Yes, the day that Leiha went hiking. Su has been clamoring for this story since I mentioned it to her but I told her she had to wait for my blog LOL. I can't blow my wad ahead of time. Kathy and my dad try to go hiking a lot during the year. Try being the operative word. Kim and I decided we need to exercise more so when Kathy asked us if we wanted to go hiking we agreed. I did tell her she couldn't sleep in (she sleeps way more then I do, I know! Shocking!). We were supposed to leave at 10am but didn't leave til noon. She's lucky I still agreed to go. I told her I wanted to be back in time for my nap LOL.
We went to pick up Jordan after we got my dad and he was with Kelsey who is my brother's stepdaughter so we crammed into the car and piled her in with us. Kathy and my dad picked the trail. What do I know about it. My only question was how long was it. My sis said 2.7 miles. I thought I can do that. Well we didn't hike up a hill we hiked up a mountain and she didn't tell me 2.7 miles was ONE WAY!
Luckily for you I brought my camera so you could experience the hike with me. Dad said to make sure people traveled at least in pairs. I was leading the end of the pack, LOL. That's right I was rolling with the 58 year old! This was where the others waited for us a little ways up.
Since they waited for us as soon as we took pics off we were again. Groan! I wanted to rest but it was still early in to the hike. We stopped at this cute little bridge. Of course I wanted more pics.
If you look closely at the pic below you'll see that I'm just starting to glisten. I am a sweater after all. Luckily there was a lot of trees for shade and it wasn't too hot. Temp wise it was perfect.
OK, the trek continues. Here's the next place they stop for us This is my fave pic from the day. Of course it would have been perfect if I was in it but then would the photog have taken such a fab pic if it was someone else? I doubt it.
Now I'm starting to get tired. I am, after all, quite out of shape plus this is a pic from the last time I went hiking. Yes, that's Jordan so as you can see, it was many years ago.
At our next stop (keep in mind, basically a stop is them stopping for us so when I catch up we continue on) I needed to sit down and catch my breath. We see some people come dow and I ask them how much further. They say a half an hour. A half an hour! Shoot! I've been walking forever or so it seems, LOL. I am not happy to hear there is still so much to go.
Now it's Jordan and I at the rear but we chug along. He doesn't like to talk when he hikes, I think that's why he went forward, LOL. I kept trying to talk to him. I should have brought my ipod. The others were racing up. Kathy wanted to make it to the top and because we left late we had to be back by a certain time. 10 minutes later I ask these other people who are coming down how much further and they say we're halfway there. WTF!?!?!?!? I've been walking forever!
I did have to take a pic of my dad cause his outfit cracked me up. He's been wearing suspenders for 20 years at least! I need a walking stick also.
OK, more hiking. The next guy I see says 45 minutes. OK, he broke me. Mentally I was done. The hike was getting longer the more I hiked! I kept going on but my heart was no longer in it, LOL. I started taking more and longer breaks. Finally I told my dad I was done and to keep going without me. But I got bored so I got up and kept going. Well I had to, I was being stalked! There was this bug that kept flying around me. I couldn't tell if it was a bee or a giant fly. I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if Jeff Goldbloom's head was on top of it's body. Because I didn't know if it was a bee or not I couldn't swat it. When I stopped and sat he and his friend kept flying faster and faster around me. It was terrorizing me! I had to keep walking just to get away. The higher I got the less shade there was and the trip started getting rocky.
As I was crawling along I saw a garter snake and then could hear it go thru the brush. That made me think of wild animals. As it was, I felt like I had saw more of mother nature then I wanted with that snake sighting. I told them if they want me to go hiking again I want a combat knife. I can't deal with that kind of wild life without being protected.
The next people I saw told me 20 minutes which made me happy. At least the time finally went down instead of up. Apparently they said the same thing to Kim and Kathy who were way ahead of me. When Kim heard that she was done, LOL. So as soon as she came my way I was done too, I wouldn't want her to walk down alone, LOL. Apparently Kat says she turned around 5 minutes before they got to the top. Oops! Where are the kids? Kathy bribed them to get them to the top. If they made it ahead of her she would give them $10. Even though Jordan was exhausted he kept going. Me, I wasn't getting paid. Here's a pic shortly before I turned around.
