For the past two weeks I’ve been running stairs at my office at least twice a week.  Today, all that hard work and sweat paid off!

I decided to hike the Elm Fork Trail up at Lake Ray Roberts.  For those of you just now joining us, I did a bit of this trail about two weeks ago and paid dearly for it with some of the most horrendous blisters on my feet to date!  I think several things happened during that episode:

• Feet got wet
• Out of condition
• No experience hiking in soft, deep sand

By the way, do not ever underestimate what it takes to hike soft, deep sand.  This isn’t the compact stuff you find at the sea shore that’s been beaten down.  Hell no.  This is the “take a step, sink an inch or more, feel your foot slip off balance; take another step, sink, slip; repeat”.

Here’s a sample:

Sand or Dry Quick Sand?

Now…if this was 25% or 40% of the trail, it’d be okay.  But this is nearly 85% of the trail!  I had to learn how to navigate it real quick since it and I were going to be best friends for the next 4 hours!  In case your wondering, I tried to take smaller steps and actually lift my feet out of the sand, then place the next step solidly and slowly in place.  You can’t “fast hike this”…well, you can, but then you end up with ugly blisters!

This is a great hike.  Lots up ups and downs, rocks and lots of woods.  Despite the fact its summer in Texas the day was relatively cool in the shade of the woods and the big pines.

I don’t even think my arms will reach around this one!

Great woods!

I didn’t see much wildlife today.  One rabbit, a couple of frogs, a couple of lizards and I don’t think these qualify as wildlife…but still fun seeing them on the trail.  By the way, in case you didn’t know…you always yield to horses.  Stand to the side of the trail, don’t make any sudden moves and say good morning to the riders so the horses know you’re a two legged and not a cougar.

Have I mentioned I LOVE the smell of horses? LOVE!

I still have a few more hikes to do around Lake Ray Roberts.  Stick around as I introduce you to them!