Hiking: The Triple Threat

I have been hiking up a storm. I hike nearly every weekend. I love it.

What started off as innocent little hikes at first.. afternoon jaunts through the countryside.. have continued to get increasingly more strenuous and exciting.

My hiking group is definitely what Jen had coined a Triple Threat: Good exercise, good views, good company.

UNO: Good exercise.
The last long weekend (celebrating the Saint of Ronda - since every city has a saint of course) instead of running off to travel we stayed in town and did two long hikes. One was to the highest point in the region of Malaga with a couple buddies. It was about 8 hours and several miles to the top. The view was spectacular from the top - where you could see all the way to the ocean and look out over the mountains in the other direction.
Two days later we were off again, bright and early, to the Sierra Nevada - a couple hours away.. with a van full of friends from our hiking group. Nothing like seeing the sun rise to make you feel like you are getting a jump on the day. It was the best hike yet! .... 18 strenuous miles - we climbed nearly 2,000 feet, and reached an altitude of 11,000 feet.

It is pretty sweet bragging rights too when someone asks if you have been to X town to respond - oh yeah.. I walked there. :)

DOS: Good views. Out in nature, what could be better?
The view from the Sierra Nevada was absolutely spectacular. Snowcapped mountains.And no matter where you go.. it is just amazing. Turquoise lakes, undiscovered caves, lush greenery, rocky steep mountains. I have also learned history along the way from friends, and seen many roman poles that tell the direction and distance to neighboring landmarks. Photos can not capture the magnificent of a eagle with a 9 meter wingspan flying above your head.. or being the only person in sight in a deep cambering ravine. And there is something about being in nature that stirs your equilibrium and calms your soul. It gives you a sense of peace and a thrill all at once. It is a place to reflect and think but also just to be. To engage your sense in your surroundings entirely.

TRES: Good company. An awesome crew of Spanish speaking friends.
This group of hikers is phenomenal. People that are like minded in their enjoyment of nature and hiking, even if we come from many background. And they are just a very good time too. People come from all over for these hikes, traveling from Sevilla, Malaga and beyond. But the organization is in Ronda. So our core crew consists of the trip leaders, and founders. What started off as a group of guys that liked going hiking every weekend has expanded into this organization that gathers up to 60 hikers for some hikes. However, since the core crew is us 'Rondenos' we still go on our own unofficial hikes as well without so many people. Every hike finishes with a beer.. or several.. and lots of good cheer. Jen, Saskia and I have been given the nickname of the Super Nenas (super girls). And the born and raised rondenos are great people to practice our spanish with.
On the way back fro the Sierra Nevada we had a blast. I cannot remember laughing that hard in a long time. Among our silliness and singing along with the radio, we somehow got onto the subject of animal sounds. Animal sounds in spanish are different than those in english.
For example a dog in english says: woof woof. In spanish: wow wow.
Rooster in English: cook-ca-doodle-doo. In spanish: kee-ka-ke-ke-kee.
So pretty soon there was a car full of Jen, myself and eight 40 year old men singing Old McDonald (tio pepito in spanish) over and over until we started doing animals like owls and mice. Jen even had the entire car sing her university's football chant: Goooooo Dawgs! woof woof woof woof. I was keeled over with laughter for the rest of the trip.. where my new name suddenly became maricarmen. It was an exhausting a beautiful day.

The triple threat: Good exercise, good views, good company - has made for many good weekends and lots of good memories.

Now we no longer wait until after a hike to meet up for a cervecita .. it is guaranteed that there is always one of the crew at our new local hangout Las Caracoles, a tapas joint. I can't wait for the next excursion.