Dennis -
How interesting about your recent experience during the =22Ghost =
walk.=22 I read it as a personal triumph for you as well as a lesson in =
friendship and caring. Interestingly, during my recent visit to Atlanta, =
Georgia I had (what I now realize) a similar experience.
South-East of Atlanta stands Stone Mountain, the Mount Rushmore of =
the Southern Confederacy. On the face of this 900=27 high dome-shaped =
rock is carved three heroes of the Civil War: Jefferson Davis, Robert E. =
Lee and =22Stonewall Jackson.=22 The mountain and park are a popular =
tourist venue.
There is a =22trail=22 up the mountain, which winds 1 =BD miles up to =
the top. We were advised it was a moderate hike. Since it was the middle =
of the day and I was feeling my =22oats=22 (dopamine) I figured the hike =
was doable. In my college days in California I used to be a good rock =
climber and competed on the cross-country racing team. The slow degradatio=
n of my sense of balance and right-side muscle-cramping brought about by =
PD had eliminated these activities from my lifestyle years ago.
Nevertheless, I was game for a family activity. I was able to keep =
pace with my wife and 15 year old son for the first =BD mile of the trail, =
which featured only a slight incline. I sat and rested at the =BD mile =
mark, but kept them in view ahead. In the meantime, families with young =
children, senior citizens, joggers, and even two skate boarders=21 =
(heavily padded) passed by me in both directions. Then I hit my =
=22wall,=22 the slight rigidity I experience about two hours after my =
second dose of CR 50/200.
This affected my balance and slowed me to snail=27s pace. I could no =
longer keep the family in sight. I knew if I could just force myself =
forward the rigidity would abate in 45 minutes. . . I took frequent =
one-minute sit-downs. Meanwhile folks who had passed me in one direction =
(up or down) now passed me again, always with a cheerful greeting of =
encouragement.
Sure enough, at the 1 mile mark I regained full range of motion and =
began to pick up my pace . . . just in time for the trail to begin a steep =
incline to the finish=21 At this point on the trail the slope was steep =
enough to encourage small stones to slide downhill. The park engineers =
had installed wire and rubber web-like rip-rap to retain the rocks and =
soil . . . the vehicle road ended at a locked gate. I hadn=27t seen my =
family for forty minutes.
Just then my son appeared on the trail, sitting on a rock ahead. He =
had been waiting for me. =22Come on Dad,=22 he urged, =22there=27s a =
metal railing up ahead, almost up to the top.=22 Sure enough, beyond the =
trees, fifty yards further, the park engineers had installed a heavy metal =
railing across the steepest part of the climb, to a plateau near the top. =
Some of the hikers who had passed me congregated at the downhill end of =
the railing debating whether to continue or go back down. It was a =
no-brainer for me.
With my son leading the way (without comment or offer of aid) I =
pulled myself along the rail to the plateau just short of the top. Just =
as I got to the end of the railing and began climbing (really crawling) =
beyond the plateau, my right shoe came off=21 It slipped a few inches =
away and rested against a rock. All I could think of was the newspaper =
headline: SHOELESS HIKER FOUND CLINGING TO STONE MOUNTAIN. I reached over =
and grabbed my shoe and wedged it back onto my foot. I then stood up and =
leaned into the incline of the trail and continued the thirty yards up to =
the top where my son waited and watched, seemingly unconcerned.
Just like you, Dennis, I was never alone, and not made to feel as if =
I was a burden . . . my wife and son had full confidence in me. That made =
me feel wonderful and empowered.
=5BLater, my wife told me she just happened to have (?) my life =
insurance policy in her pocket, and it provided double-indemnity for death =
while climbing, so she was never worried. Fancy that: I didn=27t even =
know I had a life insurance policy=5D.
Stephan 53/7
