Alex unpacked...

We went to Maine for vacation... it was wonderful.  We rented a house and ate and drank and swam in the freezing cold ocean.  We rode a trolley and took a tour on a lobster boat and wandered the quaint little tourist trap town.  And, we went for a hike...

Alex has been on many hikes in her life.  Right down the road, ten miles off the coast of Maine, Switzerland... she is no stranger to the hike.  Except for the hiking part.  She has spent almost all of those hikes in a backpack being lugged around by one person or another.  But, on this trip, we ventured into New Hampshire to hike to the summit of Mt. Major with no backpack in tow...

Five miles of walking, half up half down.  1100ft in elevation change.  Maybe a bit much for the first try.  She was whining before we ever got out of the parking lot.  We headed up.  And up.  She would get distracted by nature and be fine for a while.  then the whining.  Distracted by a snack.  Whining.  She thought she couldn't do it, then we reached the summit...

It was like she drank four Red Bulls.  Energized, happy, enthusiastic... she ran around and marveled at Lake Winnipesaukee below us. 

We had lunch and rested.  We talked and gazed.  She was a delight.

Then we started down.  Probably shouldn't have pointed out the parking lot which was a speck below us.  She started off like a trooper at first, happily searching for the trail markers.  Then a little melt down... she couldn't do it.  Pepped back up when we had to navigate jumping rock to rock to cross a stream.  Melt down.  Happily collected rocks from a river.  Melt down... and so it went, but we went...

The final melt down.  She was crying.  Huge tears streaming down her cheeks.  Her feet hurt.  She was tired.  Can't somebody please, please carry her.  We could hear the traffic... smell the lake... almost see the parking lot, and she wouldn't budge.  It was heart breaking and funny and infuriating...

Finally Michele talked her off the edge and they slowly made it, holding hands, through the last few steps to the car.  She did it.  She did it!  I am proud of her... and have used it against her many time since.  "What do you mean you can't walk to the Farmers Market, I saw you climb a MOUNTAIN!"...