Floral Park Traverse (12 weeks pregnant)

First, you need to know that all of these pictures were taken by and lifted from Amber's Facebook.  Her pictures turned out better than mine.  Second, it's true: I am pregnant.  Twelve weeks pregnant.  I was pregnant during my Yellowstone trip and am trying to still get out there despite having felt like I have chronic fatigue syndrome.  It's less awesome than being not pregnant in that respect but seems worthwhile (I am going to take at face value that parenthood is going to be great).

there's me hauling my growing body up the rock!

 More to the point, this weekend I did the "Floral Park Traverse" for the second time.  This is a 20 mile hike with 10 miles or so of trail and 10 miles of off-trail adventuring through cool high alpine rocky glacial places.

 Unlike climbing peaks in the Park, the allure of this walk is the immediate rock formations, glacial formations and pools etc.  Also, this is much less technical than many scrambles in the park -- there is nothing that is exposed or terrifying (though there are a few tedious and/or exhausting ups and downs).

 It was a cloudy day and I experienced biting gnats for the first time.  They are gross and very itchy.  I still itch and have blisters.  Gross.

It was a beautiful way to spend Labor Day and we had a great crew along for the hike.  It feels a little like a "last hurrah" since as I get fatter it will become more difficult to lug my body up and down mountains.  I hope to do some cool stuff still but I definitely don't have anything to prove and don't plan to impress everyone with my wild pregnant endeavors.  So, this blog may get pretty dull but hopefully my (possible depending on how it goes and what my doctor says) efforts at pregnant skiing this winter will have some comedic value.