Yamnuska

Went out to yamnuska alone. Noone to go with me, but with it being a saturday, I knew I wasn't really going "alone". Couldn't even get parked in the parking lot or side of the road.

Lots of girls wearing skirts near the beginning, don't see that on many hikes. I guess it was a church group, and without any backpacks, I'm sure they weren't going far. Quickly left them in the dust. Was leaving most people in the dust actually, I was marching along quite quickly. Got stuck at a school group going the other way, and a hardcore guy caught and passed me.

Through the chimney, then it seemed to keep going and going. To some kind of peak, then keep going. Climb over a ridge, keep going. Eventually reached the metal cable. Felt a little scared, but made it past. Then a bit more. Then halt. so much more to go, but it was time for my little freak-out. Seems to be a regular thing for me now on hikes. What kind of a pansy have I become. Sat down and waited until some strangers caught up, and requested to join them. Then, things were okay again.

Did pretty much the rest of the hike with them. And guess what nationality they were. Seriously, am I bound every time I go off by myself to join onto the chinese group. It's not even a joke anymore.

At the summit, another group caught up. And one of them had carried a chess board all the way up there for some reason! So we played chess on the top of a mountain, someone said something about bringing the game to new heights. Was kindof silly actually, but fun that I got to do it without having to do the work of carrying it :) I was jokingly thinking later I should have told the chinese to carry a game of MJ to the top of a mountain.

On the way down to them, said goodbye to them at the top of the super scree slope. I was going to go straight down, though neither of those groups of three were going to. So I went, and it was awesome. And a minute later, looking back, I saw other people doing it. After seeing me do it, both groups decided to do it as well! I felt good... like, I was an inspiration, that because of me they got to do something fun (plus saving time on the descent).

waited for chinatown and chatted with them the rest of the way down. Found a pair of sunglasses on the trail. Figured I'd leave them at the trailhead. But once there, I was convinced to keep them. Realistically, noone was likely to come back and look for them, they weren't very expensive or prescription or anything. They fit me exactly, and I needed a pair for dragonboat starting the next day. And so, they became my dragonboat sunglasses.

Exchanged email addresses, maybe we will hike together again someday.