Mukilteo Musings

Hiking--to Me a Matter of Women's Rights!

Since I do not have my camera to post current pictures of the Puget Sound area, I will resort to file photos. We have given up all of our rain and then some to California, evidently, because we have had blue skies, blue waters and "outed" mountains for days. Yesterday, Mount Pilchuck was clearly visible and everytime I see it, I annoy my family by saying, "Yep, I have hiked to the top of Pilchuck, right there, see it?"



Little Janet was a chubby child. I remember my Dad was constantly trying to get me outside. You see, my Dad was athletic. He was a superb swimmer and an even better basketball player. He played college basketball until he went away to war. Basketball continued to be a part of his life until a few months before he died--on Thursday nights at the Junior High gym. When I was really little, he would take my brother and me to watch; I also have early memories of watching him play on a softball team. My Dad tried so hard with me, bless his heart. He tried to teach me to throw a ball (my son still laughs when I throw a stick for Apolo); he had me out in the driveway playing "horse" under our basketball hoop; and he even attempted to teach my best friend and me how to play a little football out on our front lawn until I started to cry.

Fishing and camping trips usually required a little hiking. When we would go to my Dad's favorite fishing spot at Beaver Creek on the Missouri River, we'd have to walk through private ranch land. I was slow. My Dad would walk behind me and poke me with his fishing pole and sometimes he would throw cow pies to make me move a little faster--always done with affection and for the most part I'd be giggling unless it was really early in the morning. I never did become athletic but Dad was successful with me in two ways: 1) I learned that girls could and should do sports and 2) I learned to love to hike in the outdoors.

When I was in high school (1968-1971), there were no sports programs for girls except for cheerleading or the drill team. As a part of the student council in the midst of the women's rights movement, my friends and I pushed for more equality and managed to come up with two plans. First of all, we sponsored a powder puff football game and it was not flag but tackle. One of my best friends who I forced to participate (who reads this blog sometimes) suffered a broken nose. I have always felt bad about that but she is still as gorgeous today as she was then. Second, for the first time ever, our high school started a girl's track team.

I wasn't athletic and I had no idea what I would do on a track team but my friends and I joined up. How could we not?? It was a matter of equality with the boys and I loved the red sweat suits. My brother received the athletic genes in our family and was a track star. He could run fast and jump high and took second at State for the long jump. So, I decided my event was the long jump but I was embarrassingly terrible. Also, I had done quite a bit of hiking by that point and I had some stamina so my other event was the mile. For the first time in my life, I slimmed down. In those days, very few girls would try to run any distance so I had practically no competition. Nevertheless, I usually came in last place and I'd still get a ribbon which looked good on my high school resume.

After high school, I never again participated in organized sports. Hiking is another matter. Walking through ranchland and jumping over irrigation ditches morphed into week long backpacking trips in the Absaroka Mountains, the highest mountain range in Montana. Having children interfered significantly with my hiking especially since my girl child hates it. I have not had the patience to be as persistent with her as my Dad was with me. Perhaps, I should try throwing cow patties at her! My husband's knees are shot but my son is a willing partner so the last few years I have been able to do some hiking. And I live in a place where the wilderness is 45 minutes from my front door.

So these are file photos from our climb up Mount Pilchuck--elevation 5324--two years ago. I had turned 50 that year and I was so proud of myself. My thighs were burning and I felt weak but accomplished UNTIL we met a group of old hikers who must have been in their 80's acting like they could have jogged to the top. Burst my bubble!!


On the Way Up


View from the top


Me in the Lookout at the top (Puget Sound in the distance behind me)


Cascade Mountains from top of Pilchuck