Ascension

[tedwords]

 

"Ain't about how fast I get there, Ain't about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb." Miley Cyrus

Today was really the high point of the entire cruise. Our stop today was Olden, and our mission was to come face to face with a glacier. 

The Briksdal glacier, to be precise. The glacier was formed about 2,500 years ago, and covers an area of about 10.4 km, located 1,500 meters above sea level. It was the hottest day of the cruise, too, and our objective was met after a 45-minute walk about 300 kilometers upwards.

To be honest, we were worried about how Corb’s mom would do on this one but we shouldn't have been. If there is one thing this woman knows how to do, it's to walk, even with sciatica pain. She was a real trooper and stuck it through, all the way, and it wasn’t easy. 

At the start of the climb, I think she was serioiusly worried about whether she could make it. We started up the trail and after about ten minutes, right in the middle of chatting away amiably, she stopped and said, “Oh." She looked around for a place to sit. "Let’s stop for a moment.”

Corb and I looked at each other. "Do you want to stop and turn around? There's no problem if you think this is too much,” Corb said. I am sure he was also thinking of her back, but also a recent car accident she had, right before the cruise, which totaled her car and prevented her from seeing the opening night of Chess. 

“No no no,” she replied, casting an eye up to the top. Her jaw set and she looked determined, probably thinking of her finance and companion Jim, who passed away  about a year ago, and was an avid walker. “I am going to try this.”

We took it in fits and bursts. We would measure each section by the length of time to a curve, and then check in to see how she felt. There were some truly beautiful sights along the way. So many waterfalls, and the sheer magnificence of the natural formations around us would have been worth it, even if we hadn't made it to the top. For this area, the tour guide had warned us to "bring our shampoo."

To be honest, at about the forty minutes mark, we truly did seriously contemplate giving it up. The flies were so persistent and it was getting so hot. We moved to sit down and assess our options. But then, miraculously perhaps, as we were seated, a a 40-something lady and her son came from the opposite direction and a women sitting at the bench next to us called out, How far to the glacier and is it worth it?”

The woman beamed. “Ten to fifteen and totally worth it!”

We glanced over at Corb’s mom. That was exactly what we needed to hear. “That sounds doable,” she said, rising to her feet.

And ten minutes later, as we were moving through a group of large boulders, we knew the end was within grasp. 

As another sign, Corb’s mom bumped into a teacher couple around her age, from New Hampshire. They had just made their way down and the three started chatting it up. I think it inspired her to go further.

As we were walking along the path, we kept seeing signposts along the way. It took us a bit to realize that they were tracking the progression of the glacier through the years--and in some ways, sad to see how quickly it has been moving. This signposts was quite some distance from where the glacier was now located, for example. 

Before you knew it, we were there! There was a large lake around the base of the glacier with amazingly crisp and cold water. Corb and I decided to take off our shoes and wade into it, and let me tell you, that water was certainly a wake up call. We didn't see anyone swimming in it properly, which I think would have been incredibly brave, but we were told that some people do. 

We relaxed there for about half an hour, and then started on our way down. Corb's mom seemed very thoughtful as we marveled at what we had done and took in the splendor. I suspect she was thinking of Jim, whose spirit I am sure was looking on and approving.

On the way down, we located some transportation and asked whether they would mind taking Corb's mom down with them, which they were happy to do. Corb and I took the downward descent, which was somewhat slippery, by ourselves. Although it was said to be a 45 minute descent, we cleared it in 15. And then, pie awaited us, along with a delicious lunch in the restaurant at the base of the mountain. That was the next task before us, on this spectacular day. 

Which we gladly accepted. There's always gonna be another mountain, after all.