Back on track

My physical therapist told me she wants me to get back on a slackrope this weekend! So exciting! (Also a tiny bit scary, but I glad she thinks I'm ready and is pushing me to do it.) The weather is supposed to be beautiful and I'm really looking forward to it.

Partly to bolster my confidence, I took a ~3 mile walk on the Chesiahud Lake Union Loop today and my left foot didn't hurt at all. If anything my right foot felt more sore, and only in passing. It all seems to bode well.

The trail itself was lovely, and reminded me a tiny bit of the epic walks I used to take on England's South West Coast Path (there was a day I walked all the way from Plymouth to Wembury and back!). There was a stretch of the Chesiahud Loop where it was apparent that the trail used to be a railway at one point -- they left the rails and trestles in place. I found a photo of it on another blog, Surviving Urban:

 They snapped this photo while on a rollerblading excursion -- it had crossed my mind while walking the Loop that it was largely level and would be ideal for rollerblading, I might have to break mine out (and re-wheel them, because the wheels are worn to nubs).

I've been missing the railroad tracks I walked daily near my old apartment in Kirkland, so it was refreshing to see a stretch of abandoned track again. Unfortunately, this one isn't very balance-practice friendly, since it's over a drop of several feet -- it's one thing, trusting myself not to make a misstep just walking the rail, and another thing to feel comfortable challenging myself in practice without inviting some fresh injury.

So I'll have to keep my eye out for a new rail-walking-while-hooping spot. In the meantime I'm happy to be getting back on slack rope!