fitness challenge—horseback riding

I can't remember the last time I went horseback riding. It was with Girl Scouts, at a dude ranch, and I had the worse allery attack ever.

Thankfully that didn't happen this time. (Thanks generic Claratin!)

My friend Pam suggested this activity after our paddle boarding adventure. She found us a Groupon, so we saved big bucks on this outing. (Groupon could be hazardous to your budget. Must stay away!)

Fitness friend Dawn also came. Riding is on her bucket list. Dawn and I met at the Rt 33 Park and Ride and we headed up to "Bangor". I have no idea where we were but Bangor was 15 minutes south. We left at 10 for our 11 ride. It took 45 minutes. Google suggested 37. Dawn brought the GPS so that save us from getting lost.

We arrived and parked and waited for Pam's family to arrive. They got lost so they were late.  Pam brought her husband and both girls. Hannah came home from college to ride today. She really wanted to come.

Dawn got the first horse. It probably took a good 20 minutes to load us on to horses. I left the others go first, so I got the last one — Rocky. He likes to walk fast so they make us stay at the end. He didn't like it. He kept creeping up on Pam's horse and getting his face in her horses butt. "Rocky, stay out of Pam's tushy!" He didn't listen. He wanted to be in the front. Hannah's horse had pretty white spots.

Rocky like to hug the trees and my knee actually hit a stop sign. His love of trees also may have gotten me in trouble. We were on the way back and Pam said, "watch, poison." Too late. I thought that my shirt got the bulk of it, but perhaps not. After I showered I noticed my hands were red and bumpy. I might have transferred the poison from Rocky to me when I got off. We'll see.

I'm not sure how much exercise this was. I guess a lot would be muscle control. Almost isometric. Maybe. Science is not my strong suite.

During the ride we discussed other fitness challenges. Pam suggested belly dancing. Alas, I thought of that also but no one I found so far offers single classes. Connie, who's 16, wants to try pole dancing. If only we were in Kentucky. Maria would do a class for us.  However, Sweat Like A Girl, which is in Nazareth, you need to be 18. But they do have drop-in classes for a wide variety of classes similar to what Maria offers...

Tomorrow is the Via Marathon. All our nrmal haunts will be cluttered with people. Roads will be closed off. So we're going to walk in Trout Creek Park under the Susquehanna Street bridge.

Storms brewing. Night all.

fitness challenger 7 — golf!

Earlier this summer I registered for the PGA Ladies Get Ready program at the Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course. Three classes, one a week, for three weeks.

Today was the day. I got up early and checked the website. There are a lot of "rules" for golf. The class wasn't there. Did I really put it on three calendars incorrectly? I went to the golf course at the scheduled time. Apparently the class was cancelled. I was the only one registered. They forgot to contact me. Instead he is giving me three private 1 hour lessons. The cost difference would be substantial. But I don't have to pay it.

GOLF IS HARD. My brain hurts. I think I got putting down. Chipping on the other hand is kicking my butt. The basket of balls he left me with had about 100 balls in. I think maybe 10 were hit correctly.

My knees also hurt. A lot. I had to fill out a form about any physical issues. I didn't list my knees. You know me. I put my head in the sand and ignore it. I don't think about it as an issue. It's an issue. A big issue.

I have homework. I have to go hit balls--500 of them. A bucket is about 100. If I pick most of them up I might get away with only getting two buckets. One each day. (Yes, I'm cheap...but not lazy.) I also need to watch some videos. And I have to make an appointment for the next lesson. I just checked the calendar and there is no free times when I'm free. That will be a problem.

Maybe it's the cosmos way of telling me golf isn't my sport.

I was sitting here dreaming of Aleve for the pain in my knees. Instead I walked around the block. Down the hill, out Broadway and up Wyandotte to Sassafraas (The playground/cemetery) down the hill, out Itaska, down Hellner, out Broadway and back up my hill. It might have been stupid, but my knees hurt less.

Last night Lydia, the dog and I walked. It was just about 2.75 miles.

Tomorrow I'm walking with Bonnie and Megan and the baby. Then Saturday is the Alburtis 5K. No plans for Sunday ... yet.

On a related note, I had my last Chriopractor appointment for the year. It's a very slow process and I'm responding, but not as quickly as others. Actually I see no difference in the way I feel or move what so ever. He wants me to commit to another year, once a week. I'm on the fence. My brain and wallet say cut your losses. Try something different. What do you think?

more ideas for creative fitness

Anybody interested?

Roller skating. Couldn't do it at 10. No doubt I'll spend the bulk of my time on my ample tushie.

Laser Tag. This is above my 410 limit. But you get 3 games for $18. I have 45 off coupons in one of those coupon books the kids sell. I'm clueless what it's called. It's not the entertainment book. We could probably draft some of friends,  neices and nephews to make a team.

Trampoline Fitness. I haven't found anywhere in the Lehigh Valley that does this. It's a mini tramp with a rail. More than likely, if I do, it will be at a gym. Watch the insanity on YouTube.

In the same vein we've been talking about going to Sky Zone, an indoor trampoline fitness park. We've been talking about it so long they are opening one in Allentown. No more road trip toward Philadelphia. Now we must do it. But it isn't ready yet. ):

Swimming. I actually contacted the Bethlehem Recreation department about adult swim lessons. They only have private ones. I wanted a group. Way cheaper. Yes, mom sent us for swim lessons when we were kids. I just didn't learn anything. Swimming laps is good for you. I think.

Hot Yoga. Yes, you read that right. Apparently it's regular yoga in a hot room. You wear tight clothes instead of loose—basically, you sweat your fat off. They are opening a studio in the Lehigh Shopping Center, down by the Dollar tree. Hideous logo. Will they trade design services for yoga classes?

Playground fitness. Yes, you'd need to check your vanity at the door. No way around it. Doing this in the park, you look like an idiot. But I think most of it is doable. Why actually swinging isn't part of the plan I have no idea.

beating the storm and the humidity

Today I walked early. Bonnie is still sick and I wanted to get out before the violent thunderstorms and humidity. Neither materialized.

I decided to do the south Bethlehem Volkssport walk. I'm kind-of itching to get my books full and get new ones. I have two more in the distance book. Three in the total fifty walk book (I think it changes color next time!) and four in the Pennsylvania walk book. All of these will be done by the end of the month. I'll do three walks just collecting paperwork at the end of month!

Things have changed a bit on the Greenway. In the area of the meadow and the Asia gazebo they have built vegetable gardens. With no fence. Clearly this is a pick-your own adventure? The cabbages were huge.

Further down, by the townhouses, people have started planting flowers on the Greenway. I wonder what the city thinks of that. I bet it makes mowing harder. But it sure looks pretty.

The casino, and ArtsQuest area is the same as always. When I arrived at OraSure it started to drizzle, but it never materialized as rain. Coming back thru Lehigh I found more sculptures and more stairs! I'm sure the others will be thrilled about that.

Crossing streets at that hour is a real pain. But otherwise it was a nice hot, sweaty walk.

I thought I try a fitness challenge tonight—Kettlebells. But I read the website wrong. It was drop in, but you needed to be a member. Further investigation led to the discovery that no kettlebell classes are without some sort of membership class. And, a three-hour orientation before you can can take one. Cross that off the list.

I checked the Saucon, Palmer and Bethlehem Tsp Community Centers, and the Y. Nothing new. Nothing different.

Tonight in the park is Power Toning. If we are done with dinner I might try that. Once Bonnie gets well I'll try one of the swim classes.

This fitness challenge takes a whole lot more planning than I anticipated.