Because I Have...

...my health and my freedom, my intentions were to be thankful for that and celebrate it today!  That is how I choose to remember 9-11!  I must be one of the few hikers who has not summited Ha Ling Peak.  I have completed many that are more challenging then it but the timing has just not been right.  So today, the pink star marks my destination!

I was gung-ho when I left home under a clear sky and a decent temperature.  I was gung-ho as I left the trail head and started the ascent under a bit of cloud cover.  Many were before me so I knew there wouldn't be an issue with bears.  As I was climbing, it began to sprinkle, then shower, then rain, then pour.  The trees were not dense enough to provide shelter.   The trail got wet and muddy, and I did too.  I carried on even though I was beginning to have doubts as to whether this was smart with this weather.  I slipped a couple of times on rocks on steep sections and also noticed that those that went before me were descending.  I questioned them on the conditions and they said it got worse the further up you went and that the mountain wasn't going anywhere and they would be back another day to summit.  By now, I was drenched and all I could see were trees and clouds and fog.   My gung-ho was gone and so was I, back down the mountain.  Near the bottom I asked one of the fellows to take this photo.  I could still muster up a smile even though I was totally disappointed that I didn't make it to the top.  It was an important day for me to achieve this, and I didn't do it.  Of the 740 meters of elevation, I only completed 320 meters.

I needed to rescue this day and find happy somewhere!  I knew there would be brightness at Grassi Lakes, even on a rainy day, so off I went.  Gung-ho again!  It was as cheerful as I remembered it being.

I carried on further along the trail this time to where the pictographs were.

I was glad to have accomplished something today.  Ha Ling Peak will be around a long time.  I will tackle it again another day.  If not this year, then next.