When over 50 never ever go with a youth group!

I finally got my chance to do something very Korean--to climb a mountain.  It was another very cool spring day with threats of rain as we began our way up the trail.  I was with a youth group from the YeDalm Church I attend.  That was my first mistake--to attempt to climb with young and small-size Koreans, and 1 Vietnamese.  They climbed it like a bunch of gazelles!
I knew I was in big trouble on the first stage of the climb, very steep.  I had a backpack and the group graciously gave me the kimbop (food) to carry up!  It felt like bricks!  In 30 minutes I was already out of breath and hot.  I offered my loaded backpack to a young Korean who cheerfully took it at Phuong's insistence.  She was not happy I got stuck carrying the kimbop up, neither was I.

It soon became apparent that I was no match for this place.  After 1 hour I was out of breath and leg muscles.  When I stood up after resting a few minutes I could only wobble.  It looked to me like the peak was just ahead of us, so I thought I would try to continue.  In a few minutes I asked if what I was seeing was the peak.  The reply was, "No!  You cannot see the peak from here.  We are only about half way up!"  I sat down again to rest when a Korean came up to me, a complete stranger, and cautioned me in English to be very careful since 3 men died last year trying to climb this mountain!  At that, and with my heart pounding in my ears and my legs gone, I then decided enough was enough.  I threw in the towel!  My friends, Phuong and Ji Ae, sat with me a few minutes to make sure I was OK, and then we parted.  After trading cameras with Phuong so she could use my good DSLR Pentax at the peak, they headed up to catch the others and I sat for while.

I carefully made my way back down and found a quiet stream (picture) to sit at and listen to the small waterfall in the distance. It was so peaceful and restful.  I was alone and so at peace with the world around me.  I kind of felt sorry for those who climbed the mountain because I think I found the best place to be.  I took pictures, explored the creek trail and time passed very quickly.  In about 3 hours the others came down the mountain looking very tired.  I felt good by then.

We ended the day, or so I thought, eating BBQ as they call it.  I was thinking of a nice restaurant.  Instead we drove under an underpass, built a fire and cooked pork, soup, and of course got out the kimchi.  It was delicious but the wind blew and it was very cold!

Thinking the day was over I felt real good now.  It was about 6 p.m.  We started home at last!  Wait!  Why are we turning into a school parking lot?  Yipes!  That means only 1 thing in Korea--SOCCER!  We proceeded to play a short game of soccer--about 50 minutes!!!  I kept asking God why He didn't stop me from going with this youth group?!  Was I being punished for something?  How much more could I take? When it got too dark to play anymore, we finally stopped the game.  Now we headed home?  I think. I finally crawled into my room about 8:30 that night.  I will not bore you with details about the soreness all over and in my body.  One week later and I am starting to walk normal again.

I admit the mountain won. But I lived to tell about it!! Barely.