Daughter wants to climb, dad wants to drink beer!

[Mountain Dew]

Hi,

New to the site and thought this the best section to pose my dilema.

 

Have 2 daughters (14 & 2). This past Sat & Sun as a "daddy/daughter" weekend outing I decided to do some outdoor activities. Rented a small boat to take them out on the Sound on Sunday but was at a loss for what to do on Sat. So as a spur of the moment idea I drove them to Mt Rainier. It only takes about an hour and a half to get there from my house so that was no big deal and my youngest had never seen the mountain up close and my 14yo had not been there since she was around 3 or 4.

 

The drive to the state park was nice and calm as we ate munchies and my kids watched the Hannah Montana movie LOL After paying the 15 bucks to get into the park my oldest wanted to stop at every single pull over and look at the view. My youngest was very excited and she wanted to jump into the water falls along the way. Of course dad had to explain to her that jumping 100ft into a river below is dangerous

 

After doing the typical tourist type thing and looking around the welcome center at Paradise the kids begged me to hike up the trails. Needless to say we didn't get far....

 

Let me tell you of our "Hike":

 

My 14yo is in fantastic physical shape and can run for miles without getting winded, and my 2yo is a typical tike who is full of energy... Trouble is, I am 44 and in the worse shape of my whole life. After being 138-145 1bs, and 27 inch waist most of my younger life; the last 8 years of my life I have put weight to where I look pregnant (around 200) and my waist is nearing 36 inches

 

I sit at a desk all day, drink beer every evening (even though its light beer), and smoke at a minimum; 1 pack a day. My favorite hobbies are Drinking beer, watching TV or Reading, BBQing on the weekends, and taking naps!

 

Needless to say; we didn't go far... after what a sign said was .4 miles to look at a water fall I was pooped. My daughter wanted to push on and pointed to a group of hikers that looked like they were 80 miles away on some trail and said; "lets go up there where they are"! I of course said; "next time" and turned the wagon train around and we headed home after the "long journey" back to the car LOL

 

The reason I am on this site is because I see the enjoyment and wonder in my kid's eyes when the thought of hiking or climbing Mt Rainier is brought up. I hope to give them this gift before I croke someday. My oldest has enjoyed rock wall climbing for the last few years after she got hooked by climbing that rock wall at the REI store in Seattle, but she has never climbed a real Mountain or even a hill. I would like to slowly but surely get out more with them, get back in shape, and rather it is 1 year or 10 years from now; one day climb Mt Rainier with them before I croke!

 

What should I do? I know I need to get in shape (that is a given), but also, to maintain their intrest in climbing are there any "tiny mountains" to climb around here? Perferably one I might be able to climb up as well without keeling over.

 

Thank you in advance for any advice... I am dedecated to making this a reality, so I am looking for any and All advice

[RuMR]

wow...awesome first post!!

 

just make a point of dropping the cigs, and getting out for a bit EVERY weekend...that will be a start...

 

stick with hiking first...then move to other stuff...

 

also, drop the beer...its just dead weight...walk walk walk everywhere...

 

 

The hillz await!!! kids are the most motivating thing out there!!!

[Water]

Well I'd say it is great your daughter(s) have an interest in the outdoors and that you are very interested in encouraging this and sharing it with them. That is a pretty huge mutual part that you don't have to worry about and that could be the hardest to have happen if it wasn't that way.

 

I'd really recommend nwhikers.net or portlandhikers.org for advice about long and short 'hikes' to the tops of cool things with views. I'm sure people here can help you out but in my opinion its a bit like asking the yankees for tips on playing softball with your family. Both of those other forums have more people geared towards your type of request and you may hear more back from them with detailed responses about specific hikes/scrambles.

 

And as a motivator for getting in shape, being in shape doesn't mean the beer and BBQ have to go bye-bye. Just have to be moderated..and the more active you are, the more you can par-take in those pleasures without consequence, for the most part. Also I think there have been some studies lately that say those who sleep more lose more weight. I'd argue the smokes would have to go but I've seen enough folks smoking while thru hiking or climbing... not that they're helping anything at all-they're hurting a lot. I don't want to harp on it or anything as I'm sure you know a litany of reasons why you shouldn't be smoking.

 

good luck! start with something relatively flat and short and work your way up.

Edited September 21, 2009 by Water

[rocketparrotlet]

You could also let your daughter join the Mountaineers; for the most part, the group is filled with nice people. She could take the Alpine Scrambling course. The trips are very safe, you will not need to worry about safety. 14 is the minimum age for the course, I took it last year, with great results.

 

-Mark

[Off_White]

Does your oldest climb in Olympia at the Warehouse Rock Gym? There's a bunch of good folks and great kids down there, she'd probably like it. You could try it too, 44 is not that old and taking up new things is a great thing to do.

 

As a nearby trip, you could check out the Black Hills/Capitol Forest. There's a good trail that goes up from Falls Creek to the top of Capitol Peak. (road goes there too). Thanks to the various installations on top the trees have been cleared and there are some fabulous regional views.

 

That one has some elevation gain though, so you might want to start small. McLane Creek Nature Trail in the Delphi Valley is entertaining, Watershed Park near downtown would be a fine daily loop for you, and you might check out the rails-to-trails things like segments of the Chehalis Western Trail and the Yelm-to-Tenino trails. Put that 14 year old on roller blades so she can scoot back and forth like a golden retriever while you slog along as fast as you can. The loop around Tumwater Falls State Park is a little short (do a few laps maybe) but is big fun during extreme weather: deep freeze or flood season. Olympia has a lot of walking you can do, both recreational and just urban function.

