Sunday, March 15, 2009

Summit

The main activity scheduled for Saturday was a serious hike. We had maps and compasses and an ambitious hike planned. We packed our lunch early and set off. Straight up hill.

I never got any good pictures of the trail going up hill from our starting point, because I was fighting to climb that ridge. At first, I figured that if it got too difficult, I'd just turn around and go back to camp. But by the time I had come to the conclusion that it WAS too difficult, it was too late! I turned around and got sick to my stomache. I was way higher up than I like to be! I couldn't go back down -- the only option was to go up.

Jozien - I thought of you -- I think you wouldn't have had any problem! You have REAL mountains; I only had this little ridge that I was afraid of!

 

A beautiful view from the top, once I finally got there... I didn't think I was gonna make it at some points, though, and I think some of the others on the hike weren't too sure of me either! Well, I haven't even WALKED all summer, and now here I am climbing a mountain??? I am out of my mind. There were points where I was actually hanging on to rocks with my finger tips to pull myself up. It was only me that was crawling up on my hands and knees, mind you -- the kids scampered up like little monkeys. The other leaders were breathing heavy, but they were fine too. It was just me. I think I worried a few of the kids... They all kept offering me a hand up, and all I could imagine was falling down the mountain and dragging a kid with me... no way!

My only recommendation is to avoid the red trail in the future.
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4 comments:

jozien said...

Ofcourse I am loving this post Sue!I grew up in Holland, the only mountains or hills, the ones i made in the sandbox.
So i say keep practicing.

Sue said...

Jozien, I will certainly keep practicing, and hopefully I'll be doing better at the end of the summer... but then take the winter off again... You don't take the winter off!

GEM said...

Sue,

Chip was at the same camp the month before. He said the view was incrediable but the hike was hard. He and two other scouts had to help another scout down from there! That's way the scoutmaster said he more than deserved his Star Rank -- showing leadership and helping others!

Gem

Sue said...

Gem, In the guide book it said something like that the hike was "a bit of a scramble, but not hard for Boy Scouts." YEAH. The kids did fine. It was only the old woman that had a problem.

Admittedly, some of the less fit scouts didn't even attempt the hike... :D Thank goodness!

The trail was poorly marked, we thought. But once you got to the top, to the AT, it was great!