Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Welcome to Troutville

troutville, va

It’s been almost two months since I started my TransAmerica Trail walk, so I thought I’d check in with how far along I’ve gotten.

I’m just over 320 miles down the road (an average of 5.8 miles per day, so I’m ever so slightly ahead of schedule), and passing through a little town called Troutville, Va. 

One of the fun things about this stroll is that every once in a while I take time to see what the places are all about, and it lets me explore areas in my own country that I’d otherwise never know existed, including this tiny spot of less than 500 people.  For instance, one of the first things that struck me was the fact that the town has five hotels, which seemed a little out of proportion for such a small place.  But then I discovered that not only does the TA trail pass through, but so, too, does the Appalachian Trail.  It’s like a hiking mecca.  And, if you wanted to spend a day or two in small town America, they’ve got parks, and golf, and—my personal favorite—an alpaca farm.

It strikes me that my personal fitness quest will likely never get to the point where I can literally walk these trails, but some day—when I’m retired and rich—I might be persuaded to drive them (and do some daytime walks to see the beauty, natch), and I think Troutville would be on my to-do list.  Who wants to come along?

 

                little catawba creek farm

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A Moment of Thanks

It's Thanksgiving today, and I always like to take a few minutes to give conscious thought to the things that I am thankful for.  Sometimes I write it down, sometimes I don't, but I thought this year could be a time that I do.  So, without further ado, here are some of the things that I think make my life worthwhile, though the list is by no means all inclusive.

  • My family.  It's true that many of the trials and tribulations in my life--and all of my true heartbreak-- are caused by relatives, but so too is the vast majority of my true joy.  I always think it's a worthwhile trade.
  • Friends.  These people are the family I've chosen, and I can't imagine life without them.
  • Health.  It's not like I'm an athletically fit physical specimen or anything, but I do have basic health and well-being, and I know that there are many who do not have even that.
  • A job.  On a day to day basis, my job makes me crazy and causes an unrealistic amount of stress.  But, it also pays my bills and allows me to live my life.  I'm grateful that I'm one of the lucky ones who get to have that kind of stress and craziness.
  • My fitbit.  What, you say, is a fitbit?  My new best friend.  It's a little gadget that's helping me stay focused on my weight loss goals this year.  The simple answer is that it's a pedometer, but it's so much more. I love it, and I really appreciate the friends I've found on their website.
  • Vacation this year.  It had been a long time since Brian and I really took a vacation, but we had a doozy this summer.  The Alaskan cruisetour was the trip of a lifetime, and I cherish the memories.
  • The BC Clarke jingle.  I've been hearing it my whole life, and it's how I know the holiday season has officially begun.  It most always makes me smile and sing along, and the first time of the year--like this morning--always gives me just a little rush of excitement.
  • Computers.  Those little wonders can do a lot of things, from surfing the web to writing a book or calculating a budget.  Cool.
  • The future.  Of course, none of us ever know what the future holds, or even how much of it we'll be granted, but I do appreciate knowing it's out there for now, and I'm grateful for the simple gift of wondering what it will be like and hoping for all good things.
I hope everyone takes at least a few minutes today away from the bustle of things to do and all the yummy food, and really thinks about the things they cherish in life.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Passing Thoughts

It's 1:00am, and I should go to bed, but I'm sitting here at the computer instead.  So, just a few random thoughts that are in my head at the moment:

  • I'm kind of hungry; thinking maybe PB&J will do the trick.
  • Getting caught up on all the shows piling up on the DVR, I think A Gifted Man is turning out to be even better than I thought it would.
  • It's almost Thanksgiving, and I've got a lot of house cleaning to do.
  • As a rule, older episodes of Gray's Anatomy are better than the newer ones.
  • There are some cute tiger cubs on display at this live cam site.
  • I hit the 50 pound mark in my weight loss a couple weeks ago, but it's been really slow going since then.
  • I need to start reading the new Stephen King book I bought over a week ago.
  • I should write more.
  • I like watching TV sitting on my exercise bouncy ball.
Pretty random, but that's what's in my head tonight.  You really never know what's rolling around in there, but I'd guess I'm not the only one with the stray passing thoughts in the middle of the night.