Step-By-Step
Bozeman, Montana
2026
(photo by Connie Blackwood)
On my first trail walk since my heart transplant. I walk a couple of miles every day with little difficulty but I discovered that I was a bit unstable at times walking across rough ground sometimes (where rough is a very relative term in this case, as it could just mean a rough lawn vs. a sidewalk). So we took a short walk on one of the trails up behind our cabin the other day to see how I would do there. I took a walking stick for stability just in case. It went well, other than the fact that I kept being bothered by the fact I was having to be careful walking on trails that I had made myself a few years ago. Recovery progress in this case is literally step-by-step.
As an aside, when I built these trails, I lined them with rocks like are seen in this photo. I thought it was a one and done kind of task but every fall bears wander through the area looking for food, including under long section of the rocks I had so carefully placed. They were not careful at all in replacing them after gleaning whatever grubs, bugs, ants etc. they found underneath them. So there’s another step in my recovery I can attempt to accomplish one of these days.
Larry, you are an inspiration . It’s great to see you out on the trails. The outdoors is a great healer and being at your cabin in the hills must be a terrific motivator to get back to doing all you accomplished there.
It’s rather inconsiderate of the bears to scatter the rocks. If they put them back as they found them maybe the next year they would find more grubs and bugs.
You could post a sign saying “Please leave it as you found it. YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.”
Thanks Carol. I’m not sure that plan would work with the bears, depends on their politics I suspect.:-) One of the things that irks me about the whole bear/rock situation is that, at least for now, I’m supposed to be avoiding messing around in the dirt due to being immunosuppressed. I had to keep reminding me of that as we walked on the trail because I kept wanting to bend over and straighten them out. Maybe one day. As the title says step-by-step.
So good to see you, Larry – you look great. You log in a lot more steps than I do! Uneven surfaces are a challenge for us as we age, too. Hope you don’t run into one of those bears as they’re deconstructing your trail borders. Thanks to Connie for the picture.
Thanks Judy. Both Connie and I were carrying bear spray because recently there was the first confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in our area. Unlike the black bears which are easier to deal with, those grizzlies are not to be trifled with!
You’re looking good under that ray of sunshine from the heavens.
Thanks Mike. It was good to get out.