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  • Tag: Hiking

    • You Win Some, You Loose Some

      Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 8, 2019

      The weather in Bavaria is slowly starting to change, and there is already snow on some of the surrounding mountains. I am not a snow hiker, and while I have been loving bike rides more than hiking lately, I made sure to get in a couple more hikes before the snow covers everything it touches.

      Please don’t skip fall though, it’s my favorite. 

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      There is a mountain right behind where I live that I have been eyeing everyday since I arrived. The mountain is called The Kramer, and it’s one of the more intermediate hikes. This meant I didn’t want to hike it solo, and it took a while to find someone with a free schedule to hike with. They say wisdom comes with age, and I have to say it’s true.

      I used to venture off on solo hikes regardless of the terrain, and now I am more conscious of my safety. (My parents will appreciate this.)

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      It’s a good thing too, because this hike was SK-ET-CH! Granted, we (my roommate and I) went on a day it was raining (which isn’t typically a big deal for me) with limited visibility. We also planned to go the “easier” route, but discovered it was closed that day. I’m not usually one to give up easily, so we decided to go the “harder” route.

      How bad could it be?

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      Long story short: I almost cried because I was so scared. The trail itself wasn’t overly difficult physically, but the higher we got, the steeper the drop offs on the side were. The trail was made up of loose rocks most of the way, and one wrong move meant a slip and slide to death. OK, so I’m being dramatic, but it was honestly scary at times.

      So much so, that we made it about 700ft from the summit and decided to call it quits. It got to the point where it was no longer enjoyable. We were both feeling uneasy about the path (perhaps in better weather it would be ok) and decided to turn around.

      The hike took us nearly nine hours, mostly due to moving so slow at the top because we were literally crawling. 

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      Where we turned around.

      Although we were only a handful of feet from the top, it would have likely taken another 45-60 minutes. We got back down and it was dark by the time we made it home, so it was a good thing we turned around when we did. I plan to try this hike again, but not in shit weather, and not from this side of the mountain.

      All drama aside, I was really proud of myself on this hike. Not for my physical accomplishments, but for my mental accomplishments. This is the first hike I’ve not finished where I didn’t feel an overwhelming sense of guilt. When I first started hiking frequently in 2014, not summiting wasn’t an option. The summit was the goal.

      These days I try to enjoy the journey and the company more than the summit. I felt such emotional strength to not only accept defeat, but be proud of my decision to turn around.

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      Don’t let our smiles fool you, this was right before we turned around and were mentally preparing for the butt scooting on the way down.

      Another hike I didn’t officially summit here was back in April, when I thought it would be a good idea to attempt to climb the Wank when there was still snow on the mountain. I thought I was closer to the summit than I actually was, but because I didn’t officially reach the cross (there was far too much snow and it was impossible to get to) I knew I needed to hike this one again.

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      Summit elevation: 1780m

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      We had an unexpected nice day in Bavaria a bit ago, so a group of seven of us decided to hike the Wank to take advantage of the weather. Three of the people and I worked with at Yellowstone last summer, and we hadn’t spent much time together since arriving in Germany.

      We all arrived at different times (I’ve been here the longest, and one just arrived last month) and this was a great hike together. 

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      The view from the summit of the Wank is unbelievable. I have been making an effort to sit and savor more when I reach a summit/reach a destination I physically worked to reach. I used to hit a summit, and sit for maybe 15 minutes before leaving. It would sometimes take hours to reach the summit, why wouldn’t I appreciate it more??

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      Cross marks the top.

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      We hiked the Wank after work, and we were some of the last people at the top. We stayed at the top for about an hour before heading back down. The sun was setting by the time we were halfway down, providing a beautiful contrast to the surrounding mountains.

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      Sometimes we win some, and sometimes we loose some. I “lost” the summit on the Kramer, but I won the summit on the Wank. I lost the summit of the Wank back in April, which just means I will win the summit of the Kramer at another time. It’s ok to stop, step back, and reevaluate things.

      It’s ok to readjust and plan for a better route – whether it’s on a hike, or anything else in life. 

      I catch myself cringing when I tell people how old I am, but I think it’s partly because I am surrounded by people younger than me. Truthfully, I am so happy to be out of my 20’s and being 30 is freaking awesome. I am wiser, I am stronger (mentally), and I am caring less and less what others think about me as each day passes. Life lessons make a bit more sense these days, and for that I love being in this decade of life.

