Monday, May 13, 2013
Mile 191
25 miles today
Woke up slow and slow going out but caught up on the journaling. By the time I finished the camp was vacant. Which was fine. To talk while hiking is fine, but to move through the forest observing without distraction is better. The eyes get bigger and the ears sharper. Maybe it’s a self preservation instinct or probably its just the way it should be.
What kind of dinosaur?
And so I moved through the forest as the path climbed ever upward. Swift lizards scurried underfoot and pine shadows sliced the trail. I saw a tree moving with ants. Isolated burned trees indicated that lightning was fond of these ridges. It was warm, the pack heavy and it was miles to the next stream. So I kept moving.
Tree stung by lightning
Someone’s trail humor – a demonstration of pinecone sexual positions
Therein lay the problem. Moving. Once again today the pack seemed heavy and my steps slow. Ever since the return to church on Sunday I’ve suffered from low energy. I wrestled with it all day. Orbit, Red Beard and Slack decided to drop down to the small town of Idyllwild to resupply and cut pizza. Doc was far ahead, planning to take an alternative trail and summit Mt. San Jacinto, at 10,863 feet the second tallest mountain in Southern California. I just plugged along taking multiple uncharacteristic breaks. Ran into the first snow. Plopped a handful on top of my baseball cap. Instant air con. Took four miles to melt. High entertainmentvalue balancing it.
Trail tracking crest
The Salton Sea, with it 50’s hipness, but now largely forgotten, made its appearance at midday. As did the 10 freeway. I decided to skip the alternate climb to Mt. San Jacinto and stick with the easier, shorter PCT. Knowing that the alternate would meet up with the PCT 4.5 miles later and that I would probably run into Doc there.
Finally made it to that juncture, 15 miles into the day and took a nap. And woke up with a thought. “I’m not slow.” something needed to be done.
Mount San Jacinto at dark
So I threw on the Arab headdress, popped in the earphones, ditched the pack behind a tree and ran up to the summit of Mt. San Jacinto. It was 2000 ft up and 5 miles round trip. Took a while to find the flow and it was more of a jog than run, but it blew the pipes out and cleared my head. The view at the top was wordless. Returned to my pack and hiked another five miles feeling good.
After the run up Mt. San Jacinto
Sometimes, in all things, you just have to shake it up.
Chasing the sunset through the trees
Steve! Hey, was waiting to touch base until we were able to get a video out there to a slowly (but steadily) building fan base for the launch of our book “Radical Sabbatical,” about the Costa Rica stay back in 2006-7. So we told everyone what ure up to and hopefully, you’ll get some good response!
http://lifeleapsprogram.com/no-life-leap-is-impossible-help-a-costa-rican-child-go-to-college/
Love what you’re doing! So amazing to read. And hey! When you’re done, you might just have a book almost done. Ure a great writer!
And, might I say, I could swear that blue ball cap is the same one I saw you in back in ’07. Then again, how’s that possible? :-).
Take each step in peace!
Well well well what a pleasure to hear from you guys. Finally arrived at an Internet signal at the El Cajon Pass. Sitting in a Subway catching up on all things Internet related. Just went all through your website. Very cool. Quite the publishing empire. I’m impressed.
I’ll not forget the kindness of your video. Not something you had to do but you did it anyway. Says a lot about your character. As to the hat, why we all know anything is possible. Good, good luck.
Can relate to needing to clear your head as well as chasing the sunset. It lasts quite a while right now 9:30pm before its really getting dark. Would have loved to have seen your juggling act maybe when you get north there will still be snow in the cascades and we could all juggle together. While it was 90 deg last week we are now back to the 60’s if it snows I’ll swear you sent it my way and my garden will be all frozen no fresh vegies for you, lol not that i have a really green thumb anyway catch you up north hugs kisses and prayers be safe have fun god bless