Welcoem to posts!!
in the future - u will be able to do some more stuff here,,,!! like pat catgirl- i mean um yeah... for now u can only see others's posts :c
Well, I am back in the States from my family reunion in Indonesia. Still on Asia time, naturally I was asleep all day and awake all night. 😳😵💫
By 5am, I impulsively bought a plane ticket to Edinburgh. 😄 Leaving in 12 days for 3 weeks! Completely unplanned. I better get my gear ready for rain, unpredictable weather and colder temp. Oh....and what and where to hike??? I think im gonna do the Pennine Way. What do you think?
Ill be solo this time cause Benderam is injured from his fall in Indonesia. 😒
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All packed and ready to go!! Scotland, Sheep & Ram will be there soon! 😃 Why can't my delts look like Ben's??
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Getting closer to our UK trip!! Ben the Ram is finally retired. Getting ready for our adventure on the Scottish National Trail and the Cleveland Way in a couple of weeks. Sooo exciteddd! If you see us on the trail, please say Hello.
Christina (Hiker Sheep) and Ben (Ram)
19 - 4
Getting closer!! Got Ben some new gear for Scotland backpacking trip. New shoes, proper gore-tex rain jacket, midges head net, permethrin, new puffy jacket ... we are ready!! I got fitter and have more courage than my Cape Wrath Trail hike last year. We are going to do:
- 540 miles Scottish National Trail walking from England Border to Cape Wrath Lighthouse
- 110 miles Cleveland Way in North Yorkshire Moor (England)
- Hopefully have extra time to go up Helvellyn (third highest mountain in England).
Follow our adventure on youtube: Hiker Sheep & Bobo
Going for a practice hike in Oklahoma this weekend climbing 4 mountains (Winding Stair Mtn, Rough Mtn, Wilton Mtn and Rich Mtn) and 8 river crossing to practice hiking with wet feet. :)
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HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024 FROM DALLAS, TEXAS!! Also ... Bobo the Shar Pei turned 4 today.
In May 2023, I went backpacking solo to the UK, my homeland at heart, tackling the West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland. 326 miles total. The Cape Wrath Trail is the most difficult trail in the UK and I am so proud of myself for completing it alone. After that, I walked the Coast to Coast in northern England again 200 miles.
Ben and I got married. Living simple out of my backpack for 6 months on the Appalachian Trail in 2021 changed me and made me realize how important Ben was to me. Goddd I had never been soo homesick!!
In 2024, I'm so excited for Ben's retirement in 88 days and to show him first hand how long-distance backpacking changed my life. And to show him how amazing the Scottish Highlands is. I am preparing him by getting him a bug net and making him watch the show Outlander. 😂
I also plan to train Bobo to have stronger feet to hike again.
Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW our first journey as husband and wife walking 540 miles on the SCOTTISH NATIONAL TRAIL..... coming soon. :)
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Still dreaming of Britain every single day ... counting down the days till our next adventure next April - June, 2024. Ben and I decided to thru-hike the Scottish National Trail (540 miles from Kirk Yetholm to Cape Wrath Lighthouse) cause I wanted to redo the Cape Wrath Trail!! That trail for some reason gave me a sense of accomplishment and disappointment at the same time cause I was scared of getting lost at times therefore picking the easier routes. But I know what to expect now!
After that, we are going to the North York Moors to do the Cleveland Way (110 miles from Helmsley to Filey). Why?? Because I love Yorkshire so much!! And we are going to visit our British friends we met at the Lion Inn Blakey Ridge. They gave us a ride in a horrendous weather from the Lion Inn to Glaisdale during our Coast to Coast hike last year. :) I CAN'T WAIT!!! Please subscribe to follow our adventure!!
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I will be attempting a thru-hike of Benton MacKaye Trail north bound starting end of July. It is 290 miles starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia through North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountain in Tennessee. Not a popular trail. It is known for its primitive, rugged terrain and a green tunnel. Not many hikers...if any at all. I am crazy to attempt it during the summer due to the heat, overgrown vegetation, blow downs, ticks, spider webs, bugs, snakes, bears etc. I heard there will be long water carry at some parts. After so many challenging long-distance trail backpacking trips, I find that my comfort zone has expanded and I'm always looking for more challenges. I'm not sure I will succeed or not ... but I'm gonna try! :)
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My next adventure (August 2023):
Visiting a friend who just moved to Franklin, NC! And of course, I MUST go hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. Thinking of hitting Benton McKaye Trail from Springer Mountain to Fontana Dam...(196 miles) then hike back south on the Appalachian Trail from Fontana Dam to Franklin where my car will be parked. A total of 282 miles.
Honestly, I am nervous. I haven't hiked in the wilderness here in the US for a while. I've been spoiled backpacking in Britain where there are cafes and pubs most of the time ... and no dangerous wildlife!! Hopefully, muscle memory will kick in. After all, I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail 2 years ago...so it's nothing new.
Pic below was taken right after my intense training session today. I felt like Dwayne Johnson eventhough I didn't look like him. Lol
13 - 8
Fish and chips and sticky toffee pudding diet never failed me!! 6 lbs weight loss after consuming 13 fish and chips and 5 sticky toffee puddings the past 6 weeks. Thank you, Britain!! I love you so much and can't wait to come back and eat some more.
Oh, almost forgot to mention ... I also walked 533 miles in 31 days. :) West Highland Way (96 miles) + Cape Wrath Trail (230 miles) + Wainwright's Coast to Coast (192 miles) + 15 miles in the Peak District
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Four days before my flight to Glasgow!! My pack weighs less than I thought at 31.6 lbs including food and water. :) West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail, here I come!! Please subscribe to follow my adventure if you haven't.
Bobo is NOT amused about my trip. Lol
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CHRISTINA aka SHEEP: Tennis player and ballerina turned backpacker. Anglophile! I LOVE BRITAIN SO MUCH! It is my homeland at heart. One of my life goals is to hike ALL the trails in Britain!. When I am not on a backpacking adventure, I post videos of my life with Bobo the Shar Pei. :)
BOBO: A goofy 4-year old meat-mouthed Shar Pei.