      Q: How do you handle situations like my Kramer experience?

      brittany

      | 16 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Hiking, Kramer, Wank
    • Kreuzeck

      Posted at 5:00 PM by Brittany, on November 6, 2019

      I am finding that despite having a handful of things I want to blog about, I sometimes struggle actually getting around to writing the posts. This post for example, is about a hike I went on in early fall. It is now nearing the end of fall. Blame it on the brain fog, or the fatigue, or the lack of motivation, but better late than never.

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      One of my favorite things about the hikes in Bavaria, are these plaques found at the summit. If the hike has a Hütte at the top, there are plaques on the side indicating the summit elevation. This plaque is from a mountain behind where I live called the Kreuzeck, and it sits at an elevation of 1652m.

      This summit was interesting, and at first I wasn’t convinced I had hit the top at all.

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      Summits are also indicated by some kind of cross, as if by the grace of God you made it to the top of a mountain. I love the crosses at the top, and for someone that struggled with chronic fatigue for many years, (and still does sometimes) anytime I make it to the top of a mountain I am thankful. The cross is a good reminder for me to thank God for all that I am capable of.

      I am also thankful for all the mountain friends I find along the way. Sheep, and goats, and cows, OH MY!

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      Despite seeing the cross, I wasn’t convinced I had hit the summit. The summit of the Kreuzeck isn’t an obvious one like most hikes here, it’s more of a flat ground with other summits towering around it. This made me wonder if I had actually hit the summit, or if one of the surrounding peaks was the summit.

      I stopped into one of the two Hütte’s at the top to ask if this was the summit of the Kreuzeck, and a lovely Germany woman confirmed I was in fact at the top of the Kreuzeck. A bit anticlimactic, but the hike was beautiful none the less.

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      I hiked this with one of my friends and we started a little later in the day, which meant darkness was close by. After walking up some surprisingly steep areas (despite the lower elevation of the overall summit) we decided to take the cable car back down instead of hiking down. This cable car only has a round trip ticket, which was annoying, but it was still cool to ride in.

      My first German alps cable car ride. 

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      (Source)

      The hike up was fairly quick, it took us under two hours to summit. We hung around the top for a bit hanging out with some of the summit locals. At the top there is a chicken coup next to one of the Hütte’s. All the chickens were roaming free, but one chicken in particular looked as if he were picked on by the others.

      I don’t know what came over me, but seeing him missing feathers and looking a bit rough made me cry. LOL. I just imagined the other chickens plucking at him, and then I went down a momentary black hole of apology for eating so much chicken. My inner vegan was screaming to come back out, but then I had to remember why I started eating meat again in the first place.

      Point being, despite how long it’s been I still struggle with eating meat sometimes. 

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      Chicken coups aside, the view from Adolf-Zöppritz-Haus (the Hütte at the top) was beautiful. We hiked on a day with overcast, but the clouds cleared just enough to provide a view of the valley below. And just like that, I checked another Bavarian summit off my list. Winter is coming fast, and I have another hike from the summer to share in my next post, but I don’t know if I’ll be doing much more hiking in Germany until spring.

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      Q: Would you rather hike up and cable car down, or cable car up and hike down? Definitely hike up for me. I gotta work for my ride down! 

      brittany

      | 8 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hiking
    • Höllentalklamm

      Posted at 2:00 PM by Brittany, on October 3, 2019

      Although in my last post I mentioned I’ve been biking more than hiking lately, I still get out and hike once in a while. The mountains surrounding where I live in Garmisch are too amazing not to explore. I was lucky enough to have a day off with BOTH of my roommates a bit ago, and I convinced them to hike the Höllentalklamm with me.

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      There are two Klamm’s in Garmisch, the Höllentalklamm and the Partnachklamm, and I’ve now been to both. Klamm translates to a few words such as “clammy”, “damp”, and “gorge.” The Höllentalklamm is a gorge that is both damp AND clammy, which made this a great activity on a rainy day.

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      Backyard path towards the Klamm.

      Our end goal was the Höllentalangerhütte, which is a bit further than the end of the Klamm. The walk from where we live to the beginning of the Klamm is about 4.5 miles, and from the beginning of the Klamm to the Höllentalangerhütte it’s about 1.2 miles, so we walked 5.7 miles from where we live, through the Klamm area, to the Hütte.

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      The Höllentalklamm is a bit less crowded than the Partnachklamm, likely because it takes about an hour just to hike to the entrance. I didn’t mind this, because while I enjoy hiking with others around, I don’t enjoy an overly crowded path.

