I did it!  Sunday, on my 54th birthday, I hiked Mt. Lassen.  It was easier this time than last time (in 2008 - 8 years ago!) so the exercising I've been doing must be working, that, and they improved the trail, and we took longer to go up and down this time, but I'm going with my exercise program is helping......

The view was worth it.

Some of the twisted trees at the lower elevation.

Cindy and Rachelle met us up there.  Cindy didn't make it up tot he top, but Rachelle beat us all up.

The trail near the top....and if you look in the upper right corner, you can see people on the trail above us.

Margene made it all the way to the top!

This is the half-mile left marker.  The trail is 2 1/2 miles long, and gets steeper at this point.  There were a lot of people on the trail - most were climbing faster than we were, but not all of them.

AJ went up with me too - not his idea of a great time, but for his mother on her birthday, he went along.

Alex and Rachelle had to wait a really long time for Margene and I to get up to the top.

And when I thought we were done.....Alex pointed out that the 'real' top of the mountain is over there.....

Rachelle is wearing my black jacket up above me on the rocks......I decided it was a good thing that Cindy didn't make it up to see where her daughter was climbing......

At the top.....

I made it too!

Margene made it too!

Rachelle and Alex actually went to the very top of the rocks.  Margene and I decided that we were good with where we made it to - climbing the rock was not necessary to say we made it to the top of the mountain..