Flattop Evening

This is what you do when there's lots of daylight and sunshine. On July 17, we were an adventurous group starting up the Flattop trail. It wasn't long before some were slowing down. Most of us were able to keep going although we admitted the rest breaks were welcome. The breeze at the top was really appreciated. Among the proud climbers posing at the top were Ashley and Shelly Henderson (in back) and Lisa Azimi, Sonia Callahan and myself. I hope I can keep up with this group for years to come!

But if we thought going up was challenging, Ashley was determined that every step going down would be on solid ground before she'd move. And sometimes, there was mostly loose rock to step on, making it hard to find just the right spot. Have to give her credit for hiding her fear of the unknown. Before she was off the mountain she admitted she had never done anything like this and just let her sister talk her into coming with the thought that if she fell, it would all be Shelly's fault for "dragging her along."

You'll notice there are two additional women in our group at the bottom of the stairs. This was taken at about 10:30 p.m., more than 3 1/2 hours after we first went up the stairs to the trail. Elizabeth Barnett did a "gentle" walk and Melissa Montague was her buddy for the evening while the rest of us went up the mountain.