Ben Lomond or Bust!

On my sister-in-law's 50th birthday (happy day, Liana), we climbed Ben Lomond.  A rise of about 4000 ft. and a mix of trail terrain made it quite difficult.  In fact, now that I've gone up, there's a place on the flank of the mountain that's newly named "Crybaby Peak".  I'm not proud of it, but I still may have to paint a rock and take it up there to mark my weak moment.  The trip began at 8a.m. and finished at 7p.m. in the dark.

Thanks to my wonderful wonderful hiking buddies; Jeffery, Laurie, Brenda, and Mikey; I didn't stop 100 ft. below the summit, as stamina and will-power drained out of me.  I heard their joyful exhortations, and thus, perservered to the top and got to celebrate with them.
I feel good about that.  Very good.  Gracias, mi amigos especial!!!

And, today, after a good night's sleep, I feel amazingly not sore.  I can still walk!  Wow.  Maybe I'll have to go up there again after all.  Kyria, Matt, and Mike DeL. next year?

To give credit where credit is due, the majority of these photos, and the best of them, were taken by Uncle Jeffery.

morning start was chilly

sunshine!

we were interested to have a clear view of the switchback part of the PCT up Chipp's Creek

cool rock that Jeffery was standing on when he looked down on our approach. ( we are not shown)

Uncle Jeffery on that one pretty rock, seen via zoom

lunch break over

Jeffery found the trail after all, but by then Brenda and I were committed to our path, sort of following Laurie and Mike

isn't it magnificent?  do you see Darth Vader's helmet?

is this Crybaby peak yet?

I think of the photo Kyria took when she, Brenda and Laurie did this climb, but the chaparral was higher back then.  Thank goodness it wasn't that bad this time!

Mike shares his figs from the fig tree in his yard

I love Jeffery's shot of Mike's gear

I love this shadow self-portrait of Jeffery

same view as above, only more distance.  Lake Almanor is in the top right distance

Mike and Laurie, looking up canyon

this sign brought out stories of when Jeffery's parents and family would ride up this mountain on dirt bikes

this is where encouragements echoed from the woods not far above
"Come on!  It's right here!  You'd hate to miss it!"  (they were right!)

fire pit, wood, and tree

looking at all that we can see from the very top!

a moment in the history books for us.

my angels

a shot of Jeffery's being there at the top from my camera

jeffery, at home with his hat off