Friday Morning at Pogonoip

Okay..i've mentioned that I have my good and bad days right? Well today was really bad in a weird surreal good sorta way. We decided to walk Pogonoip this morning and I was very excited about the prospect. Now, my walking thus far has totaled no more than 30 minutes round trip. With a few meanderings in between.
It started off great. Lovely gray fog hugging the hills. The trail cool and green, what more could a novice hiker ask for? It was exhilarating. I was keeping pace with Rusty and marveling at the redwoods in all of their splendor and glory. I felt good, alive and strong! Well, one mile into the walk the trail became very tunnel vision esq. I mean that the redwoods hung so low that they blocked out the sky and sunlight. At first I was fine and was thinking how beautiful it had become. Dark and damp and extremely green. I kept expecting to see Forest nymphs or fairies.
We went on for a little bit longer and came around to a clearing, just past a little stream and behold! A buck! A handsome boy just standing in the middle of the clearing staring at us with his warm brown eyes. He ran up a private trail and disappeared into the forest, and right after that I started feeling kinda beat. I think that it was a combination of the tunnel vision that the trail had become and the altitude, but I just got really weak and panicky feeling. We turned around at the 1.6 mile mark and headed out. I was a little panicky on the way out. The trail goes for quite a bit with out the sun and sky and I really think I was having a mild panic attack brought on my claustrophobia. How stupid is that?! I felt so silly walking down the trail huffing and puffing as senior citizens were JOGGING up the trail past me. (show offs!) I am so outa shape, it's just crazy!
But all in all it was a great hike. I made it to the car and MAN I am sore. I just have to keep my eyes ahead to the future. Walking will get a little easier, and as I loose weight and gain stamina I will begin to feel great after a work out, instead of beat up and tired.