Because I Am Just That Awesome

Ok, so remember when I actually had a weekend to myself and I went hiking in Yosemite?Just barely, huh. Me too.

BUT!

I figured out how to make the music work with the video because I am a frickin' genius. The scary thing is that I finally figured this out in the middle of putting together the music played over the PA system while the candidate walked into the ballroom to give his victory speech. At midnight, on the eve of the election, somehow it was I who was doing the multimedia crap. Because I am good at it??? No. But maybe because I am better at it than anyone else in the room, which is a frightening thought. (Ok, there I go doing that girl thing of minimizing my accomplishments. No, dammit, I AM good at this crap, once I figure out how to make everything work properly. Apple QuickTime, you've been pwned.)

ANYWAY.

I went to Yosemite. I spent Saturday hiking the Upper Yosemite Fall trail -- 7.2 miles round-trip, 2425 foot elevation. It was challenging, but not as painfully strenuous as I expected. My biggest concern was making it up and back before nightfall. The Park Service says the trail takes six to eight hours to do. Considering I started around 11am and the sun sets by 6:00, I knew I didn't have much leeway.

I reached the top in 2:20.

(The only thing worse than the pain of hiking uphill for three miles is thinking about how much more painful it's going to be on the way down. My poor, weak little knees hate me.)

My plan for Day Two was to take it easy, maybe do a mid-distance trail without too much elevation change. Trouble is, there are no such trails within the Park. In the national forest surrounding Yosemite, yes. Actually in the park, no. I needed to leave around mid-day, so I found a trail and promised myself I'd just go an hour in and then turn around and head out. No problem.

Right. Except the trail I selected was the Mist Trail -- 3 miles round-trip, several hundred feet of elevation change, culminating in 600 steps to the top of Vernal Fall. Of course I did the whole thing, because I am just that kind of idiot. And because it only took me an hour and three minutes to reach the top, and I said an hour in and an hour out. I just didn't know that was going to include 600 steps, oh my hell.

I hurt like you would not believe on Monday. And Tuesday. And still somewhat on Wednesday. But, the trade-off for not being able to walk down stairs comfortably for a week was the gorgeous scenery, which you can now view below. Set to music, even!

Ok, shutting up now. I am clearly not awesome enough to make the video box look pretty below, but for now it'll do. Must sleep.