September 3...Mt. Rainier National Park (Day 4)

(Kim's Perspective)
We were excited to be able to see Rainier while at the park today. SO AMAZING. The view just never got old. I think we may have said "wow" or made a "that's unbelievable" sound every time we came around a corner and the mountain loomed in front of us.




This park is now in my Top 3 list. It's definitely on the To-Do Again (and probably again, and again, and again) list.

Feeling better and ready for a hike, we decided on one that wouldn't kill me, but one where any pain suffered would at least be worthwhile and rewarding. So, we chose to hike along the alpine meadows by the visitor center and use the trail system to hike to Glacier Vista. Incredible. I can't describe how beautiful this place is.

For most of the hike, Mom was on my mind. Everywhere I looked, I was reminded of her and thinking about what she would be saying and how much she would love to see this place. It wasn't that I could just imagine what she would be saying, I could even hear the intonation and expression in her voice. The only thing that makes me feel better is that she's now far more experienced with witnessing incredible, beautiful things than I and no matter how much I wish I could be showing her all this, I know, as beautiful as it is, it can't compare to her current surroundings.

As we hiked, we could see Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Saint Helens.





I was able to glimpse Bill doing an impression of Julie Andrews and was fortunate enough to capture it for others. (Sorry, Babe, but this is too good not to share.) ;P


We also passed a guided adventure tour group who was happily snapping pictures and carrying their tiny little day packs while their guide carried all their gear.


I'm sorry, I don't care if part of their job is to carry my crap or not, there is NO WAY I could let this dude carry MY crap up the mountain. He had to have had a couple hundred pounds on his back. It irritates me. I told Bill it's like those "adventurers" who proudly boast of bagging the summit of Everest but conveniently leave out the fact that they did so only because a bunch of poor villagers carried all their gear for them. Yeah, you bagged Everest - but so did the sherpas who were laden with hundreds of pounds of YOUR stuff. Oh, and they did so while wearing flipflops and rags. Pshaaaa. Bill told the guy if anyone tried to make him carry all their junk like that, he would beat them with a stick. The guy replied "I have two right here" and Bill responded "exactly". The suggested beatings must have occurred farther up the mountain because we were never witness to any of it. Of course, the "adventurers" were always some distance away from their pack mule, I mean, guide. We actually heard one of the guys shout "should we stay back there with you and keep you company?". Wow. Really? I felt like saying "No, you should go back there, retrieve your gear, and carry your own freakin' tent, sleeping pad and bag you sissy mary girl".

Anywho...The hike was steep and the air lacked oxygen. Stupid altitude. It's hard to imagine that, from the vista point, the mountain looms another 8,000 feet above you.

Since pictures can speak a thousand words (and I apparently have a tendency to be critical of perfect strangers), I'll just shut up and let the pictures do the talking.




























BTW - This is what John Muir thought of its beauty.


We headed back to the campground and played stick with the Boys at the campsite. I went in at 4:45 to lay down awhile – the hike kicked by butt - or my side as it were. I slept till 6, woke up, fell back asleep, woke up at 6:40, fell back asleep, woke up at 7:00 and yelled “Come save me from the sleep monster!”.

Bill came in (he had been sitting outside reading) and we took the Monkeys for a walk. We came back, had dinner and then Bill read while I transferred the pics from the last few days over to the computer. It was a pretty good day. :)