Join me by pulling up a chair and pouring yourself a cup of coffee. As always, though, I’m sticking to water since I don’t care for coffee or tea. Let’s take a break and try to talk about more than just fitness-related topics. Sound like a plan? I’ll kick us off…

 

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that…..

Overall, August was a wonderful month for movement! We spent the first two weeks wrapping up the second half of our road trip, exploring Crater Lake, Rocky Mountain, and Mammoth Cave National Parks. Having managed only a single bike ride during the first two weeks of August, getting home meant returning to my riding routine with full regularity. Even though I logged fewer actual hikes compared to last month, I still covered the exact same total distance on my feet—shifting more of those miles into regular walks. Strength training was back in full swing with complete one-hour sessions and no limitations on what I could lift or perform. Looking back, it was a great month, and I’m so thankful for my aging body’s strength and stamina!

 

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that…..

I’m joining you for coffee today from one of our happy places: our beach house! While I’m not a huge fan of sand, I absolutely love the laid-back atmosphere and low-key lifestyle here. I’m still seeing a few virtual clients while away, but those early morning sessions leave the rest of the day wide open. So far, our schedule has consisted of early workouts, midday reading, photo editing, etc., and afternoon cocktails. Life is good!

 

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that…..

Our mini StarLink hasn’t just saved the day—it’s saved multiple days! When we were out west on our road trip, we were often in remote areas with zero cell service, especially when taking scenic back roads instead of interstates. Unless we were under heavy tree canopy, our mini StarLink worked like a charm, allowing us to stream podcasts and—more importantly—letting me keep up with my blog. Then, when we arrived at the beach house, we discovered the internet was out (a recurring issue here). We plugged in the mini Starlink, and voilà, we were back in business!

 

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that…..

After our epic four-week and eight national park road trip, I updated my national parks map on my blog sidebar. We might do the Arkansas, Texas, and New Mexico parks in the spring and are planning on hitting Alaska either next summer or the following. Of course, I’ll update the map as we check more parks off our list. If you want a closer look, simply click on the image to enlarge it!

 

If we were having coffee, I’d tell you that…..
Normally I’d be all about fall the second August ends, but with our late beach trip this year, I’m still in full-time summer mode! I’ll start decorating for autumn once we get back home, but as I get older, I don’t get quite as eager for fall as I used to. It’s just a reminder that winter is right around the corner—and I spend all winter freezing!

 
Questions:

  • • Are you a stick-to-the-interstate driver, or do you prefer taking the scenic back roads? ~ I like both, but I’m usually a passenger!
  • • Do you have a favorite beach (ocean or lake) that you like to visit? ~ I really don’t go in the water here at the beach, but do love going for walks at low tide. I would love to spend a week on a lake where I could kayak and stand up paddle board.
  • • If we were having coffee, what would you tell me?

 

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Today I’m joining Deborah at Confessions Of A Mother Runner and Coco at Running With Perseverance for their monthly Ultimate Coffee Date linkup which goes live the first Friday of every month.  Be sure to stop by their blogs for a cup of coffee and to say hello; and while you’re there, be sure to check out some of the other bloggers who are participating in the linkup.