Meet Tamara

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I’m 62 and live in NW Pennsylvania with my 2nd husband Andy. I was born in Compton California in 1957.

Spent first 17 years of my life in a Religious Cult. (Thanks mom) ?

I walked/ran away at 17 years old and for the next 17 plus years, I learned how to maneuver around in the public world.

1980 thru 1984 were my “Barefoot and pregnant” years, as my dad would have described it.

Lived in California till 1993, when me and my husband (at the time) and 4 kids moved to Brandon, Mississippi.

Because our finances were always minimal our family activities consisted of bike rides and hikes. Fun mostly, but marriage wasn’t good and eventually that fell apart.

What’s your favorite outdoor sport?

I’m guessing hiking isn’t a sport. I would say tennis, but I can’t play anymore. Ping pong, but I don’t have a table.

Swimming. I love water!

We know that you get a lot of your miles on your property. How do you keep it fun?

I play music. 80’s is my favorite.

If I do laps, I sometimes count by walking a lap per child and then each grandkid.

When I walk trails with my husband, it’s fun. I drag him into those walks but we always have fun.

What’s your favorite outdoor memory?

I’m 62 so I’ve a lot of memories. Lol

To pick one, it would be canoeing down the Duck river with my children when I lived in Lewisburg Tennessee.

Do you have a “disaster” story?

Hiking with my step daughter here in Pennsylvania. We were walking the bike path in Foxburg along the Allegheny river. I looked up on the hillside and it looked like a lookout platform. So I convinced my step daughter (she was 10 at the time) to get off trail and climb to what looked like a logging road and hopefully find the “cool lookout platform”.

We followed the “logging” road, climbed a hill and when we reached the top I suddenly realized we were on private property.

Not just any private property but a million dollar home that had groundskeeper houses, llamas, fountains, reflection pools and much more. What I had seen from below wasn’t a lookout deck for the public, but their patio that had the most amazing views of Allegheny and Clarion rivers.

Before running back down hill with step daughter in tow, I went to deck, straightened out their patio chairs and took a few pictures. Then we slid on our butts down the hill, and ran back to trail and acted like we weren’t criminal trespassers. Breathless but excited and laughing.

What have you always wanted to try?

A multiple day hike with camping.

You have logged a lot of miles this year. Do you have any tips for success to share?

I try to keep it simple. If I don’t want to do anything or in a down mood, I tell myself “Just one mile”. Most times I keep going. For me it’s the starting part that trips me up.

What are you looking forward to?

Going to see some of my kids and grandkids in October of this year.

Are you enjoying the 365 Mile Challenge?

Ya, I am. I tend to not do “group” things and this has been good for me to keep me motivated and I love looking at others posts.

You are a big source of inspiration for the group. What inspires you?

Dang…everyone in our group. The person that takes first few steps after surgery. The mom’s that head out with their kids or grandkids. The person that takes their first solo walk. Literally everyone in our group inspires me.

Is there anything that you want us to know about you?

I only started walking our property by myself, taking walks at night…in the last 4 years. I do a lot of things scared because if I waited for me to not be scared…I’d never do anything. I’ve lived with different levels of anxiety since I left the cult in 1975. I have zero contact with members that are still in, including my family.

Anything that you’d like to add?

All in all I’ve had an interesting life so far and looking forward to more challenges out of my comfort zone.