Durango, Colorado. What a day! I was up at 5am, excited to spend another day on Cedar Mesa. My original plan was to go back to McLoyd Canyon, (Joe, this was the scene of my failure three years ago when I chickened out halfway down and climbed back out). But the owner of the Recapture Lodge told me a story about Ted Danson's father in law having a heart attack and dying right at the spot I stopped at. I decided that McLoyds Canyon had bad juju. A woman at the lodge told me about a ruin near the head of Road Canyon. So it was off to Road Canyon, but I had neglected to do what I usually did and get exact mileage to critical points (there is no signage and the locals want to keep tourists confused). Chuck and I ended up confused, lost and wandering aimlessly for about three hours. Very tired at this point and pissed at myself for not doing my job properly, I eventually found the right spot. Chuck waited at the top while I took the hike. I just had to do it, tired or not.
Down another canyon wall and about a mile or so of sometimes rough stuff and I could see the ruin way up, almost to the rim on my left. Not a difficult climb if I was 30 and in perfect conditions but I am 60 and the wind was howling. Up to the ruin I went, took a few shots and decided I didn't want the hawk to take me off the ledge and send me a couple of hundred feet to the canyon floor below. So down I went and started the trek back upcanyon. About halfway back I was thinking of my family and suddenly burst into tears, I continued to cry off and on back to the rim. Despite meeting the mental and physical challenges I had set before myself, I was humbled by the vast beauty of nature and the intensity of my feelings for my family and my loss. At the top I was absolutely and completely, physically and emotionally exhausted. I had given my all and had nothing left. I felt I had honored Sue's memory.
I have some stupid things to say but they don't seem appropriate at this time, I'll save them for tomorrow. Jon