Burly Mountain Woman

In one of the student-led discussions in my Comp class this semester, we were asked what our dream vacation would look like.  In thinking of an answer to this question (an answer that I ultimately never found—just so many great places I’d like to visit), I couldn’t help but think back through all of the great vacations that I’ve been fortunate enough to take throughout my life.

Included in these are the several visits I have made to the state of Colorado with my handsome husband.  Before we married I wouldn’t have been considered what people might call an “outdoorsy” girl, and although I still might not be considered that now, my extremely active and “outdoorsy” husband has brought at least some wilderness and adventure out of me.  The first vacation we ever went on, other than our honeymoon to Hawaii, was an extended weekend vacation to Colorado Springs, during which we hiked and biked all over Garden of the Gods and the Pikes Peak recreational areas.  On our way back to Oklahoma my husband commented that we might need to train a little bit before we go the next time, and I remember thinking to myself, Hmmm, if you have to train for it, is it really considered a vacation?  At that point in my life, vacations to me were not painted with rigorous activities for which one must train.

Gray's Peak, September 2007

Well, my view of vacations eventually changed thanks to our second trip to Colorado in the summer of 2007.  When planning for our visit to the Keystone area of CO, my husband told me that he wanted to hike Gray’s Peak, one of over 50 “14ers” (peaks over 14,000 feet) in the state.  I replied that I would be more than game to do that; after all, I really enjoy leisurely hikes in the beauty of the Rockies.  Boy, was I in for a surprise!  Hiking a 14er can be described in many ways, none of which should include the word “leisurely,” in my opinion.  And although I was in okay shape (not the best, but certainly not horrible), there was a point about a quarter of a mile from the summit where I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to make it.

Mt. Elbert, August 2009

I did make it, however, and the experience really impacted me in a way I never expected.  For one, I realized that I had just accomplished my greatest physical feat up to that point; this was one of the greatest rushes I had ever experienced.  Secondly, I realized that I wanted to do it again… and again… and again.  Two years later we traveled to Aspen (actually, kind of just ended up there—long story) and summited Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s tallest peak.  The year after that we took students from our church to a leadership camp in Lake City, CO, where we were able to summit Handies Peak with our entire group.  Ever since, we have been regular visitors to 14ers.com where we have been searching for the next peak we want to climb.

Handie's Peak, August 2010

When I think back on the best vacations I have ever been on, these peak hikes are right there at top of the list.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited some amazing places, but there’s nothing that quite compares to standing on the top of a mountain summit knowing that I’ve just spent myself hiking to that very spot, to feel the burn in my lungs and my legs and know that I’ve accomplished this.