The Great Swamp Begins this Challenge!

It’s with great excitement, I share that the Get Fit Challenge is back. I had written about this adventure a few blog posts back. We basically have different locations throughout the Hudson Valley and Litchfield County where we have to log workouts. In turn, you have a chance to win awesome prizes.

Our first workout took a lot of motivation for me. My daughter was ready to go. I was not so much. I have been really unmotivated and worn down since my hiker injury beginning of August. We even took our dog, Noodles.

We headed to the first workout location on the list which was the Appalachian Trail. It was cold, damp and windy but Noodles and Abby were ready to go. I carried Abby most of the trip. However, Noodles had a spring in her step I have not seen in a long while. She was running like a puppy again. She even made a group of hikers crackup when she decided to jump in the water by the bridge where the group was observing the swamp. I told them that Noodles was skinny dipping.

This was also an in your face do over hike for us because last time, Abby fell on her face off the boardwalk requiring a doctors visit and a split frenula. It was also the trip where a half a milk knocked over in my car as my check engine light went on.

This time around, was rather uneventful. We met some nice people and encouraged a couple to join the competition. Took some great pictures and had a good workout. We are excited to see where else this challenge will lead us. Highly recommend this section of Applachian Trail!

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I owe a lot of my desire to start this blog and going on adventures to the Get Fit Hudson Valley, challenge brought to the area by Nuvance Health. It was something awesome I could do with my daughter because there were so many locations we could go to log a workout. For us, it has been hiking different spots on the list as we can do that as a team.

In a six-week time span, if you can log more than twelve workouts than you can win prizes. I think it was the second round of the challenge, I was picked as a level winner. Thanks to that win, I got awesome innersoles for my boots to keep them going for many more miles as they were worn down.

I then signed up to become an ambassador

After this, we doubled the number of hikes I did. My daughter even became an unofficial ambassador. We love rocking our t-shirts. As an ambassador, we get to post all over social media and encourage others in our area to get fit as well. I love that I can inspire other moms also. Many outdoor locations don’t require any money besides gas to get there and snacks and water for your walk. My daughter has learned and grown both mentally and physically during these challenges too. So much better than sitting in front of a television.

TIP: Bring a water bottle and snacks from home. We got an awesome one from REI. Abby’s trail recommendation snack is Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches.

The Writing Began

After a couple challenges, I became inspired to start writing about our travels and adventures. I figured then I could reach even more people and share our adventure journey. That is how Adventure of Abby Girl was born.

The next Get Fit Challenge begins this fall and I am really excited to visit new locations and become even more challenged with my Abby girl by my side. We are going to be adding a new twist this challenge. Shhhhh, can’t share yet. Another get fit person has inspired us. We have also met some great people and getting out there during the challenges.

So I encourage everyone reading this to join this challenge if you are in the Hudson Valley or look for one near you. If you don’t have one, start one! Also, don’t forget to look around at other pages on here and subscribe to my blog. I’m also on most social media channels including YouTube! Peace, Love and French Fries

More info about the Get Fit Challenge, visit link below!

https://www.wegetfit.org

UPDATES:

There have been several Get Fit Challenges since then. That spring we stepped up to a new challenge of 100 miles in six weeks. We ended up at around sixty. We journaled every week. Each week can be found here as well as a final follow up post of what we learned. Abby Girl completed a lot of the miles herself. So, we continue to inspire and hike on. Spring Get Fit CHallenge should be starting next week. However, with the current social distancing rules, that remains to be seen. We will keep everyone posted via the blog and social media. Follow or subscribe to learn of the upcoming updates and future of this challenge.

Get Fit June 2020 (postponed from April due to COVID Crisis)

The  Get Fit Challenge is finally back! It was postponed due to COVID from its original start date in April. However,  now it begins June 6th and will last six weeks. The idea is the same where you log so many workouts and when you reach certain tiers, then you’re entered to win a prize for that level. Once again, you must workout for at least thirty minutes.

Some things have changed. There are no locations to actually go to and log in from as many places are still closed or people are still not ready to be out in the world even on trails. It’s also now Nuvance Health and not Health Quest. If you have done this challenge in the past, you might need to re-register. I know my account as well as several other ambassadors was not found. 

We personally are looking forward to the workout of the week and of course we will be seeing how many miles we can hike in six weeks. We have to beat our last amount of miles we hiked during this challenge in six weeks last year. Read about what last year’s experience taught us and how many miles we have to beat.

Welcome to the new Get Fit Challenge. Remember to sign-up and working-out. Bikini season is just around the corner. 

If you go have hike adventures at Locust Grove, you will have an awesome time. In fact, we kicked off our official warm weather hiking season with two back to back hikes here.

 The First Hike-

The first hike was fairly short and hot. I hiked it with my friend Carol and her daughter who Abby calls “Ju Ju.” That’s her best friend and partner in crime.  So, we did a small loop and that was it. Drama free hike.

The Second Visit-

I went with Abby and a determination set in to find the Hudson River. I knew it was there somewhere. So with my daughter on my back, I began our hike. We took the path less traveled that took us to the outskirts and we went by some lovely swamp and overflow water. It was a great opportunity to teach my two-year-old, the word stagnant water. Yes, I know, she’s two. But, it sounded so cute. Hiking is a creative way to introduce different educational experiences with your child no matter their age.

We stopped to look at squirrels, birds, and chipmunks. She loves birds and kept screaming “bird” in the back of my head in between her random humming. We eventually found a sign directing us to the Hudson River. It was pretty. Nice place to camp if you were allowed.

After being interrupted by a call from my husband, we hiked on. We got to the stream at the big hill that leads back to the gate out and Abby had to go toss things in. It all started a while back when we had a science lesson on what floats and what sinks. She now can spend endless time, tossing various things in the water. FYI almost everything she tosses in, sinks.

After over a half-hour of water and muddy fun, she wanted to backtrack and take the parallel trail through the buggiest area. She kept yelling bug in a panic and I thought to myself …

“ummmm yeah, you picked the buggiest trail dear.”

We took our time before heading back up through the gates, past the old human and pet cemeteries and into the gift shop. We chatted for a while with a lovely lady and headed back in the car and looking forward to our next adventure. Learn more about Locust Grove here.

Final Thoughts-

Locust Grove is a great destination place beyond hiking that is rich in history and beauty. There is an art gallery inside and a beautiful mansion. You can also find out about this spot to rent for special occasions. They host events also throughout the year. In addition, there are gardens that are gorgeous in bloom. The whole experience feels as if you have stepped back in time.

Thought from a year later-

A Revisit thought. My three-year-old daughter recently found an old map of Locust Grove in our house and was talking about ghosts in the cemetery and wolves. She was calling the tombstones, big rocks. So this might be a place for ghost hunters and history buffs too! Who knows!

House Keeping-

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