Among our group, we talk all summer long about it, it had been the challenge for weeks, months already. We bet on who would be the first one to reach the top, how long it would have taken, who would have defected along the way. So, THE challenge of the summer. The first 3.000 mt peak climbed. After a first reconnaissance tour at the Thabor hut, absolutely away from the mounaint itself, it only took us six days to leave for the top of Mount Thabor.
Ridden out our first stage, we follow for a while an unknown path, but soon take a newer one that will bring us directly to the top. The path that unfolds in front of us is new -for us at least- and full of grazings. The flat land cheers us with a long but light morning, our step quick and not so hard. We stop a hundred time to photograph every little detail -the colour contrast is awesome, green and blue- but this doesn't slow us down. And some stolen pics of a very close encounter are taken too.
Reaching the peak is really an harsh task. You should never and ever go up there with all that deadweight on the shoulders -even an Italian alpine trooper is fascinated about the heavy load we carry. Everything not absolutely necessary has to be left back, because every pound carried will slow you down and weight your legs, such a lot.
A life of judo training has been fudamental to the task -never give up, to the last second...centimeter in this case- and in the end we reach the top, both the ibex-man almost half an hour before me and me at last. It's a big satisfaction, our first 3.000 meters peak, both of the season and of our life. It took us a while to regain our breath, a sip of fresh water and something to wat, but we are soon ready to enjoy the show: 360 degrees of wonder.