Monday, June 09, 2008

so, i did something stupid last weekend

I thought it would be a good idea to go on a hiking trip at Mammoth Cave with the Crossroads group from my church. It was a dreadfully hot humid sweaty June Kentucky day. I thought I might be able to handle it. But there were too many hills and inclines-both of which are difficult for my back with its herniated discs. It was amazing to feel the cool air that rushed out near where the Historic Entrance tour begins.

The last leg of the hike was pretty much uphill. Mammoth Cave National Park is always beautiful. However, I’m afraid I didn’t even take in much of the scenery because I was too busy concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.It seemed like Derby was trying to pull me up the hills a few times. I’d hand his leash off to someone else so I could concentrate on myself and lifting my legs that gradually felt like they weighed a Volkswagen Jetta a piece. But, Derby insisted on staying by my side-so sweet. I think he had a good day and was one tired little puppy by the end of it.Between the heat and my back I finally had to give up and accept a ride back to the visitor’s center from a guy in our group who had gone ahead for his truck. That was real good for my pride. But the air conditioning felt so good. My friends said I should be proud of all the steps that I did take and not the ones that I didn’t. That hike was one of the first truly physically stretching-out-of-my-comfort-zone things that I have done since my back surgery. It is emotionally and mentally difficult for me to not be as outdoorsy as I used to be. I kept thinking I was almost to the top of the hill. If I could just get to the top of the hill I could make it. Then I’d stop to rest and my legs would burn. At one point my friends, David and Johnny G., asked me to turn around and look at how much of the hill I had already climbed. It was breathtaking. In more ways than one.

1 comment:

Rebecca said...

you survived the heat, but how about Derby? looks like a pretty day, anyway!