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      It was a light drizzle the day we went, but overall the weather was perfect. I prefer hiking in cooler temps because I tend to overheat easily. The Klamm itself was cool, but I enjoyed what came after the Klamm more. Hiking to and through the Klamm is good for families as it’s not too intense.

      It costs 5 euros to walk through, but if you wanted to skip the Klamm and visit just the Hütte there is an alternate route. 

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      We stopped for a moment to enjoy some lunch at the end of the Klamm before walking the remaining 45 minutes or so to the Hütte. The Hütte is a popular destination for those hiking the Zugspitze, Germanys tallest mountain. Hikers often do this hike in two days, stopping at a Hütte along the way for a night.

      I would love to stay in this Hütte just to explore the area! 

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      Lunch views.

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      After my roomies enjoyed a beer, and I enjoyed the view, we made our way back home. I couldn’t have asked for a better day off with two of my favorite girls. I enjoyed the Höllentalklamm a bit more than the Partnachklamm, but either one is a great choice for an adventure in Bavaria.

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      Q: Would you rather camp along the way on a multi day hike, or stay in a mountain hut? 

      brittany

      | 7 Comments Tagged Bavaria, Brittanys Life Abroad, Germany, Gorge, Hiking
    • Early Morning Confessions

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on August 26, 2019

      1. Wow. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these confession posts. I was looking through old blogs I’d written, and reminded myself how much I enjoy these. I also reminded myself of a lot of things, like how I used to live my life without restrictions. Change is hardest when you don’t have a choice.

      2. My favorite thing about Bavaria in the summer is all the cows on the trails. I want one.

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      3. I enjoy riding my bike, but sometimes I honestly wish I had my car. After a long day and a long week at work, the last thing I want to do is bike to get groceries. It’s exhausting.

      4. I’ve found myself in a funk the last couple weeks. Could have been the revisiting of old blogs, or the physical exhaustion, I’ve just been admittedly down about my food restrictions. I know acceptance is the key to happiness, but some days I’m just O-V-E-R it.

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      Didn’t eat any of this, but how beautiful is this German charcuterie board?

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      5. I love living in Germany, but I’m burned out with my job.

      6. I bought a dirndl and wore it out in public, but I was extremely uncomfortable in it for the first hour. I typically hide my body in loose clothing, so this was hard for me.

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      My amazing roommates and I.

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      7. I got my haircut by a woman that didn’t speak english, but we made it work. I then botched it by cutting more myself. I will never learn.

      8. A little while back I went for an after work hike on a mountain called the Eckbauer. The weather was perfect when we started, but by the time we hit the summit the thunder and lightening hit and my anxiety reared up like a horse that saw a snake.

      I don’t like being in situations where I have no control (who does) and this made me nervous. Be that as it may, I still had a great time with the two girls I was with, and the mountains were gorgeously moody.

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      9. I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing that the highlight of my week was officially becoming a regular at the German shop I buy roasted chicken from.

      10. When my dad and step mom visited from the States last month, we spent their last day in Munich. We took a five hour bike tour which was fantastic, and I had a small crush on our tour guide. He wasn’t overly attractive, but he was from Ireland and all he had to do was speak. It was game over after his first word.

      I love the Irish accent so much, I still found him attractive after I saw him smoke. Who am I…

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      Q: What’s your confession?

      brittany

      | 22 Comments Tagged Bike, Brittanys Life Abroad, Early Morning Confessions, Germany, Hiking
    • Appenzell, Switzerland – Pt. 2

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on July 9, 2019

      My second day of hiking in Switzerland was a stark difference in weather than my first day. There wasn’t a rain cloud in sight, and the sun was shining so bright I was anticipating a sunburn. Thankfully my days of willingly scorching my skin are a thing of orange skinned past, and these days I lather myself with sunscreen, wear long sleeves, and hats.

      Hi my name is Brittany, and I’ve become my father.

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      OK, so my head got hot and I took my hat off for a bit.

      We were planning to leave Appenzell around 2 in the afternoon, which left a few hours for a smaller hike. We took a different trail than the previous day, but ended up back at Seealpsee, the magical alpine lake. I was happy to see the lake on a sunny day, and the trail we took to get there was absolutely mind blowing.

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      Each corner we walked around provided a different view, and each one was better than the last. We passed by a house about 40 minutes up the mountain selling fresh milk and butter. The house had goats, chickens, and a proud guard dog out front. The goats ended up running across the path to eat the grass and we stood with them for a good ten minutes watching them eat.

