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Today's steep hike: Scary, narrow elevated wood trails and elderberries.

Karen and I hiked over six and a half miles at Squilchuck State Park. Up we went on a new trail. Narrow, elevated wood bicycle ramps and trails were a challenge. Since being diagnosed with osteoporisis, I have been fearful of falling (broken bones.)

High in trees, chattering squirrels tossed down pine cones to store for winter. Due to the climate crisis, the West has struggled with mega-fires, extreme heat and lack of rain.

The drought caused wild roses to put out a single rose hip to propagate the species. Apparently that's all they had energy for. Usually wild roses are covered with rose hips.

"People use elderberries to make jam," Karen said, eating them. Hmm....too tart for me.

I felt thrilled to see a healthy young pine tree!

LiterateHiker 9 Sep 2
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3 comments

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1

jam heck, elderberry wine is delish!

1

do elderberries smell funny?

@hanksters

I only tasted one. It was too tart and full of seeds.

He must be talking about boiling elderberries for jam.

Love Monty Python and the Holy Grail! "I fart in your general direction" is my favorite line.

@LiterateHiker lots of great snippets in that scene. i like when he tells them to mind their own business.

1

What is the treatment for your osteoporosis? Hiking should be great for it, any weight bearing exercise strengthens bones. Your photos as always are amazing.

Thank you!

I was prescribed the generic bone-building drug Alendronate, 70 mg, taken once a week. In one or two years, my fragile bones should be strengthened.

The original drug was $800/month. Thank goodness a generic version was available by the time I was diagnosed.

Since age 21, I have hiked and lifted weights. Osteoporosis runs in my family. I managed to stave it off until age 67.

Here I am at age 57, eighteen months after right shoulder surgery.

@LiterateHiker I have always been "big boned" and as my mom died at 45 I have no idea if there are problems with osteoporosis in her family. Her sisters were reluctant to discuss their health... and now they are all gone. I know I have lost some inches, my shortest daughter is now my height, which she enjoys except when she thinks about what that might mean for her future. My doctor has never suggested osteoporosis might be a concern, but it might be time to bring that up in discussion.

@HippieChick58

I have the classic profile for getting osteoporosis:

Thin, white skin, small bones.

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