52 HIKE CHALLENGE 2020

Happy New Year Everyone!!! (When does one stop wishing people a happy new year in the new year?)

This ladies and gentlemen is not a motivational page. Or maybe it isn’t yet, and one day it will be? I don’t know. I believe I am writing this with a more “Ughhhhhh, am I really going to commit to this?” tone. I am just oozing with sarcasm these days.

Why do you ask? Because today is January 18th. That means that I have avoided writing this for 18 days. I had a rough start to the year and have been feeling super unmotivated. Borderline depressed even. Definitely don’t care to dive into that sentence right now though. And knowing I am starting behind schedule definitely triggers my anxiety. I am going to force myself to ignore that feeling though. Because today we are looking forward. Looking out to the rest of the year and the exciting thing I’m about to throw myself into. I have decided to get my ass off my couch and dust off my hiking boots…

I am officially announcing that I will be attempting to complete a 52 HIKE CHALLENGE. (Gasp!)

Everyone I’ve seen online has their own set of rules for their personal challenge. I’ve even seen an official website for a challenge if you’re choosing to go that route. I’ll leave the link for that HERE.

Personally, I have two rules for my challenge:

  1. It must be outdoors.
  2. It must be at least 1 mile.

That’s it. Simple and effective. The whole point is to get myself moving and doing the things I love most with my favorite people.

I’ll be updating this post whenever I hike. The links will be numbered so we can keep track of my progress. And if you’re a friend or relative of mine, ask me when we’re going hiking 🙂

  1. Sam’s Point (JAN 18, 2020 – 1.2 M)
  2. Gateway National Recreational Area (JAN 19 2020 – 1.0 M)
  3. Hackers and Raymondskill Falls (JAN 26 2020 – 3.3 M)
  4. Schunemunk Mountain & Megaliths (FEB 16 2020 – 7.2 M)
  5. Awosting Falls (FEB 22 2020 – 1.2 M)
  6. Mill Pond (FEB 23 2020 – 1.1 M)
  7. Thunder Knob (FEB 28 2020 – 3.6 M)
  8. Beard’s Hollow & North Head Lighthouse (FEB 29 2020 – 1.2 M)
  9. Gateway National Recreation Area (MAR 15 2020 – 1.6 M)
  10. Wantagh Park (MAR 21 2020 – 3.0 M)
  11. Mill Pond (MAR 22 2020 – 1.7 M)
  12. Cedar Creek Park (APR 2 2020 – 1.0M)
  13. Eisenhower Park (APR 4 2020 – 1.1M)
  14. Jones Beach (APR 19 2020 – 2.7M)
  15. Lake Lynn Trail (APR 25 2020 – 3.1M)
  16. Lake Lynn Trail (APR 27 2020 – 3.1M)
  17. Cedar Creek Park (APR 28 2020 – 3.0M)
  18. Mill Pond (APR 29 2020 – 2.0 M)
  19. Wantagh Park (MAY 1 2020 – 2.5 M)
  20. Hempstead Lake State Park (MAY 4 2020 – 4.0 M)
  21. Wantagh Park (MAY 7 2020 – 1.4M)
  22. Twin Lakes Preserve (MAY 14 2020 – 2.0M)
  23. Massapequa Preserve (MAY 21 2020 – 3.0M)
  24. Norvin Green State Park (MAY 24 2020 – 5.8M)
  25. Cantiague Park (MAY 28 2020 – 1.5M)
  26. Cantiague Park (JUN 1 2020 – 1.7M)
  27. Hackers and Raymondskill Falls (JUN 6 2020 – 3.5M)
  28. Mount Beacon (JUN 13 2020 – 4.6M)
  29. Tackapausha Pond (JUN 16 2020 – 1.0M)
  30. Breakneck Ridge (JUN 17 2020 – 3.7M)
  31. Wantagh Park (JUN 23 2020 – 1.8M)
  32. Mill Pond (JUL 9 2020 – 2.2M)
  33. Cliff Walk (JUL 18 2020 – 1.8M)
  34. Wantagh Park (AUG 17 2020 – 1.3M)
  35. Ocean Path (AUG 27 2020 – 1.0M)
  36. Jordan Pond (AUG 27 2020 – 3.5M)
  37. Avalon Nature Preserve (SEP 19 2020 – 2.1M)
  38. McAllister County Park (SEP 19 2020 – 2.0M)
  39. Anthony’s Nose (OCT 3 2020 – 2.6M)
  40. Manitou Point Preserve (OCT 3 2020 – 2.0M)
  41. Harriman State Park – Pine Swamp Mine (OCT 7 2020 – 2.7M)
  42. Wantagh Park (NOV 3 2020 – 1.0M)
  43. Heckscher State Park (NOV 4 2020 – 2.7M)
  44. Eisenhower Park (NOV 5 2020 – 1.0M)
  45. Mill Pond (NOV 25 2020 – 1.1M)
  46. Heckscher State Park (DEC 11 2020 – 2.7M)
  47. Bethpage State Park (DEC 12 2020 – 1.4M)
  48. Eisenhower Park (DEC 22 2020 – 1.1M)
  49. Hackers Falls (DEC 27 2020 – 3.5M)
  50. Eisenhower Park (DEC 29 2020 – 1.0M)
  51. ???
  52. ????????????

[UPDATE] APRIL 10, 2020

I had NO IDEA we’d have to shelter in place this long when I originally wrote this. Covid-19 was not part of our daily vocabulary back in January. Tony and I have still been attempting to do a mile at local parks, but it hasn’t been easy. So far we’ve only been able to do 4 since March 16 which is when my job told me to stay home and not go into the field anymore. I’m only 2 hikes behind on my plan so I’m not spiraling out just yet. But come summer time, if the ‘Rona has left us alone, I am hitting the trails WITH A VENGEANCE!

[UPDATE] January 2, 2021

I definitely didn’t want to start the year off writing this, but here we are. Siggghhh… I was so torn between which viewpoint I would go with. Do I write about getting so close and not completing the challenge or about doing 50 hikes? It’s so much easier to find excuses sometimes. Last night my husband rolled over in bed and asked me if I completed the challenge. I reluctantly said no and made a sound that resembles the meaning of “Ugh, I suck.”

He quickly interrupted and said, “I’m proud of you.” And you know what??? Damn right! I may not have completed the 52 I set out to do, but given the circumstances I too am proud. We had trips canceled this year that definitely would have added hikes to my list. We canceled flights to Denver, CO and Paris, France. We stayed indoors for months during the WFH period of 2020. And after everything that’s happened, I’m proud of having completed over 115 miles. I left my house 50 different times to be outdoors this past year and it’s the most I’ve done any year. So this one is going in my books as a win.

And on that note: I’m trying again! This year is going to be a little different and in the spring time you’ll understand why. But mami didn’t raise a quitter. So I refuse to quit until I manage to complete the challenge. Wish me luck!

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