I was planning a very easy day or a rest day, then my phone buzzed with a text from Oreo (Nic) goating me into a Ben Lomond run. Columbus Day, and the guy works at a bank. Me, I was sitting at my desk trying to plan out a hectic week, but maybe I could pull off disappearing for most of the afternoon.
A little aftern 12:00 and we were on our way up the warm south facing switchbacks. I started to question bringing my jacket, the trail was dry, but I warned Nic that it would get muddy for a bit in a mile or two.
Two miles later we were staggering around trying to tight rope walk a single motorcycle track that had cut a path through the snow and mud. It was cold. The wind was ripping. I put on my jacket, then my gloves. My feet were numb from the icy river of melt water running down the tire rut I was trying to walk in. I was bit$#*ing to myself about how bad it sucked. Oreo, he was like a kid on Halloween, excited about every turn in the trail. Having a blast. The guy is a die hard, not single complaint the whole trip, while it seemed like every other sentence out of my mouth contained some explative about the conditions, which got worse and worse the higher we went.
Eventually we were booting straight up a nice snowfield, b-lining for the peak. We tossed a rock on Kasey's carin. Nic led the way up the final rocky ridge to the top, let out a big whooop on the peak, snapped a few pics and we were off for the long descent back.
The upper snowfield made for some fun post hole running on the way down, and soon we were staggering along the snow/mud/rut that was a nice trail only days before. I was running like a druken lunatic, stumbling and flailing. Oreo just cruised along, laughing once in a while when I slipped into a knee deep ice puddle or went careening around trying to stay on my feet.
All in all, I have never been up there in such tough conditons. Nic was a beast, poweirng through with not a single gripe. Super gald he asked me along on that adventure. Oreo said somehting about these being the kind of runs you remeber and he was totally right, I would say that it was one of the best trips up BL of the year, and one I will never forget. | 