Should I be dating these or does the site do that automatically? Just in case: I'm writing this on Sunday am, the 18th of May about our journey down Hua Shan on Saturday, the 17th (last night's post covered the day before, as we ascended the mountain)OK OK so maybe that one had a little too much detail?
I could just say that the next day we came down the hill.
OOhh..I can't resist just a few details:
I awoke very early to a blush in the eastern sky beyond the 1000 yr old pine.
all quiet..not even the monks up yet, Cal meditating, the air very fresh from the rain last night...sweet.
We started down around 7. There were a coupla of UP passages and my hips complained so it's a good day to go down. However, down has it's challenges as well (don't look, just don't look)..the legs get wobbly, the guts drop . We opted for "Fish flying ridge"over going back down the dragon ridge, but even there there were a couple of whimper-some moments. Luckily I had forgotten the "Heavenward Ladder", which was short but scary..almost vertical with the chains to hang onto. I went down sideways and put both feet on each narrow step. To avoid more of the same, we decided to take the 10 minute cable car down to the east gate (we had hiked up the western water course). It was TERRIFYING! I kept my eyes closed almost the whole time, just little peeks. At first we were both laughing hysterically, but when Cal started to speak, I told him to PLEASE SHUT UP, I MEAN IT! !!!!!! He got it all on videotape, the bum.
Although we are proud of ourselves for making the long hike up and even a little smug (the Tao of smugness), there was much that was good for the humility quotient: little kids in plastic sandals making the same climb, old folks who made it up the dragon ridge, youths who bounded up or down the granite without touching the chain banisters, the porters with their heavy loads. A good good trip in every way.
As my Tai Chi teacher, Master Choy used to say: "!Ah!"
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