Yosemite Sam

We left Lake Tahoe in search of Big Bend Campground in the Inyo National Forest. This was our first experience with bear lockers; in addition to the typical fire pit and picnic table, this camp side had a large metal locker designed to keep food and scented products in and bears out. This would also be our first time using the new tent. Throughout the evening threatening clouds were moving in and the wind was picking up; we were all praying that the new tent would be able to handle it. As it turned out, it did rain that night and we remained snug and dry inside the safety of our paper thin home. Although the new tent was a success, I can't say the same for my thermarest; during the night it somehow deflated leaving me to sleep without much padding and I awoke the next morning with aching hips and a grumpy attitude.
Big Bend was located just 10 minutest outside of Yosemite, so the following morning we simply wove our way around Tioga Pass and started exploring. We paused at Tenaya Lake and marveled at how the crystal clear water perfectly reflected the stunning scenery above. From the lookout from Olmsted Point you could see the top of Half Dome in the distance. We carefully edged our way off of the trail and out onto the edge of the smooth, sloping rock face where we encountered a Yellow-Bellied Marmot and took in the the scenery. We briefly stopped at Yosemite Creek before heading to the Tuolumne Grove trail head. We hiked down about a mile to see remnants of a giant sequoia forest. Some impressive trees were still standing tall, but the largest and most incredible were fallen. One was actually completely hollow on the inside and Sean crawled about half way through it before encountering some spiders and turning back. The return hike was a race against time as we rushed to beat the coming thunderstorm that was bellowing overhead. It seemed that we had been outrunning the storm the entire day. It finally caught up with us as we walked to Yosemite Lodge in the pouring rain to eat lunch. Before heading to the condo that would be our home for the next two nights we hiked to the base of Bridalveil Falls and stopped briefly to enjoy a breathtaking scenic overlook of the valley.
The condo suited us perfectly. We were so excited to have a kitchen with a sink, a stove, pots, pans, counters, etc. I prepared black bean burgers, potato wedges, and broccoli that we ended up eating for lunch the following day. I had my first experience with a Murphy bed, which was actually really comfortable, and Sean and Andy each took half of a trundle bed. Right when we got there we noticed there was something wrong with the doorknob; once you closed the door you were essentially locked inside. We had to have a maintenance guy come up and replace the knob otherwise we wouldn't have been able to close our door! There was also a gas fireplace, a balcony, and a resident coyote who seemed to be constantly lurking in the back yard searching for scraps.
Our second day was dedicated to hiking the Mist Trail. Labeled as the best day hike in Yosemite by Backpacker magazine, the Mist Trail was truly incredible. We hiked up from the base of Vernal Falls and got soaked by the dissipating mist amazed at the beauty of the cascading water. The sunshine illuminated the floating mist creating a beautiful rainbow that was so close you could almost reach out and touch it. We rested for awhile at the top of Vernal Falls before continuing up to the top of Nevada Falls. We were all having flashbacks of the Grand Canyon at this point as we passed switch back after switch back on our way up wondering if we would ever make it. We finally completed the four mile ascent and sprawled out across the smooth rocks to regain our energy for the hike back down. It took us about three and a half hours to make it to the top and only an hour and a half to descend the four miles back down to the base of Vernal Falls via a much flatter, tamer trail. In total, we hiked eight miles that day and ascended 2000 feet in elevation.
Initially we had anticipated going back out for a second round of sightseeing after returning to the condo for lunch, but it became obvious after about an hour that we weren't going anywhere. For about three days now it had been nearly impossible to get either cell phone or internet service and Andy and I were getting a little peeved. We drove about 20 minutes to a little town within Yosemite called Wasona hoping to find wireless service but were crushed when we weren't able to connect anywhere. We returned to the condo for dinner which consisted of rice, beans, fish, and a delicious mango salsa that Sean had prepared while we were out on our uneventful search.
I was surprised at how little wildlife we encountered in Yosemite, seeing only the yellow-bellied marmut, a few deer, the occassional bird, and of course of neighborhood coyote. Words can't even describe how dissappointed I am that we didn't get to see a bear; I am truly crushed. My hopes remain high however, that someday, somewhere I am destined to meet a bear, hopefully in a friendly context. Despite the lack of critters, Yosemite was a truly unique and inspirational place. The Mist Trail is by far my favorite hike we have endured to date, and I would dare to say that Sean and Andy agree with me. Although our time in Yosemite was incredible it was also exhausting, but we had to collect ourselves and prepare for the coming attractions; we still had all of California to look forward to.

