Masada

I am stupid.

Ok, I know that's a weird way to start a blog. lol
There are three things that should never be mentioned in the same sentence: me, vacation, climbing.

Most of you have heard the story about Dad and I climbing Pike's Peak in Colorodo on vacation a few years ago. Well apparently I, ahem, didn't learn my lesson... lol

Today we visited "Masada"... for those who don't know what it is:

Masada is the name for a site of ancient palaces and fortifications in the South District of Israel on top of an isolated rock plateau, on the eastern edge of the Judean Desert overlooking the Dead Sea.

The cliffs on the east edge of Masada are about 1,300 feet high and the cliffs on the west are about 300 feet (90 m) high; the natural approaches to the cliff top are very difficult. The top of the plateau is flat and rhomboid-shaped, about 1,800 feet by 900 feet. There were many towers, and the fortress included storehouses, barracks, an armory, the palace, and cisterns that were refilled by rainwater.

There's a cable car that offers a very smooth, quick ride to the top. For the stupid people, there's a brutal climbing trail to the top.

Guess which one I chose? lol

Out of our group of 42, four of us chose to climb. (Me, Nathan, Heather & Evan) Nathan's asthma started giving him trouble and he had to turn back, so only three of us finished.

Heather and Evan are in extremely good shape and they do alot of climbing.

I am fat and lazy and discovered after about 20 minutes that I'm not in near as good a shape as I thought! lol It's a very steep climb. There is NO shade on the side of the mountain and it was about 140 degrees today. (That's what it FELT like, anyway!).

Four hours, 34,000 calories burned, and 65,000 steps later... I reached the top! (Ok, so maybe I'm exagerrating a little bit.)

 

The view from the top is amazing. You are looking down on the Dead Sea. (This, by the way, is the area where the children of Israel were wandering.)

 

"I made it!" (Snapshot taken when I reached the top.)