A story about my mom

[rocknrollgirl]

Ok, so first of all thanks for all of your kind words. Someone requested a story about my mom and this one immediately sprang to mind.

When my Mom and step-dad moved out to Colorado 13 years ago, they were avid hikers. They quickly started hiking lots of the peaks in the summit county area and eventually started banging out 14ers. After a year or two my husband and I went out to visit in the summer. We too were avid hikers and the four of us set to plotting an impressive list of 14ers to bag while we were there.

We acclimatized slowly and within a few days were picking them off. The crowning glory of that first summer was to be Mt Elbert, the highest peak in Colorado. It took forever to get to the trailhead, which it turns out is half the adventure of hiking out west. We finally arrived, after 4 wheeling across rivers and boulders. We got ourselves set and ready to go.

About 1/4 mile down the trail, there was a huge, huge, swampy, muddy puddle, the size of a small pond to cross. The first three of us made it across without incident, and then it was mom's turn. She took one step and slipped on the mud, went up in the air and landed on her butt, right in the stinky muddy water.

There was dead silence and my husband said, Mom are you ok, are you hurt? She replied she was fine, and then there was another pregnent pause and we all started howling with laughter. She was soaked to the bone and muddy down to her underwear. Everyone was laughing the laugh of.... I am glad you are ok and I am glad it was not me on my butt in the mud!

Well she got up, wrung out her stuff, looked at us and said, that mountain ain't gonna climb itself, what are we waiting for. Soaking wet, freezing cold, muddy drawers, and off she went. If it had been me, I would have been whining like a girl. Not Mom...

She was a tough little cookie.

[Kimmyt]

what an awesome story

you made some tears prickle my eyes there

[mimitabby]

so your mom was a MTB rider? Yes? wow! may I ask how old she was?

[teigyr]

Wow, it sounds like she lived life to the fullest.

I am so sorry for your loss, she sounds like an incredible woman.

Jane

[Veronica]

What a great story! Sounds like she was quite the lady.

Have you written down your mom stories to pass on?

V.

[mimitabby]

she just wrote one !

[Veronica]

No kidding, really?

Mimi I meant a book of them to pass on to any grand kids, not a post on TE.

I never knew my paternal grandfather and my grandmother passed away when I was young. I loved getting stories about them from my aunts.

V.

[Bikingmomof3]

What a wonderful memory. I agree with V, write these memories down.

[margo49]

That is exactly the kind of thing I meant in my post on the other thread.
Thank you.

[LBTC]

Fantastic story, Ruth! Thank you!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Tri Girl]

Your story made me laugh. I felt like I could see it happening. What a firecracker she was!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[Running Mommy]

Ohh that is just the best story! It's one of those things that you don't really think much about it at the time, but it sticks in your mind.
My only wish is that by being active with our son we are imprinting some memories like that, so he can recount them to his kids someday.
As I said in a previous post, you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Denise

[HappyAnika]

Thanks for sharing the story. I'd just like to add that it makes me so happy that you and your mom got to share the experience of climbing and standing on top of a 14er. I'm a mountain girl, and to me, that is the very essence of life.

[IFjane]

Thank you so much for that wonderful story! Your mom sounds like a super woman and I am sure you miss her terribly. Please know my thoughts are with you now, rocknrollgirl.

[Wahine]

Good story RnR. I love it. It's a great idea to write these things down when you're ready.