Epic Walk - The Dunes

We took our epic walk last weekend. Wonder Boy and I had to drag Super Girl; I threatened no TV for the rest of her life. She succumbed to my brilliant persuasive technique and trudged behind us in a less than cheerful manner. Once we got her on the beach she got into the spirit of the day and all went well.

Upon arriving at the beach we checked our gear: 2 bags between us, the camera, toasty crackers, 3 bottles of water. Yes, we were perfectly equipped for our epic walk. We knew we needed to out do our last mega walk, so we kept our shoes on in order to survive longer. The walk was much easier in my sneakers. We stayed near the shore where the sand was hard. We walked and shared stories of the last epic walk occasionally stopping to mark our progress by looking back. We found cool rocks to add to our collection -- some were so big we decided to pick them back up on the walk back vs. being weighted down with them.

We met a man and his dog along the way and he told us of the awesome dune that you could climb. Much of the shore is a protected area to prevent erosion of the dunes, but there was one spot where you are ALLOWED to climb the dune (much of the dune is protected land). He said he made it 1/4th of the way up and that the view was AWESOME. Crap I thought, I'm old and way out of shape -- there is no way I'm up for this challenge.

(Note: Dunes are much taller than they appear)

We got to the dune and there were a few families RUNNING down the dune -- kids had small rooster tails of sand spraying behind their feet. It looked really fun. I wanted to go, but could I muster the strength and courage? I asked the adults of the dune party how it was. The one mom told me it took 15 minutes to get to the top. The other said and hour and 15 minutes. I sensed someone was lying to me and I had no idea which of these ordinary looking ladies was the devil and which was the angel.

There was a man without a hand with them and he said it wasn't that bad, we should climb. I'd watched him coming down the dune at a leisurely large stepped stroll and thought -- well, he has just one hand and he had the courage. He had the strength to climb that dune despite this physical disability. Perhaps I could overcome my lack of physical ability and I could at least attempt part of this massive steep dune. The kids begged. The adults encouraged me. Like a fool, I listened to my inner child. I decided to attempt the dune.

The families cheered me on. I had already removed my shoes, so I began my ascent with gusto. I watched as our offspring ran ahead of me. "I'll help you if you need it mom!"

Yeah right.... I think I made it 15 feet before I got tired. I looked back at those families and they again cheered me on as they walked away laughing. I now knew who was the angel and who was the devil. This was a physical challenge that amounted to vertical rock climbing in sand that can cave and drag you down. You could tread the same path again and again, 2 steps forward one back, 3 steps forward and 4 back. Progress was painful. I could feel my knees moan. The sand wedged tightly beneath my clawing fingernails. Super Girl was far ahead of me.... "Come on mom!"

I panted. Sweat dripped down my face. My pants began to fall down. I was the picture of climbing genius.

Wonder Boy was 1/2 way between Super Girl and I -- "You can do it mom!"

The sand became quick sand. I struggled and tried not to go under. Our children leaped and sprang forward like gazelles. "Walk in my footsteps mom, it is easier."

The view down as I paused (again) to catch my breath.

The view looking up from the same spot as I panted uncontrollably.The view from more than 1/4 the way up (I beat the tall guy's climb!)

Um yeah, sure -- footsteps that were too far apart for my poor short legs (running strides are longer, I remember that). I made my own trail by digging in a knee and then stepping on that spot. I would go in spurts, then I would stop and pray to God that he would spare me a heart attack as I desperately tried to make a wonderful memory for my kids.
This memory making stuff is really hard work... but worth it (when you catch your breath!)

After what seemed like an eternity, I felt I'd made little progress. The kids seemed to be miles ahead of me. I now understood why that guy and dog only made it 1/4 of the way. Everyone spoke of this great view from the top. Um.... perhaps it was heaven they were looking at but I would not make it to heaven today. Nope, today I would be happy to make it just 1/2 way up that dune. If I made it half way I could enjoy the view and feel superior to the tall guy with the dog who made it 1/4 the way.

Oh yeah, I made it more than 1/2 way!

I called up to Wonder Boy to let him know I was resting. Super Girl was so far ahead I don't think she could hear me. There were wild flowers on each side of this secret path up the dune.... they were beautiful and filled with bees who I was sure sensed my allergies. They lingered near me to try keep me from my goal (or maybe to frighten me on toward it?). I ignored the bees and my aching muscles and somehow went on. I was sweating and panting, but I HAD to make it to the midway point. There was a bit of and opening or clearing -- the open sand of the dune was bright against the blue sky above, mocking me because it seemed so near and yet so far.

It may not seem like a zillion miles to you.... but there was no way I would make it to the summit today.

After a struggle too long to describe, I made it! No, not to the top -- just to that section where my kids were hanging out. You would have been so proud of me! The kids were so proud of me! The bees were so proud of me! I was so proud of me! I think I heard the angels singing...... Yes, there must have been angels singing. My heart pounded and swelled with pride at the same time. The view was awesome.

If you click the picture you can see the tiny lighthouse at the start of our walk... it is a zillion miles back.

My view (I included my feet so Hubby would believe that I took the photo!). The specks at the bottom are Super Girl and Wonder Boy.I lay back on the sand and looked up above my head -- above it what I saw as I lay there exhausted not wanting to climb back down to where my kids were...

Hubby will have to do this with us next time. I think it would be best if he climbed it first and then threw a road down for me. Seriously, I might have a heart attack if I attempt the entire thing. I think Super Girl made it nearly to the top. I was between 1/2 and 3/4. Maybe I could make it the whole way if I stopped a zillion more times and if I wasn't carrying rocks in my backpack (they are cool rocks though...) I loved the view. It was AWESOME. The only bad thing was missing Hubby since he could not join us on this trip. We wished so much that he were there with us to see it. We also wondered aloud if he would be game for the climb. I voted that he would be and my kids voted him as questionable in terms of sense of adventure.

The one handed man had said that the trip down was easy, "like walking down and escalator." This should have clued me in. He was friends with the devil lady. They were evil for lying to me, but I'm grateful because without their lies I never would have made the attempt to climb that dune.

Watching Wonder Boy attempt descent showed me what I needed to know -- lean forward and you will be ON YOUR FACE. I chose to take pretty pictures of our children going down as I pondered the path before me. Nobody was around. I decided to go down the dune on my butt. Heck, why risk breaking a limb when you can take the cowards way out? Without witnesses I could always deny my boot scooting.....

Picture a cowboy on a bucking bronco. If I moved my hips and legs just right I slid quite nicely down the sand (yes, some sand came with me). The image of that bucking bronco came into my mind and I raised a hand like I was swinging a lasso and yelled "YEE HAH!!!"

I yelled it repeatedly. "YEE HAH..... Yee Hah!!!!............YEEEEEE HAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonder Boy thought it was Super Girl yelling so he yelled at her. Then he realized that she was laughing -- laughing so hard that she was doubled over and making no noise. He looked and saw me with my YEE HAH! He also saw my awesome butt trail in the sand. Oh yeah, I left a sweet looking trail down the dune as I rode that bronco to dune freedom.

I took most of my photos from the spot WAY up there where the grass comes together & then opens back up.

The next thing you know both of our children are bent over peeing themselves with laughter. The three of us busted a gut looking back at my trail of greatness and courage.

It was a long walk back, but it seemed pretty short as we shared war stories and yelled YEEE HAAAAA!

(long walk back)

We both dread and look forward to climbing that dune again! Until next summer...