I CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!!!!

..........With a lot of help from my friends..... 

And the inspiration of my dear 9 year old grandson, Dylan.

I have always wanted to hike Mount Timpanogos.

A few months ago our Relief Society announced they were going

in August.  So I have been really trying to get prepared by going on

5-6 mile walks several times a week and some 5-10 mile bike rides

with Dylan and alone.  I have felt like I was making good progress and

really getting in better shape than I have been for a while.

So I talked to the sisters in charge and said "sign me up".

Boy!! was I overestimating myself!!!

We started out up the Timpanokee side at 4:30 a.m.

We reached the saddle 5 hours later and every minute of that

5 hours was a struggle for me.  For whatever reason, I could not

get enough air in my poor lungs.  I was terribly short of breath the 

entire way.  About a third of the way up, one of the priesthood brethren 

with us, Brent Harper, took my pack and carried it the rest of the way. 

I would have never made it to the top otherwise.

The view from the top was magnificent but sadly quite hazy from 

all the fires.  Didn't make for a great picture.

This is ME at the Saddle...... PROOF that I truly did make it!

Our group at the Saddle

Susan Curtis, Suzanne Terry, Kim and Becky Strasburg, Brent Harper,

Brother Hall, Diane Scruggs, Christine Forstner, Tina Boley

On the way down.... playing in the snow..

We went down the Aspen Grove side.  This is looking back up to the

top where we have just come down.  MILES of these rocks!!

I got so sick of rocks by the time I was done!!

The snow above and a close up of the sliders coming down below.

My special helpers.... Susan and Brent and I at Emerald Lake.

Emerald Lake

Robert's Horn

Beautiful meadow

If it wasn't so hazy you could see out in the distance 

Deer Creek Reservoir.  It was a beautiful site but 

the picture doesn't do it justice.

We are less than half way down the mountain at the point of this picture.  

I am feeling pretty good about things.... although it is VERY difficult

terrain and I am getting very tired of rocks! On the way up I did

not hurt anywhere.... just couldn't get my breath.  But about now

my left knee starts to hurt.  And it continues to hurt more intensely

with every mile until by the last two miles I am shuffling!!!

Poor Brent and Susan have to put up with me!! I looked like

Tim Conway when he used to imitate that old man on the

Carol Burnett show!! I was barely making any progress.

If I was to tell you from a 0-10 how bad my pain in that knee was

I would say a 15!!!  With every step I just wanted to cry.

Needless to say..... the site of the parking lot was like

seeing the Celestial Kingdom!!  It was 4:45 p.m. when we got

in the car.  12 hours on that mountain!

10 hours of HELL for me!! 

(I did enjoy maybe 2 hours of it)

SO....maybe just maybe I'll do it again and

see if I can do it better next time.

But for now...

I did not do it well or with class or finesse

but I DID IT!