The Greatest Thing to Fear

Have I mentioned I'm terrified of heights?  I am.  And Multnomah Falls is a great place to remember that.  I have been there in real life.  And I have ventured onto the bridge and had to be led off with my eyes straight ahead and someone I trusted holding my hand. I still remember that feeling.

You know, that feeling isn't really all that bad.  There's a lot of thrill and a certain rush from doing something frightening.  This week, I challenge you to do something that scares you.  It doesn't have to be about weight loss.  But it can be. 

Maybe what scares you is putting on exercise clothes for the first time.  Or asking your boss for that raise that you have earned and never received.  Or getting the medical test that confirms you are diabetic. Or finally standing up to that person who puts you down and saying "I am better than that.  I don't deserve this." Even if it's you. Or enrolling for that class. Or just walking all the way across a bridge.  Whatever it is, don't let fear stop you from doing something that will make your life better.  Take some time, figure out what fear has been stealing from you.  Then go out and reclaim it. And take that thrill and rush and adrenalin that the fear gives you and welcome it.  It's like a roller coaster ride - it's supposed to scare you and at the end, you know you'll be all right.  In the meantime - isn't it fun?

If you don't know you'll be all right - think of the worst thing that could happen.  Can you live with that?  Can you survive it and still go on?  And are you willing to risk it?  If so - then you will be all right.  And now it's time to own your fear - and take back what's yours!

Checking in 1/29/14

I apologize for the delay.  I had limited internet access yesterday.  So today I am calling for check-ins!  If anyone has any miles to add, please let me know.

For myself, I walked 18 miles this last week.  We reached Multnomah Falls!  Hooray!  Multnomah Falls, for those who don't know it, is on the Columbia River Gorge.  I'll show you.

(my sister Beth at the foot of Multnomah Falls)

You can see the bridge above the lower half of the falls.  That bridge is a loooong way up.  It's a beautiful bridge with a beautiful view - if you aren't terrified of heights, like me.  I prefer standing at the bottom and looking up. :)

See you next week!

Challenge at the Park 1/24/15

We need a challenge for this week.  Since we have stopped at a park, I think we need to get outside and do something fun.  Play with the dog, garden, do something (anything) out of doors.  And have fun!

On the Charts!

Today I have a success worth mentioning.  I have been practicing a new diet and exercising more, and I have been losing weight.  I weigh in each morning using Wii Fit (I also weigh in on the more accurate bathroom scale, but Wii Fit is more fun).  As part of the weigh in procedure the screen displays your BMI on a visual scale.  I have been off the top of the scale since I began.  Yes, I confess, my BMI was over 36.  But today I weighed in and discovered – I’m not off the top of the scale any more!  There is a small line of color above the marker.  A very small line, true, but I am not off the top!  Woohoo!

I do not know if I should attribute this success to my new diet, to the fact that I am now drinking plenty of water (averaging about 80 ounces or more per day), to my increased exercise, or to the fact that I seldom eat anything in the evenings now.  It has been more difficult than I anticipated to create food I can eat when I get home. 

Whatever the reason – I am on the chart!  Woohoo!

Checking in - 1/22/2014

This week I added 11 miles to my total.  Thanks, Kate for reporting your 17 miles.  Together we have travelled an amazing 37 miles!  We reached Blue Lake Regional Park and are a hop, skip, and a jump from Multnomah Falls.

Kate records her miles by using a pedometer to track her movement through the day. Great idea, Kate!  I have family who ues those armbands that monitor their daily calories expended, etc.  I've been thinking of getting one myself.

What do you use to track your movement?

Challenge - Gear Up

I decided to stop at Foot Traffic.  this is where I buy my walking shoes, mainly because it's the only store I know of that caters to walkers as well as joggers. They actually pay attention to how you walk in order to pick your shoes.