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      The trail to the lake also had cows galore, and we discovered how to walk through the electric fences without shocking ourselves. And by we, I mean me. Despite the fact that I don’t normally hike well in heat, I felt really good after about 30 minutes on this hike. I was purging toxins out of my sweat like it was my job, and I was full of energy. For someone that struggles with fatigue, whenever I feel great it’s almost worthy of tears.

      Dramatic. 

      The cows, the hills, the mountains, and the solidarity of Appenzell had me lusting for a life in Switzerland. Near the lake there was a house, and as I walked by a man came out and waved to me. I imagined what it would be like to live on that piece of land with cows, my cat, and my transplanted Irish/or Scottish husband.

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      After we found our way to the lake, we walked the entire circumference before starting our descent back to the car. The reflection of the mountains on the water looked like something out of a Thomas Kinkade photo.

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      It’s been almost a month since my trip to Switzerland, and it still holds the top spot of any place I’ve been thus far. I will surely be back, and while I’d like to visit the bigger cities, I want to spend more time in the quiet mountain towns. What I love about hiking is that I can shut my brain off. It’s very meditative, and all my unrealistic thoughts fade away.

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      I’m realizing lately I no longer enjoy hiking alone as much. My parents are going to love reading that, but ultimately I am finding that sharing a hike with someone I enjoy spending time with makes the hike that much more enjoyable. I started hiking alone because I didn’t want to wait for others, or because I didn’t want to sit around just because no one wanted to go, but then I kept hiking alone because I liked going at my own pace.

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      I still very much need my solo hikes at times, and going at my own pace is unbeatable, but after hiking at my own pace, but WITH other people on this Switzerland trip I realized there are other options for an enjoyable time with others. Basically I’m turning soft and all my posts for the next while are going to be related to needing human interaction.

      Whod’a thunk. 

      I guess I’m not so dead inside after all, I just need to find the right people to spend my time with. Life has a funny way of showing us things we need when we are ready to see them. Big thanks to my roommate for an amazing weekend getaway that I still daydream about, I can’t wait to see where we go next! Until then, enjoy this AWESOME short video my roommate made of part of our trip. (0:22-0:27 are from Liechtenstein.)

      I don’t think I make a normal face once in this video. LOL.

      Q: Do you prefer hiking alone, with others, or with others but at your own pace? Big fan of with others but at my own pace, although sometimes I can’t let go of feeling like I’m too slow. Alas, the right people won’t care. ❤ 

      brittany

      | 18 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Hiking, Switzerland
    • My First German Summit

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on April 29, 2019

      I’ve been posting about my travels outside of Germany lately, but haven’t said much about my time spent IN Germany. It’s so easy for me to loose track of the beauty around me because anytime I have three days off (sometimes even just two) I’m looking at other countries I can travel to. It’s funny how Germany feels like “home” and just like when I’m back in Washington, I want to get away from my home and into the world.

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      Contrary to popular belief, I DO work here. I work close to full time averaging around 35 hours a week, but I make it a priority to get out and away as much as I can. Something as simple as a walk (or soon a bike ride!) into town is a helpful reprieve and reminds me I am in another country. The hotel I work at is American, and after a few days of not leaving the American military bases I am in dire need of an escape. Hearing people speak German, or exploring the alps is all I need to recharge.

      I’ve managed to get into the surrounding mountains a few times, and as the snow continues to melt I look forward to my summer of hiking in my “hometown” of Garmisch. My first taste of the alps was a short 30ish minute hike to what we call “the swing.” I have been to the swing twice, and the second time I happened to meet a German guy admiring the view. He casually mentioned he built the swing, and has only ever met American’s at the hidden spot.

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      After I visited the swing I explored more of the area nearby. I’m literally surrounded by mountains, but have mostly stuck to a mountain called the Kramer. I plan to summit the Kramer soon, but my first semi climb on the Kramer was to one of the many hütte’s in the alps. One thing I love about the German mountains is that they have hütte’s all over them, which are restaurant cafe’s where people stop for a bite, a beer, or a baked good.

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      I made my way up to Sankt Martinshütte on one of my days off for a view of the city and a cup of tea. It was a moderate climb and felt good to dust off my heart muscle after a sedentary winter. Both the swing and Sankt Martinshütte are accessible by foot from the hotel I live in/work at, and there are so many other trails nearby that will be great for a day off or for an after work decompression.

