Hiking Poo Poo Point

How did you celebrate New Year's Eve? I climbed Poo Poo Point in Issaquah, WA.

Now this is a hike that I have done hundreds of times. But today was different. I wanted to climb it today to test myself. If you don't know I had knee surgery in June of 2011. The doctors thought I had a torn meniscus, but come to find out I had arthritis and it had torn up most of the cartilage in my knee.

After the surgery it was hard to even walk. And there was no way I could climb Poo Poo Point after that. One year later, in June of 2012, I climbed it and found that it was extremely hard and my knee was so sore that I could hardly walk for a week afterward.

Now a days my knee hurts on a daily basis but I have learned over the past year that you first have to accept the things that you can't control before you can work on the things that you can change.

So many people live their lives based on the motto "No Regrets". Well I think that motto is outdated and frankly untrue. I prefer the motto "No Excuses".

You see, when you live your life with "no regrets" it's easy to come up with excuses that will make your regret seem bearable. Instead, "no excuses" if you don't want to do something, just say so. But if you want to do something, then don't make excuses and just go do it.

Today I could have easily made the excuse that my knee is sore and stayed home. Instead I climbed Poo Poo Point. And I did it in one of my fastest times. When I used to climb it before my surgery I'd go up it (with a full 40 pound pack) in about 45-50 minutes. Today, with just a day pack, I made it in 42 minutes. I was happy with that. Now my knee is sore as I'm typing this (actually I'm icing it) but I did it.

So here's to the end of 2012 and I welcome 2013. Happy New Year everyone!