Reflection Point - Two Weeks

Exactly two weeks ago today, Andy and I boarded a plane to Atlanta in a state of excited uncertainty. Although I didn't know exactly what to expect, I tried to prepare myself for the possibilities. Now, we have completed a significant portion of our journey and I find myself at an interesting crossroads. In many ways I have adapted to the demands of this excursion, in other ways not so much. We have also collectively adapted, slowly but surely discovering better and more efficient ways to do things. In a way time seems to fly, yet it is also simultaneously dragging.

I get exhausted just thinking about all we've done and how far we've come; fourteen states in fourteen days. We marveled at the beauty of the Painted Desert, hiked our way through 6 miles of treacherous terrain in the Grand Canyon, saw a plethora of wildlife and natural wonders in Zion, and spent three days taking in the scenery of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. I think the sheer incredibility of it all is one of things helping me hold it together.

It wasn't until a few days ago when the first wave of frustration and helplessness came over me. We have discussed several times now the fact that this isn't a vacation, it's a trip. This isn't about relaxing or leisurely taking in the sights and sounds of America - it's about experiencing America. In spirit and in action I am one hundred percent on board with this, but the daily processes required to maintain and progress are taking a toll. For instance, performing normal daily activities like cooking, eating, cleaning, showering, and dressing among others are so decentralized each becomes a monumental task in and of itself. When you're never in any one place for more than a day or two you lack a sense of establishment. Time is a factor so the minute you wake you are rolling up your sleeping bag, collecting your things, packing your bag, organizing the car, figuring out what to do and where to go. It's difficult to find a moment to collect yourself, gather your thoughts,and simply take a step back to appreciate.

The amusing part is that things that would have struck me as intolerable in the beginning are not only trivial but easily endurable and expected. For instance, not showering for a day or two can be dealt with, sharing the bathroom with a few species of insect is commonplace, eating off of dishes still crusted with remnants of the previous meal is inconsequential, and wearing clothes that are technically dirty is both necessary and economical. Although I have struggled to repress a few episodes of disillusionment, at this point it only takes me a few minutes or a good nights rest to rationalize. The magnitude and awesomeness of this experience outweighs any drawbacks, and when it does come to an end, I don't want to look back and regret instances where the potential for enjoyment was suppressed by less desirable emotions.

P-Style Anyone?

Given the controversy, confusion and trepidations surrounding this particular possession of mine, and all the attention it receives every time it is mentioned, I feel it is only appropriate that I include a brief explanation of the P-Style. The P-Style is a device which enables a female to pee standing up. I can't even begin to tell you how useful this is for road trips, camping, concerts, hiking, etc. Essentially, the P-Style allows females to relieve themselves with same ease and freedom as males when more desirable facilities are lacking, unsanitary or unavailable.

The initial reaction always seem to be "eww, gross" which I feel is unwarranted. The sheer convenience of this item cancels out any gross or weird factor. I would venture to say that any female partaking in an experience such as the one I am currently would much rather use this ingenious invention than the traditional method of "popping a squat" which I think we all know is less than desirable.

I'll spare you the instructional rhetoric but I will include Sean and Andy's explanation of the shape of the P-Style. According to them, it is reminiscent of the spoons they give you when you order Miso Soup. Interestingly, I actually learned of the P-Style last year when Sean, Andy, Gavin, Zach, Eric and Victor returned from Bonnaroo, a music festival, telling tales of girls who could by some miracle pee standing up using this mysterious device. If nothing else, it makes for an interesting conversation; seeing people's initial reactions has proven to be both priceless and hilarious.

From Arkansas to New Mexico

While trying to find the correct entrance to Lake Dardanelle State Park, we accidentally turned into another park. Sean and Andy went to read what they thought might be a map directing us to the correct place. They returned to the car smiling mischeviously. "Is it a map? What did it say," I asked. After a few moments of prodding they finally responded. "Ya know that giant smoke stack we passed on the way in? That's a nuclear power plant." I didn't believe them for about thirty minutes until it became clear they weren't changing their story. I guess the people describing the park decided including the information that Lake Dardanelle was directly adjacent to a nuclear power plant might take away from its natural appeal.

In addition to the fact that we were breathing nuclear waste all night, this camping experience was notably less enjoyable than the previous night in Alabama. Unlike the spread out, secluded camp sites in Oak Mountain, we were surrounded on all sides by humming RVs fully equipped with air conditioning and televisions. On a more personal note, the cooler somehow managed to leak onto my sleeping bag leaving in noticeably damp. The view of the lake itself and the backdrop of misty mountains was really beautiful as long as you neglected to look to the right where the filthy smoke stack loomed above the horizon.

