The first (and last time) I've been to the top of Cowles Mountain was in
1982.
Our oldest was four years old and I was carrying our
less than a
year old son in a baby back pack. So today, the spirit moved me to
walk 2.6 miles to Cowles Mountain in
Mission Trails Regional Park and
give it another try. Elevation is 1,593 feet at the summit that's 1.5
miles from the intersection of Navajo and Golfcrest Roads.
Along
the
way to the top I saw legendary high school basketball coaches Wade
Vickery and Randy Robinson. Wade let me know that the mini whiteboards
coaches use during basketball games was invented by Randy and first used
at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA. 
Then, as I get closer to
the top I
see a Ben & Jerry's umbrella. Ephraim, the owner of the Seaport
Village store was giving out free samples with his team. I reminded him
that he was a part of the Ben & Jerry service project that built
the front entrance and planted the trees at the Jackie Robinson Family
YMCA.
After taking these pictures, I start heading down the
mountain
trail and can't begin to tell you how many people were making the trek.
Old. 
Young. Families with young children. People walking their dogs.
See how many hikers you can spot in the photos. The last person I saw
that I knew was former San Diego Charger and Miami Dolphin star Dick
Westmoreland who has been a longtime friend of the Jackie Robinson
Family YMCA. The 71 year old let me know he makes this hike two or
three times a week. 
For me, there is no way I could have
accomplished
this today if I had not watched Forks Over Knives five months ago on
Netflix. Since that time I have radically changed my diet habits, lost
weight, and started getting more active for the health of it.
After
today's 8.2 mile hike, like James Brown said, "I FEEL GOOD!"
Go here for photos from Cowles Mountain at Mission Trails Regional Park!