Wow, I am still adjusting to life back here and feel like I haven't quite got a handle on it.  Between work, senior year/college prep, extra tutoring, (getting students for next year when I'm no longer at the school), doctor, dentist, ortho. appointments and catching up with friends I haven't caught my breath. 

Sunday GP and I went hiking in the mountains with two friends and made it to the trail we wanted just under the wire.  It closed for the winter the next day.  Because it was the last open hike day and because the weather was so beautiful, there were dozens of cars heading up to the parking areas at the head of the trail.   When we arrived at the lower parking area an official looking guy told us the higher lot was full and that we'd have to take a shuttle up to the trails.  We lined up behind a group of people waiting to get on the bus that was parked on the road.  The shuttle filled up and drove off leaving about 10 of us behind.  As soon as it had left, the parking official started letting the cars that were still arriving up to the higher lot!  Parking at the high lot costs 5 euro a day.  That is what they were charging each person for the round trip shuttle.  Of course each car had at least two people (we had 4) , so these parking guys were making money off the shuttle and pocketing it.  When the cars started driving past the rest of us who were waiting, there was an all out revolt.  One old guy screamed, (roughly translated), "It's too early in the day to be shit on!" and then stomped back to his car with his family in tow.  After that we all ran for our cars, people yelling obscenities and making very rude hand gestures at the parking guys and drove to the higher parking lot where we all found space.   Thieves and scoundrels!

As for the hike itself, that was also an adventure.  The trail is so high and so steep I thought my lungs were going to explode.  GP had climbed this route earlier in the summer and assured me it wasn't too bad.  Liar, liar, pants on fire!  He knows I don't like heights and am only comfortable on good trails.  When we got to an icy patch and had to scramble over rocks on our hands and knees I started to get a little uneasy.  When I saw the first rope hold we had to use, so as not to tumble off into the abyss, I started to get scared.  And when we got to the iron bolts that were our only footing up,  I got pissed. 

on the way up

rock slide

the gang at the hut

I made it to the top!  Monviso behind me.

 We all survived and made it down in one piece, exhausted and hungry.  It was worth it!  xxoo me

me and friend C.

heading down again.

glacial melt