“There are things you do sometimes, actions that you take by obeying sudden impulses, without stopping for even a fraction of a second to think, and then you spend the rest of your life either lamenting it or thanking yourself for it. They are rare, unique, and perfect moments.” - Irene Gonzalez Frei
I didn't plan on this trip. Maybe in the back of my mind I wanted to accomplish it while my kids were at their dad's this summer, but in the forefront of my mind I could only think, "It's not going to happen, I've got too much to do to get ready for school."
But then I had to tell the kids, "Goodbye." Thirteen days they would be at their father's house, in which time, according to them, he was getting remarried. The night before, I wrote them all a personal letter letting them know that I loved them and would miss them. I felt melancholic but okay about the whole thing. Then when the time came for me to drop them off, I kissed them all goodbye, and watched as they got buckled into their dad's vehicle. I waved farewell and drove off. Halfway home, the waterworks started. I was not okay with this! Not all of them were okay with this, and yet, that is how the state says it must be. Divorce is like a wound that won't heal. Oh, it scabs up frequently and you may not feel it for a long time, but every now and then it rips open and hurts anew.
I arrived back home, wearing sunglasses to conceal my puffy red eyes, and got online. My dad came into the room and asked if I was okay. Why is it that that question alone can force you to show the truth that you try so desperately to hide? Tears fell onto my cheeks and my glasses no longer hid the evidence of my previous breakdown. Trying to be as sympathetic as he knew how, Dad said to me with a smile on his face, "Well...we could get drunk!" I love my dad, and that didn't sound like a half bad idea, but the first thing out of my mouth surprised even me. "Or you could drive me to Mowich Lake tomorrow so I can finish the Wonderland hike!" "Really? You want to do that tomorrow?" he replied, surprised.
I'm not even sure where that came from, but now that it was out of my mouth I wanted to follow it through. I immediately left for the Carbon River Ranger Station to see about getting a 'first come first served' permit. I intended on staying just one night, hiking two full days. Upon talking to the rangers I realized (due to the campsite that I needed being booked) I would have to do it in two days. This would actually turn out to be quite a blessing as I learned later on. So I headed back home, permit in hand. It was already about 7:30 pm when I began packing my backpack. By nine I was in bed.
I haven't even worn my backpack since I got home from hiking the Wonderland Trail last year. I wondered how my body would fair after not having trained like I did last year. It didn't matter now, everything was set to go.
When my alarm went off at 6 o'clock the next morning I lie in bed thinking, "Maybe I don't want to do this. Is this a good idea? Why am I doing this?" But I got a hold of myself and forced myself out of bed. The plan was for Dad to follow me to Sunrise so I could drop my van off. Then, I would drive with him to Mowich Lake and he would drop me off. On the way up to Sunrise, doubt began to creep its way back into my mind, the same nervous feeling that I had the first day of last year's hike crept into my gut. I drowned them out with some happy John Denver tunes. The sun was bright and the day was warming up quickly. It had been sunny and dry for weeks, but a chance of thunderstorms was predicted for the next day or so. I was banking on the chance that they wouldn't happen.
Everything went smoothly as far as dropping my van off. I held onto the prayer handle of Dad's truck until my knuckles were white as he rounded the curves of the steep Sunrise Road on the way back down. I'm pretty sure I drive exactly the same way, but being the passenger is a whole other story! I apologize now to anyone who may have ever driven down that road with me behind the wheel. As we reached the bottom, just before exiting the park, Dad noticed his brakes were smoking. The unmistakable smell of overheated brakes filled the air. But worse than that, the truck just didn't drive the same....something was wrong. "There's no way I will be able to take you to Mowich Lake." he told me, disappointed. I already knew, however.
Dad got on the phone (as soon as we had cell service) to AAA and I began calling around to find someone who would be willing to come out of their way to pick me up and take me to the lake. Finally I reached my brother, Lonnie. With a cheerful, "Sure, I'll take ya!" we hung up and met at Wally's Drive-In in Buckley. Thank you Mom and Dad for giving me so many siblings! Amongst all of them I was bound to find at least one who would be willing and able to take me.
By one o'clock, I hugged Lonnie and my sister-in-law, Julia 'Goodbye'. I was ready to start hiking the 9 miles from Mowich Lake to Dick Creek Campground via Spray Park. Spray Park is an alternate route that many Wonderland hikers take for its unmatched beauty. Last year, I was dead set on hiking every step of the Wonderland Trail and our route was planned differently. Now, however, I was more interested in the scenery than being able to say I actually walked every ounce of trail on the Wonderland, after all, I would still be able to say I walked a complete circle all the way around the great and majestic Mount Rainier.
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| Mt. Rainier from Seattle Park |
