It's Worth the Extra Effort.

We went sledding yesterday.  We went sledding with about 1,000 other Angelinos excited about having snow all around us.
A few years back a Dad introduced me to Mt. Pinos, just above Frasier Park.  All my life I've lived here and never knew about Mt. Pinos.  The common direction for snow in my world had always been in the almost opposite direction, Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear.  We went a bit when I was a child and always I would have to ask my mom or brother-in-law or whomever was driving to please pull over because I had motion sickness.  THAT is one of the reasons why I love Mt. Pinos, the road is reasonable and not winding.
Mt. Pinos was closed because they got 8' to 10' of snow and they had not plowed it so they diverted every single car to go back or go park in "The Flying J" truck stop parking lot.  Which we did.  It always amazes me how many people will stop at the side of the road at the first sight of snow and that is where they will stay.  I have found if you're willing to go a little further, push a little harder the extra effort really pays off. I have not always known this.  This has really been something I have discovered tangibly since I've been a parent. I hope in my heart of hearts it is a pearl of wisdom my son will "get".  Back to the "Flying J" truck stop parking lot.  The kids were happy at first frolicking in the little field but I was scoping around and noticed there was a way to get through the barbed-wire fence and climb the mountain as there were a few people doing it.  Once the lower snow was beginning to turn to chocolate snow we all decided to take the chance and climb up the snowy mountain. Let me tell you, climb we did, like goats.  Careful steps to make sure we were following in each other's steps.  Once up there it was a whole other story.  Quite beautiful and quite worth the extra effort. Not many other sledders up there because it was a bit of a trek and it really required the right gear.  I must say on a scale of 1 to 10...it was a 10.  For sledding, no rocks or logs to look out for, quite magnificent.  Because it was such a hike and such a LONG run we didn't need our jackets either.  I was plenty warm, thank you very much.  Knowing my gluteus was getting the needed work-out whilst fun was being had.

Finally satiated in our frolic and fun we went down the hill. I could not believe how many people were down at the bottom of the hill.  I wanted to tell them all to go up, you made it through the fence now go just a little more.  I could tell many of them were having fun just where they were and I needed to be okay with that.  I can't help but wonder, you make the long drive, you bundle up, you go through the fence...why not take a tad more effort and find heaven.  I guess because we all have our own version, eh?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Pinos