I'm Walkin' Here

Aspens above Breckenridge 

H Minus102

I include some Fitbit app screenshots at the end of this entry to show I'm still walking, even with a cane. 

A couple of weekends ago, we went to Dillon and Breckenridge to look at the aspens. Saturday, we hiked up the Lily Pad Lake trail, and Sunday we hiked down and back up the Aspen Alley trail. We were about a week past peak aspens but it was still as spectacular as you could wish. 

Now with the cane I'm tripedal after a fashion. On the steeper downhill stretches (not very steep), I had a bit of fun letting gravity assist. I'd build up a head of steam loping asymmetrically down the slope using the cane to guide, absorb shock for the left hip, and give a bit of elevation for an extended stride/leap for the right leg. Then I'd let my momentum carry me a little way up the next slope or turn into the undergrowth beside the trail to slow down.

On the steeper uphill sections I discovered a hill climbing gear. I planted the cane just before planting the left foot, moved my left leg diagonally forward and to the left, and then launched my right leg forward pushing off on the cane. Energy consuming but quick. 

That said, I couldn't keep up with Pam uphill. Three months of thrice weekly cardiac rehab will do that to a girl. She's in better shape than I am, and she's the one who had the heart attack!

Other than spectacular (if goofy) high altitude Aspen grove hikes, we walk the dogs every night. Charlie had a ruptured spinal disk 3 years ago and was paralyzed for several months. He can walk now (and stubbornly climb stairs), but he walks like a drunken sailor, his hind quarters wobbling side to side with every step. I'm waiting for someone to see me with my cane and Charlie with his wobble and observe that we are now a matched pair. 

Our usual route is a 1.2 mile loop around our neighborhood and the one immediately to the east. Sometimes we extend it into the the two developments immediately south of ours. Depending on the route the four neighborhood walk can be 2.8, 3.8 or even 4.2 miles. 

On the 4.2 mile nights, Charlie and I are exhausted and useless. Pam is ready for another lap.

Breckenridge:

Our usual nightly walk: