Big shout out to my girl Jeannie for recommending walking at Lake Katherine in Palos Hills, IL.....simply stunning on this gorgeous spring day! I also want to apoligize to Jeannie for being late...a habit that is slowly getting out of control again lol. I'm fairly certain Lake Katherine is man made but the quality of the habitat is awesome. The fat geese, ducks, and swans---yes I said swans---do not have that "I've been living in a zoo my whole life" look. They were just like the pictures you see in encyclopedias and other smart books like that lol.
It's a little weird though because on the north side of the lake only about 20 feet of land seperate the lake and a river lol! The river is very "this river is to transport industrial crap" rather than the large open lake that was glittering in the Easter Sunday sunshine. Speaking of....
I found it sooo relaxing to just not think. It's amazing to me how when I walk I'm so focused on breathing or where I'm walking that it's the one time I can effectively shut out the constant "What am I doing now/tomorrow/ next week/I need to write/loose weight/get laid" ticker tape than kind of plays through my head 24/7. Though there were families and people out there walking their dogs and stuff for all intents and purposes I had effectively blocked it out so much it was like my own little happy world of Earl lol. I had my music to also help with that lol. Today's walking selection, Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream"....favorite songs include E.T., Teenage Dream, Peacock, and my number one song her album Circle the Drain.
One thing I both loved and hated about the walking trail was that it was all mulch. I hated it because I actually had to pay attention to where I was walking because there were a fair amount of muddy patches due to the recent rain. And of course all that traction kind of slows you down, which sucks when you're trying to get in a good stride lol. On the other hand, I loved it because it was nice and spongy and my heals didn't hurt afterwards like they normally do after walking on concrete. The path is curvy and even has points where it goes up and down hill so the mulch helps with grip. It is a tad far from my house but if I do it like I did today (I stopped off on the way to my mom's) it will be a good monthly get away. A great place to wind down and get centered!
I'm not gonna lie though....I totally had a "I'm a black woman walking in a nature preserve near a affluent predominantly white suburb" moment lol. I mean like right when I first get on the trail what do I see...a guy who looks similar to Drew Peterson, complete with chintzy sunglasses and stache' looking at the dingey river . Part of me was like "Who wants to look at that! I mean it's a river clearly used for industrial shipping...so why you over there Drew#2? Casing where to dump your next victim?" So, my naturally paranoid side immeadiately tensed for an attack (why? It was broad daylight on a well populated trail) and...rightfully felt like a major asshole when as we passed he smiled warmly and told me good morning lol.....clearly my overactive imagination was in full swing this morning.
Other things I saw....the stereotypical mid-thirties suburban mom trying to walk/jog off the baby weight, toddlers playing in the sticks and leaves (that was kinda cute), and largest friggin swans I have ever seen! I mean these two behemoths had to be 4 feet long from beak to butt! And seriously...pure WHITE.
Absolutely stunning in the sunlit lake. Even the large hungry looking geese were regal looking. Oh and I saw like a whole island of turtles sunning themselves lol. No snakes or other nasties thank god.
And right when I thought I'd seen my fill of huge animals...these people come around the corner walking the largest dog I have ever seen, in fact I can only characterize his breed as BIG ASS DOG lol. Weight wise the dog was actually rather thin but the dam dog easily came up to my natural waist and I'm 5'8! I mean the dog came up to the dog's owner's wife's like waist/elbow! BIG ASS DOG....but he was very well trained thank god1
I was hoping to just get around the one mile trail once maybe twice (I did it twice in 50 minutes). I was terrified last night that I would embarass myself by passing out trying to walk any distance over a mile which is kinda my comfort zone. But I said I was going to just take my time and not rush. Pull over if I need to. I saw today that not only can I walk more than a mile and stay upright lol, once I start walking more to get my endurance up (5K walk in 4 weeks!), I'll be able to take advantage of the adrenaline boosts more. It took me like the first whole mile (which clocked in at like 30 minutes) to get to a good stride. But once I hit my stride, I started really covering ground! It's always that first 20 minutes of "This sucks/is boring/it's too hot/cold/too many people out here" crap I go through because it's hard and I'm still getting in shape, that I have to fight through. I didn't say I'm out of shape because I'm in progress lol. But I think that's natural for anyone getting used to an exercise regimen. By the end, my conscience was like "One more lap...do it! do it! do it! Let's do the dam thing!" but my legs were saying "walk another mile and we'll start cramping up on youuuuuu!" lol. I'm also glad I walked alone because it gave me time to focus on the new environment and to feel okay to pull back when I was pushing too hard. This is one thing I think I may be more successful at doing alone. Kudo independence points there!
After all this, the activity points kinda seemed like an after thought. I was just happy to be in the sun, out seeing cool things doing something new (oh and did I mention the waterfall garden?) enjoying time with me and for me!
....All in all probably the most peaceful and serene Easter I've had to date!....
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