My granddaughter has been going to the same private school for eight years. She is in the 8th grade this year and next year she will go over to the high school.
In May the school takes all the graduating eight graders to a camp up in the mountains of Tennessee, Camp Eagle Rock.
The parents go also if they want to go (grandparent in my case).
At first I was a bit hesitant because at my age, I can't keep up with a bunch of rambunctious kids. Having served as a camp counselor for several summers when my youngest was a kid, I know it can be fun, but tiring and that was long ago.
Last week I went to an award ceremony at her school. She has been a straight A honor roll student for four years now since she came to live with me after my daughter died. Anyhow, I was there and the PE teacher who is in charge of getting this trip together asked me if I was going to Eagle Rock. I told her I didn't think so, that I didn't think I could keep up the pace with the students. She acted disappointed and then asked me how old I was. I told her I am 70. She seemed taken aback at that and said "there is no way, you sure don't look 70!". Hmmm, methinks she should get some glasses, but it was nice to hear that and other people told me the same on many occasions. But not looking 70 and not feeling 70 are two different things haha.
At any rate, she said the "parents" weren't expected to participate in all the activities like rock climbing and walking across this flimsy rope bridge and canoeing and who knows what else. She said the only thing the parents had to do was climb to the top of the mountain on the trail. She said it is not a rough trail, just quite the incline. Well a few years ago, maybe 5 or 6 I met up with a friend of mine in Gatlinburg. We went over to Clingman's Dome and decided to walk to the top of it. Mind you this was actually a paved trail, but I had a hard time. Not so much walking up, but as you get higher in altitude it becomes harder to breathe and I thought maybe I was gonna die right there. Two summers ago we met up again and didn't go to Clingman's Dome, but we did a lot of walking and let me tell you, when you live in Florida, you just don't have hills to climb. Everything is flat land. I was in pretty good shape because I had been walking and biking, but walking up and down in the hill country is a whole other ball game. I thought maybe I would die there too hahaha!!
Now, I am 70. I still walk, I still ride my bike, but I don't have any hills to climb and definitely no mountains. So how am I going to get in shape to even begin to walk up that trail? I don't want to be the last one huffing and puffing my way up, although there are a few chunky (fat) parents that might have the same issue. Then I had an idea. I can start walking over the causeway several times a week. At least I can get used to hill climbing, though it is not a mountain, it is still elevated and I used to walk there all the time and believe me if you are not used to it, you get a good workout.
So today I trudge up and then down, and back up and then down, once. I plan on going 4 times a week and riding my bike the other three. That is about the best I can do for training and you know what? I AM going to make it up to the top of Eagle Rock. It might be my last big adventure, but at least I can say I did it!
Here is the causeway. It doesn't look that high, but it is when you have to walk it.
And here is where I will be next May.
Much love,
Lia
11/04/2025
First...Congratulations on your granddaughters academic performance. I don't doubt that you have had a significant role in it by giving here a stable minimal stress environment to live in. I say minimum stress rather than stress free because at her age stress free has to be almost impossible.
ReplyDeleteNext..YES...that causeway walk will do it. I have found a ~3.5 mile walk here...right out my door...and it has a couple hills one of them is short and steep the other is much longer and not as steep. And yes...hills are definitely more difficult than the flats but they do make the walk more interesting...a jogging buddy would say that they add texture to the run. That causeway looks like serious exercise to me and if you start slow and over time pick up the pace you will REALLY build muscle mass + strength. You need to be eating at least a gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day and more would be better if you are going to add muscle mass and 1.25 or even a bit more would be better, Protein intake is VERY critical at our age and it is something I need to take seriously because older people tend to lose muscle mass and strength. The docs call it sarcopenia. Three to 4 weeks of walking that causeway and you will be in GREAT shape for the camp hike!
As usual, your photography is STUNNING!
The first year my granddaughter came to live with me was a struggle with school work. She was behind in math but I hired a tutor and she quickly caught up. That was 4th grade, since then she has been an honor student. I told her how proud of her when she started making good grades. She told me " I just needed someone to believe in me Nana". All of her teachers brag on what a good and conscientious student she is.
DeleteI have read about the protein needs of seniors and I think I get enough protein. My legs are strong but I know I need to get better before this trip so I will be sticking with this walking. I also discovered that they have installed all kinds of exercises equipment at the park down by the river. I used to take my granddaughter there all the time when she was little, but haven't been there for a couple of years. It is like a free outdoor gym!
That's a GREAT success story about your granddaughter! This is something you should feel VERY good about!!!
ReplyDeleteI have found that for me a long shallow uphill grade is great exercise if I push myself a bit...that LONG uphill really does build (for me) strength + endurance and that causeway looks like a GREAT place to do just that!
Sounds like you are well ahead of me when it comes to protein. I know I have been steadily losing muscle mass over the last couple decades and this was even over periods when I was hiking regularly...in NM & CO I'd often start at ~6,000 feet and get up to ~10,000 feet and at that point I was asking where all the air was. I'm guessing that my protein intake was ~half what I needed and this is something I need to fix.
Well...it's Friday...cold air coming my way and yours Monday!
I'm looking forward to that cold air. It is rare that we get that cold in November so I will enjoy it while it is here. My legs are fine but my arms are not so strong. I need to work on that some too. Don't ya just love getting old?? haha
DeleteLooks like high 30s here tomorrow morning and high 20s Tuesday morning so I suspect you will be a bit warmer but still comfortably cool. I have the same issue...legs are good but upper body really needs work...I should buy some weights and do some upper body work. I have accepted the fact that I am getting old and just go with it...we can mitigate it to a degree and that is the best we can do and I am very OK with that since the good options are very limited! As long as I can get up...grind my beans and have a nice hot 20 ounces of strong black coffee in the morning I am a happy camper!
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