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      My third mountain adventure, and first official summit since living in Germany was on the Wank. The Wank is a bit further (will be easy to get to when I buy a bike), so I drove with some friends the first time I explored it, and took a bus the second time. The first time I went I didn’t summit, I just went up part way to Tannenhütte for a post work adventure. My friends had a drink, and I soaked up the views.

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      After figuring out how to get to the Wank I felt comfortable going alone the second time so I could summit. I was a bit premature with this decision, because there was still quite a bit of snow at the top. I wore trail running shoes with minimal traction and was a bit scared coming back down, but I was too stubborn to turn back without hitting the top. I was the first of my coworkers (that I know of) to summit the Wank for the season, and three weeks later others started to make the Wank their first summit of the season too.

      Shameless brag. 

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      I met two German women at the top that thought I was crazy for not having the right shoes or any trekking poles. The Wank is 5840ft with about 3500ft of elevation gain. I was surprised I hit the summit as easily as I did. It was a push, but I felt stronger than I expected. It was probably the waffles and coffee I splurged on for breakfast. Thanks to Alfred, I felt the push after my hike (and thanks to my breakfast choice) and was out of commission for a day or so, but these things are just a part of life with an autoimmune disease.

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      At the top of the Wank there is a hütte called the Wankhaus. It was closed when I went because I went before it was open for the season, so I’ll have to return sometime for a tea. I tried to hike the Wank again a few weeks later, but my body was not having it. I only made it 1/3 of the way up and had to turn back. I had a small pity party and then had to get over it. The hardest part about living with Sjogrens is listening to my body when it tells me “no.”

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      View from my bedroom, where I spend a good amount of time resting.

      Any movement is better than no movement, and I love how the German culture in Bavaria is very active. I love seeing the locals out walking the trails. Old, young, dogs, pointy ear squirrels – you name it. Regardless of age, people are out walking the flat and manageable trails and sometimes I need those reminders that it’s ok to not always climb UP a mountain, but walking around one is just as beneficial.

      Admittedly it can be hard not to compare my abilities now to my abilities before I was diagnosed with Sjogrens. Mentally I still want to run all the miles, and climb all the mountains, but physically I just don’t always have it in me. I feel lazy when I struggle, but my fatigue can be so bad it’s hard to put one foot in front of the other. When I push too hard my joints hurt, my back aches, my organs feel funny, my lungs struggle to get air in them, my skin breaks out in itchy rashes, and then I take days to recover.

      Alas, I will not quit I just have to moderate. Without the climbs, there are no amazing views. 

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      View of Munich from St. Peters Church after climbing 300 steps.

      All this to say life is Germany is moving along. I’d be lying if I said it were easy, and most days I struggle with my health, but I’m doing the best I can for now. Bavaria is beautiful, and I’d be remiss not to make the most of my time here. One day at a time!

      Q: Do you listen to your body when it tells you it needs to rest?

      | 17 Comments Tagged Brittanys Life Abroad, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Hike, Hiking, Solo Hike, Travel Abroad
    • Early Morning Confessions

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on May 1, 2018

      1. I finished. I’m done. I have a (debt free) bachelors of science in communication. I’m no longer a super, super, super, super senior!! The last two years have been dedicated to (finally) finishing college, but it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. #thanksstarbucks.

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      2. My final week of college didn’t come without its trials. My laptop died the week I had a huge project due, and my final. Like 100% dead. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I needed multiple programs that were downloaded on that laptop. I ugly cried multiple times for the first time since I was in a relationship. #thisiswhyimsingle. 

      3. Everything happens for a reason, and since my laptop died before I was finished with college, I was able to use my college fund to buy a new laptop. A MacBook Pro to be exact. She is sexy as hell, but gave me mad anxiety when purchasing. Even though it was not my money being spent, I’m as frugal as they come and I got stress sweats from spending $2k on a laptop. #thanksmomanddad.

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      4. This is my last week working for Starbucks. #allthefeels. 

      5. I went for three hikes last week. The third hike hurt and I felt like I was in the earthly version of hell. I think three was too much for my body, but the views were all stellar. #outofshape.

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      Hike one I found my squad goals. All these men are ages 60-70.

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      Hike two I found snowcapped mountains.

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      Hike three I found my ego.

      6. I cried on the third hike for a solid two seconds before I told myself to get over it. Sometimes my mind (my ego) wants to do things my body can’t do. On that day my body could barely put one foot in front of the other. #humbled. 