This isn't an ad for Foot Traffic.  This is a mention of how important correct gear is.  Bad walking shoes lead to problems.  Good walking shoes lead to good health.  It's not so much having the right gear as not having the wrong gear.

You don't have to spend a lot of money.  If you are walking, make sure you have good shoes, yes.  And I admit, they aren't exactly cheap.  But there are many areas in which you can be creative.  Did you know a 16 oz water bottle weighs about a pound?  There you are, a one pound weight.  A quart size milk bottle, refilled with water, becomes a 2 pound weight, complete with a handle.  Carry rolls of pennies to add weight to your walking routine.  There are many creative ways to increase your exercise "gear" without adding a lot to your budget.  A chair of the right height, with a stack of books on the seat, becomes an exercise bar.

Get creative.  What can you add to your fitness gear without spending money?

Checking in - 1/15/2013

Have I mentioned that Wednesday is check in day?  Well, it is.  Why Wednesday?  You see, I have a weight loss group that meets on Wednesdays and I check in with them.  So I made it check in day.

This week I "walked" 4.63 miles.  I am including my exercise since the beginning of the year, which brings me to 8 miles walked.  Let's see, that means I'm at - Portland!  Still!

I do encourage people to join me.  I would like to get out of Portland and on my way to at least, maybe, Troutdale?  (If you know the Portland area, that's kind of funny.  Lame, but kind of funny. Troutdale isn't very far.)

I will work on a Portland themed challenge.  Watch the blog for the next few days and see what I come up with!

See you en route!

New Year, New Journey

It's a new year and a new journey.  This time I'm including you.  Come join me!  Tell me how many calories you burned this week and I'll include it in my miles.  We're doing a simple walk this year.  100 calories burned = 1 mile.  And I'm trying to walk across the country.  I'm starting in Portland, Oregon and walking my way to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  It is my own Declaration of Freedom!  Freedom from Fat!

Please join me! We'll make it much farther together than we can alone.

By the way, if you need any incentive, walking a single mile burns about 100 calories.  I have calculated.  If you are holding a steady weight, and you start to walk, just one and a half miles per day, six days per week means within a year you will have burned an extra 70,000 calories!  That's twenty pounds!  That's right!  2-0 pounds!  Without dieting!  That deserves a WOOHOO!

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral - Take Your Pick

I love Portland. Always have. But it's hard to pick what I love best.

Just up the gorge (the Columbia River Gorge) is Bridal Veil Falls. Beautiful view, beautiful place. I love waterfalls, especially surrounded by forests.

And in town - it's a toss-up. If I only have time for one, which would I choose, OMSI or the Zoo? Hard to know. OMSI has lots of mechanized fun. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Hours of fun. And that's just watching the omnitron. Hands-on exhibits, an entire wing of children oriented activities, a navy sub, and a walk-through heart. What more could you ask for?

The Oregon Zoo has its own wealth of fun. There's the zoo train, of course. And the elephants. And polar bears and penguins and - well, you get the idea.

How would you choose?

Home, Home is So Strange

I am in Oregon City today.

The highlights of the city for me? Riding the elevator was always fun, even when I was very small. I loved to ride up then walk down the Singer Hill stairs. I didn't enjoy looking out the observation deck windows so much - but that had more to do with my fear of heights than with the view.

Another great option for fun in the city is the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. Giant covered wagons, circled where the pioneers circled their wagons for the last time before seeking out new homes. Come see it when you are in the area. I think you will be as impressed as I am.

Of course, the biggest highlight of Oregon City is my family. They live just outside the city limits, and are my favorite part of any trip to Oregon.

A bit of history

Today I made it all the way to Champoeg State Park. I would include a description here, but I haven't been there yet, and they haven't answered my email. Anyone been there that is willing to share? See my first post for my email address and I'll happily include your description (with thanks).

Gleneden and the Garden

I arrived safely in Gleneden Beach today. My friend lives here and has a beautiful garden. Might even rival Grandma's (there is such a thing as family loyalty, you know!). It was nice to see her and visit. Made for a good rest.

