A Hiking Story

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Hiking is a very strange thing to me and something I never quite understood in my twenties.

Adult life is already so miserable so why would I take a trip going up a mountain with my legs burning only to see a somewhat pretty view.

This year I think I finally got it.

Since 2016 hiking has been growing in the age of social media. Hiking since 2016 has increased by 3 million and number is set to grow maybe because of Covid.

Utah as a state has encouraged tourism by not only being the land of Latter Day saints but of the greatest outdoor adventures. 

Social media has also givin hiking a real boost giving a since of FOMO for missing out on outdoor adventures.

Let’s be honest that is a part of it. I personally have seen pretty two things on every dating profile and that’s a hiking photo followed by a Photo of someone traveling to some country.

My First Hike

So my story really begins about 4 years ago when I first attempted a hike.

The first hike was a sunrise Hike to Tigers mountain or Poo Poo point. I ended up going with a large group of friends and I guess I have two takeaways.

It gave me an opportunity to talk with people I hadn’t before. It was the start of a friendship with a Girl named Carin and we are still great friends today and it all started because of how much we sucked on that hike. The view does stay with you. I still remember the beautiful sunrise and the jumping off point and how the city looked. I will never pull an all nighter before a sunrise hike ever again.

 

My roommate had work that day and got into a bumper accident and we had the most miserable breakfast of my entire life. I thought I was one and done.

My Second Hike

This one I was a bit in over my head. It started out as a camping trip which is the main reason I went. Was going be a boys weekend. I’ve always liked camping going out hanging in the woods goofing off. Always a good time. 

The hike this time was much, much harder 6 mile where the first three are pretty much straight uphill. I was wearing sneakers which probably didn’t help and mentally I wasn’t in it. I work as a freelancer and I got a contract to work on one job for 10 hours a day per week. At first it was greek it was nice having steady work. Old airforce beacon.

As a freelancer you have to worry about mental health.

The idea you are your own boss is not really true. You chose who your bosses are based on the clients you get. I made a spelling error on a website and I remember I was called by this client about halfway up the hike. I use verison by the way.

Basically I got chewed out for making this mistake. With my legs burning, Hips feeling sore, and sweat pouring down my face. The last thing I needed was to be chewed out and I gave up. 

One of my friends stayed with me for a bit before going up and as I looked out the mountain I thought that it was enough I made it that far. It was still a really beautiful view I was still with my friends. Overall I still had a good time but I still wondered what it would have been like to reach the top.

My Second Attempt

This year my girlfriend of one year broke up with me. It was a very mutual breakup but now I had all this extra time on my hands. I went on a hike for the first time in years Rattlesnake ridge which was a very popular hike with a friend I hadn’t talked to in a while. 

It was a really good way to reconnect.

Starting to go out on runs basically turned into a stereotype of broken-hearted men trying to get their confidence back.

About three weeks ago pretty much on a whim, I decided that today was the day that I was going to see the airport beacon. Going on a hike alone is a very different experience than going with someone especially when it’s not a very popular hike. I’ve had my red Dodge caliber since 2014 and it’s been in my family since 2009 and its shocks are gone. Every bump bounces like a pogo stick.

I got lost driving because I didn’t realize that the coordinates were not right and I thought my car was going to break. The hike was not easier than I remember still faced the same issue with calves burning and legs going numb. 

I got to the point where I gave up three years ago and I thought I was really close Two options. One where you go around the mountain and one where you go into the mountain. I started walking in which was the harder choice. In then up and a bunch of fallen tree’s

At this point, I looked back a lot and I had two thoughts One look how far I have already come and two I need to see the top.

When I got to the top I felt such a great sense of Joy. Weight had been lifted of the shoulder. Went to take a picture with my nice camera and I forgot a memory card which is pretty typical. I burned my heals going back down

Conclusion is 

Hiking is weird to wrap your head around. What’s fun about it and for me I found my answer that day. I saw a view I won’t forget for a long time and felt like I accomplished something that billions of people would not see.

Hope to go on more hikes in the future with friends 

With this, I hope you feel a bit more adventurous too.

Anyway, enough stories thank you so much for listening if you like the podcast please give it a follow. It encourages me to make more cast and to keep on having adventures. Next time we will be talking about Chess and how it’s changed my mentality about life.

Thanks.