# 70 Spike the Hike

Be the best you can be.  My new mantra in my next twenty-one+ years of living.  I know, I know-- many mantras have been referred to in the past sixty-nine or so entries but as we were hiking today this slogan popped into my head and a light bulb lit up registering the thought,  "Could this be the next possible blog entry?".

"The best I can be of what?" I asked myself.  I decided to break it down to a manageable size by selecting a random activity for a day, week or month that will highlight my unparalleled number one self--a confidence booster if there ever was one--and push me to excel to the next level (whatever that means but this is my blog, my rules so anything goes).

Hiking would be the first on my list to tackle.  Living in Southern California with the sun big and bold in the sky and the outside thermometer registering a high degree that does not have the freeze your face off factor, we have found plenty of opportunities to practice my new mantra on the numerous trails (according to the book, 140 Great Hikes in and near Palm Springs by Philip Ferranti) in the area.

Today was one of those days where the temperature was perfect for an outdoor rigorous activity so donning our boots with poles in hand we hit the trail running. Well, not actually running but briskly walking through masses of palm tree oases and hopping over rock filled streams.  A divine experience all around.  Did I master "the best" yet?  Not sure but since I am the sole judge and jury of my self determined mantras, the creme de la creme began emerging from me and that, ladies and gentlemen, might be my spike the hike slam dunk.

Stream crossing # 20

Thanks for reading # 70 of 7777.