A Mount Timpanogos Redo…so much better the 2nd time!

Two years ago I did something exciting and fun, but quite stupid…I hiked a big (very big) mountain without any type of conditioning to my body what-so-ever. Boy, did I pay the price for that adventure! For days and days afterward, it didn’t matter how much I told my brain to move my legs…they would NOT move. I promised myself then and there that I would conquer that mountain again someday, but I would be smarter about it the next round. Oh…and, I’d get me some better shoes.

A few weeks ago my good husband Mike (who carried the backpack), my dear friend Heidi (who has been my conditioning partner for many months now), my mom and dad (who watched my boys), and the nice shoe-sales lady at Scheels helped me keep that promise.

Can I just tell you what a difference a little conditioning (and some good hiking shoes) can make? By the end of our 8 1/2 hour hike I was sore and tired, but NOTHING like the last time. When I woke up the next day my brain could tell my legs to move and they would move! It was a small miracle.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day to do this hike. It was cool and overcast, but no rain. The mountain side was lush and green, the wild flowers were out in a way I’ve never seen wild flowers before (breathtaking), the company was superb; and aside from the little incident with the moose that made me wet my pants a little, it was a perfect adventure.

Did I mention the wild flowers?

My Aunt Rosie said it best…God is truly the best gardener.

I closed my eyes while I took this picture. Can you say “Vertigo?”

 
Of course the views are always spectacular at the top of big mountains.  It was cold up there, but that didn’t stop the chipmunk from eating all the cashews from our trail mix. They were so cute, we couldn’t refuse them.

I was too busy responding to my fight-or-flight mechanism to take a picture of the moose, but let me assure you that he was a big daddy, and close enough for me to reach out and touch. At first I was just grateful he wasn’t a bear, but have been told many times since that a bear would have been a better. Can this be true?

A few conclusions after my Mount Timpanogos Redo:

Conclusion #1: Conditioning before hiking a big mountain is highly recommended

Conclusion #2: I live in a beautiful place that I too often take for granted

Conclusion #3: I have good people in my life to help me reach my goals. Thanks all!

Conclusion #4: I missed hiking with you Uncle Brad. I hope we can do it together again next time.