This was a real accomplishment for me! It's been nine years since I climbed to the top of Spencer Butte. I last did it six days after turning 70. Now, at 79, I made it again today. I was invited to the dedication of the newly rebuilt trail to the top. My day start out wrong as I was late in leaving home and knew I wouldn't make the event, at the tree line at the top. Traffic was heavy, making me later still. So when I got to the parking lot out South Willamette Street, I was later still. For some mistaken reason, I thought the climb was a lot shorter than it turned out to be. I left the parking lot at 1:00 PM and didn't make it to the top till 3:00. It was a climb of over three miles. I was extremely tired when I made it to the top. It was too late for the open house at the top, but I made it!

Now, the return trip wasn't going to be any shorter, as I had the same route to follow back. I thought it would be easier going downhill much of the time. But holding yourself back is still strenuous. So I got very tired, to the point of rubbery legs and feeling a bit wobbly. I had to sit down several times the last mile to rest. Once, I even fell asleep and my elbow slipping on my knee woke me up. That refreshed me enough to continue on. The last half mile included more rest stops and and a final descent to the parking lot.

Link to photo - http://www.pbase.com/fotabug/image/161271146

I was so hungry and thirsty that I stopped on the way home to have a hamburger, and reward myself with a chocolate milkshake. I think that may be my last attempt at the 2000 feet elevation Spencer Butte!