Showing posts with label Fishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fishing. Show all posts

Hello Again

It's been a while, I tried really hard to keep my blog up while I was going back to school and getting my degree's. But it ended up being kinda impossible, but I did my best.
Then I graduated thinking hey, maybe I'll get the blog going fulltime again, and to be honest I didn't have it in me. Facetime around a screen was less and less a priority, instead of exploring and enjoying life seemed like a better way to spend my free time.



It was easier to keep up my blogs Instagram account, and if you follow me there, you likely saw many wonderful images and adventures. I've also periodically popped up on my Twitter feed.

However, despite my absence, I have always wanted to get my blog going again. But decided if I was going to do it, things needed to be different.
I no longer have the time I did before to dedicate to it, so it was time for a new plan.

This blog will still be the adventures of me Runaway Bridal Planner, I am still a runner and I have high hopes of getting back to my 50 states and D.C. marathon goal this year, and I hope to share much of that on this blog.



Meanwhile, hiking has become a huge part of my life. I've always been a hiker, but a once a week hike turned into once a day and sometimes 2-3 times a day 50-60 miles hiked a week...

Granted, I did take a dream job for the past 8 months, and hiking and taking tourists on hiking, kayaking, SUP or other adventures was my job. (I know, it's hard work, but someone has to do it, LOL) Yes, they actually pay people to take people on adventures and it is by far the greatest job I will have ever had.

Catching up.

I mentioned above I've been a hiking guide in southern Utah, Zion National Park, Snow Canyon State Park were just a few of my cubicles, and my office views looked a lot like this each day.




When I wasn't hiking for work, I was hiking on my own. Why? Because life is better when it's explored. Here are a few of my favorite destinations I hit up.






I also was able to do a little of my other hobby and got some backpacking in, when you're 20-30 miles on foot into area's that you already have to drive 40-100 miles down dirt 4x4 roads, and you don't have to see anyone else for miles, well life is just the best then!





Of course, I also know how to kick back and relax doing a little SUP, Kayaking, Fishing or Camping.





It wasn't all play, I made sure to take some time to enlighten the mind with some reading.


Additionally, I have been an Ambassador in the Hikerbabes Community and started up the Southern Utah Hikerbabes chapter. We had some fun times on our group hikes each month.



The biggest change is, after living in Southern Utah in the hot desert sun for the past 2 1/2 years, I am putting my coat on and moving to northern Utah.


Literally two days after I was here, my sister took me out on a birthday snowshoe hike and I had a foot fall into a hole and have a slight hairline fracture. So for the first time in years, I am forced to take a short break. I'm hoping a few weeks off will help it heal. In the meantime, I was having some insane tendon problems since September, and this force of getting off my feet may be helping that as well. Sometimes things happen for a reason!

Regardless, I'm looking forward to starting up the new Wasatch and Uinta Mtn. Hikerbabes group here in Northern Utah. If you live near or vacation near these mountain ranges, you should join our group. You can find out group events and details on this page HERE.



As for my blog changes.
If you like outdoors, you will see many pictures and posts about exploring the north southwest. Additionally, tips and information about hiking.
Between going back to school for Recreation Management and being a Hiking Guide, I realized many even experienced hikers make some major and very stupid mistakes while out on the trails, so I think it will be fun to share my 2 cents on it and offer some tips.

For now, I may leave my comments on. However, in the future, I am toying with the idea of turning comments off. I want to think about that more first.

That's probably enough for now.  Happy Adventures friends!! I look forwad to being back!


Lot's and Lot's of Fishing and Camping




It's been a little while, I apologize for being MIA for a while.  But it was a well needed fishing camping trip that came just at the right time.
I've had an eventful past few weeks, and I hate to say it, but it's not all been good!





HOPING THE FIRES OUT WEST ARE OUT SOON
A few weeks ago I thought it was bad, when I was out on a run and I was doing more coughing than running.  The fires out west are seriously bad, I really hope they can be put out soon.  It's a bit better this weekend, but still not great!  WE NEED RAIN!!!


I live right by the mountains, and I am surrounded almost in all directions with other mountains.  But even right up next to them the smoke from California, Washington, Oregon and others are so bad that I couldn't even see them at all some days.
You can see how bad it is in these pictures, so sad!



FITBIT SUPPORT IS AWESOME
So if you read my blog, you probably know I love my Fitbit and I love having fun with competitions on it!  A few weeks ago it quit working.

I contacted them, and they helped me do a reset on it.  But then it only worked a few days, and died again and no restart would fix it.

Fitbit Customer Service is awesome!  I didn't even have to ask, they just told me even though my Fitbit is beyond the 1 year warranty, they would still send me a FREE replacement!
Then they did, it arrived in the mail Saturday!  Unfortunately, I won't be using it much right now because...


