It’s was 3:45 am and I really didn’t want to hike Mt Baldy.

My stomach was upset again. I finally figured out that it must be the altitude sickness pills that were causing it.

I’ve considered using the ski lifts, which would cut about 5 miles and almost half of the elevation gain….so I checked it out. Apparently, you can buy tickets for the lifts and Battle of the Brews (a flight of local beers + a pint) for 32 bucks. Score!!! And with that I went back to bed.

I got to sleep in, watch Mexico beat Germany and I bagged Mt Baldy.

I thought today was going to suck. I kept looking ahead… at what I expected to happen and those morning clouds. A mile into the hike, I chatted with a guy and told him how blue and beautiful it was up there and he said to me,

“You just had to get above those clouds.”