"Those Who Hike Together, Stay Together!"

That is an actual quote said by a fellow hiker who also made it to the top. (I think she was trying to convince her boyfriend of that!) Cauley and I had an amazing adventure together on Saturday. We dropped the kids off at Grandma and Grandpa's and then headed to Apache Junction for a day of hiking. We hiked what is called FlatIron- the titanic looking part of the Superstition Mountains. I don't think hike is the right word. Maybe I should say we climbed the mountain, because we literally had to climb the mountain, using legs (of course!), arms, hands, feet, fingers, and even fellow hikers helped us up and down some very difficult, steep terrain. It was beautiful! This weekend marks the start of the wildflowers being in bloom, which was a nice touch for me. The entire hike was beautiful though, and I am so glad we did it! The first part was easy, just uphill walking with some occasional rocks to watch out for. It got progressively more and more difficult until my whole body was aching from moving only a few feet (straight up!) at a time. Once on top, looking down over the entire Phoenix area, it hit me- we also had to go back down! Going down was more difficult for me. (I think I have an ear infection, which totally threw off my center of gravity so whenever I leaned forward, I fell.) We were so exhausted once we got to the bottom, we just wanted to sleep, so we went and got pizza instead. Once we were all home again and the kids had had a bath and were in bed, I took a long hot bath and discovered many battle wounds. My legs look like I played soccer without shin guards and my ankle which I twisted a little is bruised and a little swollen, not to mention my hands, which feel raw and the fact that my body hurts in places it never has before. Cauley, the poor guy, came home sick on Friday from school and slept all day. He still wanted to hike, but I thinks he's rethinking that now, as he's still feeling miserable! (Not to mention that he's sore too, especially his hips.) Altogether, I am so glad we did it! Now, I will NEVER do it again, but at least I can say I've hiked to the top of the Superstition Mountains! Cauley was an amazing person to hike with; so encouraging, helpful, and uplifting. I am so grateful that he is so patient with me and that he shared this experience with me! I love you Cauley! Thanks for the good time yesterday!