Ever-changing Boundaries

I hit another of my checkpoints in my progress this week.  I wanted to be able to hike by mid-March.  I know that's a vague goal but I didn't know what opportunities I'd have to put it to the test.  Spring Break for our local public schools provided the answer.  I arranged a 5 mile hike for my Webelos Cub Scout and some of our Troop's Boy Scouts at a near-by State Park.  

It seemed like a good test opportunity.  The terrain is very gently rolling hills and flat land. The trail covers hardwood forest, pine forest and wetland areas. The trail is well marked and reasonably well maintained in a woodsy sort of way.  The weather was near perfect, sunny and  cool but not too cool.  I planned a quick warm lunch for after the hike.  I recruited 2 other adults to go along.  You've got to have that two-deep leadership on all Scouting activities. It's a good thing, indeed.

I packed light in preparation for the walk. I had a day pack with a water bottle, some mixed nuts in a bag, my wallet, my phone, car keys and a hiking pole for extra support. Within the first mile I knew this was going to be a difficult walk. Even with my weigh loss, my dear old arthritic hip complained with almost every step. I walked very slowly compared to the boys. They would walk ahead with one leader and wait for me to catch up. I was discouraged, to say the least.  Bits of debris and the ever-present Sweet Gum tree balls made footing more difficult than I'd anticipated.  Minuscule shifts of position and weight distribution that would normally go unnoticed became the focus of my attention.  I couldn't enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the woods. At about the 2 mile mark there was a opportunity for me to walk back to our starting point while everyone else hiked a 2 mile out-of-the-way loop.  I walked the last of my 3 miles alone.

I had some time to think during that final mile.  I was disappointed.  I was discouraged. I wasn't completely surprised or I think it would have been harder for me to cope.  I knew this was a possibility.  If I had not found a 3rd adult to go along I would not have had the luxury of leaving the group.  Either I would have had to walk the full 5 miles with them or they would have had to cut their hike short.  I was grateful I didn't need to use either of those options.

Now I need to back up and re-evaluate my goal.  I'm still learning my limits and those seem to change from day to day.  Was my goal too far out of reach or did I reach for it too soon. Did I expect too much in trying to keep up with a group of energetic young boys?  Perhaps hiking is still a possibility at shorter distances and a slower pace.

I don't know the answer.  I'm still feeling this one out.  I've got some opportunities this week to do some walking in rougher terrain at my own pace.  Perhaps I'll get a glimpse of my answers.