hikingwithtracypartii

[hikingwithtracypartii]

I'm Baaaaaaack! Yup, you guessed it, I'm back at it. Where you been? you ask... Unfortunately it's a tale as old as my time, slinking back to my bad habits. If only I had an exciting story of intrigue and romance! Nope. Once I finished my goal of hiking 100 miles within the month of April 2021 and losing 33 lbs, I slinked back into the hole that is alcohol, fatty foods and sitting on my increasingly large buttocks. In my defense I was now driving to a new job location, which garnered 120 miles a day! I spent a minimum of 3 hours in my car every day. And the job was stressful. While I kept my head above water for a good amount of time and learned many things, I seemed to have dealt with the stress in self destructive and loathing behavior.

Once I got home, I drowned my stress in alcohol and food. Unbeknownst to me, my stress learned to swim! (Thanks U2 for that line). Now, I was far from a raging alcoholic. But having the compulsion to have any drink everyday is a problem. And if I didn't have a drink, I ATE. No greens here. Only the heaviest and sauciest foods would do. I remember Bob (my better half) saying, "boy you came back with a vengeance!". I quickly gained back 20 of the 33lbs I had lost.

I'm not going to dwell too much on that me. I'm a little tired of that version of me. At the same time, I'm not going to be a complete teetotaler and super strict like last time, because that me just won't last. I need to find a balanced me. And what helps me find balance...HIKING. For the first time in my life I can say I have a true passion for something. Walking among nature is it. Trees. Birds. Sky. Fresh Air. Water. These are the things that nurture my soul.

So won't you join me on this new journey to find a more mature balanced Tracy? We'll call her Tracy Part II...Electric Boogaloo!

We'll find new trails to cover and report on. We'll venture into that unknown territory known as Berkeley. The only city to make SF look sane for over 30 years! I do not venture into Berkeley lightly, it's never been my favorite, but I'm ready to open my mind. And one of the best parts of driving south is re-familiarizing myself with Sunol / Fremont area. But as the summer heats up, we may need to cross the bridge into Marin. There's a trail Bob & I use to do before Charlotte: DipSea - Steep Ravine - Matt Davis loop.

In the words of the great Bob Barker (may he rest in peace)...Come on Down!! This weekend, Sunday June 9th, we'll be heading down to Sunol Wilderness Preserve.

Let's Roll!