      7. I tiptoed through the tulips for the second year in a row. Except this year the tulip fields were drowned by excessive rain and mud, so we drove around and found our own tulips to view from afar. #fofree

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      8. I’ve been in a reaaalllyy good place with my physical health the last little while. I’ve been eating extremely high fat and low carb, including quality grass fed meats and my body is HUMMMINNGG with clarity. Basically meats, vegetables, and fats are what I’ve been eating. When you listen to your body, it rewards you. #everyBODYisdifferent.

      9. It was Hades hot in Washington last week. Most of us up north do not have AC, myself included, so when it’s above 75 I FEEEEEL it. I would have sold my first born child for a dip in Lake Crescent. #ioverheatQUICK

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      Another photo from hike three.

      10. I’m happy to report I only had to return one pair of shoes to REI before finding the right ones. Against my better judgement I tried out a pair of hiking shoes that were ankle high. I took them on hike one last week, and it was immediate regret. So I took them back and got the same shoe….low top. #stickwithwhatyouknow.

      Q: What’s your confession?

      brittany

      | 46 Comments Tagged Arizona State University, College, Early Morning Confessions, Hiking, PNW, Starbucks
    • Accepting Alfred

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 15, 2018

      Today is my 29th birthday. I’ll wait, you can go grab me some chocolate.

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      Actually, keep the chocolate for yourself, I won’t be partaking in any of that this year. For the last 29 years I’ve associated my birthday with treats, just like 98% of the American population. We turn another year older and we must celebrate with cake, and cookies, and coffee, OH MY. Truth be told, I’d love to celebrate with those goodies, but I won’t.

      Life with an autoimmune disease means everything you ever knew about food must change. Unless of course you want to take the easy way out and stuff yourself with drugs to suppress your immune system, but I’d rather not do that. I’d be lying if I said it was easy avoiding these treats, but I’m getting to the point where the flare ups they cause are no longer worth it.

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      It’s been two years since I was officially diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and I admit it’s taken me that entire time to finally accept that this is my life now. I’ve spent this entire time trying to “fix” the problem, to do whatever I could to heal my body in order to go back to how things used to be before my cup runneth over, but that’s not how this works.

      The way things used to be is part of how I got myself into this mess.

      If I’ve learned anything from this need for control over my body it’s that trying to fix something you have very little control over is exhausting. Day in and day out the denial and desire to escape this disease that follows me everywhere I go has had me running a race that I will never win. Rather than try to escape this card I’ve been dealt, I’ve decided to take a different approach.

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      The other night I was lying in bed meditating, when a thought entered my mind I decided to focus on rather than trying to quiet. I thought about my autoimmune disease, and the idea of giving it a name. Like a friend. I wouldn’t try to run away from a friend, and I wouldn’t try to hurt my friend, and this shift in my mindset brought life to Alfred, my autoimmune disease.

      Alfred will be with me for life, though when the stars are aligned he will go on vacations. Hopefully those vacation are long ones (remission) and I won’t see him for long chunks of my life, but when he does show up (like the last couple years) I will be kind to him, honoring his existence as a part of me instead of trying to pretend he’s not there.

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      Honoring Alfred means shifting my life completely, because growth comes from change, and change is almost always uncomfortable. Honoring Alfred means saying no to running, and going for a light walk instead. Honoring Alfred means minimizing my stress as much as possible, saying no when I want to say no, and removing people from my life that bring me down.

      Honoring Alfred means saying no to the cake, and opting for the avocado instead. 

      I’m an emotional eater, and this was something that became very clear to me the last couple years. I never noticed it as a problem until my stress levels blew through the roof, and until I was told “you can’t” eat things if you want to feel better. It’s a painful pill to swallow when your life takes a turn out of your control, but it’s even more painful to have the flareups that accompany an autoimmune disease.

      Living with an immune system that thinks its own tissues are foreign causes a whole heap of symptoms that can make or break your quality of life.

      Food has a direct correlation to the quality of life for me. I am aware of what I should and should not eat in order to feel my best, and in order to keep my mind on board I’ve switched my verbiage from “I can’t eat that” to “I don’t eat that.” Sometimes even my “safe foods” cause a flare up, and in those times I do my best not to spiral. Everyday is a new day, and I’m getting better at handling the harder days.

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      There will be days I eat foods that do not support my body, but I’m hoping with this acceptance the need for those days become less and less. I also hope that when these days do happen, I give myself more grace and find my way back on the bus rather than continue to spiral because I “failed.” There is no failure, there is no black and white, there is only balance, and life, and forgiveness.

