High Heels and A-Line Skirt

When Marisa was six and Melody was seven, I was their girl scout leader.  They were Brownies--adorable and cute and little.  I had to keep reminding myself that some were in first grade and couldn't read and write yet.  Anyway, Brownies didn't usually go on overnight camping trips, but older Brownies can and the other leaders in town needed more kids to make up the camping trip numbers, so I was strongly encouraged to get my kids ready for a summer camping trip. 

You don't just start out camping--you build up to it.  So first, at one meeting we looked outside of our meeting place (we went outside to play a game--the girls always liked red light, green light the best).  Then at another meeting we took a walk around the block (literally--there was a liquor store that I used as our pit stop to buy water and rest).  The next step was go on a hike.  I did a little research (asked two people) and found out that there was a trail above Brand park.  Brand park is right by my house, so car pooling wasn't necessary--we could just meet there.  Ha, simple.  But I thought (being a very responsible leader) that I should check the trail out to make sure that it was not too difficult for first and second graders (and as it turned out, me--much younger than I am today, but not exactly athletic by any stretch of the imagination or squinting of the eye).

At first, I had plenty of time, so I would tell myself, I'll check out the trail next weekend and then I never got around to it.  Then it was the week of and on Monday, Tuesday, Wendesday and Thursday, I thought, I'll do it tomorrow.  Finally it was Friday and the hike was the following morning.  I couldn't get out of work early, and it was getting late, so I didn't have time to go to change out of my work clothes which that day was a skirt suit (a-line skirt) and high heels.  [Yes, I actually used to wear high heels into work--at the time I thought of them as the attorney uniform.  I have evolved since then immensely, but I digress.]  As I parked the car, I was concerned that it was getting late and I worried that my dinner was going to be too late--did I really have enough time to hike up the mountain.  I didn't like to eat too late, which I did a lot, so you can understand my concern.  [Meanwhile, I weight a lot more today than I did then, so there you go--it was a good thing to worry about.]

At first I had trouble figuring out the entrance to the trail, but then I saw two guys start up the trail and I realized that was the entrance.  The two fellows looked like guys you would see at a bar--not the sort you ask for directions or necessarily want to follow up a mountain, but I kind of burned those bridges by waiting until the last possible day to check out the trail.  So I cursed my luck (or lack thereof) and at a reasonable distance, followed them up the trail.

At first the trail, while steep, had very wide wood planks that acted like stairs.  I was careful not to catch my spike heel in the boards and I had to walk sideways, but it was doable.  Some "stairs" were pretty high and my a-line skirt was not designed for hiking, but I reasoned that if I could climb the trail in high heels and a skirt, then first and second graders would be able to handle it, no problem.  So I'm climbing and climbing.  At one point there was a lot of errosion on the main part of the trail and I had to walk on the grass edge.  My heels sunk into the grass, so I kind of had to walk tippy toes on that part and it was pretty steep, but I made it ok.  Certainly the girls could do this.

After a little while I came to a clearing and I turned around and saw the most beautiful sunset that I had seen in ages.  I loved sunsets and I stopped and drank in the beauty.  Why hadn't I ever come here before--what a gorgeous sight up the hill, with the sun going down.  I just stood and watched as the realization washed over me...the sun is going down....I am up the hill....with pyscho beer belly guys....in high heels and an a-line skirt in the darkening twilight.

Yes, I was down that hill in no time flat--it was much faster down.  I had no idea that I was so skilled at running down a steep hill in high heels and an a-line skirt.

P.S.  The next morning the girls scampered up the trail, no problem--although at one point one little girl said, "gee, my daddy never lets us go on this part of the trail, because he says it is too dangerous."  I looked a little closer and realized that there was a very steep ridge next to the trail.  So like a crossing guard I raised out my arms like guard rails and yelled "single file" as we passed that area of the trail.  You miss stuff like that in the dark and what you think is bad luck is really extreme good luck (that I didn't fall off that mountain in my high heels and a-line skirt).