It may just be time to tell you about this weekend's hike to Wolf Creek...the one that has left that part where my arms connect to my shoulders aching. I am wondering if there is some sort of transplant I can sign up for, or better yet...a way to pop my arms off, massage a bit of oil in the joints and put them back on. It's times like this that I wish I was more like the Tin Man and I could just carry an oil can around for emergencies. I refuse to believe that it has anything to do with me getting older, but choose to instead, entertain the idea this malady has been caused by having to hoist myself up rocks and over felled trees as I scrabbled after Rich.
...whom was seriously considering turning back at one point because there's actually no trail down to the Falls - only bracken, rocks, bushes and branches. I promised him that it would be worth it and, "...we're so close already..."So. On we went.
At the giving up point in the hike, I was already feeling ashamed there was no trail - thinking that it was perhaps my fault? (finding myself mumbling about "crazy no trails Arizona") But the bigger issue...
My intense fear of crossing running water. It's horrible, palatable and I find myself feeling breathless even thinking about it safe at home on the couch. I have a fear of crossing water. I am afraid I won't make it without getting my feet wet. Ant to be fair, when I usually attempt to cross water, I usually do get my feet wet...although, it's so much easier to pass this off as something I mean to do when it's warmer out.
Cold rushing creeks this time of year = snow melt = cold. Also, wet feet = not comfortable hiking.
Mostly though, I'm afraid to cross water because I'm scared I will slip and make a fool out of myself. Which is, a normal fear...but seeing as I view myself as a bit of a bumbler, I'm finding when hiking it sometimes takes an exhausting amount of personal energy to just be OK.
When we came up on a place to cross the creek very early on in the hike that had a few unstable logs and whatnot, I got about half way across and froze. "I can't do this" (which came out as a half laugh and half apology, because I was trying not to burst into tears...or fall...all while supporting myself on what had become 2 very shaky legs) I managed to make my way back to more solid ground and tried to wave Rich on. I figured I would stay to the right...a way that I thought I'd hiked to the falls before.
Apparently the right side is the easier side...as told to us by a group of younger people who waded across the creek fearlessly (to be fair though, they had rubber boots on). Being on the easier side of the hike probably doesn't explain my very sore arms, but there you go.
Rich said someday I'll need to face my fear.
We'll see.
You'll be happy to know, all paralyzing fear aside, it was a beautiful hike, and I shredded on the way out...hardly breathless as we hiked up up up back to the Titan...which makes me think that the almost daily trips to the gym are paying off.
Now, I wonder if they offer classes in walking across water?
3 comments:
beautiful scenery!
I guess it all depends on your definition of the world 'trail'. :)
There is always a trail if you know where you want to go, sometimes you just have to blaze it yourself.
Glad you guys made it to the bottom of the falls (and without getting wet!) for the picture taking. Definitely worth the trouble.
Me and a buddy hiked down that way a few weeks ago, and followed it all the way past the confluence with the Hassayampa river to an old mining claim. No trails, but beautiful scenery.
Try using 2 hiking poles.
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