tbt :: Rocky Mountain National Park

With spring being here and summer slowly but surely approaching, I think back to a time when the air was not so humid and not as polluted. The air was fresh and crisp, and the sun was hot, but the nights were cool. Of course there was the high elevation that I had to adjust to, but there was a lot in Colorado that I enjoyed - the connection I felt with Mother Nature that I would not be able to find in the Boston area.

Rocky Mountain National Park

I originally did not want to go hiking at all. Being outdoorsy was never really my thing, but yet again I had never tried. I was a typical glued to a computer screen type of person. What would hiking do for me?

"Michelle. What could it hurt? When would you get another chance besides this summer? Didn't you say you want to try new things?"

"I'm not in good shape at all..."

"So what? No one's telling you to break a world record. Just take your time."

"I don't know..."

"And you never will until you try."

Yeah, I know I'm weird for conversing with my self, but by the end of every day it doesn't matter who believes in you if you don't believe in yourself. I decided to give myself the chance and luckily for me I had a good friend to help me along the way. She grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and her and her family play soccer regularly and are very active. I was very thankful she was patient with me over the couple hiking trips we took together.

Rocky Mountain National Park - Chasm Lake

With the warm weather in the Boston area finally picking up, I wanted to get back into working out regularly. Hibernating is getting real old, and slowly we're all starting to gain back motivation to be more active. 

When in need of motivation to work out, I think of the time I hiked the Rockies. It was by far the most physically difficult thing I'd ever done in my life. I'm not a runner, or a hiker by any means. If something were chasing me, I would probably die. Neither me or my family are athletic and the only sports I've participated in required more technique than stamina or strength.

 And that made it all the more worthwhile when I finished. I was pitted against myself on these mountains and I won. Just like any road to an end goal, the path is rocky (pun intended). You're going to want to give up. You're going to want to give into instant gratification and quit. You're going to try to convince yourself that you didn't want it that badly anyways - that it's not important.

Don't.

So many times during the hike I would stop to think about going back. But as I just continued on and quit the stopping, I would say why not to continuing since I had already gotten that far. And before I even realized, we had reached our goal and took in an amazing view.

I wish these pictures could do some justice to the view, but it's one of those things better seen in person. Of course the view was much more amazing since we worked so hard to get up there. The things in life that come easy are the ones that we take for granted and are just not quite as special as the things we have to work and fight for.

This is the type of advice you always hear and understand, but never really feel until it's experienced first hand. The Rockies have definitely internalized this in me as well as the proof that I can do much more than I thought I originally could. I hope everyone reaches that point in their life sooner rather than later because it really helps to understand who you are and what you are capable of.

The mountains were here way way before any of us, or our families, or our civilizations. The mountains were here first and have weathered through storms and disasters. The mountains only move on their own accord, but are at a peaceful passivity to its surroundings. These mountains are fierce in their own right, and they inspired me to be my own mountain.

“What are men to rocks and mountains?” 
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

o-o-o-o-o-o

Have an amazing day!

-Chelle