Tales from the trails

So Sunday marked the 2nd weekend in a row my girl Ray and I went hiking. She's on a rather recent "drive to health" marathon. The girl is on a jog every day, hike couple of times a week, strength, good food healthapalooza!! I envy that! Can't say that'll ever be me, but the shit's inspiring! Even caught myself making healthy lunches past couple of weeks. Without even trying!!! Go figure???

Anyhow we're standing on South Mountain ready to hike down.. Smart girl that I am, I decide to bring sweet little Mady along. For those of you that don't know, Mady is my half spaniel, half retriever beauty! She's a loveable, sociable, golden who likes to follow her mamma everywhere. So I'm thinking let me give her some QT and some exercise at the same time. Ingenious right???... Uhh maybe not. See here's the thing, dogs aint like humans. Can't very easily spit out "FUCK man, I'd rather be in bed!".. Poor thing was breathing heavy just laying in the back seat of the car on the ride up.

Sweet girl that she is though, she happily goes along. Actually she whipped us into shape. Was nearly dragging me down the mountain!! At some point I swear I heard her sign loudly. I'm sure she was thinking "Damn, you brought me out here. Least you can do is keep your ass up!!"

This weekend was a little hotter than last. Seemed everyone was feeling the heat. We got to the bottom only to turn around and hike back up. Doing it canyon-like, intense!!! I nearly peed my pants when a lady looked at me like she was about to report me for animal cruelty. She stopped, looked at us and said in amazement "you're going to do it again!!". Her eyes widened as we explained we started from up top. She just stood there looking at us as if she wanted to call us "crazy bitches!!"

We got the same reaction from the brother coming down. "Again".. I couldn't stop laughing!! I say to Ray, "damn I'm not explaining myself again!". (Not cuz I don't believe in being social to complete strangers, I'm all for the polite small talk. But at this point I can barely breath and we haven't really started the uphill yet!! )

So Ray and I are chatting. You know catching up and she says "man I want to get to the point where I can wear only a sports bra like that chick!". I'm thinking to myself, if it gets any hotter, you'll see me doing the same thing!! My mind flashed back to two hours earlier, when the man laughed when I stood in front of the mirror and pointed out how tight my obliques looked!! Fuck.. Whatever.. Maybe we'll wait on that!


So I continue my treck up (clothes on) and I spot Mady's poop to my left side. Only took 30 minutes and the mess turned dark as charcoal. Hilarious!!!

Finally at the top, Ray and I are chillen against a rock when a hippy pulls up with a red van. His hair is moppy, he has no shirt on and loose jeans. I tell Ray.. "Totally looks like something you'd blog around". We start picking apart the man's van. Look's more like a mini van driven by a soccer mom instead of a hippie. Ray suggests he paint some kind of moon or stars on the front..

At this point Mady is laid out in the dirt. Poor thing still panting like she stole something!! I keep my eye on the hippie, who's now opened the side door and is laying in the van... Air blowing through his hair. And for a moment there, everything goes silent and I get that same draft!!
I start to think man,.. this guy's up to something.

It's like the heat has drained me and instead energy is rushing up through me now, giving me my second wind!! Feels so awesome and refreshing!! Nothing quite like it,... so Ray and I are in the car... She turns to me and asks "Next week good for you??"... "Yep! I'm good for it!!"

Mady on the ride home!!