Ramblings Only

I say Mt Diablo is the most brutal of hikes. Not only because of its distance of 13 mi or elevation of 3300ft but because the darn trail wouldn't just go straight up. It went up and then down! Before going up again! So any elevation we gained huffed and puffed was lost! I guess my limit was only 10mi and 2300 ft because Black mountain I was comfortable doing.

We reached the Mitchell Canyon Rd parking by 8:10, it was an hour from my place. H drove to my house from San Jose and we went in Mia. There were two group events so this one lady asked us to go somewhere else,30mins away and park! We saw a ranger and asked him and he said we can park if we found spots, which we did. 

We got a trail map from the visitor center and started walking at 830. I have to say it was a very beautiful path. It was slightly cloudy and the hills were super green, and the path was damp too. I was super huffing and puffing. Seriously I don't know if I am fit enough to do long hikes. We were walking along four five connecting trails to the summit. After 3mi, we stopped to have a bar and a drink of water. We had to gain elevation from 600 to almost 3900. The trail was going up and down and up and down which became rather frustrating. The trail was very rugged. As in lots and lots of rocks and uneven terrain. I kept telling myself my real hike would be like this, we are practicing. My plantar started troubling me then. I can walk through the pain. My trouble is I don't want to make any long term injuries. My new shoes were stiff and biting me at the ankles. At some points we were placing at feet almost 45 degrees and climbing. I loved it. We passed through several gaps were we could get a view of the towns below and the mountains around. Mt Diablo loomed like a daunting monster seriously. Both of is forgot to bring our lunch. I think we totally under estimated this mountain. And it always makes us pay if we do. 

My friend started feeling uneasy in the stomach. Poor thing. She was pretty quiet all the way and slower than she usually is. She has done tough hikes like Half Dome and Clouds Rest. After trudging along slowly we reached a paint which we thought was a campground with restrooms but no we had another 0.5mi and 500ft to the summit. But we intersected the road and H started asking for a lift. Poor thing she had to use the restroom badly. I asked one couple and they gave us a ride. I still debated whether I should walk and reach the summit, but I didn't want to leave her alone with strangers too. Darn! I don't like to leave things mid way. More so for others ;--p so they dropped us a little above at the restrooms. After a while I decided to go to the summit which was may be 0.2mi or so and walked up while H rested. Nice views and many cars. The summit can be reached by car too.

Came back and H decided she is still not fine and wanted to take a ride back. We debated on whether she would ride down and I would walk back but she will have to wait for 2 or more hours down. Everytime we have driven on our own to the trails, only this one we decided to car pool ;--( my heart sank totally. I knew how bad she must be feeling too, she kept saying sorry. 

So we asked around people who were leaving if they could give us a ride back. One kind couple, overhear us askig and have us a ride. Interesting conversations 40mins later we were down. We saw the summit from the bottom and were really awed we hiked up to the top. Our riders were "you knew it is 3800ft elevation right" we felt soo bad like we were doing something without knowing, that was not the case. Of well.

We wanted to practice hiking up which we mostly did so may be it still counts for practice? I have half a mind to go at it again next weekend, but the darn brutal up and down trails make me angry lol. I wish I could hike with K he would make some jokes and make the hike really fun. ;--((

Iced my feet. It sucks to not complete a hike. What will happen if you fall sick while on the real long trek? It would really suck if we had to turn back ;--(( which I am thinking is mostly likely to happen to me ;--(. If you see movies with expeditions the weakling dies or returns first. I would be that weakling, darn it! 

K has gone hiking today, alone. I am scared for him because he can never follow directions and always gets lost. Thank god I go with him usually. I think we make a good pair. Him with his daring attitude and me with me cautiousness we reach a happy medium. 

Sabbatical countdown begins 4 more weeks to go!

Signing off with some pics I took on the hike, tired nevertheless.