bettye198
10th May 2016, 21:51
This was not my personal experience but a friends. We talked yesterday about her adventure that is daunting to say the least.
She is an avid hiker. She hikes all grand places in California and Western US with a hiking club. One of her dreams was to hike the 211 + trail: John Muir Trail in the Sierras. So she started out with a number of hikers. She only had less than 3 weeks, her paid vacation. How the story goes, is that one by one each hiker dropped out, walked out. The conditions were too challenging for them. Some hurt their foot, their leg, their backs and one "flipped out". My friend, age 57, married with grown children, waved them goodbye and she finished the trek alone.
I asked her, what would make you attempt such a trail alone? She was determined, believed she was not a "quitter". ( yet I have seen her quit other things of importance) Perhaps she reached a moment of finality that it was this or she could not live with herself. The weather was cruel, hail and snow and black skies of cold as she mounted upwards to over 14,000 feet. I remember she handled Mt Whitney with aplomb so when she gauged that, it seemed perfectly fine. I lived vicariously through her story and knew in my heart of hearts it was not something I could relate to. She was in survival mode and this is something, of course, a choice, that is life changing. I believe John Muir footed it alone. And the weather would have been much worse if she traveled much higher up the state and thru Oregon and Washington!:wizard:
I never ever remember this friend alluding to her faith, her trust in a Higher power, even her spirit. There are some backpackers out there who decide to just go it, without that extra sense. This is a woman who did not carry a weapon yet there were Bears to be confronted. Fortunately for her, she only saw small creatures. Hibernation time period for animals?
Her shoes did not fail her and she had enough food. So she was prepared! I see this event as something not accidental. She had a walking vision quest possibly. I asked about Fear. She said she has no fear except of the dark and at that time of the day, she had her tent up. We both agreed she transcended Fear. Her eyes were on the prize of accomplishment of her goal. I would hope she communed with nature, blended with the mountain, felt invigorated from the beauties of creation.
She encouraged me to tap into a you tube and watch a video of the trail and when I did, my admiration of her challenge filled my heart. Then I learned, the true hikers start from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, some 2000+ miles and many months. She chose to do a shorter version due to vacation constraints. Here is a sample video for you arm chair enthusiasts.
ptEA_OBYIz0
She is an avid hiker. She hikes all grand places in California and Western US with a hiking club. One of her dreams was to hike the 211 + trail: John Muir Trail in the Sierras. So she started out with a number of hikers. She only had less than 3 weeks, her paid vacation. How the story goes, is that one by one each hiker dropped out, walked out. The conditions were too challenging for them. Some hurt their foot, their leg, their backs and one "flipped out". My friend, age 57, married with grown children, waved them goodbye and she finished the trek alone.
I asked her, what would make you attempt such a trail alone? She was determined, believed she was not a "quitter". ( yet I have seen her quit other things of importance) Perhaps she reached a moment of finality that it was this or she could not live with herself. The weather was cruel, hail and snow and black skies of cold as she mounted upwards to over 14,000 feet. I remember she handled Mt Whitney with aplomb so when she gauged that, it seemed perfectly fine. I lived vicariously through her story and knew in my heart of hearts it was not something I could relate to. She was in survival mode and this is something, of course, a choice, that is life changing. I believe John Muir footed it alone. And the weather would have been much worse if she traveled much higher up the state and thru Oregon and Washington!:wizard:
I never ever remember this friend alluding to her faith, her trust in a Higher power, even her spirit. There are some backpackers out there who decide to just go it, without that extra sense. This is a woman who did not carry a weapon yet there were Bears to be confronted. Fortunately for her, she only saw small creatures. Hibernation time period for animals?
Her shoes did not fail her and she had enough food. So she was prepared! I see this event as something not accidental. She had a walking vision quest possibly. I asked about Fear. She said she has no fear except of the dark and at that time of the day, she had her tent up. We both agreed she transcended Fear. Her eyes were on the prize of accomplishment of her goal. I would hope she communed with nature, blended with the mountain, felt invigorated from the beauties of creation.
She encouraged me to tap into a you tube and watch a video of the trail and when I did, my admiration of her challenge filled my heart. Then I learned, the true hikers start from the border of Mexico to the border of Canada, some 2000+ miles and many months. She chose to do a shorter version due to vacation constraints. Here is a sample video for you arm chair enthusiasts.
ptEA_OBYIz0