Be sure to check out my giveaway post! You can win a free 5K race entry.

The weekend went by. I’m starting to feel less congested (fingers crossed) and I’m hopeful that by vacation time I’ll be feeling 100 percent. (Totally have no idea, but power of positive thinking?)

We bailed on our long hike plans yesterday but decided to hit up Castlewood State Park instead. We ended up hiking the River Scene Trail, and it was a lovely day for it. I found the hike challenging due to not feeling great, and the uphills were definitely hard. The views were pretty, and there were tons of people out enjoying the day.

The first part of the hike is lots of uphills, beautiful river views off the bluff, and is quite rocky. Then it’s down a huge set of wooden stairs (you can see old rock stairs off to the side where people used to get up the hill from the train station to various clubs and cabins), under the train tracks, and then it’s a lovely walk in the woods along the river. Louie and I constantly joke that hiking in Missouri is just walking in the woods, and I think we get tired of it sometimes! The River Scene Trail is a good one though, and will get your lungs pumping. Heart pumping? Lungs working?

Too many trees! (Is there such a thing?)

Beautiful view of the Meramec River

Louie and his brother Julian.

Look out!!