Whether the result of the less than ideal conditions or sheer will power alone, we managed to get on the road by an impressive 8:00 AM. By the end of the day we had driven between 11 and 12 hours including a few brief breaks. We went from Arkansas through Oklahoma, accross the top of Texas without stopping, and nearly half way accross New Mexico before stopping in Santa Rosa.

At some point in Oklahoma we began playing what has been christened the Roadkill Alphabet game. The goal of the game is to list all the roadkill you see until your list includes animals beginning with every letter of the alphabet from A-Z. I had never seen an armadillo before in my life, alive or dead, and yesterday alone I must have seen at least 20-30 dead armadillos and I'm not exaggerating. I found myself getting excited to see road kill with hopes that it might begin with a letter we still needed at which point I started to dislike the game.

It was also interesting to see all of the signs for tourist attractions dedicated to Native American culture, casinos and gambling as we crossed Oklahoma. Casinos lined the highway on both sides and it seemed like once every mile there was a sign for Cherokee jewelry, Cherokee baskets, Cherokee crafts, etc. I couldn't help but think that even after all these years we still somehow manage to continue the exploitation of these people and their culture by reducing them to what are more than likely inauthentic trinkets. And yet, if these souvenirs truly are fabricated by Cherokee Indians we can feel decent as a society for allowing these people to continue their native traditions in order to sell them to uninformed American tourists with no concept of the injustices and indecencies we have inflicted upon these people.

Although most of the Texas drive consisted of flat, uneventful vistas, when we drove through Amarillo it became apparent that the saying "Everything's Bigger in Texas" is not unfounded. Every single building seemed to be the size of a super Wal-Mart and every billboard seemed to be enormous. Also along the highway we passed so and so's Quality Beef; cows were literally packed no more than three feet apart inside cruel looking metal fences. There must have been thousands of cows directly along the side of the highway spanning no more than a quarter mile long. I had never been more content to be a vegetarian than at that particular moment.

The New Mexico terrain was similar to Texas, except beyond the flat plains powerful, picturesque mountains seemed to rise up from nowhere. Certain portions of I-40 in New Mexico have the highest speed limit I have ever encountered at 75 miles per hour. After a long and grueling day of driving we will be stopping shortly at Santa Rosa Lake State Park and hopefully catching up on the sleep we lost last night in Arkansas. We have been in four states today; that blows my mind.

On the Road with JAS (Jen, Andy and Sean)

Road Trippin'

Complete chaos is the only way to describe the onset of our journey. A trip to Super Wal-mart left our already packed car in a complete disarray with bags of food, random cans and mushed boxes strewn all about. We arrived at Oak Mountain State Park shortly after 7, just in time to set up our tent and get situated before the sun went completely down. The ladies at the front gate were refreshingly friendly and accommodating with their thick Alabama accents and sweet Southern charm. I found it amusing yet appropriate that Sean and Andy both finished every response with Ma'am. "Yes, ma'am", "No, ma'am", "Thank you, ma'am".

The campsite was gorgeous. We parked the car up a slight incline and walked down to our temporary lakeside residence. The view of the lake and the distant mountain were incredible and the thickness of the surrounding forest was surprisingly comforting. For about two hours we attempted to start a fire while simultaneously drinking a few beers. What I discovered is that building a fire is an incredibly slow, tedious, and frustrating process especially when the only available tinder is damp from the previous days rain. Amazingly, it was when we had given
up and were sitting idly by that the fire suddenly ignited and Sean was able to breath life into it.

Tent sleeping was not only comfortable, but peaceful. We woke up this morning, made oatmeal on our butane powered stove (thanks Mom), and then began the agonizing process of organizing and departing. We packed everything up, reorganized the car in a semi-sensical manner, and took glorious hot showers before getting back on the road. I took some shots of a group of geese at our campsite before we left, and on our way out of the park I narrowly avoided hitting a four-foot snake in the middle of the road.

We are now approximately 40 miles outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. I drove the first 4 and a half hours from just South of Birmingham, non-stop through Mississippi, and into Memphis. We stopped and made sandwiches at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Memphis before Sean took over the wheel. Our goal is to reach Dardanelle State Park despite the fact that they aren't answering the phone and we don't know if they'll be open. Fingers crossed. Most likely having eggs and beer for dinner tonight. Hopefully the 60% chance of rain will give way to the other 40% chance of no rain.