Same Crazy Pace, Different Month – Retirement Reflections

Hiking

My goal this month was to focus on hiking and to walk at least 10 km/6.21 mi (or to do a steep climb) each day. With another crazy-paced month, I was delighted that even when I included my low-kilometre rest days, I achieved this goal (10.622 km per day for the past 30 days). 😀

With incredible hiking trails all around me, I was spoiled for choice. From top to bottom, left to right, here are my hikes. (Striving for 10 km, I usually walked a longer distance than shown on the links).

1. Doehle Avenue 116 Stairs 2 Lantzville Look Out Loop 3. Top Bridge, 4. Englishman River Estuary 5. Craig Creek Trail 6. Kinsol Trestle 7. Parksville Beach Walk 8. Qualicum Beach Waterway 9. Lantzville 10. Saltair TCT 11. Little Qualicum Fish Hatchery 12. Qualicum Beach 13. Lighthouse Regional Trail 14. Four Lakes Trail (Squamish) 15. Estuary Trail (Squamish) 16. Spirit Trail (Squamish) 17. Panorama Trail (Squamish) 18. Wonderland Lake Loop (Squamish) 19. Shannon Falls + Surrounding Trails (Squamish) 20. Fern Road/Qualicum Woods Trail 21. Bayside

Friends

“Extremely Grateful” does not begin to sum up how I feel surrounded by these amazing people!

Special Events

Ensuring that August kept up with July’s lightning-speed pace, these events were mixed into hiking and daily life!

SQUAMISH

For more on this Squamish adventure, see the hiking and food pics in this post.

What’s Was On My Plate (in Squamish)?

I will miss September’s ‘What’s On Your Plate,’ so I have given you a sample of what was on my plate in Squamish. One of the many advantages of Home Exchange is that you don’t always need to eat in restaurants when travelling (your health and your wallet will thank you). From top left to bottom right: 1. First lunch out (Flipside Burgers), 2. First night dinner (prepared by Donna). 3. Second night dinner (prepared by Deb), 3. Final night dinner (Indian Spice Cuisine). 4. When we returned home, I did a final Farmer’s Market run for the season.

While in Squamish, I made daily packed lunches for our hiking adventures. I tried to amuse Deb by giving our lunch sandwiches a different acronym each day, e.g. CAT or CHALF (hint: both were derivatives of the classic BLT). Please join my cohost, Deb, for #whatsonyourplate going live at midnight, September 6 (PDT).

COMING SOON

Richard and I will head off shortly for our 5th Camino (6th if you include the ‘Island Walk in PEI). This time, we will be walk the Camino de Portuguese from Lisbon, then veer off to Fatima (157 km). After Fatima, we plan to rejoin the Camino de Portuguese until we run out of time (or energy). I will not be taking part in September’s WOYP, WOYBS or WBOYC, but I will try to post updates of our Camino either on this blog, on Instagram (or a mixture of both). Anyone interested in following along, Richard and I would love for you to join us virtually.
Now all that I need to do is finish organizing (and fretting) and wait for the arrival of our friends who will be staying in our home while we are away. 😀

That’s a brief snapshot of my August 2023. How was yours? You can share in the comments or through InLinkz below. I look forward to seeing you there!

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Upcoming #WBOYC Posting Dates:

• Sept. 28/29
• Oct 26/27
• Nov. 30/Dec 1*
• Dec.28/29
  * The August and November Linkups will occur on the 1st of the following month for the Southern Hemisphere.

All #WBOYC linkups remain open for a full week.

Debbie, Jo, Sue & Donna

Published by Retirement Reflections

Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.
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