Tag: endurance

Mountain Love: Aguille du Midi

Aguille du Midi is a mountain in Cahmonix, France. It holds a very dear spot in my heart.

We had been to Chamonix twice before. The first time, we had to turn a planned attempt of the Tour du Mont Blanc into a series of day hikes due to snow levels. The second time we embarked on our great adveture of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Now, on our current adventure, we returned to Chamonix years later.

At this point in our journey, we had three solid weeks of hiking in the mountains under our belt. I had struggled in Gstaad. With two solid weeks of hiking in the mountains, when we first arrived, I was tired. So tired. The first hike was tough, but then I found my flow. Gstaad turned out to be our best climbing week at that point in the trip.

When we moved on to Chamonix, all the ions in my body were vibrating with excitement. This would be our third time in Chamonix.

You know when you go to a place thinking it can’t possibly be as beautiful as the first time you saw it, but then it is? That’s Chamonix for me.

It’s a lovely French town in the very core of some spectacular mountains. We revisited some hikes and explored some new ones.

The fourth day was special. We climbed Aguille du Midi. As I said, this mountain is very near and dear to my heart. The first time we visited Chamonix, we attempted to climb this trail twice. The first time, the snow was too much for me to handle along a certain ridge. The second time, enough snow had melted that we were able to get to the top despite the last section of trail being completely buried by snow. It was cloudy and cold and we couldn’t see much at the top. Both times were emotional experiences for me.

Now, back here again, with no snow in the way, we began our ascent. It was tough. The trail starts with straight up fuck you up for quite a while. Eventually, there is some relief, but not for long as each short section of relief is soon followed by more straight up. This climb is one to be taken seriously. I slogged my way up, slowly watching the meters of ascent increase.

It was hard. But I wanted it. I was deep into a zone, each day getting up, lacing up my boots, and hiking up a mountain.

When I saw a refuge, I thought, “Oh yes, we are almost there.” I soon realized that, of course, we were not. My memory reminded me that the very top is right next  to a cable car station. I looked up at the rocky switchbacks, winding up the impressive incline. Buck up, Jules. You got more climbing to do. And I did. I kept putting one boot in front of the other, huffing, puffing, and slogging it out.

That’s the way. Simply focus on your steps, traversing one step at a time.

The last section after the Refuge is more exposed. I thought back to climbing it straight up in the snow. This time, I got to experience the full path.

As I reached the top, the view of a spectacular mountain range opened up beofe my eyes. The sun gleamed off the snow capped peaks. It was glorious. We didn’t get to see this the last time. It was cloudy and cold.

This time, I sat down on a patio bathed in sunshine and stared up in awe at the mountains. My heart swelled. It was such a feeling of elation.

Hubby went into the hut and emerged with two beers brewed with d’leau de la montagne and sandwiches made with local cheese. Omg. Could this moment get any better?

I thought back to the first time we came here and hiked these mountains. I did the hikes. But there was a lot of fear, anxiety, worry. Don’t get me wrong, I think that will always be part of the journey for me when I’m pushing myself and moving into uncomfortable spaces. I had experienced moments of that during this trip.

But, since we’d been in Chamonix this time, each day, I got up, laced up my boots, and climbed a mountain. I hadn’t been thinking, can I do this? I did think, wow, this is hard, and omg, this is steep. Of course I did. But I never stopped putting one boot in front of the other. I never doubted I would make it. I simply did it.

I loved that feeling.

Basking in the sunshine, sipping my beer and savoring the mountain cheese and fresh bread, I sunk into the moment. I took in the feeling of being right beside this massive mountain range. I relished in the fact that I had gotten here with my own two feet.

It feels pretty good to work at something day after day, year after year, and reach a moment where you realize, OK, I’ve got this. Even for this moment.

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Glacier Walk in a Looming Storm

Today was a good day. Today was a really, really good day!!!

Yesterday, we did a nearly 4 hour hike to Col du Pillon. It was tough but beautiful. It was mostly through lush forest. The distance and climbing were both more than we thought, and we were pushing. It was invigorating. The goal was to get to the cable car to go up the Glaicer 3000. When we arrived, we were told there was a storm at the top, no view, and no activities. We chose a beer and homemade apricot pie followed by a bus ride back to Gstaad.

