How high, how steep?

If there's one thing my college campus does really, really well, it's incorporating the natural curves and hills of my region of California. To get to both of my classes, I have to hike up steep hills, or take the stairs up the same hills. I tend to take the ramps because I think they'll give me more exercise, which I need desperately. The ramp on the way to my math class is by the botany lab, and there are plants growing everywhere with little placards that state the name, genus, species and phylum of the plants/trees. There are these purple plants that smell heavenly, but no placard so boo botany lab. These ramps are actually really, really steep, and if I were in a wheelchair, I'd do some serious complaining because I don't see how someone could push themselves up those hills. Dang.

Anyway, I went hiking up last night, and I got to taste how out of shape you become after missing a scant week at the gym. I don't get it. It takes weeks, months, to build up your strength, and days to tear it down. I didn't even pretend like I was going to the gym last night because my cold has settled down into my chest which makes deep breathing rather difficult. Also, after a day at work, I feel like hell on toast. BUT, tonight I will be back in the gym. If I only manage 20 minutes, I won't get down on myself. I will celebrate the fact that I went and did it.

And then I might eat some veggie fajitas, con crema.