Simple Living Diary

Quarantine. I'll admit it's not affecting me as hard as it is others that rely on working away from home, have small children at home and/or normally social. I live with 2 retirees.  Mom seems to be ok since she's still working on decorating and setting up her new home.  She's still removing items from storage boxes and ordering online.  She's keeping busy. Her husband doesn't seem to be bothered much about staying home except that his early morning gym sessions have halted.  He putters around the house and watches TV. Life almost feels the same as it did a month ago before the Coronavirus outbreak. Me?  I'm cool.  I'm an introvert so staying home and doing activities alone are my modus operandi.  I'm working on building my YouTube page , and my 2 websites - Allie Rambles and Start a Simple Life. If you're curious, Allie Rambles is about my hiking and outdoor life.  I'm giving away all my dirt loving secrets there. Start a S...

YESTERDAY... I hiked today.  5 glorious yet slightly painful plantar fasciitis miles. I was a little leary of going out to the trail since I had no idea if I would find more or less people there than usual.  There were less. I passed 2 women with a dog at mile 2 and that's it.  Then I had the trail and parking lot to myself. It felt great to get outside again.  Stretch my legs.  Listen to the wind.  Walk on the crunchy ground! At mile 4 or so I crossed paths with a coyote.  It seemed I may have snuck up on it (something I would NEVER do) because it was rather startled to see me and I him.  Apparently he was just about to enjoy breakfast and possibly didn't hear me coming.  The coyote and its breakfast scampered off.  (I apologize Mr. Coyote for ruining your meal.) This trail and the unnamed ones crossing it will be my playground for the next few weeks.  Maybe months. I'm beyond thankful that I have the trails in my...

I can't complain. I have an amazing life and I'm healthy. I have loved ones in my life and they too are healthy. But I can't help but be rather disappointed that my AZT thru-hike was cut short.  WAY SHORT! Giving In After a Week We made it 70 miles before we felt it was time to stop. The Coronavirus took us off trail and back home. It was a hard decision yet I feel the right one. When we started the trail there was barely any talk of the virus besides the fact that a few people in the United States had contracted it and we were reminded of our good hygiene habits.  We didn't worry, we'd be away from the world, isolated on the trail.  Were else would be a better place to be healthy? About 5 days in were hearing that some major cities were asking their residents to stay home.  Non-essential businesses were temporarily closing. Yet, again, this didn't worry us since we were on trail and away from major cities. Then the news trickled in.  RE...

Last night, right before I dozed off, a horrible thought ran through my head about being on the AZT ! What if I start my period during the night, asleep, in my tent, in the dark, where creatures that want to eat me lurk, where I can't find anything quickly and I'm completely out of my element? My tent is a backpacking tent - you can't stand up in it.  So doing anything that involves pulling down my pants will be done somewhere away from camp, well away from my tent.  This involves the messy matters of my monthly. I know what you're thinking, don't you track when Aunt Flo should be coming and prepare?  I do and for the last few months she comes whenever she pleases.  It was one more thing the Perimenopausal Welcome Committee sent me.  Because the massive mood swings and blood like I was losing gallons a day wasn't enough. Yep.  I'm worried about my monthly on the trail.  This is what I'm losing sleep over. Not mountain lions, rattlesnak...

It's been a frenzy, head spinning couple of weeks!  I've been planning and buying like a mad woman.  But I'm ready! I think I have everything I need to backpack the Arizona Trail . Well, I still have to go to REI one more time (hopefully just one last time) this Saturday to pick up microspikes and mosquito headnet. If you're not a cold weather hiker (and I am not) apparently you need spikes that attached to your hiking shoes during icy conditions.   I made the mistake of thinking that all of Arizona would be desert, what the heck is wrong with me?  It can get pretty cold in the mountains here! Like I said, I do believe I have everything.  I may be a bit short on food but I've opted to eat my own mostly dehydrated beans and veggies as well at pick some up on the way.  I'll have 6 food and consumable mail drops throughout my trip to replenish what I need. My Food for the AZT I haven't done an itemization of the gear and consumables I bou...

Have you ever felt nervous , scared , excited, happy and down right crazy all at the same time? I now have officially felt these all at the same time. I've been prepping to do the Arizona Trail  and I swear I feel all these emotions and more right now. Questions and concerns have been racing through my head! Will I be ready emotionally?  Physically? Will I have all my gear?  Food?  Water? What if we can't get water on the trail?  Or it snows?  Or it's extremely hot? What if I can't sleep?  Get injured?  Run into a mountain lion? WHAT IF I NEVER DO THIS?  Because my dumb-ass was too scared? Or Nervous? I know myself, I'll talk me out of it.  And I also know that once I plan things I feel way better and end up doing it. SO I PREP FOR THE AZT I've been hiking more (and I'm tired).  Yesterday I did 7 miles with 12 pounds on my back.  I need to do more so my body doesn't go into shock with 30 pounds hangi...

I did it.  I decided to backpack the AZT aka the Arizona Trail .  It's about 800 miles and will take about 2 months. Whoa! 2 months with everything I need on my back - food, water and shelter. Two months away from general civilization. They'll be people and towns along the way yet it'll be mostly dirt, plants and wildlife (hopefully just the friendly kind.) How did all this happen? If you know me, which you may not since this blog is pretty new, I LOVE to hike.  I feel empty inside when I can't hit the trail.  (Watch some of my Youtube videos  about it). But that's going out for a day and coming back home to eat and sleep in my comfy bed.  Backpacking is a whole different beast.  Yet I've wanted to do it for a few years now yet life circumstances have kept me away (selling my house, saving money, time). I'm not ready to talk about it but my sweet Maggy dog has crossed the rainbow bridge recently.  She could barely hike so backpacki...