After yesterday's long hike, I wasn't sure I was ready for yet another one, especially as I knew what to expect: 10 kilometers one way, where at the end, 400 meters of altitude had to be overcome on a distance of 1 km in rocky terrain.
My head said no, my legs said no way, so don't ask me why I even tried. I guess I kept telling myself that I always had the option of returning at any given point.
Luckily, the weather was on it's finest behavior. A little chilly in the morning but sunny and there was no wind.
The majority of the path took us through an enchanted forest with roots and trunks of all forms and shapes giving the impression they might come alive at night.
Every now and then, there were view points of the Piedras Blancas Glacier.
When we reached the milestone indicating the last 2 kilometers which would take more than an hours time, I decided to give it a try. It wasn't really fun: icy patches, high steps necessary to overcome various rocks, ... but ambition kicked in and I somehow made it.
The view of the Laguna and the mountains was impressive, but it was hard to fully enjoy it, knowing that the way home had to be mastered.
And yes, it was hard. First, almost one hour downhill, followed by several kilometers through the forest, and once the trail head was reached, it was yet another 2 km to reach the parking lot. By then, my legs hurt. Various times I thought of those videos showing marathon runners, who barely make it to the finish line, their legs all wobbly and under no control whatsoever. That is how I felt.
