The Neurotic Wanderer

The Summit Trail This was a pretty local hike, maybe about one mile away from where I live. The hike itself was created out of the ruin of a dormant volcano. This time, I went with my dog, boy friend and his daughter. It was a pretty wet weekend, but we trudged the four miles up the side of the mountain anyway. It was really great! We probably got an extra work out due to the caked on mud, but the views at the top were worth it. The trail itself was mostly switch backs. We didn't see very many other people, just a few brave souls who also decided to venture through all of the mud. I have to say, the Columbia boots that I got for Christmas were perfect. At one point, my dog got excited and took me on a crash course through a large mud puddle and my book took it like champs. My feet stayed dry the whole time! We didn't take much in regards to supplies since it was just a quick trail, 2 miles up and 2 miles back. In hindsight, we should have packed a few snacks as a reward o

January 7, 2017 My first hike! The Brownlow trail, nothing too strenuous but a solid four miles. I would rate the hike itself about a 3/10 in difficulty. There were some gentle inclines and declines but nothing major. The pup was happy to be out since we hadn't done a longer hike in quite some time. I don't take any music with me since I just like to listen to everything going on around me to and to make sure that I am interacting with my dog. Being the paranoid individual that I am, I also like to make sure that no one is sneaking up on me and to stay aware of my surroundings. This girl isn't going to end up on one of those true crime shows. I thank my mom for that particular brand of paranoia. As we were walking, I made some mental notes of things that I didn't bring but that I needed to make sure that I kept in my hiking pack for the future. Hand sanitizer Lip balm Hand lotion A notepad Pen On this hike, I just took my small hiking pack and packed with

So today marks the start of this blog. I am hoping that this will provide a motivational outlet for me to stay on track with the 52 Hike Challenge, which I have decided to undertake this year. I have always enjoyed being outside and being active but I also find myself getting overwhelmed with my other hobbies. I could easily spend an entire weekend playing xbox or catching up on all of my "stories", but at the end will feel guilty for not spending enough time with my dog or hitting some trails. Hence, the challenge and needing to be held accountable. I would consider myself an intermediate hiker. Based on the 51 Hike Challenge website, that would put me at between 10-20 hikes per year. The level of hikes vary from flat, with minimal difficulty to hiking in and out of the Grand Canyon. I usually go on Day hikes but have enjoyed a two to three day hike here and there.  I have a dog and who will occasionally accompany me on my hikes, however, she isn't the most well