Saturday, May 21, 2011

Climbing Victory Mountain!

OK, it was more like a hill...whatever! More specifically,we were at Pacific City at Cape Kiwanda. My  Fearless BFF, she is our official vacation planner, thought it would be fun to climb this sand hill.  The picture is really not doing it justice because I swear it's a vertical wall of sand. When I saw it I thought to myself "she is freaking crazy, and will never plan another trip for us!!" 

There were 6 of us.  BFF and her husband, Fearless BFF and her husband, me and The Mister.  It wasn't a sunny day, but there was no rain and minimum wind.  Really can't ask for more at the Oregon Coast. Frankly, sun would have been my enemy because thqt hill was intense and the last thing I needed was warmth and sun!

So after FBFF got the Suburban stuck in the sand, then parking it in an area that we weren't supposed to (a friendly local lady was simultaneously giving us a warning about parking where we did- apparently we didn't have a boat trailer, were'nt rescuing anyone and were'nt helping someone bring in fish; the fact that Cape Kiwanda is the oldest and only port of its kind in the world for dory boats, and there is great whale watching...all that in like 10 minutes!  Who knew?) We had to move it because something about running from the Sheriff didn' at sound appealing.  Once settled.  We made our way to the Sand Wall of Death. That's what it looked like to me.  Of course FBFF and spouse, The Mister and BFF's Mister attacked the wall with a rabid vigor that was scary. They made it to the top, I swear they actually were running at one point!  BFF and I were taking it SLOW, she has a bad shin, and me? well I just need to get out more than I do and possibly get some physical therapy for the month old leg injury...  Soon BFF was ahead of me.  I was using her footsteps to get along.  Finally, after multiple stops to catch my breath and make sure that the pain I was feeling in my chest, and the numb cold feeling in my arms wasn't cardiac arrest I made it...and wow!  What a view! My husband had already already summited and kept telling me it was worth it. From my vantage point I was not so sure and considered going back down, but pressed on anyway.

That little adventure got me thinking about life.  As I was walking (and at one point practically crawling), I thought about those who have gone before me.  Family, historical figures....people who paved a way for the life I live today.  Free to go where I want, live where I want, be whoever I want to be.  People who risked their lives standing up for what is just, right and fair.  Each step I took on that dreaded sandy hill also made me think of the steps I will leave for those coming behind me and how important it is to keep going so when I make it to the top, I can let them know that yes, it is worth it!