I thought I was going to DIE part 2

So we are ready to begin the hike. This lovely parking area is .8 miles from the trailhead up a paved blacktop road.  Yep, hiking on a blacktop road in the beating sun in 100+ degree weather makes for the best hiking experience possible.  I would also like to add that we all started with the legs attached to our convertible pants, however it was not long into the hike, Id say a good 30 minutes that the legs were off of our convertible pants. 

.8 miles up the blacktop road and we reach the trail head.  The trailhead advises that the roundtrip hike is about 7.4 miles from that spot, and roughly 3.2 miles to the summit.  Mind you im only .8 miles into this ordeal, and im sucking wind like i just saw a bear and had to run for my life, and Im soaking wet already from the gallons of sweat that poured out in just the hike from the car. 

Every notice I read suggested you bring about 2 liters of water on this hike.  I thought I would be on the safe side and fill up my 2L hydration bladder and then take a 32 oz Nalgene along for good measure. 

Off we go past the trailhead sign to the immediate ascent up this mountain.  The summit is between 3200-3300 ft so the first 2 miles of this hike are all uphill.  And by uphill just think of like a two mile staircase cause that would have been about as easy.

For the life of me, Im about a mile into this hike and im exhausted I cant seem to catch my breath.  Im stopping like every 200yds to catch my breath and my heart is beating out of my chest.  My heart is beating so hard I can feel the blood surging around my brain making my head throb.  For the life of me I cannot figure out why I am so worn out only a mile into this hike.  I mean I havent even gotten to the fun part, so far this trail is like every other wooded hilly trail Ive ever been on and im ready to turn my butt around and go home. 

Well later I think to myself, let me remind you, my brain is not fully functioning, remember the part where the head is throbbing..........I think to myself, I just need some water and some sugar and ill be good to go.  So I take a good drink of water, and pop an air head in my mouth.  Well not only is my brain not working, my mouth isnt working either, and I about choke on the air head, so I have to cough this up.  for the record....Orange flavored Air Heads burn the throat when you choke on them and have to cough them up. 

Luckily, the girls had decided it was time to stop and eat lunch.  As if I was going to complain about stopping I had been stopping every two hundred yards this whole time, I was excited about the thought of them taking a break to eat, while I took off my backpack and just sat there for 20 minutes and caught my breath. 

As we sat there I nibbled on some fruit and nut trail mix, but honestly I didnt want to eat all I wanted to do was drink some water, and get my butt off the mountain and into the AC.  What the heck was I thinking doing this hike. 

Well after about 20 minutes the girls were full of energy, and I had finally caught my breath so it was time to load up and head out.  I dont know about you, but I have never really enjoyed that cold feeling when you put on a wet shirt, or your shirt is wet and youve been sitting and the wetness touches your skin.  Well that is all I felt as I strapped that backpack on. 

It couldnt have been too long after lunch when we finally found ourselves at the beginning of the rock scramble.  For days I had looked forward to this part of the Journey.  I had watched every youtube video made of this, and now that I was here, I felt so crappy I just wanted to turn my butt around, and find the fastest way back to the car which had 6 gallons of water, and AC. 

Now, dont get me wrong, the rock scramble was amazing, and would have been totally awesome had I of felt better, but I was so exhausted by this point I couldnt really enjoy all that I was getting to see and do. 

This is pretty much what it looked liked everytime I found a place to plant my butt. 



About two thirds of the way up to the summit I had a startling realization.  Nothing fantastic, I just realized I was already out of water.  Yes thats right, the full two liters of water in my hydration bladder and all 32oz in my nalgene is gone.  I might should also mention that the hike to the summit is roughly 3.2 miles, and its still another 5+ miles back to the car. We havent even made it to the summit yet and I am out of water.  I am exhausted, I have no energy, and I still need to climb about another 800ft in elevation to reach the summit and then I have a 5 mile hike back to the car.  Ohh and its still over 100 degrees out here. 



Part three arriving soon.