Counting Down......

I've got about two weeks before I begin my quest to hike every day for a year.  I'm quite excited but also apprehensive.  Failure is not really a concern; what I will consider a success is what bothers me.  Merely hiking every day is not enough.  A challenge is what I'm looking for, something beyond just going through the motions.  With that in mind, I have decided to set up some ground rules.

1. All hikes must be on unpaved ground.  No hiking around Disneyland or the San Diego Zoo or New York City.  Dirt, sand, gravel or rock only.  OK, snow and ice count because sometimes the ground is covered but no pavement.  Hiking on pavement is not acceptable.

2. All hikes must be 1/2 an hour or more.  Now, I know a measly half an hour doesn't sound like much to many seasoned hikers but let's be real here.  I'm not retired.  I have kids who need attention and a taxi service.  Were I to become a hiking hobo, my wife would probably divorce me and since she's put up with me for this long I don't want to take that chance.  Besides, you can see some really wonderful things on even a short hike.  At least that's what I'm hoping.

3. All hikes only count for the calendar day on which they start.  Say I do a moonlight hike.  It starts at 10:30p.m. and finishes at 12:30 a.m.  That's ONE hike for one day.  It doesn't count as two.  Now, if I start another hike at 12:35, I'll count that but it has to last at least a half an hour. But that brings my next rule.

4. The same hike cannot be taken on consecutive days.  There are some people who do the same hike on the same trail, every day, at the same time, with the same people.  And while I admire their commitment and consistency, that won't do for me.  I want variety and adventure.  I want to explore new areas and expand my experiences.  Doing the same thing over and over again is tedious and mind numbing.  And what I said about admiring people who do the same hikes all the time. That was a total lie.  Those people are totally boring and I won't be hiking with them. EVER.

I'm sure I'll think of other "rules" before my little experiment begins on January 1, 2009 but four rules are more than I have ever followed up to this point in my life, so if I am able to keep just those, I will consider this endeavor a great success.

A day with the boys!

Took my sons and four of their buddies for a little hike in the Mecca Hills yesterday.  The weather couldn't have been better and a great time was had by all.  

My kids were a little apprehensive before going on this hike. The last time we went there, the sun went down when we were half way done and we had to hike two miles and climb down a couple of ladders with one small flashlight and the light of a cellphone.  And it's DARK in those canyons.  We made it back to the Jeep just as our batteries were going dead.

The best part of the trip was sneaking up behind four of the boys and scaring them with a mountain lion growl.  I hadn't seen any of those kids move so fast the whole day.  Here are a few pictures:

A Hike A Day For A Year

With the New Year quickly coming upon us I started to think about what I might want to improve about myself.  Like everyone, there's a list of items that could use some work.  

I could be more organized, nicer and funnier.  I'd like to be a bit taller but I'm thirty years past puberty so I doubt I'll be getting any more growth spurts.

Eating healthier would be up there but Betty Ford doesn't have a program for Häagen-Daz addiction.  Swearing off fast food would last until I drove past an In-n-Out Burger.

Since I don't really smoke or drink other than the occasional cigar or sip of Scotch that's not something that needs to be tackled.  

Then it came to me: HIKING.  I love hiking.  Ten years of my life were spent tending a hiking shop and talking to people about hiking while doing far too little of it myself.  In the intervening ten plus years I have done much more hiking than I did as a shopkeeper but not nearly enough.  My ever expanding gut testifies to that.

So in 2009 I resolve to hike more.  Much more.  

My resolution is to hike EVERY DAY during 2009.  

Now these hikes are not going to all be long, challenging adventures although some will be. Some may be very short. Many will be boring and in the desert close to my house.  There will probably be a few walks on the beach included but I will strive to take at least one hike every day.  And I will write about them, every one.  Plus, I'll post pictures of some of the more interesting outings.

I hope you'll come along sometime and if you have any hiking suggestions, please send me an email.  If I'm going on a trip somewhere, I'll announce it in advance so if any of you have been there you can send me your favorite hike.

What have I got to lose except about 40 pounds?