We're going on a hike and that is final

I haven't worked out since I climbed a 14er.  That was, um, well,....a while ago.  Too long ago.  But what with trying to pay rent and the monsoon season on steroids we seem to be having, finding time to play outside has been a teeny bit challenging as of late.

But last night, even if I couldn't see a window of opportunity, I was going to make one.  And I was going to drag two unsuspecting friends along with me, whether they liked it or not.  (or, actually they came along willingly because we're all going a little nutty from nature deficit disorder lately....so whatever)

So it's a weeknight.  I have been sending out "hiking later?" texts all afternoon.  "think the weather will hold?"  "its looking promising" ....etc.

Sometime around six I made the call.  We're going.  I scheduled pick-ups.  Never mind that dark cloud hovering over yonder mountain and please ignore that thunder rumbling, it looks like a beautiful night for a hikie-poo.

Yup.  Beautiful night for a hike.

Lately I'm all about seeing new things (otherwise known as get-out-of-town-whenever-possible) so we drove to a little alpine lake and decided we'd hike from there.  Did we know if there was a trail?  No.  But we had a mission.  Get up high and hope for a good sunset.

So off we tromped, in the cold, dreary, dark, windy evening.  In search of a sunset even though the sun seemed to have already retired for the evening.

As we locked up the car and trudged across a crooked, worn out pedestrian bridge to the other side of the lake the dogs romped through the water and sprinted ahead.  The conversation gravitated toward our amazement that we could find ourselves in a remote high alpine environment like this after a full day of work.

And then the climbing started.  Which ended my involvement in the conversation.

Through the trees and over a talus pile, up a windy trail through the woods, past the top of a ski run and then up another talus covered slope and around.....

...it wasn't looking good for anything other than a few calories burned a wet walk home in the dark.  But someone in the group had patience (not me) and hope (not me) so we climbed some more, and then  waited.  Perched precariously on the side of a steep pile of talus.  We watched....

first this...beautiful, but not quite what we were hoping for.

...then, showing signs of potential....

Then it started....the good stuff....

and then everything started glowing....

and when I was tired, cold, wet, and sick of holding myself to the mountain by my toenails with camera poised....someone made me wait it out a little longer, even though it looked like it was done....

Because there were still embers left glowing on this little campfire....

And you should never turn in until the campfire is out.

However, you should remember that this means you're making your way back to the tent (or in this case, car) in the dark so REMEMBER TO PACK YOUR HEADLAMP.

We managed to get back to the car in one piece.  Watching lightning periodically light up the sky and listening to the thunder roll.  I chatted mindlessly and loudly so as to scare off any bears with my obnoxiousness.  And just as we piled the dogs into the car and climbed in -- it poured down rain.

And that, my friends, is a well-played post-work workout.  Mountain-style.