Today, at breakfast, hubby declared a clear sky at the glacier according to the web cam and thus an opportunity to see it. We jumped on a bus, got to the cable, and up to the glacier.

Our first activity was to cross the peak to peak bridge. I did feel the altitude going up the stairs hot off the cable car, but once I reached the bridge, I quickly adjusted. The bridge does move in response to the people crossing, but it wasn’t the scariest one I’ve been on. I mostly looked ahead on the way over.

We had only a few moments at the other side, admiring the view and breathing in the essence of the mountain before the crowd took over.

We moved on. We crossed back over the bridge. I was more relaxed and looked around more, taking in the view. We walked over to the chair lift and rode it down into the glacier to the Glacier Walk. Very few people were on this trail. Wonderful.

We started trekking up in the snow towards a peak. It wasn’t easy. But the sun was beating down in a glorious glow, and I was literally stepping in the footsteps created by my hubby, making it much easier for me.

We reached the peak and took in the view in silence. We were alone, looking at a series of mountaintops that would impress anyone.

We continued on, making our way toward a small refuge at the top of another peak.

We were almost at the restaurant. A tiny incline with what looked like a great view called to us, so we listened. It was incredible. I stayed another moment or two after hubby moved on. It was the first time in a while that I whole heartedly heard the sound of the mountain. Have you ever heard it? It will change your energy completely. I drank it in.

Then I caught up.

The tiny Refuge L’espace at the top was beautiful. Rustic. Charming. Perfect. The view was to die for. We had really nice beers and charcuterie. Holy shit, right?

As we finished drinking the last drops of beer and basking in the last rays of sun, the clouds rolled in. We hoofed it down the marked path to the chair lift, stopping only to put our essentials in a plastic bag and our rain coats on.

As the rain turned to light hail, I had one focus. Literally. The footsteps in the snow made by hubby in front of me. I sprinted, ran, power hiked, in whatever combo I could muster, and kept a good pace.

A massive snow vehicle passed us, likely going up to the Refuge to get the people that were still there when we left.

When lightning lit up the sky, I amped my pace up. It seemed we were almost back to the lift. I figured they weren’t running it, but would have a way to get everyone to the top.

We nearly made it to the chair lift when a snow mobile pulled up and the driver motioned me over. I followed his instruction and hopped on. Next thing, hubby was beside me, and in no time we were back at the lift.

We were told it would pass. It did. The lift stared up again. On we hopped. We were boarding the cable car down from the glacier when the skies really opened up.

Today was a good day.

I hiked in the blazing sunshine and snow on a glacier to a mountain view that filled my soul with happiness. I did it with my best friend in life. I literally followed his footsteps through the snow back to shelter in a looming storm. Trust me, it was a moment of clarity and strength. We were only at the beginning of the storm and in no way in danger. It was simply one of those moments in life when walking through snow into some rain, following someone who inspires me, and feeling my inner strength was exactly where I needed to be.

Today was a good day.

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When it’s Incomprehensible, Break it into Pieces

It. Your mountain. The one you want to climb.

A mountain can be anything. It symbolizes the big goal you want to achieve, the giant thing you want to do. The thing that causes excitement and fear to churn in your belly. The thing that your mind tells you you can’t do.

But you can.

This story is about an actual mountain.

Our first full day in Kitzbuhel, we embarked on a hike to a peak. It usually starts the way this journey did. When we arrived the day before, we found a spot for lunch on a patio. As I sipped a beer and watched a man with his guitar and his dog serenade from across the cobbled main street, my husband says, “we should go up there.” (Or something to that effect). He pointed. I looked up. There it was, a peak with some sort of cross on top.

The next morning, we embarked on the climb. I could see the peak from the valley floor. We started the trek. The time ticked by. We climbed, climbed, and climbed some more.

As I watched the meters of ascent accumulating on my watch, I wondered  how high this thing was. After reaching 1000 meters of ascent, I thought surely this thing can’t go on much longer.

Overall, I was having a good day. It seemed my body was getting somewhat used to climbing and hiking most days. When we reached a cable car station, my mind was tested. I looked up at the switchbacks snaking their way up the side of the mountain to the next station and to the peak that we were after.

As I continued, I felt my mind waiver. I can’t do this. The panic laced words shimmered in my mind. I don’t like those words, but sometimes they present themselves.

