Session Review (Sunday, February 19th)

I didn't really know what to expect for the day ahead as I arose 7:30a.m. Sunday morning. The whole week prior was hectic and up in the air so I wasn't sure of what we were doing until Wednesday and all of the final details wouldn't come together until about 9:30 the day of the hike. The weather forecast said rain and snow at +1000 ft. Basically I didn't know if we were going to have much success with our trip, but luckily we got the rides figured out and made the trip to Tiger Mountain with little in the way of problems. I was excited that we were able to get my brother Ronnie and niece Alice to tag along, though I didn't realize how tough the hike would be.

The review I read of the trail said it was well maintained with a sharp incline for roughly a mile, followed by a more gentle sloping incline to the top of the first summit. This was not the case as the entire trail was steeply up hill. Alice made her dismay at this very clear to the rest of us, though it was more for dramatic effect than anything. The weather was dry for the most part and the scenery was beautiful. 

Before we hit the trail, I noticed that Zach has brought his Vibrams so I changed out of my big, warm, waterproof, steel toe boots and slipped my little foot gloves on. Within the first hour they were soaked through, of course, and as the elevation increased the temperature decreased. It wasn't too long before we reached the snow line, becoming increasingly aware that the choice to bring the Vibrams may have been an unfortunate one. Our feet eventually went numb, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, we soldiered through and pressed on to the top. We would have made the climb a bit quicker, but there were frequent stops in which we let the slower bunch catch up with the turbo bunch. Ronnie and Alice haven't been out hiking for quite a while so we had to take it easier for them because this was not much of a beginners hike.

The whole upper half of the trail was like this.  Cold feet for sure. 

Though the conditions were less than optimal, and Alice was convinced she wouldn't make it to the top, we eventually did. The view was mostly clouds, though you could see the surrounding peaks and snow dusted trees all around. It was really beautiful and stunning in it's own way. We settled in to eat and that's when we noticed the birds.

Alice kept getting spooked when the birds would come to land on her hand. 

I don't know what kind of bird this is, but they are fat little grey things that will fly down and eat right out of your hand. They have almost no fear and will try just about anything you give them. They were absolutely digging the cucumber I had, though carrots were a no-go. I imagine next time I come up I'm going to bring a whole bag of sunflower seeds just for the little guys because they were an amazing surprise and really made the trip worth it.

We finished eating and Alex hugged Zach's frozen feet for a bit. Just before we were getting ready to head back down, a nice group of old folks asked us to take a picture of them, which I agreed to do so long as they would get one of us, which they graciously accepted. 

At the top!

We hung out for a bit longer, but all that standing around was making my feet unbearably cold. It was like a phantom pain because I couldn't feel my toes or heels or anything, but it was all on fire. So Zach and I had to take off before everyone else and thus began the experience that was the descent.

Coming up was slick, but coming down was worse, I started out running which soon became just sliding down hill on my feet that at this point felt like little iron bars attached to my ankles. I really felt like the Disney version of Tarzan where he's surfing through the trees with his bare feet, only I was dodging hikers and their dogs on the way down. There were a few points where the steep hill would turn sharply and Zach nearly went over the edge on one of these. It was a great way to train being completely in the moment because depending on the terrain you might have to base out and slide, or step over and around rocks or roots, or hit the brakes, or run, or jump. All the while there's the very real danger of falling, either on the trail or off the trail. It was a whole lot of fun and I would love to go and do it again, though maybe in some warmer footwear.

We finally made it down past the snow line and the rest of the trail was a breeze. We would stop and chat with fellow hikers, or run, or pick up logs and throw them down the hill, or just mosey on down bullshitting with each other. Eventually feeling came back into my feet and I escaped with all of my toes. It was a really amazing hike and I had an awesome time.

Zach and I left our mark on the sign at the head of the trail. We were muddy and cold, but it was a great experience.

After the drive back home, we went out for coffee (Sara got to ride the Harley, lucky girl) and talked as is the usual procedure. We all figured that we had nothing else to do for the day, so we loaded up and went back to Brigadoon Elementary. Alice came with and we spent the rest of the day (and some of the night) playing soccer, messing around with the rope dart/3 section staff/nunchucks, and sword fighting with the Nerf swords. Once the sun went down Zach went and attached a glow stick to his rope dart and we had a little light show. I even got to let Alice swing it around for a bit, which she took to pretty well.

All in all it was an amazing day. It took all the stress and difficulty of the week and washed it away. It's great to be able to go out and accomplish something that is challenging, and to be able to include friends and family only makes it that much more special. There's also something incredible about the power of play. I can't explain all that well, but when I said my farewells to everyone for the night, I was bummed that it had to end, but I also felt rejuvenated on a spectacular level. My soul felt lighter and I couldn't help but to smile.

Like always, I look forward to next Sunday. It's a day of escape that I am finding invaluable to my mental and physical well-being. Thanks to everyone who came out! Next week will be Saint Edwards Park up in Kirkland. You are all invited, and if the radio tells true, we may have some snow to mess around in.