Climb A Mountain.

My word for this year is Passion. To me that entails living fulfilled. Living whole. Living healthy, in every area of my life. It also includes trying new things. I have never been on a hike before, ever. We got together with some friends and climbed Mt. Diablo in Clayton, CA. The mountain top elevation is at 4000 feet, but fortunately for us, you can drive up the mountain and hike from various starting points.

Scott, our friend and elected hike guide man for the day, picked out a perfect hike for a bunch of beginners, like ourselves. It was about 9 miles with a total climb of 1800 feet. It was challenging but still very doable. As I lay here this morning, unable to walk without some serious objections from my legs, I feel very accomplished.

I loved the hike. The weather was perfect, with the exception that it was overcast at the summit and we looked down on a blanket of white. Along the trail we saw bunnies, heard a growl from a lil bobcat, and met a couple of 80 year old men that shared with us some of their skydiving and hiking adventures over the years.

and if we wondered what elevation we were at? yeah, there’s an app for that.

We left at six am and returned home around 7:30pm. It was a day filled with very good things. Fresh air, AMAZING scenery, calorie burning, and a yummy dinner at a local Danville fav restaurant. All the while, I was surrounded by four other people with amazing hearts, tons of laughter, and great conversation (in between catching our breath on the mountain).

It feels good to get out and be surrounded by God’s creation. It feels good to push yourself. It feels good to start small because this summer we are doin’ Half Dome….