Hiking Grandfather Mountain

I was up bright & early this morning ready to do some backcountry hiking on Grandfather Mountain!

My sister (Allie) & me with a pre-workout green smoothie before we left. I added a little coconut oil to this shake for extra energy. I figured the extra fat would help keep me from feeling hungry, at least for a little while. :) 

We got a couple family photos before we hit the trail! This is me with my sibs :) 

And, one with Dad so we officially have all the hikers in one picture! 

Two of my sisters and mom posing for a pretty pic. :) 

Thanks Mom for dropping/picking us up! You're the bomb. :) 

Headin' off!

This was a pretty dramatic trail - one moment you'd be walking through the woods and the next your standing on a cliff over a 100-ft drop scrambling up a rock. On most of the "scary" parts I was too interesting in standing alive to let go of the rock I was hangin' onto - LOL!!!

We took a few breaks along the way. :)

Replacing electrolytes. :) 

Bear country! My uncle actual came face-to-face with a bear on this same trail years ago - no joke.

Lots and lots of ladders - a little scary but total fun!

Hooray for trail snacks! This Nut, Fruit & Spice Cliff bar was really good and I choose it because it was one of the only Cliff bars that doesn't have soy (GMO) listed in it's ingredient list.  It was very disappointing - my sister (Kristen) and I were shopping and had picked out the delicious looking peanut butter Cliff bar when we discovered it's made with soy . . . Click HERE to read some reasons why soy isn't the best choice. 

Crossing one of many boulders. :) 

We made it to the end! Posing with my ruggedly handsome brothers . . . sorry - a little bias there but I can't help it :P 

I love banana chips! Picked these up on special so they were extra sweet - oh yeah! I was thankful to have stuck them in my bag to snack on for when mom picked us up after the hike. 

Part of my post-hike recovery snack :P

Okay, time for some fabulous food catch-up . . .

I mixed up some fluffy whole wheat pancakes before church Sunday morning. The secret? Sour cream!

My little bro expressed his thanks with a hearty appetite!

After hearing a convicting sermon taught from the book of Acts, I enjoyed a lovely little tomato/mayo sandwich with organic pumpkin seeds. :)

We brought homemade chili (meat-less) along on this trip so that was last night's supper. It makes you feel all warm and cozy!

This was me well after 10pm the other night :p Not used to shopping this late but it was fun . . .

Obviously, I'm enjoying my time here in the mountains to the fullest :P

I passed this sign today and since I've up here in the mountains for a few more days . . . I have to go see what they're offering!!! I'm headed here shortly to curl up on the couch and watch the Presidental debate this evening . . .  So, how was your day? Do you like to hike?