5200 feet in 42 miles is INCREDIBLE

Have you ever stood on top of the world? Have you ever stood in the shadow of a majestic mountain in awe of its magnitude and beauty? There aren't words to describe the way that this can take your breath away. While we did not stand on the 'actual' peak of the world (hiking Everest seems just the other side of insane to me), we did cycle Mt St Helens this weekend. That's right. We cycled UP a mountain. For those of you who choose NOT to cycle, up mountains or down to the corner store, let me share a few statistics. First, we climbed, that's right, climbed on our bikes, for 42 breathtaking miles. And let me clarify, when I say 'breathtaking' I mean, 'can't breath where did the oxygen go I think I'm a fish out of water' kind of breathtaking.

The average incline over these 42 miles was 4%, this includes the 6 miles of down hill that occurred JUST prior to our final climb of 8'ish miles at 13% incline....13%! If you aren't sure of the intensity that I intend to convey with my bolded text let me say, it was WILDLY steep and intense. Over the course of our ride we gained 5200 feet in altitude...yep, 5200, that's five-thousand-two-hundred feet...aka a freakin' mountain. So, you ask, how high is 5200 feet? Well, if the word 'mountain' doesn't put it into perspective for you, try these statistics on for size: the Seattle Space Needle is a mere 605 feet; the Stratosphere in Las Vegas (which feels freaky high when you're on the top) is only 1,149 feet high; and finally, the tallest building in Chicago, the Sears Building is only 1,730 feet high. While it's true, we did not scale the mountain's face straight up with our bikes tied to us. We did however ride up the side of a mountain. It was incredible.

During this kind of a ride one is likely to experience a profound range of emotions. For example, at mile 10 I was euphoric and strong. Mile 20 I was hungry and strong. Mile 23, I was sweaty, worried and starving. Mile 27 I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into and how long it would be until there was another food stop (it really is all about the food for me). At mile 30 I dug deeper, got inspired and realized that I needed new life goals. Mile 35 I cried from a deep sense that I would never reach the top. At mile 36 a car stopped and the passengers (looking fresh and NOT stinky) asked why we were cycling up the mountain. They offered us A bottle of water (as if a single bottle of water would somehow help at this point). I laughed and asked if they had whiskey, of course they did not, they were driving. It should be noted that I have never before consumed whiskey or even considered drinking it, but mile 36 seemed like the perfect time to start. At mile 40, after about 5 hours and 15 minutes of climbing I finally settled on the comforting feelings that only one thing can inspire. Christmas carols. And so I sang...the remaining assent to the summit. They were, without doubt, the very worst renditions of 'Peace on Earth', 'Silent Night', 'The 12 Days 'til Christmas' that one has ever heard. Thankfully I was so out of breath at 5200 feet that my 'singing' was really more like a quiet 'spoken word'. If only I had had my microphone.

At the summit I was inspired, thankful, elated, and terribly stinky. Stinky like you have never thought was possible. But I was also deeply appreciative. I had not expected that this kind of group ride could inspire such a deep sense of appreciation. I appreciated my body for not letting me stop or wreck any number of times. I appreciated my bike for only dropping its chain ONCE and never having a flat. I appreciated the food (I really appreciated to food), the volunteers, the sunshine, the wind (when it was behind me), the wide and clear bike lanes and the company. I appreciated the beauty of the mountain range and the opportunity to see a mountain that I have never seen so closely. I appreciated my beautiful partner and my phenomenal friends for joining me in this trip and pulling me up the mountain. But most of all, I appreciated the fact that I was done. I mean come on...it's a MOUNTAIN for crying out loud. I will say, it is certainly worth taking the DRIVE up to see the beauty that is Mt Saint Helens. But, leave your bicycles at home. (wink)