Sunday, July 11, 2010

Jules Squared, Mt Si Domination

Attacked Mt Si today. I haven't been up Si in years...probably 7 or more. Mt Si was my first hike ever and I used to hike it a LOT. Usually 4 times a week. I would run it up and run it down. My best time up was 58 minutes and I could get down in about half that, so that usually allowed me some good hang time at the summit. I'd head out after work and be back to Seattle by dinner time. This was back when I only had ONE child to contend with. Now that I have 3 it's just a little bit more of a challenge to schedule hikes into my life.

It's funny though, how some things never change...the trail still is exactly the same as it was last time I hiked it. The same landmarks, the same funky little rocks or trees that tell you exactly where you are on the trail. I love that about the forest. And I love the smell of clean air. I love being so far away from the sounds of the city that all you can hear is the sound of the forest. And mostly, I love when I finally get to the top and can look out over the Cascades and look into the city and I actually love feeling so small in a big world. It somehow seems to put things into perspective for me. It always has.

It's a different world in the forest. You stay on the trail. You don't kill bugs (and there were plenty of them). You don't litter. You are pleasant to each person you pass, even if they're less than pleasant to you. You don't throw your gum in the forest...I'm still feeling guilty about dropping my gum from the top. Maybe we could just say it fell out of my mouth??? I didn't know what else to do!! I broke a major rule of hiking etiquette.

Julie and I started the morning at 12th Avenue Cafe and grubbed on blueberry pancakes with butter and syrup this morning before heading up the trail. Hello yummy!! Got all kinds of energy to blaze up the trail. It took us about 2 hours to reach the top. Jules (the other Jules) was a total rock star! For a girl who hasn't been doing much cardio lately and isn't conditioned for an 8 mile hike, her performance was impressive! I think it hit about 80 today, but the trail is mostly in the forest, so we didn't have too much issue with the heat. We hung at the top for about a half hour and then headed back down. I can definitely tell that my body has aged since my old hiking days. My knees were screaming in pain the last couple miles of the hike. By the time we got back to the trail head my legs were shaking...everything from my waist down hurts. My butt, my hams, my quads, my hip flexors and of course, my feet have blisters. I guess my calves are ok...at least for now.

I love being out there in the woods. It is soul therapy at its finest! Add a treasured friend to the mix and it makes for one totally AMAZING day! I think Julie is hooked on hiking too...she's ready to go again!

2 comments:

  1. Lol, I'm still feeling guilty about the gum! That was a great hike, you made it look effortless, I on the other hand was just trying to get one foot infront of the other. Great day for sure and looking forward to doing it again!

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  2. You did great!!! It was really an amazing day with you!

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