The mountain that Chrysa grew up on is littered with hiking trails. We learned that the first time we reached the summit. After all the eating and drinking we were doing, we had to keep our physical activity levels up. After the successful run to the top, we decided to try one of the hiking trails the next day.
The day we decided to hike was not nearly as hot as the run day. It was cooler and less humid. I’m not sure we would have attempted climbing the mountain again if the weather was like the first time. We set off in the Jeep to the parking area by the trail head in the early afternoon. You really couldn’t ask for a nicer day. At the parking area we were greeted by the sight of an old train trestle. Surprisingly it is still in use and from what I understand Hollywood has used the spot we were standing on for movies.
We hiked up a short rise that lead to a stunning view of the trestle above and the small river valley below. The trail we were on circled back to the road and the trail heads that lead up the mountain. We knew what to expect in terms of elevation and grade from the run the day before. This time we knew to take it slow and pace ourselves. It was going to be a long way to the top on already aching legs.
The path we took didn’t look too steep and it seemed to lead to the train tracks. Since we were hiking, we really wanted to get some good pictures of the points of interest. The first thing we stumbled upon was a broken down old shack. I have no idea how long it had been there, but it was proof that this was an old area steeped in history. Just past the shack was the train tracks and a good place to catch our breath.
We soon realized that the path we were on was not going to get us to the top, so we doubled back and chose a different track. The new path was straight up. I was time to buckle down and make some progress.
I hike up was steep. The terrain was a mix of dirt path, rock, and loose gravel. We had to be pretty careful along the way. There was a good chance of injury and that would spoil our vacation in an instant. Thankfully we didn’t have any problems. The path did have some level spots that offered some relief and the opportunity for a Kodak moment.
The view from the top was even better than the day before. At the summit there is an uninterrupted view of the valley below, and a bench to sit on and enjoy the moment. We lingered for as long as we could before beginning the hike back down.
When we left the top, the goal was to hike back down, not fall back down the mountain. Sore legs and loose gravel doesn’t make for an easy trek, so we really took it slow and easy, making sure to take breaks.
As we exited the trail under the trestle we were both overcome with a sense of accomplishment. I was so thrilled that I made Chrysa do a Vine video proclaiming that she just climbed a mountain. I was ecstatic that we could enjoy the day together and explore another corner of Chrysa’s “backyard.”
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