Another look up the daunting climb and I was shot back to the first time I saw Alpe d’Huez hovering over me as I clung to the bike that was supposed to take me to the top. That was the day I truly learned to break the most incomprehensible thing into digestible pieces. It was a survival mechanism. It got me up that climb.

In this moment now, I didn’t want to dwell on thoughts of I can’t.

I chose to apply my strategy from the day of Alpe d’Huez. I focused on the next switchback, and nothing else. I told myself that the rest of the climb didn’t matter in this moment. The only thing that mattered was this switchback. This footstep. This moment.

That’s the whole point of this, really. Be in that moment with nature, on the mountain, taking the next step.

When you truly focus on the next step, your being sinks into that moment. Next thing you know, you’ve taken a bunch of steps.

As I made it to the last couple of switchbacks, I realized I was completely in. There was no turning back and I felt present.

Getting to the top felt real good. There’s nothing like making it to the top of your mountain and knowing that you did it, one step at a time.

By the end of the day, I’d climbed 1700 m. That felt pretty good. I’m so happy I simply took the next step.

As I re-read this post now, preparing to post it, I’m a good week or so ahead of my hiking adventure as I got a little behind in writing. I realize that this has become a common theme on this hiking trip, and I’m learning more and more about reframing things to set myself up for success and reach my goals. More in that soon.

What’s the mountain you want to conquer?

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Mountain Love in Leogang

The very second we reached the top of the stairs on the train platform, and I scanned the horizon, my heart sang.

We’d arrived in Leogang, Austria. After two weeks in big cities, and years of time since we’d been in the European mountains, every molecule of my being felt right. There were mountains in front of me, behind me, and in every direction. The peace of a small town rose up from the valley below, filling every bit of space. The only sounds were of birds chirping and water trickling.

This space is one of the most amazing for my being.

It’s important that we all find the space that fills us with calm, gratitude, and love. A small town in the middle of the mountains is one of those spaces for me. The only thing that tops it is the feeling on top of the mountain. But, we’ll get to that.

We leisurely made the trek down a hill through lush forest beside a stream and into the heart of the town. With every step, my heart fell in love all over again. The feel of a small, European mountain village is like no other. It consumed me with every breath I took in synch with that of the forest and the surrounding mountains.

We spent a week nestled in this cozy town. We climbed by foot every day up to peaks and across ridges. On our first day of hiking, I was thrilled with how well my mind and my body responded. The second day I was a bit challenged as it went on longer than planned, but it was a good exercise in tapping into the positive space I am trying to train my mind to be in, no matter what. The third day, I felt a natural flow. The fourth day, we did a time trial up the same mountain we climbed on the first day of hiking, and I was surprised to shave off a good 20 minutes. That bionic Julie came out for a bit. On the fifth day, I felt the accumulation and had to accept a recovery day. We did the right things. We did a shorter, slower trek with a couple steep climbs to stretch the legs. We took some rest time. On the last day of hiking, we did a lovely climb straight up on the other side from where we’d been exploring. We found a really nice pace and both eased into a nautral flow. That good ‘ole physical, mental, spiritual flow came back, reminding me of my first ascents up mountains on a bike.

I was sad to leave Leogang, but I felt ready. We’d done all the major hikes. We’d been to several wonderful mountain huts for beer and lunch with a view. We’d both reconnected with our inner mountain beings, and I’d found a flow for writing about my journey that I hadn’t tapped into for a while.

Did I have moments of doubt? Of course. Did my mind slip into a negative space? Absolutely. But not for long. I’m human. I’ll never be perfect, not that I know what that means anyway. But, I’ve continued to build my toolbox of strategies and am capable of identifying when I am going to a place I don’t want to be in and correcting it.

We are all working on things. No matter what it is, persistence and practice does pay off.

No matter what it is…Yes. You. CAN.

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Finding my Soul on the Mountainside

It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks. After years of travel restrictions, I laced up my hiking boots and filled my backpack, ready for an adventure with my hubby.

In the first two weeks, we immersed ourselves in the culture of some familiar places and some new ones. We made new friends, we tried new food, and we sampled some very special beer.

