Rants, Recipes, and Running

On our second day of hiking, I was feeling very exhilarated and happy from how much fun we were having. And my naïve, silly self said to Ryan, "I think any couple that is having a tough time in their relationship should take a trip like this!!!" Ryan had to stop walking so he could laugh, and assure me not to suggest this to any couple in trouble. Bad relationship + survival challenges + wilderness = feed significant other the bear He had a good point. A relationship should probably be thriving before roughing it out in the wilderness. Why do I say this? Because you really have to function as a team. Our tent was so tiny, it literally only fit our bodies. We had to squeeze in and out one person at a time . But as I frolicked through the forest and reflected, there were many analogies between backpacking and healthy relationships.   (or life, in general!) To have a successful backpacking trip, you must be okay with "nothing to do". There aren no TV...

As I put my feet up elevate my scuffed-up, cut-up, bruised, swollen legs....I feel a strong sense of peace. We completed our first backpacking excursion! 10 miles, 30 lbs on my back (40 lbs on Ryan's back), 28 river-crossings. It was amazing! I am going to be honest and say, I went into this weekend with great apprehension. I've never done anything like this. I've camped. I've hiked. But I've never had to stress about ounces . And what shoes to wear. Exactly how much food will sustain us. How will we get water? There is so much planning and thought that goes into these trips. But I loved every second of it! (Well, except for at 3 in the morning, when I could hear something rustling around our tent (black bear?!). Or when it's 30 degrees in the morning and I had to wash our dishes in the cold river...) So let me try to break down our trip: The Hike: Normally we can hike 6-8 miles no problem. This was an enlightening experience. I was humbled. Intere...