      Giving in is not the same as giving up, I will never give up, but I’ve decided to give in. I give in to the lifestyle change that is necessary for me to thrive, I give in to turning down the cake today on my birthday in order to avoid the uncomfortable flareups, I give in to living a life with Alfred by my side, because in all reality his presence is helping me to live my best life. As long as I accept what he is trying to offer.

      Diseases often occur in our lives to wake us up to a life we’re meant to live. All too often our society tries to quiet the messages our bodies are trying to tell us by taking drugs, but most ailments can be moderated with lifestyle changes. There are surely some ailments where drugs are the only option, I’m not discrediting that in the least, but most of them give us a choice on how we want to continue to live.

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      Acceptance didn’t come easy, I went through the stages of grief for over two years. There are few things that hold a flame to a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake, or even a long run, both of which my body no longer tolerates, but I find peace in honoring what my body is asking for. By honoring Alfred I’m given a sense of control again, because while I cannot control the fact that he lives with me, I can control whether or not I embrace his presence.

      Viewing Alfred from a place of warmth and love brings a positive energy to my life. There are days when I’m not perfect, there are days I cave and eat the cake, there are days I want to crawl into a hole and never come out, but those days are getting fewer and I’m learning how to cope and how to bring joy to my life through things other than food. This warmth also helps me to be kind when I make choices that don’t honor Alfred, and remind me that growth is all about the journey.

      Joy is a slow hike in the mountains (like the ones I took these photos on), joy is giving time to others, joy is the smile on a family members face, joy is the wind on my face, or the rain on my arm, joy is the vibration on my chest from the purr of my cat.

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      Life throws us curve balls when we least expect it. It’s normal to stomp our feet in defiance at first, but eventually we all have to get over ourselves if we want to live our lives to their full potential. I’ve decided the temper tantrum I’ve been throwing has gone on long enough, and I’ve accepted this new life of mine. I’ve made life much more difficult than it needed to be the last couple years, but it’s all apart of the process.

      All this is to say it could always be worse, life is about what we make of it. I’m one year shy of being 30, and you can bet your britches I’m ready to kiss my 20’s goodbye. It’s true that our 20’s are years of discovery, and I’m ready to get the hell out of them. My final year of my 20’s will be spent polishing up the final touches before I head into a new decade.

      I no longer want to people please, and I no longer want to be shy about my dietary restrictions when around other people, I no longer want to feel the need to be strong when my fatigue is overwhelming. I’m proud of who I am, I’m proud of my body and all it can handle, and I’m proud of my life with Alfred. Giving in is freeing, and I feel a weight lifted from my shoulders and a cloud lifted from my mind. Acceptance is choosing to thrive instead of just exist.

      Q: Have you experienced any difficult lifestyle changes?

      brittany

       

      | 53 Comments Tagged Alfred, Autoimmune Disease, Birthday, Hiking
    • Arizona Ascents

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on January 11, 2018

      I’m currently on an extended vacation visiting my family in Arizona, and although I miss the greenery of my home state, I’ve taken advantage of the sunshine and dry hiking weather. Every time I visit Arizona I make it a point to hike a popular trail near Phoenix called Piestewa Peak, formerly known as Squaw Peak.

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      Compared to the trails in Washington where I live, this trail would be considered small. The elevation is small, and the distance is short, but the gain happens quickly. The climb kicked my butt this time around, but I did make it to the summit quicker than I had in the past. I normally hike this with family, but this time I went solo.

      It took me 45 minutes to get to the top, rested for a few, and back down for a RT total of an hour and 40 minutes. Ish…

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      One thing that sets this hike aside from what I’m used to is the uneven terrain. My preference for a trail is one that has a steady and smooth incline. The rocks, and stones make Piestewa Peak more difficult because it requires more energy to step up onto. This hike also requires more mental attention, I find myself thinking of my next step before I even take it.

      Sometimes, when the path has a rock-less option I take that path.

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      To the right.

      I find it difficult to make the brown and dusty landscape look pretty, but that’s because my preference is always green. I was able to capture a few good shots before the dust completely engulfed the valley below, it was incredibly windy this day.

      The wind was so bad I had to stop a few times to blink the dust out of my eyes. 

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      This windy afternoon was the precursor to a “storm” that was coming. Hours later rain was falling from the sky like a flock of seagulls towards a loaf of bread. When I come to Arizona the weather is mostly consistent, and rarely deviates from sunshine. This day was completely unpredictable starting with sun, moving to wind, and ending with rain and thunder.