We also hiked to the less travelled places, even in the big cities. My trail shoes took me along rivers and canals, through foresrs and gardens, and stops were made in outdoor beer gardens unlike anything we have at home.

My ability to keep a pace, get my blood pumping, and keep my mind in a positive space even when it got long, hot, and hard was quite good. Only a couple of glitches when things got tough and I had to reroute my mind to more positive pastures.

It’s taken me years to get to this space where I spend more time believing in myself than not. When it happens now, because I am human and am not nor will never be perfect, I handle it. I treat myself better than I used to.

Although two weeks of nonstop travel and trekking by foot were a bit of a challenge, this next part of the journey is where the real adventure begins.

The mountains. They were calling to us. So we listened.

Another day of travel landed us in the small town of Leogang, Austria. A ski village by winter and downhill biking and hiking spot in the summer, the over 400 km of trails with a massive gondola system is like a dream.

The access to mountains has never felt easier.

Our first day of hiking was nothing less than amazing. With only small hills over the last couple of weeks, and a bit of a break from training leading up to my last book launch, it had been a bit since I’d climbed, and a while since I took on a mountain.

Climbing a mountain is never easy. Some attempts are more graceful, and others are a mess. I used to get quite nervous, even anxious, the night before, and even more so the morning of. I’m finally here, in a place where I found a sense of peace before the big climb.

We had a leisurely afternoon watching the rain from a cozy lunch spot. I was excited for the potential of good weather and a long day on the side of a mountain.

The morning of the climb came. I was calm. The breakfast buffet was amazing. My body was ready.

The first section of the climb is what I call a fuck you up, go straight up section. The gradients are high. My heart thrumming against my chest, sweat drenched my hair and shirt, I focused on one step at a time and found a decent pace. The best approach for me is to find that flow and to avoid stopping.

When it eased, so did my being. I took some deep breaths, a long pull on my water tube, and realized how good I felt. That first real push is hard, but by embracing it, I put myself into an invigorated place.

The hike was about a good 10 km up. We climbed about 1200 m. There was a windy gravel section with some easier stretches, exposed and hot. When we reached the middle station, a gondola point, we took a little breather and strolled around a beautiful lake.

We soon reentered the forest. The fresh coolness was welcome. The trail alternates between steep sections and flatter ones. I got into a flow of pushing on the steep parts and recovering on the flatter ones. Recovery didn’t mean slowing down. It meant upping the pace to flush out my legs while breathing to calm my wild heart and drinking some much needed water.

The final stretch was crazy. Straight up, for what seemed like it would go on forever. One step at a time, I made it.

I was surprised by the calm I felt the entire time. I was thrilled by how well my body and my mind performed. I believed in my ability to complete the hike gracefully. It felt good. When days like this happen, my entire being is grateful for what I am able to do.

I was so elated that I decided we needed to do just a little bit more. We climbed to the next gondola stop, not far, but extremely steep. I wasn’t fast, but I wanted a few more meters under my belt for the day. I didn’t want to say good enough.

The reward was amazing. The view was the best part of it all, and I had earned it, one step at a time. We had a lovey charcuterie and beer at AlteSchmiede. Sitting on the patio, basking in the sun on the top of a mountain, I felt happier than ever.

After some rest, we descended on foot. We covered about 25 km and just over 1400 meters of ascent. This included the addition of the walk around the lake and the extra climb. A good day. The rest of the evening, I was in bliss, the mountain high clinging strong.

The map from my Strava is below. If you use Strava, you can follow me for the click able version. If not, don’t fret. I will be compiling a list of maps and details later.

This map shows both the way up and down.

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Prague Hiking Adventure

The first leg of our trip has flown by. We’ve covered several big cities, finding the park and forest hikes in each. I think my favorite yet was the English Garden in Munich.

At least it was, but now I’m torn.

Our first time in Prague, I was immediately blown away by its beauty. It’s a BIG city, yet I loved the vibe. The gardens and parks are immaculately manicured. The architecture has a totally different look. People are extremely friendly.

Our first day we hiked a series of smaller parks and did some doing some site seeing.

Our second day turned into quite the adventure! I was feeling good. Doing some decent distance by foot and keeping the pace each day was paying off. Especially since we were finding the parks and forests. My mind was clear. My body felt ready for another good hike. I was amped up for this one.

