This weekend, I went to Turner Falls, OK with my two friends, Tammy and Jen. We planned a typical girl weekend of talking, eating and hanging out. We called our trip the "Pie Across Texas" tour. We gave ourselves pie nicknames (mine was Rhubarby-Jo, Jen was Mincey Meringue and Tammy was Her Highness Queen Pie). We planned on talking, eating a lot of junk food and not doing much of anything else. We chose Turner Falls because it looked pretty online but we didn't know what to expect when we go there and didn't really care since we mainly planned to lounge around anyway.
We set up camp but it was dark so we couldn't go out and look around much so we spent all of our first night, talking, eating, dancing around the cabin, telling jokes, and hanging out--all my favorite things.
The next morning, I woke up early and because it was a nice cool day, I decided to explore the area. I walked about a quarter mile to the edge of our campsite. It was gorgeous!
I started to breathe heavy and sweat a little so normally, this is where I would have stopped walking, told myself to be proud for walking even a little bit, then looked for the nearest snow cone stand (because after all, I deserved it!) But I felt different that day and decided to keep on walking.
I continued walking and noticed things I have never noticed before: deer, wild rabbits, the sound a tree makes when it sways in the breeze. The air was cool and everything smelled good. I was actually having fun.
"Betty, meet your inner athelete!", I told myself.
Now, I have spent most of my life rationalizing my way out of activity. I was a very active child until high school. Then, I started staying in more and began to gain weight. Over time, I developed the belief that I was naturally a couch potato. I learned to love myself as I was. However, there were times when I would get the urge to swim laps or run around the block and I didn't know where that was coming from. I mean, fat girls don't get to do those things, right?
Anyway, I continued walking until I reached a really steep hill. The campsites were settled on a mountain top and this big hill was the main road down the mountain. I told myself I shouldn't walk down it because that would mean I would have to walk back UP it later. "Let's be sensible about this!", I said to myself.
I knew there was no way I would make it back up. But, I wasn't ready to go back and I really wanted to see what was at the bottom of the hill so I told myself I would just call my friends to come get me in the car when I got to the bottom.
When I got to the bottom, I looked around at the shops and things, then sat on a bench to ponder whether or not I should call and wake up my friends just to come rescue me from the hill. Eventually, I gave in and called but no one heard the phone. Suddenly I was stranded with an even bigger dilemma. What should I do next?
I sat on the bench watching people drive by. I considered hitching a ride but my inner voice told me to "try".
My feet hurt, my ankles were starting to swell and I was beginning to get hot and sweaty. I try real hard to never experience any of those things! But I went ahead and started walking UP that hill.
The first few steps were hard. Real Hard. I kept on going and it seemed to be getting easier as I walked on. Was that even possible?
Then, I hit the halfway point and thought I was gong to die. Every step was pure agony. I was hot and miserable and my heart was pounding. Cars were driving by more often and I started to become angry that no one had offered me a ride.
So, I took a break and sat down to feel sorry for myself. I sat there about 2 minutes until I found the strength to get up and get going again.
Step by step I inched my way up and soon enough, I saw the top of the mountain. Then, something changed inside of me.
I WANTED to get to the top of that mountain.
I had to prove to myself that I could do it.
My pace quickend and my mood lifted. I was merely yards from the top when a nice lady stopped to offer me a ride. "No thanks" I said. "I think I'd like to make it to the top!" I kept on walking.
Eventually I MADE IT! I didn't pass out, or fall over or embarrass myself at all. I did it! and it was FUN!
I was so amazed at myself that I didn't know what to do so I practically sprinted back to the cabin to tell my friends. We drove the car along the path I took and with the help of the mileage meter, realized that I had taken a 3 MILE HIKE that morning.
[gasp!] Me? I HIKED somehere? 3 MILES???!!!! I was surprised, bewildered and most of all AMAZED.
From that point on, there was no stopping me. My friends and I went shopping that morning, then swimming and hiking in the afternoon. We found plants and animals and hidden caves. It was so fun! Of course we spent our evening talking and hanging out plus eating pie and snow cones.
The next day I woke up and felt like a truck hit me. I was so sore that I couldn't hardly move. I was miserable but I felt better knowing that I had accomplished something and that for once, the pain was well-earned.
We ate a little snack and started to pack up our camp. Our plan was to look at one last nature site before returning home.
I could hardly walk but somehow managed to hike over to the 77-foot waterfall that is the pride of the park. It was gorgeous but I was so tired that I couldn't really enjoy it. All I wanted to do was lay down somewhere and watch TV (my favorite all-purpose activity).
Then we noticed some ruckus in the corner of the beach. We looked up and noticed a couple girls waving from a cave in the side of a mountain.
"How'd they get up there?" we asked everyone. We were directed to a path of rock outcroppings that led up the mountain. We all looked at each other and Jen said, "No way! I am tired!" I was too. But I kind of wanted a picture from the cave. I surveyed the path. "It doesn't look too bad!", I called out to my girls.
Tammy came over and we decided to give it a try while Jennifer stayed at the bottom to catch us when we fell (or at least get a good picture of the carnage).
Tammy led the way. Neither one of us had ever climbed a mountain before. Of course this one would have been considered easy to a seasoned climber but to me, it was the biggest physical challenge I have ever experienced.
On and on we climbed as the path became steeper and footholes became harder to find. We somehow became separated from the other climbers and were now on our own.
I will be honest. It was scary. I was worried I would lose my footing or lose my balance or worse...break one of my fabulously french manicured nails. [gasp!]
We couldn't find the cave but Tammy led the way as we crawled up that mountain. Several times we wanted to quit and then Tammy would say, "awww let's go a few more steps. We are almost to the top." So we would take a few more shaky steps until eventually we reached the top and saw
nothing
but
sky.
It was one of the most awesome things I have ever experienced. We got Jen's attention and posed for some pics and then I sat down to process what had just happened.
We had just climbed a freaking mountain.
I did it!!!
Me! The fat chick who hates to sweat! I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I started to cry.
If anyone had told me last year that I would have climbed a mountain, I would have smacked them for lying. I didn't have the strength to walk through the mall without complaining last year!
Now, I can't wait to do it again!