      The perfect metaphor for life, nothing is predictable. 

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      Learning to expect the unexpected has helped me cope when things don’t go as planned. How boring would life be if everything followed a schedule, or if we never let go of control to simply trust the process? This isn’t to say that we shouldn’t plan for things, but rather evaluate how we react when things don’t go as planned.

      I wasn’t expecting overcast on this hike, but I welcomed it with open arms. I wasn’t expecting to feel like I was going to die on this hike, but I accepted the challenge to whip myself back into shape. I wasn’t expecting rain in Arizona, but I sucked in the smell of it like a brand new vacuum.

      There is something magical about the smell of warm rain. 

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      Rain is invigorating. Cleaning the air and washing away dirt, it feels like a fresh start.

      It would be remiss of me not to update those of you that haven’t heard the latest on my cat. He is recovering amazingly well after his surgery, and will get his final evaluation on Saturday. He will also get to take off his cone of shame, and get his stitches removed.

      He has been given a fresh start.

      The little Houdini escaped the cone multiple times, is eating like a full grown grizzly, and is successfully urinating. I’d say he’s well on his way. Thank you again to those that helped this process. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as he undergoes one more procedure when I get back home.

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      Q: How do you react when things don’t go as planned? Meditation has helped me to react less aggressively. 

      brittany

      | 23 Comments Tagged Arizona, Cat, Desert, Hiking, Solo Hike, Squaw Peak, Vacation
    • Juneau, Alaska

      Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on December 7, 2017

      Stop number two on the epic Alaskan cruise was the capital city of Juneau! 9/10 times when writing the word capital I have to Google the difference between capitAl and capitOl. A for city, O for building – got it. Until I have to Google again.

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      We had nearly a full day to spend in Juneau, unlike the shorter half day in Ketchikan. This worked well because Juneau is a bit bigger, and we were able to explore more. The weather was overcast, but comfortable most of the day. I admit a good majority of the things we did in Alaska were hot ticket tourist items, but in Juneau we had a nice balance of tourist and local adventures.

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      First up was a trip on The Blue Bus headed towards Medenhall Glacier. With a nice easy trail allowing for some exploring on foot. For the super adventurous (aka those that want to spend $$$$) there is an option to take a helicopter ride to the glacier and walk around.

      Us peasant folk were happy to save some pennies and view the glacier from a distance.

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      Small red speck in the center of the water, heading towards the waterfall. Krazy Kayak.

      We spent enough time here to see a porcupine and a brave kayaker. Back on the bus, and back towards town. Next up – a trip up the Mount Roberts Tramway for a better view of the city. I’ll admit I was sold on this view after creepin #Juneau on Insta. I mean, once you see the view you’ll understand. This is a must when visiting Juneau, and it’s right in the heart of the town.

      No excuses to miss this one. 

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      The funny thing about this tram trip, is that you spend $34 and can ride the tram as many times as you want. We didn’t even utilize a full round trip ticket, because instead of riding the tram back down we hiked back down. Shout out to my dad for being such a trooper, this was HIS idea despite the fact he has a bum knee.

      He wasn’t so jazzed about this idea after we ended up walking over 11 miles for the day. 

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      Funny story: we got momentarily lost on this trail and I used my spider senses to get us “un-lost.” By this I mean I called the visitors center to ensure we turned right at the fork instead of going straight. Praise Jesus for cell phones. This was the moment we went from tourist to local. Kinda. It took us a bit longer than expected to get back to town, but we made it mostly unscathed.

      The view of the above mountain was more enjoyable once we were back in view of the cruise ship, no longer lost.  

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      This was a long day, but oh so enjoyable. We saw 11 miles worth of Juneau that I’d confidently say most of our shipmates did not see. Something I will reiterate multiple times in these Alaska posts is that September is an ideal time to visit. The temperatures are lower, but the fall colors are U N R E A L.

      You’ll see this more in my last few posts.

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      Q: Would you ride the tram multiple times to view the city, or would you hike the trail to the view point? Next time I’ll be hiking both up and down. Grab a map, and find a trail!

      brittany

      | 31 Comments Tagged Alaska, Cruise, Explore, Hiking, Holland America, Vacation
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    • BRITTANY- Self proclaimed minimalistic nomad striving to maintain a balanced, healthy life with good food, long hikes, deep connections, exploration, lots of broccoli, and laughing like it's my J.O.B.
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