Earlier this year I stayed in Springdale and had a great time there. The place we stayed was walking distance from the park entrance. No cars allowed in the park during regular season, unless you're staying at Zion Lodge, but their buses run frequently and are free.

saef, have you ridden horses recently? Just curious...

I’m quite interested in seeing Jane. Have followed her for years and years and even got to meet her and see her speak when we lived in Africa!

Great Thanksgiving with my girls home. Hubby has already dropped off older dd, her fiancé and her dog at the airport, and will have to bring younger dd to the airport later today.

Went wedding dress shopping and dd said yes to the dress yesterday! So exciting!

She’s doing Beachbody and the 21 day fix and I’m all about encouraging her so I signed up yesterday to do the same. She’s in a challenge group so I’ll do that too. She was happy to have me join. We did her workouts while she was here. I just completed two 30 minute workouts: a strength with weights and a yoga. I’m excited to try something new but now I need to research their food plan, shop, and prep.

The year we were in Bryce, we did a horse tour. It was spectacular, but we got caught in the rain. We tried to outrun it but failed and we got hit hard. By the time we got back it was as if we'd gone into a pool fully clothed. My brother-in-law's horse slipped and fell with him on it (we were right behind him). Luckily, he wasn't hurt and he managed to hang on while the horse got back up. Definitely something we'll always remember.

Up to 161.6 this morning, and not worried, even if slightly disappointed.

I'm in CT facing "real" work, since three working days last week were overshadowed by the upcoming holiday.

Jay, I've been reading up on this particular ride at Bryce & the outfit that runs it. The ride in Bryce is a "nose to tail" ride and isn't going to call on extensive horsemanship skills. Which is a good thing because even though I was an intermediate hunt seat rider as late as in my early 30s (for example, I was jumping in a ring over courses with five or six fences), I haven't been on a horse since 2010. That happy occurrence was on a trail ride that I took during a week-long stay near Glacier National Park. Actually, that particular ride back in 2010 gave me a sense of what the ride might be like at Bryce. I'm sure my legs will be sore afterward -- but it can't be worse than how sore I was last week all over my body, returning to my routine after just a week away from benching, squatting, deadlifting & pullups & pulldowns.

When I was in my mid-20s a friend and I did the all-day trail ride at Bryce. It wasn't the nice half-day like you're doing, saef--it was all day with a stop for lunch. We thought we would die by the time we made it back, and we were young. But! No reason why you can't do a 3-hour and be just fine.

Tuesday morning at 161.1, so down a little.

Yeah, I'm sure I will be sore, because riding works muscles in the legs differently than my two "leg days" weekly. But I also think I will have less discomfort than people of any age who don't spend as much time working their legs as I do.

I'll be back from the pet sit tomorrow. YAY! Nice animals at the sit but I really don't like climbing 3 flights of stairs to get to the front door at the end of the day. And then another 2 flights to living room/kitchen area.

Dagmar

Survived day two of getting up at 4:45 to exercise before work. I had tons of energy yesterday so I'm hoping for the same today!

Michele - if I actually get up and do the exercise early, I always have lots of energy during the day. I am also typically super productive. It is just the getting up part that is hard.

Dagmar - that is a lot of stairs!

Saef - I think you would be fine on the three hour ride.

Wednesday morning at 160.6.

My attention at work has been bad. I know why. I'm still low in spirits from not getting the job that I tried for, and because my manager has been particularly unpleasant and fault-finding in our last two one-on-ones. We have another one today. I'm hoping for a rare good mood. I hate working under someone who's borderline abusive.

Shannon--I've successfully gotten up 3 mornings and worked out. I said to dh this morning that I wasn't sure how much longer this morning energy might last me-- and he said it was annoying! I told him he could get up and exercise with me... you can imagine his answer...

Good luck with your manager, Saef. Hope she's in a good mood today!

I've been exercising after work for the past few weeks but have begun thinking about getting up at o'dark thirty instead. I see it as a water saver--I'll only have to shower once! That said, I don't really think it'll work out in the long run. Although I often find myself awake at 4 AM, I do usually fall back asleep and am sound asleep at 5:20 when my alarm goes off. If I were to get up early to exercise, I would have to get up by 4:30 to make it all work out. That's just too early!

My Thanksgiving was busy with guests (the last of whom left yesterday). I took a lot of time off of work and that helped but it's exhausting trying to get things accomplished with extra bodies. We had 22 for the big dinner, 15 for the night before and 16 on Friday. We took them out to a late lunch Saturday so I didn't have to cook. Sunday was a bit smaller with only 7. With all the big meals, I was afraid that I'd gain weight, but I didn't! So happy about that! I didn't lose, either, but I'm okay with that.

So sorry about your work situation, saef. I would hate to be in that situation.

On mornings when we have DSS I have to get up at 4 or 4:30 or I don't have time to get everything in. I have been pretty solid on those days. If I have an appointment of some kind early, I'm mostly able to get up at 6-6:15. If there isn't anything pressing or scheduled, I'm not making it. Today I didn't get up until 7:30, which meant I had to push a few things around, and will have to do yoga when I get home. I feel SO much better when I get up and get it done, I don't know why I can't make myself do it.

Saef - I'm so sorry about your work environment. That really sucks.

Allison - we ended up at my SIL and brother's house, and they had to combine my family and hers. My mom just wasn't up for hosting right after my aunt dying, my grandparents have been sick and the dementia from my grandmother makes hosting hard, my uncle is just broken. Left my brother as the only local person with a big enough space. It was their year for my family, but her mom asked her to host their side because it was the only way her 94 year old grandmother could come. They felt kind of trapped into it I think, or he did. 42 people. It actually flowed better than we thought it would.

Back from the pet sit. Natalie cat let me sleep in until 4:45 this morning. I think she's finally adjusted to the time change.

Dagmar

Shannon-- your Thanksgiving sounds a tad stressful! Glad it worked out okay.

I crashed and burned yesterday afternoon-- decided not to go to the gym after work.
Woke up at 4:30 today and worked out-- hoping my energy stays up so I can go to Pilates after work!