Ain't no mountain high enough

Today was a tough day.  Day 2 finds you sore in places you wouldn't imagine.  My butt doesn't hurt from squats.  My arms don't hurt from strength training.  My ankles hurt from coming DOWN mountains on 6 inch rock/dirt trails.  My toes hurt from god only knows what.  But overall, my body is feeling much better now that I've kicked the stomach sickness that kept me up most of the night.  They say it can happen around here when your body goes through a bit of "detox".  All the food here is high fiber, high nutrient density and not processed or packed with preservatives.  You would think the body would welcome this, right?  Well, my body is always an adventure and last night it straight out revolted.  I was doubled over in pain and couldn't even stand up.  Can you imagine what I would have experienced had I came here two years ago before I started my healthy living?  I mean, I've been a bit lax on my food the last two weeks but, seriously, I may have straight up died if I came here from my cheeseburger and pizza haven that was once my life.  OOOH, speaking of cheeseburgers, drove past SIX In-N-Out Burgers on Sunday while in Dallas and then once I landed in LA...and I did not stop.  I drooled and I fantasized in my head, but I did  not eat it.  Lyndee 1, double-double 0. 

I was a little upset when I got my van assignment last night. I was put in an intermediate group.  I held my own pretty well Monday with some advanced ladies but I didn't get put in their van.  I kept in mind that I have four weeks here and this will give me time to kick some butt and work my way up.  We take off for our hike today and I've been told repeatedly if I'm not feeling well that I should just stay back and relax.  Um, have you met me?  So not happening.  I'm here for a reason and I only have 28 days.  I decided the best way to get moved up to the next van is to make sure I am the trail guides shadow.  I was coming in 1st, wasn't going to slow up enough to let anyone pass me and I would push hard enough that the guide had to push hard too.  We get to the spot for our hike and I'm staring up a pretty steep mountain in Calabasas.  I have a quick pep talk with my body and beg it not to get sick while I'm climbing this bad boy and then we are off.  For those of you that enjoy the paved, beautiful trails of Iowa, imagine a cow path or billy boat path that winds and weaves up a mountain that is full of lizard  and snake holes, chunks missing from pounding horse hoofs, mountain lion and coyote poo and ticks like you've never imagined.  Yeah, that was our hike today.  All while traveling uphill.  Apparently, I am a tick magnet.  Gross.  But I credit growing up on a farm with my calm reaction.  There were a few women looking at me like they would just die.  I'm pretty sure their idea of nature is lying next to their pool in the backyard.  Yes, seeing 8 ticks plastered to my shorts was nasty but I didn't freak out or even squeal.  Just have to get that crap removed and keep on rocking it out.  I'm scared of heights to the point of dizziness.  Lyndee + mountain = bad combo when already sick and lightheaded, right?  Wrong!  There is a solution for everything.  Because the trail was such a disaster, I just focused straight ahead, rather than watching the scenery or how high I was getting as we climbed.  Once we hit the overlook I took in the amazing view and it was awesome, with a few feet cushion from the edge to make me feel more confident.  Yeah, the girl that's scared of heights destroyed the mountain today and came in first in her hiking group.  That's just how Lyndee rolls now.