Wednesday, Day 2 of 4: 'The present moment begins now' is all I kept hearing as my feet hit the rocky terrain. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be to walk on. The elevation (lack of oxygen) has a similar effect, whether you're fit or not.

It's always an honor to be humbled by nature. Thank you, Andes.
We went from 11,500 feet to 14,000 feet. Seven hours-ish.
At the highest point, we did our own family vow renewal ceremony (the Shaman-led one was to come) to celebrate Josh's and my lucky number 13.
As seen here, we added some white to our hiking attire, all while the hot sun and cold rain competed to be our guests.
Part of what Nolan (9) vowed to Josh (46 :-):
"I promise to always love you with all my heart. I promise to be your greatest fan and accomplice in mischief. I promise to be your student and teacher…"
Josh didn't think we'd cry as much as we did. He was right. Tender and tall we stood, teeth chattering. Just like life, today was *the* sweetest and most physically demanding day.
Today's gems: Simply, the sweat and the sweet.




