Breakup Hike

Well, no, I didn't break up during a hike - can you imagine the ride home if that happened? And the burger and beer afterwards would be ruined which would be unacceptable. No, the breakup occured the day before the hike. After a long evening of traversing between sobbing and sitting in a catatonic state I knew what I needed to do. I needed Rainier to comfort me.

Originally I was going to do another, newer & longer hike that I've always wanted to do. I decided not to violate the sanctity of this new hike. I needed a hike that wouldn't mind me bringing along the heartbreak. Heartbreak distracts me from my surroundings and I just wouldn't be able to appreciate a new trail. The good thing about Rainier is that she's seen me at my best, my worst, my weakest, my strongest and even embarrassed. Yes embarrassed.

I decided on Tolmie Peak which has many embarrassing memories of hiking with my family after church. More specifically one day when my Mother decided to wear a watermelon-scented jazzercise shirt that the bees especially loved as their own. We could hear her scream my father's name (it echoed) through out the hike. We all played dumb "No, we don't know who that crazy woman is...not sure why she's following us..." we'd tell other hikers.

Anyway - this is Mowich Lake which is right next to the parking lot. The good thing about this hike that I needed today was that:

*it was short (I wasn't totally sure I was up for it)

*it was guaranteed to have other hikers (no bears or mountain murders please)

*It would have a great view i.e. thinking spot.

As I was walking the trail my rules were:

1. No crying.

2. No making "what I'll miss" lists.

3. No Reminising

4. No replaying lines from the breakup conversation the day before

5. No self-pity



This is me with a mile to go to the peak. See the old fire lookout? That's where I was headed. I had my head down, focused on going fast and foot in front of the other. I passed a VERY talkative gentleman that had his ten essentials in his plastic bag (weird) in his left hand.

He was still talking to my back as I passed him encouraged by my short and polite responses. I was hoping he'd get the hint that I wanted to be alone. Then I hear:

"Wow, you're really good at this. You're going up that hill fast. You must practice a lot or have youth on your side."

It was a nice compliment although I wasn't feeling strong or youthful at the moment. I just wanted to hurry up and sit so Rainier could console me.

This was a very pretty spot which I thought probably had great wildflowers in the summer. But now summer is over and cold will start to take over....

I have to add Rule #6 which is: NO sad breakup analogies on this hike!

I'm almost to the lookout tower at this point and I smell cannibus very strongly up here. This could be a fun game: which hiker is high? I just hope the driver was more pass pass then puff puff. But I digress...

There's good 'ol Tolmie! Tolmie looks good for his age. He may look weathered and tired but check this out...



...Tolmie has the best view in Pierce County.

If I had left a little later (as intended) these hills would be a prettier color reflected from the sun setting. I found out on accident before that Tolmie Peak is one of THE BEST sunset hikes ever. Rainier one side, Olympics the other. Simply breathtaking.



And finally I had found my sit and think spot. I let Rainier talk to me. I didn't talk very much. It took me forever to finish the whole luna bar I had with me.

The best thing about sitting up here was hearing the people below making their words echo. I could hear the kids laughing so hard as their jibberish played over and over again in the rocks. Then there was also some random dude that kept on shouting "Nacho Libre!" for his echo of choice.

A group of fellas next to me were looking to the left (picture above) trying to figure out the source of shadows that fell on the forest. I silently pondered with them when I couldn't keep track of all the pikas in the rocks around me.

Don't get me wrong, I love all the green and beige around me but I loved these slate and cobalt colors that was decorated inside this clear lake. I usually like to jump into lakes but not on days that I'm alone...like today.

Dangit it Krista - Rule #7: stop focusing that being alone is bad and sad right now.

Unfortunately I didn't stay at the fire tower long enough to see the sunset from up there but I did pull off the side of the road & steal this picture as I was driving back to civilization....



...and it's counterpoint. Thanks for the great hiking therapy Rainier. You are always there when I need ya. Too bad you never got to meet him...

