I Climbed A Mountain

This morning I woke up at 4:30 a.m. even though I've not had much sleep the past couple of nights. At 6 a.m. two of my classmates knocked on our door. After finding out that none of the guys we're rooming with wanted to "go for a walk," as they put it, one of them asked me.

"Sure!" I said, a little surprised, as The Guys and I don't really hang out all that much.

I didn't know what I was getting into. And I have to preface this by saying I really should have known better because one of them is pretty much the Gandalf in our group: when he's on board, you literally never know what will happen.

The "walk" turned out to be a climb up two-thirds of a mountain. Not a foothill. A mountain. We reached an electricity tower far, far away. I felt like Bilbo in The Hobbit. The last third (which looked more like half) contains the HOLLYWOOD sign, which I think is around on the other side. But you gotta get up to the very top.

I had to stop and take breaks because I'm so out of shape, but they were both really patient. At one point, I stopped and asked if maybe they were coming down the same way they could just pick me up on the way back down?

"Naw, there's a lift. It'll take us down," said one of them.

A few minutes later, as we climbed closer to the tower, I said, "There's no lift, is there?"

He laughed and shook his head.

I would have killed him, and could have gotten away with it, if it weren't for the stitch in my side. I mean, no one would have found him for days. But he knew that would keep me going, and it did.

I bitched and moaned the whole way, but you know, I was so glad I made it to our goal. The whole day has been infused with a feeling of real accomplishment. Afterwards, I could have fought Jason Statham and won. It was awesome and I can't wait to do it again. Although next time I'll have my hair in a ponytail and maybe better shoes. And jeans.