Every many months I share pictures of some of my hiking trips, but this time will be somewhat different, with some reflections and observations that may prove to be useful or helpful to some readers. Otherwise, you just get nature pictures…kinda.
My personal history with this place can be found in the Substack below. (written 3 days before my birthday hehe)
My life path has been unusual since my mid-20s, and I was graced to be able to visit many different countries and places, even if for the most part these visits were work-related rather than tourism. But when you work in certain fields and with certain clientele in the Intelligence world, you blur the lines of work and fun, thus becoming able to visit singular places, but even with the privilege of visiting some unique places, this specific place holds special and meaningful value to me.
This is my peaceful place.
Different seasons usually bring different views, different animals and their behavior but the last few years have been hectic, to say the least, so there aren’t observable trends anymore. One of these changes was the change in migration patterns of certain birds, one of these being Martins Pescador (Martin Fisherman) and as the name implies, this bird is a skilled “fisherman).
Hundreds of them ate a lot of the fish in the lakes (there are 3) here, so there was also a shift in fishing opportunities, and also a change in the insect population.
The entire forest is protected by federal law, but the government may mandate some cutting as a conservation measure, so this time a small part of the trial was clean. The view at the top of this trail.
Here is a “trail” that is not used anymore, and one can tell. Nature and strong storms reshape most of it.
At the top of this very steep hill, you can find a small version of Christ The Redeemer, and a lot of overgrowth because nobody goes up here to maintain the trail or the place anymore. Getting up the trail is horrendous, not only the grass is really tall (I am 6’2 and it was up my chest at some points), but the dead grass is a foot thick, tricky to step in, and since this is a tropical forest, certain areas never see the sunlight and moss grow unposed.
There are two types of moss growth here. The thick one that can be used as a stepping spot, grips the soles of your boot pretty well. The other type is the thin one, and it is the worst because it changes the entire terrain into “soap”.
This is the view you get up top if you are willing to go down a fence or two. =) This property never changes, it is kept and well-maintained, as you can see from this December substack (and pictures from other angles).
The sunsets here are quite aesthetic, and rewarding.
The next day I went exploring nearby farms, some farmers are nice and open to hikers, especially smaller or solo hikers.
On the third day we day we decided to do something unusual, and just drive around, and take barely traveled roads. Among these roads, I had to capture this view. I have a video of the entire property, but Substack isn’t allowing me to upload it. I may upload in the next Substack randomly at the top. To me, the journey is often more important than the destination, and discovery is what drives me, the views are just God and Nature rewarding your efforts.
One of the main aspects of this region and this property is my familiarity with the terrain, and being here throughout many years and at many stages of injury and recovery, I can gauge my progression and “healing” quite well. For the past many months given the specific damages, I have in my nervous system even after healing, some exercises are actually damaging, unlike ME/CFS and Long Covid where an “exercise intolerance” exists and can last for months.
So to recover strength, stamina, and many other health aspects such as cardiovascular function (damage by Omicron microclots) I chose to indulge in an aspect I used to hate in the military. Rucking. Rucking is nothing more than walking long distances with weight on your back. Simple, cheap, and extremely effective. Rucking does the following to your body.
Increases your functional strength and endurance
Enhances (or otherwise helps heal) your cardiovascular system
It is a great calorie burn, therefore will help weight management
It directly impacts and positively regulates the Tryptophan-Kynurenine Pathway, so it helps with stress, mental health, depression and anxiety
A sizable portion, if not the majority of the “damage” I cover and write about in this Substack can be addressed, changed, and effectively “cured” by this form of exercise, supplementation will often help you take the first step, or help along the way and speed up the process. As a data point, up until very recently, all my hikes were done in a similar fashion, hike one day, full rest the following. After just a few months of rucking, not only I can hike with more frequency, but I can also hike for longer, or faster, experience no pain during or after, and recover extraordinarily faster.
If you choose to adopt rucking as an exercise or a step in your recovery, you should assess your situation and symptoms.
A good backpack is a must, otherwise, you will be spending a lot of money since backpacks will break down.
I am adapted to embracing utter misery, so I started with a higher load. You SHOULDN’T. The more severe your symptoms, or weaker you are, the lighter your load should be. Lighter load+longer distances will do the same as my heavier load+shorter distances
Regardless if you start with 1, 3, 5, 10, or 15 pounds, start small. 1 mile. Increase as you see fit.
You sweat a lot while rucking, so watch your salt and electrolyte intake, otherwise, you will feel like crap for hours after the exercise, instead of feeling the good type of tired
Terrain dictates your footwear, but if you are doing it on pavement or a park, doesn’t really matter much, use whatever is comfortable. Remember the higher your load, the faster your shoes will wear off, especially running shoes like Asics and Salomon, if you are rucking on pavement/asphalt, their soles will be eaten up by the the ground.
I have been rucking twice per week, and if time allows me, sometimes 3, so you don’t need to go crazy, twice per week, or even once to start with, will bear results. As with every habit or endeavor, consistency over time is the key. Consistency is what will bring you results, the fruits to your labor.
I appreciate your support, and thank you for reading my substack too !
Wife and I love hiking and do a fair amount in N Idaho. Another way to deepen the training is to wear ankle weights. There’s an old US military study that showed 1 pound on your feet burns equivalent energy to 5 pounds on your back. Since I have a desk job, I’ve started having numbness in my left big toe from sciatic nerve impingement. It is improved by hiking but worsens by hiking with heavy backpack loads. The ankle weights help a lot fitness. Then when you don’t wear them you feel super light on your feet.
Such great pictures. Balm for my soul.
I'll have to use my walking sticks but rucking is a good idea