One of the things I’m most thankful for in my job is the ability to meet and spend time with people, especially readers of the paper. Not that my job could ever be boring, but interacting with readers is one of the things that makes it more lively – especially when they roll out the Grand Forks welcome for you.
Last week, one such opportunity arose. A faithful reader of the paper, whom I know makes every effort to read the Gazette cover to cover every week, invited me out for a hike up Observation Mountain.
Now, this hike was not without purpose. This reader, a local outdoors enthusiast, is planning a hike up the mountain on Canada Day. I was along to get some pictures in advance and help time the route.
While I wouldn’t call myself outdoorsy, I figured what the heck. I might as well give it a shot.
Ever since I moved here, I’ve been tackling the hiking trails slowly but surely. Thanks to a friend who likes to hike, I’ve gotten over my fear of getting lost on the trails and never finding my way out again, and moved on to a much more reasonable fear: collapsing mid-hike and never getting back up again.
Kidding, mostly. But I did have some serious reservations about being able to make it up the hill. My mom, knowing in all her wisdom that her daughter does not climb things, ever, also had some concerns on Thursday evening when I told her my next day’s plan.
Anyways, Friday morning bright and early I set out on this hike. The person taking me up the hill estimated that as many as half (half!) of Grand Forks residents had never been to the top of Observation. Determined not to be one of them, I readily agreed to the expedition, with some trepidation. I asked that we take a relatively easy route up – no grinds straight up the side of the hill for me – and off we went.
Turns out, what I was so nervous about was relatively easy. While it definitely got the heart pumping, a slow gradual slope up meant that for most of the way the walking was easy. By the time the trail started to get steep, I could see the top. There was no way I was quitting now.
Before I knew it, I had made it to the top. The view is spectacular – I could see what all of the fuss was about. More than that, I felt accomplished. This strictly-indoors girl had climbed a mountain! It took us just over an hour, a few lemonade breaks and some huffing and puffing, but I did it. I only wish I’d taken my companion up on his offer to take a picture of me at the top – maybe then my mom would believe me.