Monday, March 2, 2009

you're killing me, tam

(Ok, Suzanne, you are off the hook. Tam is now the person trying to do me in.)
My friend talked me into climbing to the top of Camelback Mountain this afternoon. I asked the Seminary kids this morning who had been up there and how it compared to other hikes and they said, "well, it's not really like any other hike. It's more like climbing up boulders". I couldn't visualize that so I asked them "if I could get to the top of Squaw Peak, could I get up Camelback?" They were hesitant to give me a thumbs up on that idea. So I was nervous.
Tam is a super athlete, always has been. But she is also very patient and assured me we could do it. I trusted her until I saw this--THERE'S NO TRAIL!! Oh my gosh, it really was just like climbing up boulders. As we were making our way slowly to the top, I was questioning whether or not my knees were going to be strong enough to bring me back down. I really wasn't sure. Really.
The trail is a mile and a half up. Straight up. Parts of the trail even have a handrail imbedded in the rock to pull yourself up the steep sections.
But we made it in record time (the record for the slowest ascent ever). The view from the top was SPECTACULAR! It is a breathtaking 360 degree view. I would have enjoyed sitting up there for an hour and just enjoying the view. However, it was 5:30 p.m. and we weren't sure how long it would take us to get back down so we stayed long enough to take a picture.
Naturally, I thought we would go down the mountain faster than we went up, but no. The sun was going down on us and we were worried about that, but I assured Tam I had a wee little teeny tiny flashlight in my backpack. We needed it the last 15 minutes of the descent. In the near darkness though, I took a misstep and tumbled head over heels. I couldn't catch myself and I felt a bit like a cartoon - BOING! BOING! BOING! Ahhhh, so embarassing. A bruise on my knee, my hip, my shoulder and a scratch on my elbow. But there is plenty of padding, so no worries. Tam had surgery on her knee a year ago and this was her first major hike since then. (Seriously Tam? You chose this mountain to start back your hiking routine? You're crazy.)
Anyway, on another note, we saw a chuckwalla earlier in the afternoon. Can you see it sunning on the rock?

I had never heard of a chuckwalla before last week. It's a big lizard. I've seen two of them in the past eight days. Weird. But I like saying the name -- "Chuckwalla, Chuckwalla, Chuckwalla".

9 comments:

Lauri said...

Two comments
1. OWWWWWWWW! I can't believe you fell down the mountain (OK, an exageration) and you were more embarrassed than you were hurt. I took Lucky on a walk a few weeks ago and she tripped me and I went down HARD on my hip. I had a bruise the size of a saucer. I felt it everytime I turned over in bed. You're lucky you didn't break a bone or crack your head open.
2. Seriously? Camelback????? No thank you!

Bandanamom said...

You are becoming this crazy athletic person my friend! I cannot imagine doing this myself! But I am very much enjoying watching you do these things. Way to go!

everyday katie said...

I love hiking Camelback. It's the boulders that make it so fun. But up is way more fun than down. I can't imagine going down while it's getting dark.

And a Chuckwalla. Eww. I can't handle the tiny 2 inch lizards we get. I'd for sure freak if I ran into one of those.

Lindsey said...

Wow! You ladies are ambitious! I can't believe you fell! Hope you are okay.

Unknown said...

My biggest fear is always falling on the way back. I hope you're ok! First time I did that hike with Jared, he had Marley on his back and it seriously freaked me out! It is more like a climb than a hike :)

Suzanne Barker said...

Ok Cindy, I think I leave Camelback for you and Tam, it's not tempting me much! Props for you for doing it though. And I hope you are ok today. I am always more sore a day or two later.

Meghan and Randy said...

CONGRATULATIONS on the hike!! I did Camelback Mountain for the first time in December of 2007 and it was a hard hike for me. But once I got to the top, it was amazing! There was even a man who proposed to his girlfriend there, she said yes, and everyone on top of the mountain applauded! I ended up hiking behind them and we all went out to lunch afterwards. I'm glad you did it! I probably should inform you though...there's a trail on the other side of the mountain :)

Anonymous said...

Wow Cindy! I'm sure I would have been tumbling right along with you! Those "boulders" just don't intice me (well actually, not much does) anyway, I thought they invented helicopters for those fabulous views!

I Am Boymom said...

Oh, man! I am so sorry for your crash! Hope you recover with no lingering injuries or war memories! Chuckwallas are abundant at my house, they are all over the desert right next to us. They frequently hang out on the side of my house and just the other day one fell off of the garage door I had just opened and landed on my shoulder as I walked out to bring the garbage can in. We both freaked out, he jumped and hit the lawn mower then turned on me like an attack dog! I went screaming down the driveway with my neighbor thinking I was really hurt until he ran over and saw the stupid lizard running down the driveway toward the bushes. I got my butt handed to me by a Chuckwalla.