Mount Grey-skirt

this little skirt hiked 11 miles all over mount greylock, its trails, and a two mile stretch of the AT.  the summit was almost worth taking one of the most difficult trails up the goddamned mountain.  most gratifying, however, is how much better my skirts will now look.

so K, the dog and i decided to do the "greylock in the round" tour of the mountain and figured that from all the running and day hikes and mild camping we've done this summer, we would be fine for some more strenuous hiking.  we also found it was the perfect spot for our first backpacking camping trip.  we've done plenty of car-camping trips, but none where we have to carry our tent in on our packs. 

i forgot to factor in the 30 lb pack we had on our backs. 

at one point, i caught my foot on a tree root and although i only tripped, because of the damn pack, i went DOWN . . . i saw myself falling and could do nothing to regain my balance.

anyway, i didn't pass any other skirts climbing mt greylock.  a few other ladies, most of whom were wearing pants.  lame.  if i wouldn't have been panting too hard to speak, i would have told them that the only real way to climb a mountain is in a skirt. 

i told my boss that i climbed a mountain this weekend and he just stared at me, with his mouth open a bit.  he wanted to know if there were trails or if we just scaled rock walls.  i told him we weren't repelling or anything, but the trail had quite a few moments trying to find a foot hold in the craigs of the mount.

there were many unbelievably strenuous parts of the trail, but also a few flatter, pleasant areas.  oddly enough, the flattest most enjoyable stretch of the hike was the portion that coincided with the appalachian trail.  so although we took a more challenging route, i know there are other paths up the mountain. too bad K didn't map out those easier routes.

oh i almost forgot to mention the bears!  there was a black bear and her two cubs just three campsites down from us.  we didn't go get pictures since dogs and bears don't mix very well, but we were pretty pleased there was a bear box at each campsite.  pretty pleased.

things that need to happen before our next hiking/camping trip:

1.  more bug spray

2.  learn how to light a campfire with wet firewood

3.  find a pack that fits my tiny torso better
(stay tuned for product reviews)

4.  hiking skirt with tighter compression shorts underneath
(this might also be called finding clothes that fit)

5.  practice.  however one practices these type of things. 

oooooo i just love lists.  i promise to include a feature with upcoming athletic events.  fun fun.


i hiked part of the at . . .

 . . . and i did it in a skirt!!