Just Your Average Saturday--Not!

A couple of weeks ago, the Bishop mentioned that he would like the youth to hike the Y for a morningside. Now I have never done this hike in all the years I've lived here and thought it was something I would like to do. Having hiked the Timpanogos Cave trail probably four or five years ago, I asked someone how it compared. They said that it was an okay hike with a few steep spots. I felt a bit relieved as I didn't think I would survive that hike. Ian, however, told me that the Y hike was much harder because it's not paved whereas the other one is.

About 30 steps into the one mile hike, I could hardly breathe. Now, this is my first major exercise/activity since my surgery a year ago. Ian said, "Out of breath already?" I knew I was in trouble. Maggie has been struggling with her asthma for a couple of weeks and didn't bring her inhaler. She and I (with Ian's support) brought up the not-quite-the-rear going slowly but surely up the switchbacks. (Total elevation change: 980 feet. It is rated as "an easy, albeit steep" hike.) We got a couple of pictures at the start and top, but I couldn't even hold the camera still enough to get a decent picture along the way.

I texted John my dying thoughts along the way, stopped at each switchback to rest for a minute, then continued on. It took about 45 minutes (13 songs on my iPod), and we stayed up there for about a half hour.

It took about 20 minutes to come down and we were back home by 9:45. It is something I can cross off my list, but I don't know that I'd do it again!