[Mountain Dew]

Wow, I am overjoyed with all the great ideas

 

Kinda beats my Daughters idea of going to Mt Rainier each weekend and seeing "how far dad can make it"

 

My daughter would love to do groups or clubs that promote this (and has climbed at the Warehouse Rock Gym in the past), but with all her darn Freshman Homework, and dailey Soccer Practice she has very little time except for the weekend and she wants dad and sis to be involved if possible...

 

Sooooooo I have come up with a plan to do all the Things I Need To Do...

 

I will post part one on the "Newbie" section a little later this morning... It will sort of be a Chronicle of what it takes to go from Beer Gut dad, to Mountain Climber. (I hope)

 

I realize I have to start off slow, and will have to kick one habit at a time.

 

It All Started Last night with a trip to the store.......

 

(more to following later) ;)

[highangle]

Mtn Dew-

 

congrats on having such motivated daughters. My two kids (now 12 & 15) pretty much did the same thing for me, and you can do it.

 

After driving a desk, smoking, drinking (scotch), working too much, being over 200lbs, a couple of friends and my kids got me back into the fresh air 6 years ago. Moderated my diet, cut WAY back on smoking/drinking, and got active again. Now back to HS weight/pants size, done Rainier, Hood and quite a few other mtns. Hiked 15 miles out of the North Cascades on Sat, carrying 60+ lbs.

 

Remember, progress can often seem pretty slow, but it is well worth it!

[jon]

This sounds up your alley.....

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/909643/Free_Training_from_Aspirant_Cl#Post909643

[Mountain Dew]

Thank you HighAngle, Your story motivates me even more!! Thank you for sharing I am trying everything I can think of to keep me pumped up... I know it will be a long road ahead for me... Posting here will help to keep me motivated. I will be posting "Part 1" of my journey in about 15 mins

 

Thanks for the link Jon. Sadly we will go hiking this Saturday, but we also have a family commitment on Sat evening and I cannot get over to Levenworth... Great suggestion though.

[grandpa]

...I sit at a desk all day, drink beer every evening (even though its light beer), and smoke at a minimum; 1 pack a day. My favorite hobbies are Drinking beer...

 

Hmmm, that sounds familiar.... SO familiar. I dropped 20-25 lbs a few years ago by dropping the snacks after dinner, the snacks at work, all as what seemed to be a good idea when I hit 210.

 

That helped me make the decision that "I can do that" when I discovered Mt Rainier a few years ago when the Army stationed my son at Ft Lewis. I grew up in Oregon, but had never seen the mountain until we went out there for the first time.

 

When we got home, I started walking - with weights on my ankles (got 'em at Target, they wrap around and velcro into place). I hiked to the highschool where there is a 5-6 story stairway between the school and the football field, and made several trips up/down each trip.

 

You might want to take stairs at work or home with 'em on. Put in 2-3 miles 2-3 times a week if you feel like it. There are paved walking trails in Olympia, I know of only one though, north of Martin Way paralleling Lilly Road, between Lilly and Sleater-Kinney. Locals will know of many more. I just get out there to visit the grandkids about 1-2 times a year.

 

 

...get back in shape, and rather it is 1 year or 10 years from now; one day climb Mt Rainier with them before I croke!

 

What should I do?

 

Should? Well, I can tell you that I took my son and two of his cousins up the Muir Snowfield last summer as a "welcome home from Iraq" thing for the guys to do, and breathing while walking and talking is (relatively) easy at sea level. At 8000' it started becoming a bit of a chore, and I had quit smoking 35 years ago.

 

...I know I need to get in shape (that is a given),

 

Yeah, you'll (most likely) live longer, and will certainly live better if you do. Might I suggest a physical exam prior to starting something that might be considered to be strenuous, considering the past few years?

 

...but also, to maintain their intrest in climbing are there any "tiny mountains" to climb around here? Perferably one I might be able to climb up as well without keeling over.

 

West or SW of Olympia there is a park with trails. Don't recall the name. I think it's actually in Tumwater. Good place to start, I'd think.

 

Your stated goal of "summit by 2013" gives me renewed interest in my internal goal of summiting by about the same timeframe. I'm 58+ and made it to 9000' last summer before the weather turned us back (and I stayed ahead of my son and one nephew, both in their early 30's), so I can do this. And dropping the weight wasn't a chore after I had made up my mind that it was MY goal, not just something I "should do".

 

Take the kids geocaching to start with if you want an excuse to get out on a semi-regular basis. Plenty of walking there to be done. But get out and walk to start with. Lots of things to find and talk about with the kids also while you're walking.

 

 

 

Grandpa Dave

 

 

[Mountain Dew]

 

 

GP Dave, Great post! I also have made it my goal..maybe we will see eachother on the summit

 

I had a physical not too long ago (complete with the over 40 probing)

 

My BP was slightly high, as was my cholesterol...hopefully this "change in life style" I am Trying to do will help that.

 

I hope you reach your goals and best wishes for your son. Being stationed at Ft Lewis back in 86 is the Only reason I came to Washington.. I am from Michigan and my wife is from Polynesia.. I wanted to live on the west coast to be equal distance from both familes.

 

My wife said when we moved from Hawaii; "maybe we should live in California".

 

I said; "no, I don't wanna live there. But there is a state called Washington, and they have this really beautiful Mountain there". LOL

So Mt Rainier is really one of the main reasons we moved here in 94... It must be an omen

[grandpa]

...I had a physical not too long ago (complete with the over 40 probing)

 

Ye-haw!

 

My BP was slightly high, as was my cholesterol...hopefully this "change in life style" I am Trying to do will help that.

 

It most likely will. My BP and chol/trigs numbers dropped quite decently after I started walking often.

 

 

Dave

[Mountain Dew]

Yeah!!! There is hope for me yet!