And Hulster, you will be missed. Thank you so much for all the memories. You are one of the good ones!

Current Obsessions

The summer has been AWESOME but why oh why do I keep on forgetting my camera? Perhaps that amazing waterfall on the Nooksack was meant to stay sacred and free of anyone from the city to admire her beauty in just a picture....

So instead, and out of blog guilt, I'm documenting my current obsessions. I really am going through this crazy obsession phase right now. But not with Mariah Carey. Seriously, get over yourself. You lost me at the cheek implants.

Moving on.

SERIOUSLY - LOVE THIS SHOW NCIS. Freaking addictive. It's smart, fast-paced, funny, great one-liners, serious, violent - everything I love. I originally checked it out because Hulster has a thing for Abby and I had to scope out the competition and now I have a complete crush on her too.
And Gibbs reminds me of my Dad. I think it's the silver hair, blue eyes and impatience for those who slack on the job.

So shooting guns has been fun - sad to say that Big Bro beat me at pistols - but rifles turned out to be my forte. I got bullseye shots right away and we kept on shooting until he finally hit the bullseye himself. That's right, I'm calling him out right now!!

In classic Big Bro style he took the above bada$$ picture of me...with the porta potties in the background. Classic.

And next is my clay pigeon class that I start next week. And after that I'm going to challenge you to a duel - especially if you're a pigeon!!

The obsession has come back to me. I think it came back because I was trying to budget better and one day Popcorn called me from Aisle 11 and said to me "Krista. You could have me for dinner - I would be very filling, good and cheap!" And I was convinced. My rubber arm was twisted. Now I can't stop having popcorn for dinner. This is not good stuff. I need a popcorn intervention. If it wasn't for my multi-vitamin I think my skin would start turning yellow and corn stalk would start sprouting from my head.

......but popcorn with Johnny Seasoning is SERIOUSLY good. Just saying.



I blame Alan the Ogre and Elle. And now I'm obsessed with online poker. I justify it with "I ran an hour today, I'm OK to sit on my a$$ the rest of the night." Ironically I also turn on NCIS so I can watch the episode and when it's my turn to call/check my laptop goes "ding" so I won't be too deprived from the story line on NCIS. I'm also eating popcorn with my free hand. Horrible obsession cubed.

I tried playing "in-life poker" this past weekend and was humbled by trying to count chips "how much is big/small?" the computer always tells me. The computer also always tells me what hands I have. At 2am it was too much for my head to stare at cards and figure out my potential hands. Not good.

And then the next day I let Hulster play my online poker under my profile and he lost me $20k...I just about lost it. I almost took out his other eye. To be fair he won it back...lucky for him.

So, at least I'm not playing with real money -can't be that bad right? I still run...so they negate each other keeping me even I think.

I will no longer be ashamed of my fondness for Miley Cyrus songs. I love her on Hannah Montana and I'm not ashamed of that either. I tried to suppress this feelings of fondness and appreciation but today when I had "Party in the USA" in my head I swear it helped me keep a spring in my step.

In fact when my lovely co-worker Amanda had the case of The Grumps today I tried my best to give her a Miley Cyrus prescription: One dose of "Party in the USA" is all she needed. Not sure she was convinced.

"Noddin' my head like yeah..."

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Love it. Love it. Love it.




Oh man there is not enough blister band-aids in the world for me. They save my feet. Blisters on my big toe, small toe, heel, arches, etc. I'm too embarrassed to get a pedicure. A combination of running, hiking and wearing heels (honorable mention to wearing summer heels on a pebbled path) and my feet seriously hate me and are eternally grateful for blister band-aids. If it wasn't for them I'd be on the sidelines man...

Is it just me....or do I model for Anne Taintor and not tell anyone about it? The other day in Hallmark I stop in my tracks staring at this picture. I ask Schmuck "Who does this look like to you?" She responds simply "It looks like you."

I want my cut man!!