Mt Si and the Period (Journal)

I'm not going to sugarcoat this. I hiked Mt Si Old Trail, which is about 7.4 miles with an elevation gain of 3,420 feet, and it royally kicked my ass.

I went home whimpering.

The night before, I went to bed at midnight. Then I woke up at 3:45am to drive Sam to the airport by 4:30am, so that he could celebrate the holidays with his family.  After dropping my husband off at the airport, I drove to Tacoma in the hopes that I would get to the Freight House Square by 5:45am to get picked up for my Mt Si trip. I ended up arriving in Tacoma around 5:20am, and once I had turned off my car, I realized that I left my hefty jacket at home.

Realizing that this was a fatal flaw, I went wandering around downtown Tacoma in the hopes that I could buy a hoodie for 20 bucks. Of course, nothing was open that could accommodate me. I did however, find a restroom and upon using the restroom, I discovered that my period was starting.

Now sometimes, I'm a horrible woman, and I don't come prepared. And of course today, this was the case.

I went to street corner market and bought the only pads they had. When I got back to the restroom, I discovered that the pads would barely protect a 12 year old, but I used them anyway because I didn't have a choice.

I'm not sure if this is true with all women or just me, but the first day of a period can be an experience. It can either go smoothly or it can be hell on earth. If it goes badly, it can mean cramps, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and faintness. (Of course, some of the more severe experiences I haven't had since I was a college student) I knew there was a chance I was going to feel terrible but decided to go anyways. (Hey, you got to live life)

 So after dealing with this, I get a call from my ride, asking where I am. I tell him, and he says he is near. I see a white car with headlights on in the parking lot, and I go to it to try to enter it. The man in the car looks at me, and his eyes grow wide. The man shakes his head. I feel foolish and sorry for the guy, who was hanging around in his car and then was harassed by some strange woman.. He probably thought I was an ugly prostitute or a robber, trying to get into his car.

Anyways, I finally find my ride, and it turns out that one of the people in the carpool has an extra fleece. I borrow it and am grateful. I quickly fall asleep.

Once at the trail head, we gear up. It's 5:45am and it is still dark outside. I put on my head lamp and rain pants. We start on the trail. It's still dark, but the first part of the trail is easy. Only the edges of the trail are covered with snow, and the trail itself is perfectly visible. As we make progress down the trail, it becomes apparent that traction is needed. I take out my microspikes. This is the first time, I've used microspikes, but I am reluctant to tell the trail leader about this for fear that she'll send me back to the car.

Going uphill on the trail is hard, I keep a steady pace, but my breathing is hard and sweat is pouring down my body. I don't feel cold, and I take my jacket off to just keep going. It's hard, and I want to stop several times, but I try to focus on my breath and just keep going.

Some of the other individuals in my party are intensely fit. They are professional hikers, climbers and scramblers, and here I am trying, to doing my first snow hike. Being the second to slowest person uphill, I try to go faster. I don't want to keep the party waiting, I pray to myself to the goddess of my legs to keep going.

By the time we come up to a higher elevation, the snow becomes deeper. It's beautiful but hard to move in the deep snow.

As we get closer to the top, I start feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous. I can't tell if I'm critically out of shape, if I'm dehydrated or if my period progressing badly. I feel bad but can't determine whether it is ok or not. I don't want to be that person in the party, who stops everyone for nothing. I don't want to be that person who destroys everybody's fun.

As the snow gets deeper and deeper, it gets harder for me to keep my footing. I start slipping ever once in awhile, but I only face plant a couple of times. We reach the top, and I need to sit down in the snow. People in the party are concerned I don't have enough insulation. I'm pretty confident that I do have enough insulation.. I get dirty glares from some of the faster people in the party. I try to ignore it.

I'm not unfamiliar with cold. I do fear cold more than anything else, but on that day, I didn't feel cold. I felt tired and weak. I had enough clothes to stay warm but not enough to sleep in the snow.

On the way down, I was the slowest. It becomes apparent to me that I'm not feeling well. Cramps start coming and going and the nausea won't go away. The down hill footing is trickier, and I go extremely slowly because I'm worried about slipping and falling.  I just keep going.

At some point, it becomes obvious that something is wrong with me and I fess up that I'm dealing with cramps. Every once in awhile, I sit down because the pain is unpleasant, but realize I can't get relief until I walk off the mountain. I imagine vomit on the snow or my body lying in the fluffy white snow. I imagine falling and blood from my period, staining the ground. I keep going. I think if I truly get sick on the mountain and can't get off of it, it'll be hours before the paramedics come. But at least with all that snow, they can sled me down. If it get so bad to need that kind of help, I won't be able to afford the medical bill, so I keep walking. At all costs, I keep walking. I keep reminding myself, no matter how bad you feel, you can't stay. Only your feet can take you to safety, and so I walk.

I ran out of water and quit drinking it miles ago. When the leader sees that I'm eating fistfuls of snow. She shares her water. It helps. It helps a lot.

The walk is unbearable, but I do it. Nobody has any painkillers, and I just have to walk to get the cramps away.

Finally, we reach the cars. The walk was excruciating, but it gets done. I am grateful to be in the car. As soon as I get some painkillers , I promptly fall asleep.

 I wake up. I'm at my car, I'm more articulate with sleep and wish everyone a farewell. I feel so bad about slowing everyone down, I give the driver a $20 and hope he uses it wisely.

Giving him $20 means that I only have a $30 for the rest of the week.

On my way home, I drive to a Safeway. I get pads and chicken. I'm left with $15 for the rest of the week. A toddler tries to give me a cookie. I tell him that he is sweet. His mother herds him away. I must have looked like hell on earth.

I go home and flop into bed. I watch TV and am grateful to be a coach potato once more.