New Years Hike to the Cross

Two of the three Andrich's were total lazy bums yesterday, eating nachos and watching football.  I was the only active one, swimming at least 50 laps in Nan's pool.  I got my New Years resolution off to a great start (lose weight and exercise).  My parents were epic failures. 

Today they decided to get some exercise and hike up the mountain, to the foot of the cross.  A quick background on the cross here.  I have a lot of friends in Boy Scouts who might find the story interesting as well. 

http://www.stmargarets.org/about/cross/

You can see this cross at night from quite a distance in the Coachella Valley.  It is bright against the dark backdrop of an uninhabited mountain.  My Papa always liked seeing it in the night sky when he was here, and commented about it often.   It was really easy to see when he was on his way to his favorite Mexican restaurant - Armandos on El Paseo. 

After my Papa went to heaven in 2015, my Nan knew that part of his ashes would have to go up there.  Papa loved being out in the Desert!  So on January 24, 2017 Nan hiked up the mountain with Pastor Bob and Laurie, with Papa in her pocket.  This was a significant date, as it was also Nan & Papa's wedding anniversary.  At the top, Pastor Bob read from the Bible and said a prayer as Nan let Papa's ashes fly into the desert. 

Let me tell you - I have a whole new respect for Nan!!  This is not an easy hike, even though the Trails App calls it easy.  This hike took us from 383 feet to 1022 feet over a 1.2 mile area.  There were a lot of times we felt like we were going straight up hill.  The views were great along the way.

We got to the top (saw lots of puppers like me along the way) and there were only three people and one pup there when we arrived.  After seeing many people on the way up, we were surprised that it wasn't more crowded.  I went to greet the Springer and a nice lady asked my mama "Are you from Hill-Murray?"  My mama was wearing a Hill-Murray shirt, and said "yes, 1988 grad.  Are you?"  The lady answered, "No, I graduated from Johnson."  Mama said, "My dad went to Harding" and the lady quickly replied, "Well I graduated from the REAL East Side!"   It was all my mama could do not to cry.  That's exactly what my Papa would have said if the shoe were on the other foot.  It was almost like Papa was right there in that moment.  Papa was an Eastsider through and through and he would have given that lady a really hard time for being from Johnson!  My mama extended her hand and introduced herself to the lady (whose name was Sue) and suddenly the man who was with Sue said "Julie Andrich?"  Mama turned around to stand face to face with a man named Jim who is going on her Masters trip this year.  My mama is not speechless very often.  In fact, my daddy says she has a lot of words.  But there my mama stood, with no words, at the top of a mountain that we hiked to say hello to Papa.  And Papa was right there, saying hello right back. 

We had some chit chat on the top of the mountain.  It turns out the other lady's name is Kathy, and we passed her husband Dave on the way up. He was walking down with the help of a stick.  Jim & Sue's dog's name is Molly.  After a while, they headed back down the mountain and we hung out for a little bit, reflecting and quiet.

Quite a few people must find this place special too.  There were many mementos left by the plaque, including an old tattered Bible.  Many small rocks were strewn about, with names of people painted on them.   There is a reason so many people make this trip up the mountain.  Some simply to enjoy a beautiful view.  Others to get a little higher up, closer to heaven perhaps, to connect with those gone before us.  

I am so glad my parents brought me here to join them on their vacation.  It's been great to share these experiences with them.  I will not forget this day or this trip.  And I've overheard we still have a few adventures to go!

With love from the top of the mountain,

SummerGirl