Resurrection
 

Sounds like a funny title, I know, but it'll make sense in a moment. I had the most AMAZING day!!!! One in a million.

First, we got up about 5 am, got out early, and went for a drive in a nearby rural area. There, we saw a group of spring caribou. The caribou were mostly white, as you'd expect this time of year. The sun was just rising, the ground wreathed in early morning fog. We got within 30 feet of the group and I have some FABULOUS photos. We saw sand hill cranes in full mating dance (more photos). They're gorgeous!!

Then we ate b'fast - and I had a healthy egg beater omelette with vegetables, salsa, and fresh fruit. Oh - and a bagel. As a rule I don't eat them, but you'll see why I did today. Since this is 3FC I thought I should note that I made a healthy choice. ;) We stopped at a grocery - I picked up a footlong wrapped sub to share later, string cheese, and I had trio fruit and nut bars. And lots of water.

And then, we went for a hike on the Resurrection Trail. It was fabulous. It was sunny. It was warm - 70 plus degrees. It is, as you might expect in Alaska, mountainous with rivers, a gorge, some snow on the high parts, and breathtaking scenery at every step. We, all of us, hiked 4.5 tough miles in, had lunch, and 4.5 miles back. I was carrying a 30-lb pack. It took us 5.5 hours, including the stop for lunch.

And the only part of me that hurt at the end of the day was my heels, which took some wear and tear in my boots. My legs? Fine. My shoulders? Great. Breath? Not a problem, baby. WOW!!!! Yippee, yahoo, can you sing me hallelujah????

And just to make my day a little better, the Daily Plate thinks that the calorie burn was 4200 calories.

I love to hike. I love Alaska. And I love the rare, wonderful, spectacular day where things just go right.

My kids are 9 and 12, and they were AMAZING on the trail today. Whoda thunk it? They hiked, didn't whine, enjoyed the trail, and then came home to play basketball and run around playing with the dogs. Where do they get the energy????

I hope you'll forgive what is half ramble and half rapture... but the reason I posted it was because all of my hard work these many months really came home to roost today. I cannot believe I was able to do this so well and enjoy it the entire time. Remarkable, and certainly appropriate to the post title. :cloud9:

This story made me cry happy tears for you!
I have been having a hard few days with a few personal troubles and you really cheered me up.
I am so happy for you! xx

Sounds like it was a beautiful Spring day in Alaska! We lived up in the central part of the State for nearly 10 years. The Resurrection Bay area is absolutely stunning, and it sounds like a fabulous day.

How awesome that your body was able to handle such a strenuous day... you should be really proud of yourself. :carrot:

very cool - where were you? The trail in question is up around cooper landing, close to where the Seward and Sterling highways come together.

How wonderful to be fully able, as a benefit of your weight loss, to fully enjoy a wonderful day in nature with your family! Bravo! I can only imagine how much that day meant to your children.

We lived in North Pole.... my DH was in the AF and was stationed at Eielson AFB.

I know exactly where you are talking about... We used to try to spend as much time as we could RV'ing down in that part of the State. We loved it down there.

That sounds like a dream!!! Glad you had a good time!!