Judy's Hike no. 1: Whitney Mesa 1

Today I was near Whitney Mesa, so decided to stop in and get a tiny hike in. I was wearing crocs and my legs were feeling not too bad so I figured I could do some small thing.

Whitney Mesa has several trails.  That's why I named this post Whitney Mesa 1. There will be others! This one started in the park. I didn't go far, just up the hill a bit, then back in a loop to the car:

It's a walk that is suitable for children, strollers, wheelchairs, everyone. Dogs. It's easy, a mild rise in elevation (see chart above). And it goes on much further. But I didn't. Here is how it looks:

Where I began.

The interesting rock formations common to Whitney Mesa.

Here is where I stopped and turned around.

On the way down, I passed a man with a dog.

One of the play structures in the park.

It was a pleasant day, in the low 60s. My knee started to bother me by the time I got to the turn in the path, and I chose to return from there.  Whitney Mesa Park, Henderson, NV. Total distance: 0.53 miles. Elevation gain: 22 feet.

And so we begin

My co-author and daughter, Mary, suggested that we start a blog about hiking in Nevada and Colorado. We each do one hike per week for 52 weeks per year. We are already starting late!

I am a 74-year-old grandmother, former city planner, mother of two daughters, grandmother of two grandsons and one granddaughter (and several grandcats and granddogs). I love to hike but have been struggling with arthritis and tightness, particularly tightness of the IT band, which has been limiting my movement for several months. I expect to start with very VERY small hikes and hope to expand as I feel more capable. As one who has never been a super athlete,  I have always appreciated information about small hikes, even when my legs felt better than they do now.  I therefore hope that some of you can gain something from our adventures, too.

Daughter Mary is going to be 42 this year. She has held a variety of jobs and is a high-energy, hardworking soul who loves to get outdoors when she can. She is more athletic than I am but is currently constrained by being the mother of a two-year-old daughter. She wants little Nelly to join her much of the time, so her hikes will be limited in scope as well. No weeklong mountain treks for either of us. Maybe later!

Check in on us to see how we are doing and to gain inspiration from our successes and from the efforts that don't quite get there.

Onward!