THE PART I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT - RUNNING/WALKING
A bit over a week ago I started getting some major pains in my Tendon (worse than flare up pains.) I won't go into the details on the how, what and whys because I can't even begin to tell you how depressed it has made me.
But I will tell you this.
I can't even walk, and if I even try to run my tendon nearly gives out on me, RUNNING isn't possible right now.  When I say I can't walk, I mean I literally CAN NOT walk in a normal shoe, it's sheer terrible pain.
It's been this way for a little over a week now:(

Showing NO SIGNS of getting better, in fact if anything it just keeps getting worse.  I have woken up many days with my ankle almost swollen triple in size.
I am wearing the boot again, most of the time, I am doing what I know to do.
The only way I can walk, is if I am in a 3"-4" high heel, or up on my tip toes for short distances (when the tendon isn't stretched at all.)  It's the only way I can stand the pain enough to get around a little.
I am having a VERY hard time with this.
Actually, that is putting it mildly.  I am not handling this well at all.  Which is why when last Monday rolled around, I needed it more than ever!

A few weeks ago I wrote a Travel Tuesday post on hiking Bald Mountain.
Above is Bald Mountain, this is just what it looks like from below at Mirror Lake.
CAMPING / FISHING TRIP
I needed to get away before I got myself into a massive depressive funk because after 2 years 8 months, I am almost worse off than I was when I thought I went through the worst of the original worst part of the work injury.

So I went camping with my parents.  Normally when I camp I love to hike, obviously that wasn't going to happen much if any.

Luckily, I also love to go FISHING!
So, up to Utah's high Uinta mountains I went.  Life not only feels better at 9000-11,000 feet, but everything even tastes better up there!
Oh, and it was SO PEACEFUL, seriously just quit and nature AWESOME!

Usually all of this is lake, but they are draining it for he winter snow to come.
I went lake hopping, each day I fished a different lake or two.  I would sit in my totally cute PINK camouflage chair.  With my PINK Cabela's fishing vest that seriously makes all the other fisher women jealous, and I have a feeling gives all the boyfriends and husbands Christmas present idea's for their significant other:)
Threw my line out, and in between the waiting and catching I read a few books, took in the scenery and deeply breathed in the beautiful fresh air!

My dad out fly fishing next to me.
Wednesday it rained almost all day, but honestly it didn't even bother me, it was still beautiful. That and I absolutely LOVE the THUNDER in the mountains as it cracks and ricochets up the canyons and bounces off the different surrounding peaks.  It went on that day for hours, it was so relaxing to listen to.
I literally just sat and caught up on trilogy I have been wanting to read and listened to it all.

This Golden Eagle swooped across the lake and landed above me and stayed a while.
Probably hoping I would catch a fish he could come take from me.

I had a great time.  My niece came up one afternoon and begged me to take her hiking.  I can't resist her, and ya I HIKED the entire half mile up on my TIP TOES, ha ha.

Hey, whatever works right!  I would have been worried that I was making things worse, but I don't think they can get much worse!


Thursday, my reel broke.  I was kind of shocked, it was a nice reel and expensive.  It's probably about 10 years old though or close to it.  I have another, but it was at home.  So when I took it all apart and nothing I could do would fix it.  I just borrowed one of my dad's extra poles or my brothers.
Luckily, unlike me they bring more than one to fish with:)


My dad, my brother and I did a lot of fishing!
If I told you I catch fish every time I go out, that would be a lie.  I have not had the greatest past year as far as fishing and catching is concerned.
But that ALL changed on this trip!


I had one of those days, where every single time I threw out the line I caught a fish.  Literally, I didn't even have to wait more than 30 seconds to a minute at times.
I think the longest I waited was a couple of minutes.
Seriously, I have never had a day like that.  The fish were biting, I was in the right place at the right time, fishing with the right bait and LUCKY ME!

The first Tiger Trout I caught.  I only snapped a picture of one fish, but promise there were LOTS more!

Seriously, I caught so many fish that day, I would have been bored by it.  Except I was loving every minute of it.

Also a full moon, loved it!
Especially when at one point I was alone and these guys came up and were fishing not to far down the lake from me, and catching nothing.  I was reeling them in like a pro, LOL
I'd be lying if I didn't love the fact that many eyes were on me while I was out that night, they were all jealous and I pretended to be HUMBLE but yet secretly loved every single minute of it!

In case your wondering, I am a CATCH AND RELEASE type of girl.  I don't eat fish, so I do my best to try and let them all go.  Lucky for them, they all looked pretty healthy as I un hooked the hook and set them free:)

I hope it happens again, but even if it doesn't I will always have the memories of having the fish hit my line every time I tossed it out.  SO AWESOME!

