Freedom Part II - 10/1/2001

I...... am SO out of shape *chuckles*

The hike in took FOUR HOURS. All uphill, too.

First, we drove about 160 miles northeast, which took us from a four lane freeway to a single lane dirt road that snaked its way around, over, and practically through the mountains in a combination of the Indiana Jones Ride and Big Thunder Mountain. As we hit the end of this road (the trailhead) we parked, donned the packs, and started up.

And kept going..... up.

We expected the hike to take about 2 hours *just....... chuckles*

We had forgotten, or at least overlooked, that all the big hiking trips I've taken were sans days worth of supplies....... and that I hadn't been above, oh, 6,000 feet outside of an airplane for quite. some. time. The hike began at 8,000 or so feet..... and ended around 9,100. Heh.

Not to mention the last time I was at such an altitude I ended up sick and got to watch everybody else learn to ski.

So, after nearly killing myself on the trail, and after a slightly harrowing journey that lasted, oh, an hour and a half after dark guided by a mere flashlight to find the trail that was scattered among haphazardly scattered rocks and boulders..... I saw the moon glowing off the far cliffs over the lake.

I stopped. Breathless.

For more than one reason *chuckle*

Camp was set up with amazing speed. In the dark, even.

I realized, too, that C has made this hike..... twice..... in less than a week. Have I ever mentioned my wife is superhuman? In shape, too.

I was quite amazed at the heating ability of two layers of clothing, a sleeping bag and another person within a tent.... I expected to freeze my ass off, but found that other than the strange sensation of sleeping on hard ground, I felt like I was at home in a heated bed *laughs*

Then to wake up the next morning to this.

Water isn't blue in California. It's brown. This can't be in California. And after that hike, I wouldn't have been surprised if we were in another state........ I think I just sat and stared for a good 20 minutes. Slackjawed.

She had to tap my shoulder to actually get my attention to agree to hot breakfast.

We were the only people on the lake. No other campfires seen the night before, no one arriving early morning. It was all. Ours.

We hiked around the lake to the beach at the far end. Went further towards the base of the mountains to find where the spring began that fed the lake, get more water, and just play around in meadows you only find in Bambi........ zig-zagged up the creek and just took tons upon tons of pictures..... leaned back against a log and relaxed on the beach..... simply watching the waves roll in from across the lake.

We made it back to camp in time to watch the fish feeding out in the lake (as in those little guys were jumping out of the water at bugs, way cool), start up the fire for dinner..... watch the sun set, bake some potatoes (*drools, remembering*), roast marshmellows..... basically pig out and watch the eternity of stars shine.

It's a freedom I can't describe. A reconnection with earth, nature, life, my own rhythms and energies......

Everything up there was just so..... clean. The air the water the trees the rocks the sand the energy.....

The confusion both within and without...... cleared. Cleansed. Realigned. Focused.