I asked if it was a good trail.. Honest!!
We had a midweek getaway in Riding Mountain National Park, about 3 hours from our home, and when we visited the park's touristy town we went to the Parks Visitor Center. The place is a beautiful log building built in the 1930's and has a great old fashioned museum and gift shop. I asked the cute young girl at the desk for her suggestions. I told her I didn't need to have a wheelchair rated trail but that I needed something level that I could push my walker over. She suggested the Brûlé trail. She said it was lovely, well groomed and rated as easy and after we hiked we could visit a lovely lake, Catherine Lake, just down the road.
Okay that sounds perfect!! I had no doubt that I could walk the distance of the trail. Well! We were only 15 minutes up this self guided trail when we found the trail changed to a wooded area with Pine roots crossing the trail in a huge tangles mass. It was really impassible using the walker. We didn't know if it was just a short section and we should persevere forward or we should turn back. The next area was a small ravine. The sensation of going downhill pretty much freaks me out at the moment and I was in tears and shaking by this point. Bob who wasn't feeling great himslef had to carry the walker and I clutched his arm for balance and stepped slowly and carefully onward. The trail really was beautiful and very interesting but it sure wasn't a good choice of someone who needs a walker! We kept going forward and the woods changed again and the last half wasn't anywhere as difficult for the last half. I was ultimately very proud of myself and feel I met a real huge challenge. When we got back to the hotel I could hardly move and more or less collapsed for the rest of the evening.
The next day was our "Spa Experience Day" and Bob and I had our very first massages ever and played in the hot tub and spa waters before packing up the car and heading back to our home in the city.
I was walked out.
No comments:
Post a Comment