Climbing Mt. Monadnock

Every year I keep saying to myself that I should climb Mt. Monadnock in Jaffrey, NH.  It's a big mountain about 25 minutes from my parents house.  It's the most climbed mountain in the United States actually. 

I had thought about doing a trail run or a half marathon around there that weekend but balked at the thought of paying to do so.  I did however just make a spur of the moment decision that this year would actually be the year I climbed the mountain. 

I went with my sister and wasn't sure what to expect.  I'd hiked Mt. Watatic, which is five minutes from our house, before.  I'd actually ran to the mountain and ran to the top and back home once.  It wasn't all that difficult of a hike, although the first time I did it I kept thinking I was near the top.

Monadnock seemed to be a great idea with the weather being so nice and clear.  It wasn't too hot, and I actually was dressed in long sleeves.  I definitely drank more water than I thought I would and ended up running out of it before I reached the top. 

Now Monadnock was my first real hike, but I didn't know how much more real it would be than Watatic.

Monadnock actually involved rock climbing...not the straight up vertical kind, but more vertical than I had ever done before.  It was this sort of challenge and rock climb that made me find the hike challenging and different. 

I have to admit that it took forever to get out of the tree line, which I knew meant I was making progress. 

I also remember going, we have to be close, maybe 75% of the way there and then I saw a sign that practically screamed back at me, "Hey buddy, you are only half way there." 

My fitness was fine of course, I was getting to the top no matter how long it took, I just was hoping it wasn't quite so far.  As I kept going higher the trees got thinner and thinner and there were several times when I saw no trees and just blue sky ahead of me above what had to have been my final ascent.  I thought to myself "Wow this is it, we are finally there" only to find another steep rock to climb up when I arrived at the top of the previous one. 

As I was climbing I thought of those rocks as a metaphor for life.  You keep thinking you have reached the summit, and where you want to go, but in reality there is still more to climb. 

I heard a young couple say that this is where most people typically stop.  Buoyed by that I of course said to myself that I'm not going to be like the poor souls who are 3/4 of the way their and decide to turn around. 

I might have been annoyed to see that I still had 30 minutes of climbing bare rock left, but I was full speed ahead. 

I finally reached the top about two and a half hours after I began.  I stopped and took some photos on the way and when I reached the top I made sure to both enjoy how beautiful the scenery is, to tweet from the top, and take photos.  I could see Mt. Watatic, Franklin Pierce University and about where our house should be.

It was a great hike in a really pretty area and I am so glad I did it.  The rock climbing was more challenging and I loved the metaphor with life.  Just keep climbing.  Eventually you will get there. 

The way down was pretty easy by the way.  Sometimes I had to slide down, but it was only about 90 minutes to get back down the mountain. 

This is crazy

Here is video of my sister's friend/boyfriend...

I don't want to define the relationship here...

Anyway, this helps explain why he is often breaking bones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOF-rGKkw4g

This is crazy.  I want to ride rail trails...the whole idea of jumping in the woods is not quite so appealing to me.

My cousin also does this sort of riding.  He is a former Marine and is obviously much tougher than I am. 

Bike Ride

 I love bike rides for charity and I found this one through a former UCWS player who posted it on facebook.  

http://pedalaide.com/blog.html

One day I want to do a charity ride.  I think people can choose a few leisure sports.  Cycling is certainly one of mine.  I've realized that I probably can't make time for Cycling and Golf etc.  So if I choose to put time and money into one, it will be cycling.  I think I'd love to figure out how to get involved in something like the Wounded Warriors.