Ultimate Hiking on the Lone Star Trail
Many years ago I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro. The company I worked for sent out an email, which most people promptly deleted, to get a group of people to each raise $5000 and hike Kili. The donations we raised would benefit a community outreach organization that provided home care to those infected with HIV/AIDS. This had my name written all over it. The only downside for trips like this is that you are on the hook for any funds you don’t raise, and that probably scares some people. Well, I didn’t raise all the money, but I can say I summited the highest mountain in Africa.
So, when I read a tiny blurb imbedded in a work email about a hiking coach needed for 
Cure Search I was intrigued. Next thing I know I’m on the phone with the organizer offering my services. While I’m describing my qualifications to Michelle, the organizer, about the hikes I’m completed, the run club I coach and my love of endurance events (that may have been a slight fudge of the truth), I realized how thankful I was that I saw the opportunity and just said yes before I had time to doubt myself.
In that moment, I was the person I wanted to be. But could I coach the hikers to success? Would I be able to encourage them, and would I even be able to hike 25 miles in one day? I was unsure.
The Ultimate Hike for Cure Search in Texas goes like this: a one day hike of 22.7 miles on the Lone Star trail in the Sam Houston National Forest while participants raise $2500 for pediatric cancer research. The Austin area group consisted of seven hikers and their coach – me. We would meet other hikers from around Texas at the actual event.
Every couple of weeks we’d meet at a central Texas trail to hike for 3-6 hours. We had about ten weeks to train, starting in August – the hottest time to be outdoors. But we did it anyway, which is the best part of having a team. We explored Austin’s River Place Nature Trail, Lake Georgetown’s Goodwater Trail, Dripping Spring’s Reimer’s Ranch Park, and Pedernales Falls State Park.
Pedernales Falls training hike.
During training we encountered high humidity, never-ending heat, no shade, cactus, spider webs (let the tallest person go first), snakes – including a coral snake, tree branches that jump out of nowhere and smack you in the head, and all the beauty the hill country could offer. I just needed a reason to finally explore the local trails with new friends.
My new friends!
I was confident we’d all survive the Ultimate Hike, even though the most we hiked as a team was 14 miles. Our Austin hikes were hilly, rocky and un-shaded, but the shady Lone Star Trail had small undulations and soft piney needle terrain. It was a moderate October day that started out chilly, ideal conditions for our 11 hour hike.
We arrived at the trailhead at a very dark, cold and early 4:30am. While I have hiked in the early morning hours before, we started summiting Kili about midnight, it is wearing on the soul. You have to be extra aware of tree roots in those dark hours and a few people fell. You have to be extra aware of your map directions, as the signage is easy to miss. And miss it we did. After only a mile, we found ourselves unclear of which direction to go. We stumbled around a campsite for about 30 minutes until someone realized we missed our turn. After we were back on track, and especially after sunrise when it started to warm up a bit, we were able to appreciate the journey. We had two aid stations about eight miles apart where we re-fueled and rested our feet. By 3:30pm, all of the hikers had completed the trek. My GPS watched died somewhere after 20 miles. I guess after I logged 50,000 steps it was too tired to go on, but not us!
We showed up in Cleveland, TX on a Friday night, and shared our stories for why we were here. Some hikers had kids that survived cancer, and many had friends, nieces or brothers that had been affected. Others, just understood the importance of the mission and wanted to help prevent more families going through that hell. For me – my dear friend Erin (see New York) survived leukemia as a child, not only is she a doctor today, she is my hero. These amazing hikers raised about $35,000. Something amazing happened that day. The hikers experienced a physical success, but the lasting impact of their donations will be felt by families they may never know.
Why we do this.
Tips:
- Just say yes. Get involved, volunteer or donate to any cause that moves you.
- Cycling jerseys are great for hiking and those extra pockets are perfect for snacks!
- Training is the time to test out your equipment and clothing. Buy the fancy socks and boots – your feet with thank you or at least not hate you.
- Explore! Enjoy the beauty and quiet of the outdoors as often as you can.
Chica Brava Surfing in San Juan del Sur
Chica Brava: Surf House
Austin isn’t known for surfing, but this may soon change, as Austinites anxiously await the opening of NLand Surf Park. The park will be the first inland surfing lagoon and uses wave technology to create the perfect break. But for now, we wait.
When I called Erin (see New York) and asked if she wanted to go to surf camp in Nicaragua, she was in. Never mind neither of us had ever surfed before, despite all the time we’ve spent on beaches. I had read an article about an all girls surf camp called Chica Brava, and the next thing I knew I was packing my rash guards.
