09/20/2026
That’s me in the pink socks… happily heading UP the mountain, having absolutely NO IDEA what was waiting for me. 😂🩷⛰️
I separated from the group almost immediately because I already knew I needed to do this at my pace. I wasn’t racing anybody. I was going to take my time, protect my body, and just keep moving. I also enjoy being alone, just me an the bears 🐻.
So for most of this adventure, it was just me and that mountain.
I signed up for 18 miles.
Apparently the mountain said, “Cute. Here’s 22.72.” 💀😂
22.72 miles.
4,262 ft of elevation gain.
9 HOURS AND 49 MINUTES.
For perspective, I climbed 4,262 feet of elevation—that’s roughly the equivalent of climbing a 426-STORY BUILDING. ON FOOT. And apparently I thought this sounded like a fun Saturday activity. 💀😂⛰️
And because apparently climbing a mountain wasn’t dramatic enough, a freaking STORM rolled in while I was on the ridgeline. ⛈️🌧️
And honestly? It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. The rain was cold and refreshing, and at that point I was so exhausted it felt AMAZING. 😂
By mile 14, I wanted to quit.
But here’s something they don’t tell you about quitting when you’re in the middle of a mountain:
YOU CAN’T. 😂
HINTS my Vocabulary in video 😂😅🧗
There’s no Uber.
There’s no “tap out” button.
Nobody is pulling up in a golf cart.
You still have to get yourself OFF THE MOUNTAIN.
And by around mile 16, my hip had HAD IT. The hardware in that hip and nearly 10 hours of climbing and descending were not getting along. I was basically dragging myself forward at that point.
It was brutal. There were moments when my body was screaming STOP, but stopping wasn’t going to get me off that mountain.
So I kept moving.
Sometimes painfully slow. Sometimes one step at a time. But forward.
And I learned something about myself up there:
We are capable of incredibly hard things.
Sometimes your body reaches a point where it feels like it has nothing left, and your mind has to carry you through the next step… and then the next one… and then the next one.
Your mind can take you farther than you ever thought you could go.
I hated parts of it. 😂 pretty much everything after mile 10!!
I hurt.
I wanted to quit.
I questioned ALL of my life choices. 💀
But I also stood on a ridgeline in a thunderstorm, alone, looking out over something absolutely beautiful.
And eventually…
I GOT MYSELF OFF THAT DAMN MOUNTAIN. 😂🙌🏽⛰️
Meanwhile, pink-sock Ashley in this picture is just climbing away like, “This is gonna be so much fun!”
Bless her heart. She had no freaking clue. 😂🩷
OH—and did I mention the last FOUR MILES?! 💀😂
I was completely out of water. Not “running low.” Not “saving my last few sips.”
OUT. OF. WATER. 😭
My feet were cramping.
My calves were cramping.
My hip had already filed for divorce.
And I still had FOUR MILES of mountain between me and civilization. 😂 My family was tracking me on a beacon, and during the last 3 miles, I continued to receive text messages that we’re playing aloud in my ear through my headphones, encouraging words that literally kept me moving forward. My children kept texting me. Mom we are so proud of you. Please don’t quit …. You’re the strongest person we know we love you and my husband saying you can do it, you’re so strong, keep moving…. so yeah I cried on that mountain too. 
At that point there was no athleticism left. No inspirational Rocky montage. It was pure STUBBORNNESS, PRAYER, and one foot in front of the other. 🙏🏽😂
But I made it.
And today, I am leaving Tennessee and I AM NOT LOOKING BACK. 😂✌🏽⛰️
Am I leaving triumphantly, walking tall after conquering the mountain?
Absolutely not.
I’m leaving in a WHEELCHAIR because I currently cannot walk. 🦽💀😂😂
10/10 life experience.
0/10 would recommend.
Your girl is RETIRED from mountains. 😂😂😂
But one thing that mountain taught me:
We are capable of hard things. Sometimes the body says “I’m done” long before the mind is willing to quit. And sometimes you find out exactly what you’re made of when quitting simply isn’t an option. ❤️⛰️🙌🏽
