Ever feel like you're behind, so you try to make up for it in one day? Like after having avoiding the gym for a month you go in and step it up on the weights to make up for lost time? Just so you know I am a person who utilizes this method, despite the many problems with the logic.
This leads me into Cindy and my's hike on Mt Si (8 miles round trip). We optimistically headed out at 5:00-me with my new pack weighing in at over 31 lbs. Now if you have been tracking previous journals you could put together that I have not been on a mountain in two weeks, I have not been going near this distance, nor carry close to this weight. But i was sure going to make up for lost time.
I did surprisingly well all things considered. The mile markers always seem a little farther apart than i would like or even think is accurate, but I felt like i could manage. We put on our Yak Trax (think of chaining up your tires-but on my shoes) when we hit snow-this is by far the best purchase ever.
The last .25 mile to the top was grueling-I was so ready to be done. The problem is, really, you are only half way there.
We made it to the top in 2:40 which is very respectable-the AK's plan for 2:30-and we stopped for photo shoots. We stopped and ate, made friends with a bird (see pics) but it was difficult to really rest while it was snowing mad dog.
Going up with 30 lbs was exhausting-going down was painful! My knees, ankles and feet hated me. I thought, if my mother could see me now, she would not be happy to watch me wandering on a rocky path in the snow and dark. It was pretty miserable. There was a time when i thought we were to the bottom, only to run across the sign that said we had a mile to go. At this point i wished someone would just fling me off the trail. I have never been so happy to see my car!