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Appetites and Adventures

San Diego’s 5 Peak Challenge + WIAW

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Can I have a Wordless WIAW?

Who am I kidding… I never shut up.

Yesterday I completed San Diego’s 5 Peak Challenge.  It was such a beautiful hike; I wish I could just post 20 pictures today!  That’s a little boring, I know.  Plus the challenge is a fun background story!

I hiked the first two peaks alone on Tuesday and again on Saturday with friends.  Yesterday I did the final three alone.  Well, alone with the company of a few podcasts.

5 Peak Challenge - view from North Fortuna

The premise is that you hike all 5 peaks and you get a certificate and a pin.  I would have done it without that (I’m a bit competitive), but it’s nice to have incentive!

It’s actually a brilliant marketing plan.  The peak I did last week, Cowles, is over-crowded, so they devised this challenge to encourage people to explore more of the park.  Having done all 5, I have no idea why people bother with Cowles.  There are even more beautiful areas of the park to see.

The last 2 trails – North and South Fortuna – start out innocently enough with a beautiful trek beside a stream.  I actually thought to myself “I’d be SO disappointed if it was too easy.”  HA!

Mission Park stream

After the lovely stream there was a long, steep, gravel-y trail up the the split for each summit.  In the sun.  Did I mention that it was like 2 pm by this time?  #notamorningperson

I passed the South Summit.  Like totally missed it.  The sign was behind some brush, blocking it from view at my angle.  After going out of my way past the summit, I turned back and finally spotted it.  Irritated, hot, and out of water, I debated just going back and doing the last one the next day.  But let’s be honest… there was no way in hell I was going to turn back, so I just put my head down and went for it.

Now I just need to do it faster…

5 Peak Challenge

This is actually what I ate Monday.  Usually I do Tuesday, but – as you can see above – I was a little busy.  SO… read on for my day of eats, and join in Jenn’s WIAW baby right here today!

WIAW - New

Breakfast:

I had my usual morning cocktail and sludge while I made the above recipe.

Breakfast was an omelet… that I shockingly didn’t break.  All too often my omelets have to become scrambles.  This was a one egg and 2 egg white combo with red bell pepper, cheese, pepper, and garlic topped with avocado and more cheese.

Omelet with avocado and cheese

Lunch:

Giant baby kale salad (is that an oxymoron?) with red bell peppers, cucumbers, and leftover grilled chicken.

Kale Salad

I’ve also been drinking a ton of sparkling water lately – either lemon on grapefruit.  I’m not even picky about the brand – whatever in on sale.

It’s been a nice break from plain water!

Sparkling Water

Dinner:

We do a lot of “same but different” meals here.  It’s not any harder for me to cook 2 separate proteins, and I get my fish while Vegas gets her beef.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCHSjgQGjW5/

[Tweet “Check out the #WIAW link up and a crazy #5PeakChallenge hike!”]



***

I only saw one snake.  *Shudder*

Do you like sparkling water?

Do your omelets ever become scrambles?  How about pancakes?  Guilty, guilty.

Comments

    • That is a problem in FLA… but I did an awesome adventure race through a national park there a few years ago. Plus… beaches!

  4. Haha yes omelets becoming scrambles- guilty as charged! And I love sparkling water. A day without it is ..well. .. a day! Looks like a great day for a hike. It’s winter here and I can’t remember what warm weather feels like!

    • Patience. I rarely have it… but if you cook it over lower heat, the omelette is less likely to tun into a scramble. 🙂

  8. LOL. I know what you mean about it being impossible to have a wordless post. Anytime I try to write a brief post it becomes just as long as normal.
    I don’t know anyone who can make grilled chicken look as good as you do!

  9. That hiking looks so fun! We have zero hills where I live, so your pics are making me jealous.

    I love sparkling water too. Target’s store brand has a cucumber mint one that makes me feel like I”m at the spa. So good!

  10. Errr fish bolognese sounds kinda genius- need to try that next time! And up until recently 90% of my omelet would turn into scrambles. Fortunately I think I’ve cracked it: placing a lid while the omelet cooks is almost fail-proof to make sure there is no breakage while flipping as the steam helps cook the top- give it a shot!

  11. Oh man, my hike loving heart is aching right now. I spent a week hiking in Grossmorn National Park up here in Newfoundland the other summer – and some of the geography looks shockingly similar. I’d really, really love to get down to the States to experience some of the hiking and national parks. Congrats on completing such an awesome challenge!!

    • You have to try it… it’s actually really, really good. Closer to “real” pasta texture than a lot of other alternatives.

  13. Wow, good job Laura! I’m terrible at hiking mountains, but it’s an awesome opportunity to get outside and enjoy God’s creation. 🙂

  14. I want to do this challenge! That’s so cool! I LOVE hiking and am eager to get back to it this spring.
    I’m obsessed with sparkling water and am a total brand loyalist. Gerolsteiner all the way and not just because they used to sponser a cycling team 😉
    And yeah, a not insignificant percentage of my omelettes turn into scrambled eggs 🙂

    • September was insanely hot! Right now it’s pretty warm too… I’m worried this summer will be just as bad! Come out and hike in December! 🙂

  19. I love sparkling water so much I got a seltzer maker a few years ago. It’s one of my most-used kitchen appliances.
    That omelette is gorgeous, by the way! I always break mine and am, like “How about I call this a scramble?”

  20. Gah the 5 peak challenge looks incredible! I love that you get a certificate and pin haha. Isn’t it crazy how ridiculously beautiful the West Coast is compared to ATL?

    Also share your successful omelet secret!! Mine always break :/

    • It’s just different… I think there’s a lot to see in ATL too. I miss having the Beltline, but love having the ocean views here.

  21. I’m intrigued by that 5 peak challenge. I lived in San Diego for 3.5 years and have never heard of it. I might have to check it out. But right now, I’m getting ready to hike some trails in Kokee State Park instead. Happy hump day!

    • I think they just started it last year to encourage people to hike somewhere other than Cowles. I really like the other trails!

    • I actually had to google it after you asked, but yes. Mission Park is more or less at sea level. Definitely not 14’ers, but combining all 5 is killer!

  23. I love sparkling water. LaCroix mango is my favorite right now, but I think it’s Refresh that makes the watermelon one I also like.

    • I think it’s indefinite… I didn’t see a deadline on the website. I’d do it fast though before it gets crazy hot!

    • Definitely recommend! Iv’e been buying it for a few year. It’s the most pasta-like pasta alternative I’ve tried!

  30. You go girl! Do you remember that Kwaay Paay is the one that we almost did awhile back when you wound up staying longer in Atlanta? I used to do that one pretty much weekly when I lived down the street from there. Such a heart pumping hike right?! I love that it’s 90 minutes roundtrip – pretty amount of time for a kickass workout but short hike.

  31. I totally would have turned back. Actually I would have never come that far. LOL!

    LOOOOVE the Mani!! Nice work!

    Different proteins. Rings a bell in December 🙂
    Awww, I miss this time so much!

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