Today was likely one of the most important days of my life. Little back story: I was attending Purdue University starting in 2007 and due to my emotional problems I failed out in the spring of '09. I have been working hard to transfer down to UIC (I was back at Purdue once but it was killing my bank account so I came back), and I just found out today that I would need five semesters of straight As to meet their new standards.
So, UIC is out and Purdue is back in. I've decided today that I'm applying for readmission there and hopefully I will get back in and finish up there. It is good in a way. I'm not tied here as much after this weekend—and I've always felt I left business unfinished there. I know I can avoid the financial issues I had before and I'll be a much better study and much harder worker, partially due to my Insanity driven discipline.
My workout today was great. I felt relaxed and empowered. Definitely feeling more flexible and much stronger. Rested two whole minutes less than last week's Cardio Recovery, so I am very happy with that and I'm back down to 214.4 which is exactly where I should be to meet my goal of 205 by March 3rd.
Didn't really eat anything today. I just woke up, started looking at school info and my day kinda spiraled from there. I ate chicken parmesan for dinner, but that was it. It was fantastic though and I treated myself to a Pepsi. I think my total intake for today will still be okay. Of course I am in no way thinking of or suggesting a starvation diet. It wasn't on purpose, it just worked out that way. Normal diet service tomorrow.
Now, I mentioned the BWCAW (Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness) yesterday. It is one of my favorite places on earth and I have barely spent three weeks total there. It is as untouched as wilderness gets nowadays other than remote parts of Alaska. The whole Wilderness Area is protected by federal law which means that there are no motors allowed anywhere inside, and the amount of people allowed in at any given time is regulated. It is a beautiful place for camping—obviously—and the fishing is unbelievable. Admittedly, it would be a tough trip for a vegetarian as you have to carry in everything you will need, but the BWCAW has permits for everything from day trips to two-week excursions.
I'm hoping to go again this year. My dad, my uncle, and a long-time family friend went last May and it was an amazing trip. Typically my Uncle Steve and Keith—the family friend—take a tow boat (a specialized power boat that carries canoes) right up to the edge of the wilderness which makes the trip into their favorite lake much shorter and easier. However, that tow service is expensive and neither my dad nor I could afford it. So, we took the longer fourteen hour paddle route with six portages along the route. It was a huge personal challenge for me. We didn't make it all the way in the first day which I was bummed about, so the whole trip I was determined to make it out in one day.
When we awoke on our departure day, it was clear and cool, a perfect day. However, as we broke down camp, the wind picked up—directly opposite of the direction we were headed. We paddled into the wind for most of the journey, but we persevered and made it out that same day. The shower, pizza and Jameson on the rocks that awaited me had never tasted sweeter. I hope to feel stronger this year, especially over the portages. I was the youngest on the trip by far, but I really didn't pull my own weight carrying our gear. In the canoe I made up for it, but that isn't going to cut it for me this year.
Well, that's all for today. I fear I had a typo yesterday on this line, but today is ten down, fourty-four left to go! Keep pushing everyone!
P.S. For anyone interested in seeing where my trip was, you can view a decent map here. We started at entry point 16, went north into Nina Moose Lake, then to Agnes, then into Lac La Croix at Boulder Bay, north around Tiger Bay, into Bottle Lake into Iron Lake and then from Iron Lake to Crooked Lake. We camped in the relative middle of Crooked Lake at Camp 1880 just north of Saturday Bay. Not a short trip by any means. Never did figure out the mileage. I'll have to do that at some point. Anyway, if that doesn't make any sense but you are still interested in the route we took, let me know and I'll try and get a better description together. Thanks!
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