less rain than the previous to two times I had been hiking on this mountain. For some reason I seem to up here only when it is raining???? Hopefully there will be better weather for better hiking next week!!:)
Coal Creek Falls (not a peak)
September 25th, 2011
We were in a pinch for time so instead of going for a summit I decide to head to a local waterfall I have been to many times before instead. The weather gods didn't like it too much and on the way back from we were caught in a nasty wind storm. At least three trees fell across the trail and we could actually hear them snapping. Worse yet the falls were all dried up!:( Oh well I guess no shortcuts! I will just stick to summits from here on out.
10. Goose Rock
October 9th, 2011
I had been having a rough couple of weeks at work and had not been feeling too well. Because of that EastKing and I decided to do something that was smaller today. EastKing knows I love the water and purposely picked a smaller summit by the water for me. For Goose Rock did the trick. EastKing did warn me though not to expect to something this easy next week though. Here are the pictures!!
11. De Leo Wall
November 6th, 2011
Looking at this album I realize that it has been almost a month since the last hike. I have had a number of issues to worry about including new job issues. With the beautiful fall colors I knew I had to get out and enjoy them before they are gone. My husband EastKing decided to take me to my old favorite De Leo Wall in order to enjoy the of the great fall color. Though I have only lost 15 pounds since I have started peakbagging my stamina has sharply gone up. It feel good to actually start to be able to hike up at a normal pace for once even if the trail is at an easier grade. We went to both the true summit and the lookout. The colors this year are spectacular and I am glad to be able to go out there and enjoy them.
12. Mount Hyak
December 4th, 2011
My first snow hike (or climb) of the season and in years. Snow was firm enough on this ski slope not to use snowshoes. EastKing and I booted right up the 30 degree ski slope to the summit. There will be more written on in the future bt for right now I will present the pictures.
13. Welldiggers Ass
December 11th, 2011
This is a peak EastKing has wanted me to go to for a while. With help from friends Chance, Jimbopo and Dave we all made it to the summit and had a lot of fun. I will write more later but only to say that the route up was in very good condition and there were surprisingly more views than I was expecting. Here are the pictures.....
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