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BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON January 2, 2014

Au Revoir, 2013!

Memories of 2013 may be fading fast, but before we leap too far into 2014, here are a few snapshots of  the roads I’ve wandered over the past year  . . .

Le Baluchon

In 2013 I re-discovered the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with trips to the San Juans, Whidbey Island, Idaho,
The Dalles and Seaside, Oregon, thanks to my sponsored travel hosts . . .

Port Townsend WA

I fell in love with Quebec . . .

Quebec

and flew high, sometimes outside my comfort zone  . . .

IFly Seattle

Photo courtesy of  iFly Seattle

I sampled a multitude of culinary delights along the way, which fortunately were sprinkled throughout the year . . .

2013 Meals Collage

 I made new friends fast . . .

Quebec Group

probably because we spent most of our time lounging around in bathrobes when not in spas, saunas and hot tubs . . .

2013 Review Spas

Oh, and I learned how to take selfies . . .

Hindsight

My 2013 travels brought renewed perspective . . .

Perspective

 reminding me to step back far enough . . .

Orcas Island View

and high enough . . .

View from the air

to see the bigger picture of our life stories and how we are all interconnected . . .

Rainbow Inn at Langley

 and that even when skies seem the darkest, there’s always the promise of a new rainbow  . . .

Life is Good

Here’s wishing you another year of Happy Travel Adventures both near and far, Wanderboomers!

Wander on!

Nancy

What were your 2013 travel highlights, Wanderboomers?

 

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, Destinations, Idaho, Oregon, Pacific Northwest, Québec, San Juan Island, The Dalles, Washington State, Whidbey Island Tagged With: 2013, 2013 Review, 2014, hot tub, iFLY, rainbow, sauna, selfies, spa

BY Nancy Mueller 4 Comments ON June 18, 2012

A Mountain Trek Hiking Retreat – Part II

I’m probably not the first person you’d expect to find on a day hike, let alone at a week long hiking boot camp. But when Mountain Trek extended an invitation to recharge and revitalize in a safe, nurturing environment, I jumped at the chance to gain a new perspective, not to mention shed a few pounds.

More importantly, the promise of a healthy lifestyle, increased vitality and overall well-being was too good to resist. I had visions of taking leisurely hikes through the Kootenay Rockies, supplemented with nutritious organic meals, and followed by nightly massages and soaks in the hot tub.  Ahh . . .

But this was a boot camp, so first I had to earn those massages and soaks . . . Dang . . .

We started our week with a Body Fat Analysis (“Do we have to?”) and a review of our health goals for the week. My plan was to tone up, lose 4 – 6 pounds, and improve my cardio-vascular conditioning. I managed to squeak within the desirable fat percentage range for my age and gender. Whew! But obviously, I knew I could do better.

The mornings began with a gentle, but insistent, knock on our doors: “Good morning, Nancy!” 15 minutes later, I made my way down to the dining room where I ingested a yummy protein smoothie with a dash of flax powder to kick-start my metabolism. On to the yoga studio . . .

Just entering the minimalist space, overlooking Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains, gave such a calm and peaceful start to the day. Our yoga instructors, Anna and Susan, used their soft, yoga voices to lead us through a series of gentle, restorative practices which were modified for each of our physical limitations. Some of us proved more flexible than others, some came with feet, hand or knee challenges.  But all of us gained from the yoga practice. As Susan explained:

“Yoga is less about being able to stretch your hamstring than it is about coming home to yourself. Most of the time we live from the neck up, disconnected from the rest of our body.” Breathe . . .

From the yoga studio, we headed to the main dining room for healthy breakfasts that included Mountain Trek’s Cinnamon Granola, Roasted Red Pepper Frittata – and my favorite – Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce, served with a variety of non-caffeine teas.  Mmm . . .

So far, so good. But a core feature of the Mountain Trek program – alpine mountain hiking – still lay ahead . . .

How are you staying fit for your summer travels, Wanderboomers? Share your tips with us here.

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, British Columbia, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations Tagged With: alpine mountain hiking, body fat analysis, breakfast, fitness, health, healthy, hiking, hot tub, Kootenay Lake, Kootenay Rockies, massage, Mountain Trek, organic, Purcell Mountains, smoothie, vitality, weight loss. frittata, well-being, wellness, yoga

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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