I'm also glad I made it in time for the Gleneden 4th of July parade. It was a true slice of Americana, the kind of parade that reminds you why we love America and small towns and the spirit of patriotism.

What do I see at the Beach?

Fish, of course!

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a great place to visit. Once home to Keiko the whale, it now has a really cool walk through fish tank instead. But I have to say, my favorite is the touching tank. Slimy and weird and amazingly non-slimy creatures, all within reach of my fingers. Shivery fun!

The Roaring of the Lions

Have you ever heard a sea lion? There's a reason they're called lions. They roar. Imagine a full-throated sea lion roar, multiplied by a hundred (at least!) echoing back at you. Okay, it's hard to imagine. But it is loud!

At sea lion caves, you take an elevator to a viewing platform. You are inside the cave, and all you can hear are the sea lions. I wouldn't even try to talk.

Outside you might see this

Or this:

But what you came to see is this:

It's really impressive, an experience best experienced, not read about. Check it out if you are ever on the Oregon Coast. It's worth the drive.

If you can't go in person (or even if you can), check out their website. Don't forget to take the sea lion challenge! I passed :) See you at the beach!

Butterflies in Elkton

Today I arrived in Elkton, Oregon - home of the Butterfly Pavilion. I'll post pictures as soon as I have them! Next - on to the Coast!

Beasts, Birds, and Butterflies

Today I biked just over 18 miles. I started from Sunny Roseburg in Southern Oregon. Just a few miles south is the Wildlife Safari in Winston. I wandered around the main area. Only closed cars allowed in the animal compound. Shame. If I'd been able to go in, I might have seen something interesting, like this:

As it is, I did get to see this:

And in case you wonder what I look like:

Pretty skinny for a fat lady!

After wildlife safari I returned to Grandma's house and rested up, just a little bit. On Monday I'll head up to Elkton, Oregon, home of the Butterfly Pavilion.

Start at the beginning

Hello! I am Meme (aka Melanie Emry) and I am taking a virtual journey. Why? Well, why not?

Actually, there is a reason. Some time ago I decided I needed someplace fun to put my brain. Yes, it's actually in my head, but I keep spending time thinking about things that are stressful, worrisome, or just plain negative. I needed something healthy. So I am taking a virtual trip. That way I can plan where I will be next, or imagine myself where my virtual journey has taken me so far.

I make progress by exercising and losing weight. I decied that I bike at 50 mph (hey, this is a fantasy, right?) and walk at 4 mph. (actually, I walk about 3 mph, but 4 is easier to divide). And if I lose weight in any given week, then I'm happy that week and happy people walk faster - so for that week I get to count extra distance (for every 4 miles walked I get to count 6). There you have it.

I am starting in Roseburg, OR. My grandmother lives there, and I like it there. I'm heading north from her house towards my parents in Oregon City, then I'm going to spend a while exploring Washington State (where we currently live). We'll see where we go after that.

So, welcome to Roseburg!

For my contacts

I am taking a virtual tour. For every hour I exercise (and every step I take during each day), I get to count travel distance on my imaginary trip. I want to visit interesting places, some of which I may have actually seen, some which I never have. Hopefully I have photos of the places I've been which I will post to make my virtual trip more interesting. However, there are many places I have never been.

If you are connected to one of these places (or you would like me to visit your place on my virtual trip), I want to post a description of what I would see along with a photo or two and maybe a link to your own website. I hope to make this trip interesting to readers so other people can be inspired to take their own trip, real or imaginary.

I can be reached at virtually meme @ coastaccess.com (I inserted spaces to fool spam engines). Please feel free to email me there if you want to be included and are willing to give me pictures to dress up my post. If I can, I will include your location in my trip (and I probably can. - one of the joys of the virtual world, I can go back and rewrite my trip!)

See you in the virtual world!