Free

Trent Shelton says it best: "Pain is just a signal that you are alive...a symbol that you can keep going." I couldn't agree more. Saturday was one of the most incredible days I have ever had in my entire life. I was most definitely alive! I thank God for every single moment.
Going to the Smoky Mountains has always been a family tradition for us. My great grandmother, great aunts/uncles, and cousins live in Tennessee, so it really does feel like home. It is so beyond beautiful there. All I can say is God sure did know what he was doing when he made the beautiful land that we call Tennessee!
My parents have hiked Mt LeConte a few times now, and to be honest when they told me that is what they planned to do ... I thought they were crazy! You can see the mountain as clear as the day from sitting on the deck of my parents house. It is oh so beautiful to look at. I have known about this mountain for most of my life, but the thought of hiking it was never actually something I thought I would ever do. Even after my parents hiked it, I really never had the urge. I was always so proud of them for doing it, but now, after my experience, I am even more amazed with them that they tackled it, and more than once at that!
So my dad and I took off early Saturday morning to hike Mt LeConte together. We got to the parking lot a little after 8 am and off we went. Dad had decided to take the Boulevard trail since it had the "least amount of change in elevation" out of all the trails. It was an 8 mile trail that he had never taken before, so it was also a change of scenery for him, so ... why not?! right? Well I didn't know the difference anyway! After the first hour into it I had a feeling I was going to be in just a liiiiiittle bit of trouble trying to keep up with the professional hiker. This was my first hiking trip ... and I was struggling. It is honestly even more of a challenge for me to describe to you what it was like for me. It was just as much of a mental challenge as it was physical ... no doubt!
We stopped a few times if we had a clearing to enjoy the view for a moment, but for the most part we were in the middle of the woods on a small trail inside the National Park that smelled just like Christmas, trying to make it to the top of Mt LeConte. It was beyond awesome! There were many times I didn't think I could make it any further. I really didn't. The elevation change made it hard for me to breathe just because I wasn't use to it, but I just had to keep telling myself "you can do this.. you know you can do this". I actually got cell phone service at one of the spots we took a little break about an hour from the top, and I sent a text to my mom ... quote- "send a helicopter!" LOL! There is only one way up and one way down- hike!
We exchanged a few words with a few strangers on the way, and of course my mind would go crazy thinking about all the journeys of each person we met. I always want to know too much about someone I know nothing about. 'Why did you decide to hike this? What made you interested in hiking? How long have you been a hiker? How many trails have you hiked? Have you seen any animals and what kind?' .... sometimes I wish I wasn't so curious. I spend too much time asking myself questions about others that I will never be able to answer.
It took us almost 6 hours to make it to the LeConte Lodge! We took a few celebration pictures at the lodge and then went inside to enjoy the lemonade. That was the BEST lemonade I have ever had in my life!!! No joke y'all. I was a little curious about the staff that worked there (imagine that), so I helped myself to asking one of the guys that worked there how long they were up there to work at a time. Nathan explained to us that they get 8 days off a month, and it is up to them how they decide to take those days. My dad began to speak about the LeConte Blog because my parents love to read it every day. ((Might I also commend them for posting on the daily because blogging is hard work!)) (and of course I had to share with him that I had just started blogging too ... don't worry!) It was so encouraging for Nathan to share his story with us about his first hike up to Mt LeConte, especially since he is now a staff member. Sometimes it really is such a small world!
After we took a short rest, enjoying the view from the Lodge (while inhaling as much lemonade as our tummies could handle), we headed back outside to finish our hiking on the mountain to see the phenomenal views from Cliff Top, High Top, and Myrtle Point. By the way these are all must sees if you ever hike up!
-Cliff Top- is known for the best location to view the sunsets.
-High Top- is known to be the highest point of elevation on Mt Leconte. - Not really much of a view here, but people stack rocks on top of each other ... so the rocks symbolize the "highest point"... literally.
-Myrtle Point- is known for the best location to watch the sunrise.
It was all surreal. It really was. And I can't wait to go back again!
So back down we went. I really don't know how we made it. I am so thankful we had each other. We hurt so bad we were laughing about it! It was either laugh about it, or cry about it ... so I had to choose to laugh. We both couldn't pick our feet up as high on the way back down as we could on the way up, so we were tripping over what were once smaller rocks that somehow magically turned into ginormous rocks. But we made the best of it, and we had a fun time. I thought the trail was never ending. But ... we made it! WE MADE IT! By the Grace of God we made it. I have never been so happy to see my cute little car!
I spent most of the whole ride back to my parents wondering how on God's green earth I was going to get up those stairs to the entrance of the house!
My strength today while writing to you about this trip is greater than it has ever been in so many ways. Arriving back to my parents house and looking back at that mountain thinking "I hiked that" ... "I was up there" ... is such an awesome feeling. And to share an experience like that with my dad means more to me than I can ever explain. That day is unforgettable. I literally had to pick up each leg with my hands one by one to get myself out of my car. Ya'll ... I'm not kidding when I say I couldn't help but just to laugh at myself.
My momma had the best speghetti I have ever eaten in my life waiting for us to gobble down when I finally made it up those stairs. It took much longer than it should have but those stairs were probably the biggest challenge of the whole day. After that mighty fine meal I managed to find a nice warm bathtub full of "extra" epsom salt ... which probably saved my life. I slept like a baby Saturday night. With ice packs all over me thanks to my momma! (hahaha) ... no but forreal though ... I did!
I honestly didn't think I could drive myself home on Sunday ... oooooohh the struggle was so real!!! I managed to drive the whole way with a big smile on my face. I am positive that a lot of people had a great big giggle if they caught a glimpse of me trying to put one foot in front of the other when I had to stop and get gas!
I am back home, I am alive, and I am stronger than ever ... in so many different ways. It was one of those life changing experiences, and I can't wait to do it again. Roles have reversed, and now you can call me crazy. I have challenged myself to hike up every trail. I can't wait to see the different views and how it will look at different times of the year. If you ever have the chance to do this yourself, I highly recommend it. It will set you FREE..... Happy Trails to you!

XOXO-

B

Mt LeConte from my parents porch
(zoomed in just a little for a clear view)

-left highest peak is Myrtle Point

-next is High Top (the highest)

-the Lodge is located in the center of the lowest dip after High Top

-Cliff Top is somewhere on the right side of the Lodge on the other side of the mountain near the next highest peak.

The LeConte Lodge Dining Room

Elevation 6593

p.s.- you guys should check out High On LeConte Blog. Nathan mentioned meeting my dad and I on his June 8th post! You can also learn a lot about Mt LeConte on that site, they have wonderful posts, pictures, and information about everything.

-Cliff Top-

-High Top-

-Myrtle Point-

-Myrtle Point-