We covered most of a rather large park. It took about an hour to get to the start. We first stopped at a beautiful Manor with the most amazing garden.

We then continued on a pathway along the water for quite some time. It passes by the zoo, and weaves along the water. Many small patios offering cafe and beer dotted the route. It was lovely to see many people out cycling along and taking breaks to meet up with friends. We kept the pace. We really wanted to make it through most of the park, and I had my eye on a lunch stop at the very end.

Eventually, we turned onto a soft trail and entered the forest. It was glorious! This might be the most lush forest we had hiked on this trip. We followed the trail, weaving along a trickling stream, passing by little houses up on the hill and surrounded by the happy chirping of birds. I was ecstatic that my mind and body were keeping up on what I knew would likely be a long day.

We made it to the lunch spot, Kalendova Chabrybárna, a fish farm where they cook your lunch fresh. It was delightful. We were definitely in an area where the locals went. There wasn’t English (in the main city it’s easy to get and English menu), so we scanned the menu, what clues we could, and picked a special. All the food coming out looked amazing!

We took our beers and found a spot to sit. Everything within me was calm. I knew the walk back was still a good distance, but I was so happy we made it to the end of the park and we were experiencing a place away from the other tourists.

When our food came I was thrilled to see a pile of little fish with fresh bread and salad. It was delicious.

The trek back did get long, and we ran out of water. It was hot, I was parched, and I did have to dig deep a little. I focused on keeping the pace as we had a target. A huge beer garden that overlooks the canal that we saw the day before.

I did struggle a bit. I was finding it hard. I’ll admit, I was getting tired and focusing too much on my strong desire for a cold glass of water. I kept refocusing over and over. I didn’t want to get my mind and energy derailed now so close to the end of the day.

When we sat down, water and beer in hand, it was the most amazing feeling. We enjoyed some time to simply sit, take in the city, and rehydrate!

Eventually, we meandered, looking for dinner. In his true go with the flow way, my hubby led us down a staircase on a whim and we ended up sipping beer and eating local culinary delights with a close up view of the canal.

I loved Prague. I loved the forest adventure.

You can see the map below. For all the hikes and details of each, follow along on Strava.

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Brussels by Foot

It’s been a while since I’ve been on a proper adventure. You might be familiar with Just a Girl and Her Bike. This time, it’s Just a Girl and Her Boots.

Yes, that’s right. Back pack loaded and hiking boots laced up, I was more than ready to see new parts of the world.

This trek started with a 2 week stretch through some big cities. The best way to really see a big city is by hiking through the parks. I was utterly surprised and delighted with the immense green space in Brugges, Munich, and Prague. But, we’ll get to that.

Let’s start with Brussels. We arrived in the afternoon and hit the ground running. Putting on your walking shoes and getting in some steps right off the bat is the best way to reinvigorate yourself after a long journey and to keep yourself awake and not suffer long effects of jet lag. Just lace up those shoes and go!

We made a proper first stop at Moeder Lambic for some outrageous beer. I gravitated to the lambic style that they had on tap (this doesn’t happen at home). I replenished with moules & frites. The lover of creepy things on me came out when we grabbed a night cap at a high-end beer place that used to be a theater and is filled with puppets!

Our second day gave us a full day to hike and see things. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to walk through the forest areas that we thought we could. When it doesn’t go your way, find another one. We turned the day into a big city tour and covered a lot of ground.

We started off with a visit to a Gothic cathedral. The style is stunning, inside and out. There’s something sureal about looking up at windows, arches, and structures riddled with intricacy and that must have taken a long time to create.

We then fuelled up with a proper local breakfast of Croque Madame and a delicious beer.

We hiked all through the city and up a hill to a science center. Keeping a good pace and meandering off the main route to cover the occasional little bit of forest is a sure way to get your body and your mind feeling great after a long day of travelling. I highly recommend setting at least a guideline for your route with a target pace and distance. It’s the key to feeling great from the beginning of the trip.

After our invigorating walk, we kept the steps going. We made two stops at the famous Delirium brewery. It’s an entire street of separate places, all serving up fresh pints!