Kim and her light feet were bouncing down the mountain. Me, not so much. So she would walk aways, wait for me then walk some more. I really needed my ipod, LOL. We were able to chat for a lot of though. The trip down wasn't quite as long as the one up but it wasn't a breeze either. We'd been hiking awhile so it took awhile to get down. Since I've had a ton of dental work I live in fear of falling on my face. Don't worry, I fell on my ass instead, LOL. I was walking down some rocks and they were wet and my foot slipped. Luckily, because I was stepping down it wasn't a far fall although it wasn't pleasant plopping down on my ass, it didn't hurt too much. Luckily, no one was around to see.
I passed some girls giggling on their way up. Their friend was peeing in behind the rocks which kept her hidden if you were going up but not so much on the way down. I told her don't worry, I'm not going to look, LOL. As I was walking my ankle kept rolling but I kept catching it. Well one time I didn't and down I went. This time I fell to my hands and knees and that sucker hurt! Of course my first thought was for my camera. Luckily I protected it as I went down, LOL. My next thought was shit, that hurt! I slowly got up and hobbled down. I was able to work out the soreness from my ankle. Again, no one saw, whew! Of course I told Kim all about it, LOL. The good news is the knee I landed on was the one I had my brace on (can't find my other brace). I've decided I also need to wear my ankle braces and Kim had a brilliant suggestion, why not wear an inflatable sumo wrestler suit and she can roll me down. Since I felt like I rolled down already, why not do it with some protection?
Remember what I looked like going up? This is what I looked like coming down. I keep telling you I'm a sweater, LOL. Nancy says people who sweat are healthy. I'm the healthiest girl you know then!
Finally we made it down the mountain! It made me think of the movie The Englishman who went up a hill and came down a mountain, except it was a mountain going up also! Kim and I sat in the car waiting for the others to show up. First Kathy who ran down which my dad says wasn't smart cause cougars like to attack people who run. F*ck, where is my combat knife!!! I should at least unpack my swiss army knife, LOL. Next were the kids and finally dad. Yes, the old man made it to the top and I didn't but hey, he has a stick, LOL. As it was, I had hiked for almost 3 hours. I was exhausted and sore!
The next day my dad called to see how I was. Then he started going on saying Kim and I should start carrying a backpack. I told him I couldn't carry myself and you want me to carry a backpack? That's why we have you, LOL. Then he mentioned at least carrying my 10 essentials (does that include a combat knife?). I told him I did carry my essentials. My lip balm!
And thus my beginning adventures in hiking. Yes, I'll go again but I'll have to lay down some guidelines. Let's go on a trail that's a little less of an incline. There was snow at the top of this hike! No I didn't see it but just knowing that should state that's not an appropriate hike for me, LOL. Did I mention Kim saw a mouse on the way down? I'd also prefer a hike with no killer mosquitos or wildlife of any kind. Alright, that's pretty harsh, butterflies are acceptable! Kathy says it there's no mountains it's not a hike, it's a walk. I'm ok with that!
5 Mannions Speak :
So proud of you for making it part way up a mountain without getting eaten by any creatures!!
Your next hike will be a total breeze compared to this one.
I always carry my essentials, you know, wet wipes!!
I have totally weak ankles, so I'm sure I would have done a few face plants on the way down! :)
(sorry about deleting the other comments, I ketp findng type0s all ofer teh palce)
Way to go on your hike!
Tell your dad I like his hat!
Well in the photo's sounds like you all enjoyed the hike, when you read...well not so much LOL
OK I'm LMAO if you go hiking in an inflatable sumo wrestler suit we definitely want a photo! LOL You would definitely sweat in that though!
For your first hike I think you did great! They all got far more breaks and they had done it before. You survived the wildlife and didnt get too many bumps bruises!
LOL, I don't know if my next hike will be a breeze but I've learned my lesson, don't ask people how much further!
I'll have to ask my dad if wet wipes are packed in his backpack. Girl, you would have been cougar bait, I can see you bounding down the mountain.
My dad totally wants to move back to MI. He was born and raised there so who knows, you may be neighbors one day.
I have to smile for the camera, it's a part of my DNA, LOL. I did have fun, other then falling and the hiking part of it *G*.
I loved this story and the family pictures! You all looked great! Wait, I meant they all look great. You, you look icky, sweaty. LOL.
Seriously though, I´m proud of you for doing this.
Maybe next time, if you sing while trekking, you can scare away the wildlife. Shit, you´ll scare everyone away! LMFAO!
*ducks for cover*
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