In most situations, it's not what one would call a desirable trait. Something I'll likely spend all my life trying, in vain, to rid myself of.
But today, my stupid stubborn pride served me quite well, actually. It managed to get me all the way up a mountain - when my legs, arms, and body as a whole failed to do so.
(this mountain)
Here's the information about the hike that can be found on utah.com:
Grandeur Peak
Length: 5.5 miles out and back (web of lies!!! it's a full 6!!!)
Difficulty: Moderate (who wrote this tripe...)
Description: Grandeur Peak is an 8299 foot summit on the east side of Salt Lake Valley. It is one of Utah's easier mountains to summit. At the top you get extensive views over the Salt Lake Valley, and also of neighboring peaks.
You gain about 2400 feet as you hike from the trailhead to the summit. As mountain peaks go, this route is not overly steep and is fairly easy to hike.
First off - that is all total bollocks. (Sorry, I'm watching Notting Hill, feelin' the British vibe.) This little "moderate" hike tried to keeeell me!! (now channeling Achmed)
Seriously, it wanted me dead right from the start - and I surely would have just rolled over and died if not for my stupid stubborn pride that wouldn't let me get beat by a measly pile of dirt & rock; wouldn't let me look so pathetically lame in front of family and friends; wouldn't let me turn back on the hike that the 90-year old lady whistling her way DOWN the path had apparently just completed.
Like I said - stupid, immature, I-wanna-be-better-than-everyone-at-everything, stubbornstubborn PRIDE.
And when I'd managed to beat the mountain's devious plan, just minutes away from the tip-top, it sunk so low as to send a swarm of specially engineered attack-hornets my way, delivering a total of 6 stings in approximately 10 seconds.
(Yeah, that sounds like a total exaggeration, right? Just numbers someone throws out there to make a great story? Oh noooooooooo, not in the least!!! I could've clocked it with an egg timer, 6 stings in 10 seconds! I can still feel every single one, stinging & sore.)
Totally serious, it was one of the most sincerely strange and frightening things I've ever personally experienced. I had what one might call a "core meltdown", dropping that backpack like a brick & stumbling away sobbing as I tried to escape. *Cut me a little slack, I was physically unstable & mentally fragile after having battled for my life for the previous 2 hours.*
--------------------------------------------
So, as a whole, did I enjoy the experience?Give you all one guess. And only one, because any more would be an insult to this entire post.
Here's some pictures. I'm going to bed.
 |
| Finally at the top, with 6 uninvited guests |
 |
| Lunchtime, eat up hubby! |
 |
| The other thing that got me to the top <3 |
 |
| The gang |
 |
| ( Suck it, mountain. ) |
6 comments:
So, I'm still confused. Did you enjoy the hike, or not? After Mom & Dad told me about your bee-stinging nightmare, I figured you would never hike again. But now I'm not sure....can I please have an extra guess?
did you really just say "suck it, mountain"!?
i love you.
Wow! Good for you! We hiked a supposedly "WHIMPY" hike with our kids up to Cecret Lake on Saturday. Only 3/4 of a mile it says. Bull! It took us 1 hour just to get to the top because our kids had to stop every 5 minutes.
Amy - that'll earn you 5 demerits for insolence.
Megs - You know that's how I roll, mouthing off to inanimate objects. After all, they can't talk back! (Although I will say, that wretched mountain is wreaking its wicked vengeance this morning...)
Jen - How was that hike, okay for the kids? Oh no, I just realized I had your backpack carrier that you probably would've liked having! And we didn't even end up using it, we left Adam with the grandparents (thank heavens!!). Sorry!
ha ha, this is the mountain my dad and I used to climb when I was little. It can't be all that bad if I did it way back then. :P
Hey Jew, why don't you come on up this way & give it a try now, see how YOUR post-childbirth body handles it. :P Actually, don't do that, I'm sure you'd breeze right up there. I'm a wuss, I know, that ain't news.
Post a Comment