Fatpacking In West Virginia This Weekend

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One of our Shenandoah hiking escapes! Enjoying the overlook and beautiful scenery.

One of our Shenandoah hiking escapes when I was 80 lbs. heavier! Enjoying the overlook and beautiful scenery.

I’m going hiking in West Virginia on Saturday with friends and of course the Carbivorous Rex. It’s my first overnight excursion in more than a year. Sweet!

I’m 80 lbs. lighter than our last outing. While I don’t want to over do it, I’m excited because it doesn’t seem as daunting as past trips. With great weight loss comes great confidence.

Tonight we’re digging out our gear – backpacks, tent, sleeping bags, compass, water filter, first aid and boots.

Hiking really is a full body workout. From rolling hills to rocky terrain to crossing creeks, you use muscles you never knew existed. You move slower and the ground you walk on is less predictable.

I remember one hike where I climbed a small part of the trail – maneuvering over large boulders for about 30 feet.  I don’t remember how long it took for me to climb it (then it seemed like an eternity), but I felt exhilarated.

Hiking does that to you.

And let’s face it, hiking offers something that walking can’t – beautiful scenery. With fall starting, I’m expecting to see some color in those trees. Depending on which trail we follow, fishing is a big possibility.

Just hoping the weather gods smile upon us this weekend.

3 thoughts on “Fatpacking In West Virginia This Weekend

  1. Dot

    Sounds like she has a good friend in you. My hike is considered “easy” for folks to do this regularly. But for me it was hard. I think the last 60 minutes of the trail were the hardest. I got frustrated with myself for being so tired (it really is amazing how we beat ourselves up for not being perfect). But I knew I would feel great after. Being proud of your friend’s accomplishments isn’t condescending. Losing weight is hard as hell. I feel great when my husband tells me he’s proud of what I’ve done. Truth is, sometimes we need that pat on the back to keep the big picture in mind. Thanks for visiting my blog!

  2. Congratulations to you for accomplishing such a huge weight loss and going on these adventures. Your situation reminds me a lot of a good friend of mine who has also recently lost a lot of weight. This summer I took her on a long hike in the Olympic Mountains when she was visiting Seattle….it was a thrill for me to visit someplace I love with her that she wouldn’t have been able to reach in the past. The hike was still hard for her and she admittedly doubted herself at times on the way, but she used a lot of willpower and we did it together. Not to sound condescending, because she’s a frank and honest person like you about her battles with weight, but I was really proud of her. She exerted a lot more mental and physical effort than the average person to get to the top. I have my own issues with food but seeing how far she has come is motivation for me to be healthier. Sorry to ramble on. Good blog!

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