Flying in a giant mosquito

If you know the 2016 me, you know I don't hike anymore.  I'm not happy about it, but life gives you lemons,  you make lemonade.

And if you followed the posts about my trip to New Zealand, you know I've been in a helicopter (ro see Mt. Anorak). 

Well, when I took my first heli-hiking trip, I was not hiking anywhere either.  I was walking.  I could walk for miles.  Flat, sea-level miles. 

Occasionally I shook things up by walking hills.  There’s a park nearby --Robbins Farm-- with a gorgeous view of the Boston skyline.  It’s about 370 feet above sea level.  I walked that (she said proudly). 

“Hiking” said the wanna-be adventurer, “is just walking on a steeper hill with no pavement.  I can do this.”  

The heli-hiking part of the tour begins with a helicopter meeting our tour bus in the blissfully scenic village of Valmont, surrounded by soaring mountains.  We drive up to the helicopter staging area and await lift off to a location somewhere at the top of the world--the Canadian Mountain Holiday (Canadian Mountain Holidays)  Cariboo Lodge in the Cariboo mountains.

At this point in my life, I’ve never been in a helicopter before.  It looks like a giant mechanical mosquito on steroids.  Before we board, we receive safety instructions:  when the rotor is spinning, you keep your head down, move away from the helicopter, and lean over anything that might be blown away.  When several people do this, they form a helicopter huddle.

The first group of us obediently form a helicopter huddle,  board, and we're off.  Those awaiting the next airlift  look a little surprised as they’re reminded to huddle.  

We lift off.  I am looking at the mountain directly in front of us and wondering how we are going to get over or around it in our big mosquito-mobile.  I can feel my eyes popping out of my head as the rock face looms large before me.  

I lift my hands in an upward gesture, the way you might do to a child who’s taken a fall.  “Come on,  up, up, up, you can do it.”  This works great with the child.  
Accomplishes nothing with the helicopter.

And then we're up, flying across the mountain sky, leaving a luxury coach, a guide, and all of civilization behind.  I ... um... I can... I can do this?

We land high up in the Cariboos at the luxury lodge where we’re welcomed by warm hosts with hot cider.  The lodge is beautiful.  I note a whirlpool; I hear there's a massage therapist. Yup, I can do this.  

CMH Cariboo Lodge

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