Adventuresome Spirit

I have been pondering the idea of creating a blog based on my hiking adventures....seeing as I have quite a few of them I wouldn't mind sharing.  I may not be a great writer so I'm just going to try this out for a bit and see how it goes.  If you don't like it, I won't be mad.......if you do enjoy reading it, I would love to know that too :)
Recently I have begun hiking all the trails and metro parks in my area.  I guess I should begin by telling you how and why I started hiking in the first place.  It all started because of my health.  Sam and I were trying to start a family of our own and weren't having much luck.  At the beginning of this year, we started to see a fertility specialist.  Well...he was doing some routine tests and found I am diabetic.  In order for me to continue fertility treatments, I needed to see my regular doctor and get my sugar under control.  AFTER I realized how bad my sugar really was, and I saw how it was affecting my health, did I fully realize I needed to take action.  I don't want to be overweight...and I certianly don't want to be an out of control diabetic either.  My Grandpa (my mom's dad) was a diabetic and he chose to ignore the fact.  He ended up losing both his legs.  Quite the slap in the face when you are told you are super close to being in a diabetic coma. 
So here I am.....unable to get pregnant because I haven't been taking very good care of my health.  Ouch.  Well...It was time for me to get off my big butt and do something about it.  Since seeing my regular family doctor and getting on medication for my sugar....I began seeing a dietitian as well.  I check my sugars about 3-4 times a day now and very quickly realized all the junk I was used to eating was not doing ANYthing good for me.  I started eating high protein meals with LOTS of greens...vegetables and salads.  I just now started adding fruit back into my diet.  Of course....I slip on  occasion and eat the things I shouldn't....but....I'm human.  What's a girl to do?
It was at this time that I began my hiking the metro parks in my area.  Come to find out that we have around 21 different metro parks in my area alone!  So...I set out into one of these parks and realized how BEAUTIFUL the park was.  I only hiked about a mile or so but was thouroughly in LOVE with being outdoors and in the woods.  Far away from people.....well for the most part...except for the others out there who are enjoying the park as well.
The following day, I choose a different metro park and hiked that one....again, only about a mile or so.  I started taking pictures of the parks that I hiked.  My mom back in Michigan enjoyed hearing about these hikes and so I started to share pictures with her as well.  Thats how it all began :)
I had realized that it was easier for me to stay motivated if I shared these pictures with my mom....she was coming to expect them now.  If I missed a day, I was questioned about it.  Not in a bad way but in a way that made me want to keep doing it.  Not sure if that makes any sense but thats the way it goes.
I also realized that OTHER people were enjoying my pictures as well.  Well....to go along with those pictures I had stories I wanted to share too but just never did.  So...this is why I started a blog :)
Since the day I began hiking,  it has been almost 2 months and I am down 22 pounds.  I hike as often as I can....usually on the days that I don't work.  I had knee surgery back in May and my knee is still bothered if I overdue it.  However...I have recently been hiking anywhere from 4-8 miles when I go out.  No longer is it just the Metro parks either.....I have branched out and have begun hiking in our Cuyahoga Valley National Park too. 
   Just this week is the beginning of our Metro Parks  anual Fall Hiking Spree.  You have to hike 8 of their trails between now and November.  The first year you obtain a wooden hiking stick along with a kind of sheild thing that has the year on it.  Each year after that you earn a different "sheild" with that year on it.  This year I will be doing this hiking spree with 2 of my girlfriends...I hope anyway.  If not...I'll do it alone......obviously I have no issue with hiking alone.  I rather enjoy it.
On top of this Fall Hiking Spree....I will continue to hike the many different trails in the National Forest.  I have found several favorites...one being Virginia Kendall.  This park is beyond beautiful...and its not even 10 minutes from where I live. 
   With all this hiking, and a fall that hurt.... my parents have bought me my first pair of brand new hiking boots.  Never have I ever been so excited about a pair of shoes.  The first hike I took with them on was 7.3 miles and I didn't even feel like I had hiked 1 single mile!  I have my Nalgene bottles, my day pack and now I carry Pepper Spray to ease my mothers mind of me hiking alone.  I pray that I never am put into a situation that I have to use. it......what fun would that be?
Anyhoo
I have so much I want to share regarding my hiking experiences that I recently have had...and I also want to share some goals.  However...I have typed quite a bit today and don't want to become too boring.  So I'll save it for a new post...perhaps tomorrow?  Who knows. 
   Until then....I'll keep my hiking spirit alive and moving :)