Everything I knew about Nicaragua came from watching two seasons of Survivor played there (now three), so I knew it was going to be awesome.
We decided to stay at the Surf House in town, which is the cheaper option of camps. But it still include yoga classes, a massage and daily surfing and theory. The Surf House even employs overnight security, but we didn’t have an issues walking around town at night.
Although the Surf House only provided breakfast, we had the benefit of trying a bunch of local restaurants for dinner. The food was excellent, and inexpensive. But we didn’t go there for the food – that was just a bonus. Some nights were really loud in town, which
would have been fun in our younger years, but if we had to get up at dawn it was one of the few downsides to staying in town.
Each day, we surfed based on the tide. Some days we surfed in the afternoon, some days it was dawn patrol. The instructors are amazingly patient and hail from all over the world, much like their clients. The week Erin and I stayed, there was only four of us, including a mother daughter duo from the mid-west. We had a schedule everyday, but there was plenty of down time, and evenings to recover. I couldn’t believe the bruises I earned on my hips, but I was having way too much fun to worry. Each day we went to one of three nearby beaches, and quickly progressed in our ability to paddle out to, catch and ride the waves to shore. Some times just paddling out to the waves I would turtle roll myself out, but the feeling of catching a wave on my own kept me coming back for more.
After only a week, I’d say we were surfers. We’d enjoyed amazing food, cheap ice cream at the shop across the street from the Surf House, and a renewed confidence in our ability to tackle challenges. There is something about the ocean and surfing being a metaphor for life. I hated to leave Erin again after having such a wonderful time, but I thought I’d be hitting the waves again soon.
Well, that was not the case. The times I made it to the gulf coast there were no waves, and other beaches I traveled to weren’t surf friendly. That’s when Chrissy called. She wanted to know if I’d be interested in going back to Chica Brava for her birthday, since I’d talked it up to all my friend after I got back. Well, of course I was stoked!
Chica Brava: Cloud Farm
Our friend Jenny decided to use her tax refund and join us. So the three of us planned our trip to the Cloud Farm location, which included all our meals. The farm is pretty self-sustaining, and the fresh cuisine prepared daily was delicious. The farm even had its own group of howler monkeys to wake us from our peaceful dreams!
But with most adventures, the experience is what it is because of the people you share it with. When we were boarding the plane in Houston, I started talking to a group of 10 ladies. Turned out they were also headed to Chica Brava, and they were also from Austin. Sometimes you show up and know its exactly where you were meant to be.
The women I met were all friends from work or their kids’ school, and when they shared their case of Deep Eddy with the three of us, I hoped we’d be friends for a long time to come.
Photo credit: Jerson Barboza
While I chose to surf everyday, some of the girls spent a day ziplining and horseback riding. And each of us had the time of our lives. I think the point of this camp, and most adventures is not just doing the thing, but enjoying the journey. While we ranged in age from 20-50 at both camps I attended, the desire to live out your dreams is ageless.
By the end of the week, not only was I paddling beyond the break and catching head high waves (OK, maybe one head high), I was inspired. None of us journey alone, there are always others that cross our paths for a week, for a season, for years. Others that encourage you, and give your board a little push when you aren’t paddling fast enough to catch the wave. Others that stand on the shore cheering. And others that wait at home praying for your safe return.
And oh, were those prayers needed. I’d never seen a bunch of women give themselves so fully to something! There was a black eye, a busted nose, a fracture, a stingray sting, jellyfish stings, bruises, scrapes, and more laughter than I ever thought possible.
As for the instructors, you’ve never met a more capable and diverse team. The coach I wanted at dawn was different than the coach I needed at noon, and the coach I wanted to keep me playing in the white wash, was not the coach that made me paddle beyond the breaks. Nothing could have really prepared me for the surfing, but the women that paddled next to me were better than I could have hoped.
Yes, I learned to surf, but the reason I returned to Chica Brava was something more. You have to just go and see for yourself.
For more fun click here.
Tips:
- Try the ceviche, Toña, and a fresh piña colada at the beach.
- Check out the market in town for cheap shirts and souvenirs, bring cash.
- Take cash to tip the camp staff, they will earn it.
- Rolling brownouts happen often, enjoy the unplugged life.
- Say “Hey” to the J, and take the steep hike to Jesus. $2 cash for an amazing view of SJDS.
- If you stay at the House, take ear plugs. If you stay at the Farm, take bug spray.
- Take the catamaran cruise.
- Buy the pictures, they are worth it!