The day was getting long, and it took us a bit, but we found an amazing spot for dinner, down in a cave like place. This is when patience paid off. I was famished. The day was getting long. But when we walked into this place, I knew I needed to tap into my zen. When a plate of rabbit slow cooked in lambic beer was set down in front of me, I was in heaven. When it gets long, take a deep breathe a d regroup. Travelling by foot can be amazing if you can tap into your patience and your calm energy.

Here’s my route uploaded to Strava. Follow me there to see all the hike and the details of each.

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Falling in Love

I’m in love. Her name is Kyoto.It’s been a while since I’ve travelled. I mean, really travelled. Long flights, trains, backpack style trekking around the world type travel.I had been craving it, but I didnt realize just how much. I’ve changed. I’ve grown. At this moment I am deep into this across the world adventure, and as I sit here on a train eating a delicious bento box, drinking a Kirin, resting my hiking boots on the foot rest of my train seat, I am totally immersed.We, my hubby and I, are just leaving Kyoto. After four days, I didn’t want to leave. But it’s time for the next phase of our journey.Kyoto stole my heart. A piece of it is still back there in those beautiful mountains as we speed away.It all started with a hike up the remote pilgrimage mountain — Mountain of Peace. It continued with a climb up nature’s stair climber on the Fushimi Trail.The crowds thinned as we made our way up the longer route. I pushed my pace to a fairly unreasonable rate up the winding staircases when Golden Boy — with his young skin, shirtless ripped torso and blond hair — thought he could pass me. Sorry about your luck. This little girl with pig tails and a back pack can push until her insides scream with the right motivation.

The rewards at the top were worth it. A meditative space filled with little paths winding through a plethora of shrines.The icing on the cake, the last bit of melting my heart, was the hike away from the crowds, up a deserted path to a peak that looked down upon the bamobo forest and monkey park. We sat on a makeshift bench of logs and relished in the chorus of birds and insects. Nature’s music.After hiking and meditating in the mountains all day, and taking in the sites, we developed a routine of enjoying the amazing happy hour at our hotel.At night we explored the rather inique and interesting areas of Gion and Pontocho. By the end of our four days, we had gotten the hang of finding the more authentic restaurants and Japanese whiskey bars. It was truly amazing being the only white people in a joint.As I sit here on this train, my heart is a little tender. I fell in love with Kyoto. I don’t want to leave. I know I’ll be back.

 

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Mountain of Peace

This is a recount of adventures in Japan last fall. I’m a little late posting but wanted to share this wonderful journey.

After a week in a high energy big city, I found myself so excited about hiking up a quiet mountainside that I woke up super early. I stared at the clock, willing the time to pass. Filled with positive energy, I couldn’t wait to put on my hiking boots.I had thoroughly enjoyed all the activities that we had been engaged in. Seeing a totally different part of the world had been fun and adventurous. But my being was craving nature and a different energy wavelength. The hike that I was about to do would offer that and more.After a couple of trains and filling the pack with water and food, we started our climb.As per our experience so far, every local person we encountered went out of their way to make sure we were on the right track.As soon as we stepped into the forest and started our trek up the trail, my inner being sunk into a peaceful energy. The climb started immediately and it was steep! I fell into that old pattern of finding my flow. The one where my physical, mental and spiritual beings all align with each other, and with nature.The sounds of nature sung around us. We relished in the squeaking of monkeys and the otherwise silence. Occassionally the trees would crack and creak in the breeze.No people. No buildings. Just us, the monkeys and the forest.The trail had many steep stretches. It was hard work, but it felt good. I fell into the rhythm I knew well. My husband told me of the 1000 day challenge. The trail is a pilgrimage path, and monks do it every day for 1000 days, fasting for 10 consecutive days during the challenge. I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was working hard.Reaching the peak was rewarding. The view was stunning. We rested and had a picnic. No fasting for me.The real reward, however, was quite unexpected. A little more hiking took us to the Dai Ko-do temple (beside Bell Tower). We removed our boots, slid the door open and entered. We sat cross legged. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. The scent of incense filled me. It calmed me. My mind was clear.Before leaving, I participated in the purchase (by donation) of an incense stick that you light and place in a bowl among others. It is intended to be in memory of someone. I took a moment for silent reflection.The descent was awesome. There was a bus that took us down the mountain and within blocks of our hotel!A shower and happy hour were waiting for us. The zen feeling lasted into the evening. Now I’m going to crave meditation on every mountain peak.

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