A second attempt to climb a mountain.

Success!  Victory!  Finally, I conquered a Korean mountain--Taejosan.  It was easier than the last one I tried--Gwangdeoksan.  (see previous blog).  I went with about 20 KNU professors including the President.  It was a beautiful spring day, the first day we have hit 70F.  I did not take a back pack this time! (Let someone else carry the stuff up the mountain, not me!  Do I look that stupid?)  The few pictures I have included tell some of the story.  We climbed and then ate fruit.  We climbed some more and exercised with the hula hoops. I still got it!!  I showed them all how!  Even Dr. Im said I was good! Wow!  What an ego scratch.  And then, we climbed some more and did more hula hoops.  Then, we climbed some more and finally reached the top.  In all we must have reached about 4 peaks before the top.  That was a little misleading for me, and a little discouraging.  I thought we reached the top in about 45 minutes!  I should have known better! 

We then climbed down only to go up again, only steeper.  We reached a great scenic view area for pictures and then went down very steeply.  I thought that was it!  I felt good, but tired.  Then, suddenly, I looked ahead to see nothing but a long steep trail!  Ugh!  It felt like Gwangdeoksan all over again.  Would I fail again? It started to feel like it.  Panting, legs burning, and only more mountain ahead!  Why?  Why do I get myself into these things?  Why didn't I learn my lesson 2 weeks ago?  Negative self-talk was really taking over with every hard earned breath.  I was alone with most ahead of me and a few behind me. I was about to quit when I heard clear voices up ahead and it sounded like they had stopped.  Could it be?  Could this really be the top, the end?   Or, were they just resting again for another steep climb?  When I made the final push and saw the clearing a few steps ahead I was certain this is what we had worked for over the past 2 hours--at last, the top, the real top. 

With a few quick pictures taken we headed down the way we came up.  Bad news!  That means we have peaks to climb again on the way down.  Going down was easy until we had to re-climb those earlier peaks.  No legs left, and panting hard again I knew there was no choice but to keep going. I guess I made the mountain angry for making the top because it reached out and tripped me going down.  Ouch!  Landed on something hard, my left hand was hurt, but no time to stop and worry about it.  My acupuncture doctor would fix it later with 5 needles placed exactly right and some herbal ointment.  (Good job, Doc!)

I really had a great time, needles and all. I felt so victorious.  My self-esteem went up. I was accepted.  The Koreans all cheered for the American that made the trip successfully.  Some told me I was strong!  (Little did they know how weak I felt!)  But, I did America proud!  Now, if I can just get all this pain surging  through  my body to stop!  Oh, the price one pays to try to fit in over here.  (Yes, I would do it again next week if asked.  I just hope they don't!) Hee Hee.

Not everyone was in the pictures of course.  The above pictures is THE top, I guess.  (Unless there were more higher peaks elsewhere on the same range).   Cheonan city is in the background.