At the age of 48, after the demise of my 25 year marriage, I found myself looking for an outlet. Working in a stressful profession, which is often “dark” and depressing, one needs a reminder of the good in the world. Having never been much of a “nature” girl, I was intrigued by the concept of hiking…. Fresh air, nice scenery, and perhaps folks kind enough to share the experience. Keep in mind, while certainly not out of shape, I was by no means “athletic” and my idea of a “hike” at the time was a walk around the block.
Nevertheless, I joined a local MeetUp group and scheduled my first adventure. A “hike”, 3 miles, in the local hills. Essentially, it was one hill equating to about 650 feet elevation gain, on a gravel fire road. Easy…. Right? Not so much. I was with a group of 6, and quickly realized I was “that” person. I….. was the weakest link…… Uggghhhhh
Imagine, if you will, someone whose “story” had taught them to always remain in control. Mottos I lived by were “Never let them see you sweat” and “never (I mean never) let anyone see you aren’t perfect.” Well, I very quickly thought I was going to die on that hill and found I had to stop every few feet. Oxygen was lacking, and sweat was pouring. Not a pretty sight. I clearly was not in as good a shape as I thought, and there was no way in hell I was going to keep up with the group. I was horrified, embarrassed, ashamed, and mortified every time the leader of the group had to come back and check on me….. Let alone wait for me.
Needless to say, I didn’t make it to the top of the hill that day, and I didn’t become fast friends with the others in the group. Can’t even begin to say I enjoyed myself, not sure I was able to even articulate the “nature” that I saw, and I returned home with my tail between my legs convinced I would never be and could never be…. a hiker.
Fast forward a few months, with no subsequent hikes behind me, I found myself speaking to someone about how I “couldn’t” hike and would NEVER be a “hiker”. They suggested to me that perhaps, just perhaps, all I needed to do was DO IT…… you know….. practice. What! Could it really be that simple? Worth a try, I suppose, but certainly not with others. No way I could endure that embarrassment again.
In September 2015, I set to the local hills on my own, and at times with one friend, to test the theory. Could I really become a hiker….. one step at a time?
I began hiking every weekend, initially the same simple route. Up the hill, to the tower and back. 3.16 miles, 695 feet of gain. Initially I had to stop 4 times before making it to the top…… yes… that’s 4 times over the course of 1.6 miles. Within a month, I was able to walk to the top without any stops. Slow as a turtle, but no stopping….. Success! Ultimately, I began adding a little distance, and a few more hills, but still in the privacy of my own skin. The thought of risking embarrassment with others, was still a bit much for my ego to endure.
Fast forward again, to November 2015 when I was turned on to a local hiking group. I must give credit where credit is due….. The “510 Hikers” got me into the groove. They hike every weekend, different trails around the East Bay and beyond, and they hike in large numbers. Some are really fast (“The Cheetahs”) and others are really slow (“The Turtles”) and many are all speeds in between. With them I found security in numbers and learned quickly that no matter my speed, there was always someone right there with me. The support and camaraderie were everything I had hoped for. My spirits lifted, and I knew then that I could do this. I was exposed to nature around me I didn’t even know existed, and I fell in love with hiking. On 11/29/15, I pledged my commitment to complete the “52 hike challenge”. This was to be an average of 1 hike per week, over the course of a year.
My weekly hikes were no longer solo, as I became part of their group and often found myself getting up at 5am, on a Saturday, to ensure I made the hike. When I started, 6 miles was a lot and although very difficult, I was amazed I could make it. Let’s not kid ourselves, it certainly warranted a nap upon my arrival home. Within months, I was complaining when we went no further than 9. Although never a Cheetah, I grew comfortable with my “middle of the road” pace and I enjoyed the adventure whether there was anyone around me or not……. Through that experience, a hiker was born.
By the end of the year, I was hiking religiously, and on Facebook I kept proclaiming to my friends that I was “training for something.” I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was BIG! In December, I took over as the organizer for the very MeetUp group who took me on my first, epic failure of a hike. Now, not only was I a hiker….. I was leading others in hiking a well. While on one of our local strolls, I met a man who spoke of nothing other than his summit of Half Dome. Having no idea what he was speaking of, I was intrigued by the cables, the distance, and the feat of conquering it. At that moment I knew….. Half Dome was what I was training for. It would test it all…… my endurance, my fear of heights, my speed, and my perseverance….. It was going to be tough, but I had no doubt I would get there.
I completed my 52 hike challenge, on 4/24/16 (just 5 month after starting it), after logging 427.5 miles. Along the way I saw some amazing things, met some amazing people, and gained some amazing insight. I had grown as a person, I had become a leader, and more importantly I had become a hiker….. Half Dome was in my sites.