I didn't get my camera in time.  But this lady was seriously out walking her PET GOAT
Ha ha, it was the cutest and funniest thing I have seen.  The goat was totally well behaved
and didn't seem to mind being on a lease, Ha Ha.
It was a great trip and so well needed.  Aside from being in pain all the time, it actually helped me take my mind from my problems and that was needed!
Hopefully, it will help me deal with it all this week much better, I've got a lot of thinking to do on the Achilles tendon, and if I am being honest I am not looking forward to any of it!

Nothing beats campfires in the evening!

This is probably a long enough post.  But I'll talk more about it over the next few weeks.  But in case your interested in hosting a giveaway and participating in the Fall GIVEAWAY HOP with myself and HoHo Runs as well as all the other amazing bloggers who are and will be joining us.  The sign up is now open, and you can get to it by visiting HERE.



How have you all been doing this past few weeks?  I know I have been away from Wifi and blogs for a while, and it may take me forever to catch up.  So I'd love for you to tell me some of what has been going on with you!

Five Friday Favorites

Thanks to EatPrayRunDC, YouSignedUpForWhat? & MarontheRun for hosting this link-up. Today I am linking up again with The DC Trifecta Friday Five.  The topic they chose for today is 5 Friday Favorites.

Although the past few years my Friday's are not always how many others think of Friday's.  As most think of them as the signal to the weekend.  For me, they are at times when my work week really begins, especially when it comes to brides and their weddings.  However, I do have a few Friday Favorites to share.





#1 - Wedding Decoration - I love my job and I love to decorate for weddings.  Each bride has different tastes, this gives me the ability to use my talents and create for each of them, their own special beautiful day!  I not only get to have the pleasure of making someones day, but I get the pleasure of doing something I love.

Wedding Pictures


#2 - Hiking - If I do not have a wedding on a Friday, I do enjoy hiking.  I am fortunate to live 20-30 minutes away from 100's of different hiking trails and options.  One of the advantages of living where I do in Utah.  You never know what you'll discover if you get out and see the world with hiking boots and a backpack:)

Waterfalls


#3 - Fishing - I love to fish, I am a catch and release kind of gal.  In fact I hate to eat fish, and won't even consider eating them as an option.  But I do enjoy catching them, whether that be a relaxing day at a lake.  Or a morning or evening next to a beautiful river!  I also sport an adorable cute pink fishing vest and hat, and I don't care what people think about that:)  Additionally, I have different reels that I use in various colors because sometimes it's just fun to be a girl and paint my nails to match my reel:)  LOL

Fly fishing
Me and my dad, and that is my pink fishing vest and hat I mentioned:)


#4 - Movie in a Park - I actually haven't done this yet this year, but it will come!  There is just something fun about watching a movie in a park!  Or even at times we will go up in the mountains camping and pull out a fun movie for the family to watch in the outdoors.



#5 - Hanging with my nieces and nephews - I have several of them, and they are so fun!  Whether it's a day at the beach (like below), camping trips, hiking and fishing adventures or hide and seek in the backyard.  I love spending time with them!  In fact, that is what I am actually going to be doing today, hiking with my sister and her two kids.

Sand
At the beach with the kids - Ignore the greasy sunscreen hair, LOL


Sometimes if I have weddings, my "Last day of the work week, Friday" may be on a Monday or Tuesday:)  But its all good, and these are a few of my things I enjoy doing on those days!

What are your favorite things about Friday's?

Also, don't forget there are just a couple more days to enter the 12 different Health, Fitness & Running related giveaways going on right now on the Fitness Favorite's Blog Hop.  Lots of chances to win, you can start entering them HERE.




Motivational Monday & Blog Link Up

Monday's are the day I enjoy sharing with you some of the up's and downs in my life.  This past week has been full of what in my opinion are lots of ups.  So I thought I'd share some picture's of the camping trip I have been on.

Obviously since I am in this foot boot, I can't actually go hiking (which is my 2nd favorite sport to running.)  But thankfully there is fishing:)  I do enjoy fishing, and since you don't actually have to use your legs much to do it, this is something I get to keep on my "still can do" list.
Another thing on this list is reading, and I brought lots of books so I could catch up.
This is also something I can do to keep my mind off the fact that it is fall marathon season (my favorite time of year.)
One day I woke up to 8 inches of snow

Additionally, I have a little countdown going on in my mind.  4 weeks down, 4 weeks to go and no more boot:) YAY  I have a Dr. Appt. next week to find out my progress so far, which I am excited about too!  I am hopefully expecting some great news!


The next day the snow was about all melted and the fall leaves were starting to change

That's kind of the fun thing about Utah, they say if you don't like the weather just wait 10 minutes.


Monday's I also do blog link-up's so if you are interested just click on the Linky below and add your blog to the list.  If you have time visit 1 or 2 other blogs in the list and share some love by leaving a comment:)  In return if someone leaves a comment on your blog, make sure you take the time to come back to theirs and return the favor:)  HAPPY MONDAY ALL!!!