Some moments when the clouds blanket the sky and cover the moon and stars, completely.
The is air cool and crisp. It would be beautiful... if only it weren't 4:30 in the morning. I'm not quite awake and I'm wishing I was still in bed, with blankets over my head. Yet, somehow, I've been talked into hiking. Up a peak. In the dark. Yesterday this seemed like the best idea. Now, I'm seeing some draw backs...
I trail behind my two "friends" who had this bright idea. One with sure, determined strides.The other stumbles forward ahead of me voicing the same thoughts I'm currently thinking. "Why are we hiking THIS early?"
"Sunrise is at 6:15" the reply comes flavored with an accent.
It's his only response.
For some reason he thinks that we too can think logically. I shake my head. I put an effort into putting one foot in front of the other to keep myself from stumbling or walking into a cactus. Because really, that would be a horrible way for the morning to start.
The ground under me begins to slope downward into a wash. My hiking boots sink into the loose sand. I trudge through it and up the other side over loose rock and not so firm sand. Gradually, the earth under my feet turns to a bed of rough rock and begins an upward incline. Despite the cool desert morning air I begin to sweat and I feel the need to stop and breathe but, I don't bother to voice my complaint. I shoulder onward. Soon, the rocks I'm treading on grow larger and the sand becomes more sparse as the rocks grown in size. "oh my god." I mutter to myself. "What WAS I thinking?" How in the world did this seem like such a brilliant idea just the afternoon before?
Finally, both of my fellow hikers are ready for a break and I collapsed to a rock that seems rather conveniently placed.
"Another 20 minutes." It's the unexpected break in the silence that has me looking up and up. It has to be another almost thousand feet up to the peak. Switching back and forth.
Yeah.
Right.
Lies.
I close my eyes. Take a deep breath and tell myself today is NOT the day I die and I most certainly WILL do this. One more swallow of water and up we go..
The trail is completely uneven now. Weaving to and fro. Going ever upward, the rocks are boulders now and in some places I have to climb over them(Which I find way more fun. Yes, I'm an odd duck.)
20 more minutes after we'd stopped for a break, we stop again. No, we're not at the top. There's another 100 feet and it's pretty much straight up. For the first time this morning I smile. Light has begun to creep over the horizon and the view laid out before me is more than just lovely. I take a deep breath before climbing to my feet. The others have already begun their ascent. I follow, hand over hand, I pull myself upward. I take a minute to pause, looking out to the light creeping into the sky I'm finally completely awake and I remember why I wanted to do this...
I finish my climb to the top and sit to watch the sunrise.
This is what beauty is...
It's a painted sky above the rocky, high desert. It's cool air over heated skin.
It's a moment of accomplishment when you've made it to the top and you have all the time in the world to enjoy what lies before you.
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