More of day 2 camping

I have a fear of heights. A terrible fear of heights. But on this day, I worked to overcome it.

Craig mentioned this "firetower" the campground had that people could climb up. He did say it was pretty tall, but I figured it was like Enger Tower...all enclosed. Was I surprised when we got to the tower. At first I wasn't going to go up it, but then I looked at Mason, and decided to go for it. My plan was not to look down and go up as fast as I could. I did pretty good, until we got to a certain point and could feel the wind blowing. When we were 2 flights from the top, I just froze and decided I couldn't go any further. I just stopped and said I was going back down and started turning around. Of course little Mason said "Mom, it's not that much farther". How could I argue with that? So I pressed on (with lots of prayer) and made it to the top. I kept remembering the nurse when I was delivering Maddox saying "You have to push through the pain" and how I said in my head "Nope. I am done. I am not pushing anymore, I am going to sit here. I am done" and then I couldn't just sit there, I had to push through the pain. That is what those last 2 flights of stairs were like for me (without the pain part...just the mental part)

When we 1st saw the tower, Mason was in awe. "We're going to go to the top of that?" is what he said. Craig carried Maddox up and Maddox did OK until it got windy. He talked about the firetower for a few days "up, up, up, dada, (fake cry), whoa, up, up, up, care (means scared), dada, oh"

So I will always remember this day. forever.


Mason contemplating our long climb upThe view from the top. I didn't take any pictures on the way up. They had signs along the way explaining the different parts of the forest as you move up and what animals live there, but I didn't stop to read them.
Here we are at the top. I was shaking and right after the picture, I headed back down.

This is what it looked like straight down. I didn't look down as I took the picture, just hung the camera over and clicked.

It was beautiful and I am sure it is gorgeous in the fall with all the fall colors. I will just imagine it though.

Heading back down

As we were coming down, a family reunion of over 30 people showed up and started climbing up. It was pretty scary passing people on stairs or standing on the landings and letting them go by.

We made it! Craig and my legs were soooo sore after that.