Catherine Pass...or as I like to call it the-straw-that-broke-this-camel's-back. Steve and I have been together 16 years. When we were younger and pre-kids, Steve and I spent several of our Saturdays hiking because that is what he loved to do and though I didn't love hiking, just wanted to be with him. Usually it wasn't too bad, but then he took me up Baldy. That was a turning point for us. I HATED that hike. He kept telling me we were "almost there". We weren't. We did not take enough water. It was long, steep, and exposed. And then when we got to the top he wanted me to look at "the view", but "the view" does nothing for me. Perhaps it is because when I was growing up in Tennessee there was no mountain peak to conquer. I love nature, but do not feel the need to summit something to enjoy it. Why not enjoy the journey? Which clearly he had ruined for me by picking a long and painful hike.
The more I balked at going on difficult hikes the more he tried to trick me into going. I tried to compromise with gentler nature walks. That didn't work because he thought they were silly and boring. I tried asking more questions to weed out the more strenuous hikes. That didn't work either and I would just end up mad because I felt like he lied to me. And so Steve and I found ourselves at impasse. Through the years he has developed into a crazy hiker who loves to strain his body for mountain conquests like Mount Timpanogos, Olympus, and Pfeifferhorn. I just stopped hiking.
Which brings us to Catherine Pass. Steve saw an opening again with me when I fell in love with the wildflowers in the Albion Basin. I loved everything about that hike and repeatedly told Steve if he took me on more hikes like that I would totally go. So a few weeks later he told me Catherine Pass was just like the wildflower hike. He said it was in the Albion Basin, there were wildflowers, the trail was not steep, and it was only a mile. I made him pinky-promise-swear-on-his-life that all the things he had said were true which he eagerly did. It was 5:00 pm and though it was dinner time I figured we would be back by 7:30 pm at the latest, have a late dinner, and get the kiddos to bed.
It was the moment I saw the trailhead that I realized he might have lied again. It was steep and I made a comment about this not being what he advertised. He quickly brushed my comment away and up we went. Now I took a lot of pictures. Not because I was enjoying myself. It's just who I am.
An hour into it we still hadn't reached the top and that is when I realized he had lied again and something in me snapped. Remember when he told me it was a mile hike? It was three. We summited at 8:00 pm otherwise known as bedtime. The kids were hungry and cold. I had brought a few snacks which they hungrily gobbled, but I had not brought jackets. It was 54 degrees up there and the sun had set. Now despite all this, my kids are great and though they were hungry and cold, they had a good time and enjoyed the hike and being together as a family. I cannot say the same.
I was upset and once we got in the car I could not contain my screeching. So much screeching. I will spare you the details, but my basic message was: in what world is it okay to tell me at dinner time we are going on a flat, easy, one miler when you really meant a steep, moderate, three miler? His response? Well you wouldn't have gone if I would have been honest. My response? GAH!!!!! That man set me up for failure again.
We got home at 10:00 pm and I announced that I will never, never, never again go on ANY hike that my Husband suggests. NEVER!!!!! And that is a promise.
The more I balked at going on difficult hikes the more he tried to trick me into going. I tried to compromise with gentler nature walks. That didn't work because he thought they were silly and boring. I tried asking more questions to weed out the more strenuous hikes. That didn't work either and I would just end up mad because I felt like he lied to me. And so Steve and I found ourselves at impasse. Through the years he has developed into a crazy hiker who loves to strain his body for mountain conquests like Mount Timpanogos, Olympus, and Pfeifferhorn. I just stopped hiking.
Which brings us to Catherine Pass. Steve saw an opening again with me when I fell in love with the wildflowers in the Albion Basin. I loved everything about that hike and repeatedly told Steve if he took me on more hikes like that I would totally go. So a few weeks later he told me Catherine Pass was just like the wildflower hike. He said it was in the Albion Basin, there were wildflowers, the trail was not steep, and it was only a mile. I made him pinky-promise-swear-on-his-life that all the things he had said were true which he eagerly did. It was 5:00 pm and though it was dinner time I figured we would be back by 7:30 pm at the latest, have a late dinner, and get the kiddos to bed.
It was the moment I saw the trailhead that I realized he might have lied again. It was steep and I made a comment about this not being what he advertised. He quickly brushed my comment away and up we went. Now I took a lot of pictures. Not because I was enjoying myself. It's just who I am.
M wanted to carry C. She lasted 30 seconds.
An hour into it we still hadn't reached the top and that is when I realized he had lied again and something in me snapped. Remember when he told me it was a mile hike? It was three. We summited at 8:00 pm otherwise known as bedtime. The kids were hungry and cold. I had brought a few snacks which they hungrily gobbled, but I had not brought jackets. It was 54 degrees up there and the sun had set. Now despite all this, my kids are great and though they were hungry and cold, they had a good time and enjoyed the hike and being together as a family. I cannot say the same.
I love C in this one.
I told him to strike a pose.
Eating crackers while viewing Lake Catherine.
Warming themselves on the granite.
The last picture Steve took before we got in the car. You can see the daggers in my eyes.
I was upset and once we got in the car I could not contain my screeching. So much screeching. I will spare you the details, but my basic message was: in what world is it okay to tell me at dinner time we are going on a flat, easy, one miler when you really meant a steep, moderate, three miler? His response? Well you wouldn't have gone if I would have been honest. My response? GAH!!!!! That man set me up for failure again.
We got home at 10:00 pm and I announced that I will never, never, never again go on ANY hike that my Husband suggests. NEVER!!!!! And that is a promise.
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