The end of an Era for ol' Hagwood......

[Hagwood]

Had an epic adventure with the Grandson and Son-in-Law last week, and it led me to the very sad and depressing conclusion that I can no longer do the extreme hiking that I love so much. My 63 year old Osteoarthritic knees and hips will no longer cooperate.......

I attempted the Guadalupe Peak hike at Guadalupe Mountains National Park with them, and sadly had to give up about 3/4 trough, with a little less than a mile to the summit. This is the highest point in TX at just under 9,000' and is a super strenuous hike. I was really digging deep for the last mile before giving up, but then decided that even if I drug myself up I still had to get down. I told them to go ahead without me and started slowly making my way down. The hike down was worse on the knees, and with 1/2 mile to go I could seriously barely walk.

I'm so proud of my 9 year old Grandson though, he did so good and really loved it. Hoping it sparked something in him to continue getting out and enjoying the great outdoors.

 

[Spud]

Had an epic adventure with the Grandson and Son-in-Law last week, and it led me to the very sad and depressing conclusion that I can no longer do the extreme hiking that I love so much. My 63 year old Osteoarthritic knees and hips will not longer cooperate.......

I attempted the Guadalupe Peak hike at Guadalupe Mountains National Park with them, and sadly had to give up about 3/4 trough, with a little less than a mile to the summit. This is the highest point in TX at just under 9,000' and is a super strenuous hike. I was really digging deep for the last mile before giving up, but then decided that even if I drug myself up I still had to get down. I told them to go ahead without me and started slowly making my way down. The hike down was worse on the knees, and with 1/2 mile to go I could seriously barely walk.

I'm so proud of my 9 year old Grandson though, he did so good and really loved it. Hoping it sparked something in him to continue getting out and enjoying the great outdoors.

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Wowzers! On one hand very cool thing. Sorry your knees gave out on you man! Glad you are back in one piece and were not abducted! Can you tell us more about the orbs or giant footprints you came across?!!!

 

[aarontunes]

Well darn. I'm just a few years behind you, and on roughly the same trajectory.

Up to about 2020 I was running half-marathons regularly, hiking fairly strenuous hikes without much though, etc. Over the last 6-7 years my knees have had enough. I still run regularly, but not the distances I was used to.

It's sad to give it up, but how lucky are we to have had so many great experiences already?

Life is good.

P.S. --- And yes: the hike up is sweatier, but it's the hike down that destroys you.

 

[Spud]

 

[Hagwood]

Well darn. I'm just a few years behind you, and on roughly the same trajectory.

Up to about 2020 I was running half-marathons regularly, hiking fairly strenuous hikes without much though, etc. Over the last 6-7 years my knees have had enough. I still run regularly, but not the distances I was used to.

It's sad to give it up, but how lucky are we to have had so many great experiences already?

Life is good.

P.S. --- And yes: the hike up is sweatier, but it's the hike down that destroys you.

Yeah it comes on fast. Just 3 years ago I did some pretty extreme stuff in Yellowstone, but man have they deteriorated since then. Oh well, Mama always said 'take what life gives you, so just gonna get a badass Bronco and do some extreme off-roading that way !!

 

[Hagwood]

Wowzers! On one hand very cool thing. Sorry your knees gave out on you man! Glad you are back in one piece and were not abducted! Can you tell us more about the orbs or giant footprints you came across?!!!

They were actually hiding in the 270 million year old Permian Reef fossils.........

 

[Spud]

Silver alert cancelled!

 

[Spud]

Yeah it comes on fast. Just 3 years ago I did some pretty extreme stuff in Yellowstone, but man have they deteriorated since then. Oh well, Mama always said 'take what life gives you, so just gonna get a badass Bronco and do some extreme off-roading that way !!

I am not far behind either, hips and knees swell and scream. Supposed to have replacement, but am too squeamish so far. I will say that losing 35 lbs since January has made a significant impact on knee pain relief. (beer...........BAAAD)

 

[bagman67]

I returned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

- Ecclesiastes 9:11

Time and chance have been happenething the f*ck out of me these last few years.

 

[desertrider13]

The Guadalupe mtns. are no joke! Beautiful scenery up there and then down to the salt flats and on to Carlsbad Caverns. That's a brutal hike. I'm from El Paso and have been out there several times, but too old for that hike!

 

[Spud]

Had an epic adventure with the Grandson and Son-in-Law last week, and it led me to the very sad and depressing conclusion that I can no longer do the extreme hiking that I love so much. My 63 year old Osteoarthritic knees and hips will no longer cooperate.......

I attempted the Guadalupe Peak hike at Guadalupe Mountains National Park with them, and sadly had to give up about 3/4 trough, with a little less than a mile to the summit. This is the highest point in TX at just under 9,000' and is a super strenuous hike. I was really digging deep for the last mile before giving up, but then decided that even if I drug myself up I still had to get down. I told them to go ahead without me and started slowly making my way down. The hike down was worse on the knees, and with 1/2 mile to go I could seriously barely walk.

I'm so proud of my 9 year old Grandson though, he did so good and really loved it. Hoping it sparked something in him to continue getting out and enjoying the great outdoors.

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At the end of the day, AWESOME family outing Hagwood! Very cool thing.

 

[Hagwood]

The Guadalupe mtns. are no joke! Beautiful scenery up there and then down to the salt flats and on to Carlsbad Caverns. That's a brutal hike. I'm from El Paso and have been out there several times, but too old for that hike!

For sure ! We did Carlsbad Caverns Saturday before the hike Sunday. Want to go back to hike Mckittrick Canyon in the Fall for the Fall colors. Quite a bit easier…….

 

[Hagwood]

At the end of the day, AWESOME family outing Hagwood! Very cool thing.

Thanks Spud, it was very cool even if I didn’t make it. LOL I sound like Audrey telling Clark ‘the lights look good even if they’re not lit’ on Christmas Vacation….,,,

 

[casper100]

I'm 62 and right there with you. I hike with my Border Collie all the time, but a couple of miles in the foothills of Boise is all I want to tackle.

 

[mrpinter]

That terrain looks a lot like the mountains on either side of Los Angeles - especially the Santa Monica range on the way to the ocean. The eastern end of the Santa Monica mountains is what we call the Hollywood Hills, but it's not so rugged there.

 

[casper100]

That terrain looks a lot like the mountains on either side of Los Angeles - especially the Santa Monica range on the way to the ocean. The eastern end of the Santa Monica mountains is what we call the Hollywood Hills, but it's not so rugged there.

I loved hiking the Santa Monica range when I lived in Thousand Oaks.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Just turned 60 two weeks ago, history of neck injuries, broken back twice, degenerative joint disease, and arthritis. Love hiking, skateboarding, just can’t do it anymore.
I’ve been sober for 43 years, but if I wanna get high nowadays, I just get up too fast.

 

[Spud]

Thanks Spud, it was very cool even if I didn’t make it. LOL I sound like Audrey telling Clark ‘the lights look good even if they’re not lit’ on Christmas Vacation….,,,

"Save the neck for me Clark"-Hagwood