Hey, did you hear the story about the Baptist, three Methodists and a Mennonite who hiked to the top of Table Rock Mountain?

No? Let me tell you about it.

It all started with my grandson Cole Stilwell right after we had visited all 47 state parks and historic sites. We became “Ultimate Outsiders.”

The day we went to the SCPRT office to claim our T-shirts, water bottles and other nice gifts, we were presented with a new challenge for Ultimate Outsiders only. Visit 18 specific sites in 2018 and qualify for more goodies.

One challenge was climbing to the top of Table Rock Mountain.

Challenge accepted – by Cole anyway.

I was a bit hesitant being that I’m 71 with a titanium knee replacement and hadn’t been going to the gym regularly.

I agreed that we would do it in 5-6 weeks. I figured I could only fall off the mountain one time.

Cole started planning the trek for April 2. And I went back to the gym 3 days a week to get my legs in shape.

Silly me, I thought that it would just be him and me. Not so.

He likes to do things in groups. So he invited three others to hike with us:

- Phil Gains is Director of Parks for SCPRT and was Cole’s mentor during his confirmation process at Lexington United Methodist Church.

- Elizabeth Murray is Youth Minister at LUMC.

- Chief Cliff Stoltzfus is a leader at the Mennonite School near Westminster, SC, that Cole had attended.

We all met at the check-in area at Table Rock State Park on the appointed day. The morning was beautiful, with few clouds and mild temperature. Phil said that it would take 5-6 hours to reach the summit and descend back down.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and cringed slightly at the thought of 6 hours hiking. Little did I know that it would actually take over 8 hours.

We signed in at the registration station so park officials would know we were on the mountain. Park procedure is that if we had not returned before dark, they would send up a search party.

The summit is 3,124 feet above sea level. The round trip is 8.4 steep, grueling, rugged mountain miles.

The ascent is about 2,000 feet in elevation. The last time I hiked up Table Rock was about 30 years ago when the trail was much smoother. But 30 years of erosion has exposed thousands of rocks, boulders and at least 16 million tree roots.

I didn’t actually count them. It’s just a rough estimate.

I think I tripped on half of them.

The ascent was a highly strenuous cardio exercise and the descent was pure pain. I thought that I would surely need a quadricep transplant when I got home.

The trip would have probably taken less time, but one member of the team had to stop about every half a mile for IV fluids and oxygen.

I’m pretty sure I heard one of them ask Cole at one point why I was lying on the trail in a fetal position and crying. But I made it, all the way.

The panoramic view of the other mountains nearby was stunning. All of the vegetation was awakening from a long winter nap.

The view from the summit down on Table Rock lake was breathtaking. I had forgotten how absolutely beautiful our little state is. The view was worth every ache, pain and stumble.

The other wonderful thing about the hike was the camaraderie of our little team.

I had met the others before but did not know them well. Everyone was so helpful, encouraging, supportive and congenial with each other. I feel we bonded over the common goal we achieved in “not so record time.”

It was nice to have three other people along who love Cole as much as I do.

So, would I do it again?

Yes, I would, but I’d put more time in preparation and conditioning next time. Or, I could just wait until pigs fly and ride one of them to the top.