I wanted to start a blog to track my thoughts and progress toward my fitness goals. Since I have the good fortune to live 15 minutes from Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas, NV, I have gravitated to hiking as my primary means of exercise. I combine this with lifting weights, and I use Figwee.com for watching what I eat.
I have been hiking / scrambling regularly for about three months now, and I haven't scratched the surface of nearby hikes. I have the good fortune of having a hiking buddy in Richard (my brother-in-law) and / or Jeff (my brother and co-founder of Figwee.) Hiking has its inherent risks, so always be careful and don't go alone.
To bring things up to date, I got started when Costco had a hydration pack (a backpack designed to hold water with a tube with a bite valve for easy access) for a mere 20 bucks. I thought it was cool, so I picked one up. I didn't know what I was going to do with it, but I knew it would come in handy. Being a former boyscout, I have always had an appreciation for the outdoors, but haven't done so much in the last decade or so. However, since we moved to Las Vegas, my wife Jennifer and I have made it a point to explore.
I bought an annual pass to Red Rock for another twenty bucks, and started on one of the "easy" hikes in the brochure they hand out at the booth. I had to stop about every 30 feet or so on a mild uphill grade to catch my breath. The next day, it hurt to get out of bed. I knew things had gone bad, but I had no idea how bad. The area has world-class scenery and rock scrambling, and the only way I was going to get to experience it was to work my way up slowly to the challenges.
If I do my job properly, anyone who visits Las Vegas should be motivated to see Red Rock, as it is truly an awesome place to explore.
Maybe I'll see you out on the hill!
John Gobel
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A Figwee co-founder attempts to get in shape by slapping on hiking boots
Hiking Treks In the Vegas Area
Las Vegas is an excellent place from which to explore the desert. As a co-founder of Figwee.com (a free, photographic weight loss web site), I needed a way to help my weight loss goals. Hiking seemed like a nice fit since I am so close to what I believe is world-class rock scrambling. I just can't stay on an elliptical for more than about thirty minutes. In this blog I try to post the photos from most of my hikes in order to share the amazing scenery.
