Multnomah Falls and an Ah-ha

If you give an Amy the highest waterfall in Oregon, she'll take pictures of the pretty sunlight filtering through the green and starting to turn gold leaves and she'll love the way the blue water looks behind the prickly branches.  But first she'll take care of business.  Because if you give an Amy the trail that goes to the top of said waterfall, she'll feel its her mission in life to get to the top as fast as possible.

Ironically, I didn't even realize what was happening until we finally reached the last switchback and I turned around to see Kiel with sweat running down his face.  "Did you decide we had to race up that?"  

"Well yes.  I guess I did."  

It wasn't a conscious decision but rather my body taking over as I felt the first shortness of breath and sting in my legs.  I crave that kind of challenge; it makes me push to the next little milestone.  Get to that tree.  Now to that bend.  See that person?  Catch them.  

It takes me over, whatever it is.  

Maybe it could be called a goal mindset or competitive or maybe even obsessive - call it what you want, it's something.  

Once to the top and after the call out of Race Hike 2015, I took my camera from Kiel and started enjoying the little things and the big things all around, the beautiful.  Yes, he carried my camera up because he's real good like that.  

I felt my breath return to even and the rush of conquering was tucked quietly in my back pocket - or at least it would have been had my pants had pockets.  Rather, it was tucked in my being.  

On the way down I lagged behind, noticing and capturing.  We got the giggles several times recounting the trip up and the looks from strangers that now made sense to me after hearing Kiel's side of watching me charge up the trail.  The looks of okay then, you are just doing this thing aren't you? 

I am a charger.  It's just a part of who I am.  It's why I can unpack my kitchen into an already stocked kitchen and have it all sorted and organized in a matter of hours.  I start to feel the shortness of breath...

Wait?  Maybe I'm just neurotic.  I can't not finish.  Yep, that's more it than anything.  No breaks here, unless it's for a slice of cheese mid-sorting the beans in the pantry.