Ages

It has been ages since I posted anything here. It's not that I haven't had anything to say, I do. I expound at length in other areas nowadays.

Random Memories

File this one under random memories.

For some reason when my mind wanders there are three words that pop into my head. The are Crack, Hash, Weed in a soft voice.

If memory serves me correctly I was in High School with my friends in Santa Cruz at a band competition. As we walked down the street there was a guy not much older than us standing outside a store. As we passed him he said, in a soft barely audible voice, 'Crack, Hash, Weed'. We continued on a few steps before what we had heard sunk in. We all looked at each other. Discussed briefly and continued on. Jokes were made for years about that incident.

Shadow Boxing

There will be many exciting things in my life with my children. There will be trips to Disneyland, vacations, camping trips, dance recitals and the like. With all of that I don't think that I'll ever take more joy than I did today watching Grace play with her shadow.

HST 2009 Part 2 Big Arroyo to Junction Meadow.

Day 5 August 24, 2009 Big Arroyo to Morraine Lake

We were a little slow to rise this morning and didn't begin on the trail until almost 9:00 am. The climb today was steady and relentless. It's positive gain was refreshing. Last year when we did the the beginning of this trail Marcelo was with us. I remember at the conclusion of that trail him cursing the very earth we walked upon because of it's obnoxious oscillation.

Skot took the jack-rabbit position today and rocketed ahead while Eric stayed behind with Brent and Kelly. This worked out well for me as I spent the majority of the day in virtual solitude. We saw no one on the trail today and the way our group had seperated I saw noone at all as I walked. The scenery I passed today was stunning and I know that no picture could do the views justice. I found myself stopping many times just to drink in the mountains and skies and verbally express my gratitude for the beauty of this earth. This journey has already been one of the most difficult things that I have ever done I'm grateful that I have had this opportunity to be here. Still I find myself wishing my family were here to share this with me. I know that when I return I will bore them to death with the details of this journey and will talk constantly of that until Katie smothers me to death in my sleep.

At the peak of the climb out of the Arroyo valley was a small lake fed only by snow. This late in the season it was completely dry. The trail followed around it's edge and the trees forming a circle around the algae blackened rocks was quite impressive. It was a nice way to end the climb and I began to descend the opposite side. I was still traveling alone and I knew Skot was well ahead of me. At the time I wanted to know that someone else was seeing what I was seeing. I wanted to share what I found to be the beauty of this place with someone else. It's funny that the desire to go to the backcountry is one to escape civilization and mankind. To be alone with yourself and nature and God. To find yourself while being lost but still within me is the want for companionship, to know that you're not alone in realizing the wonders of this world.

I countinued down the trail as it passed through foxtail pines. The trees were sparse and the ground on which I walked was decomposed granite and it seemed hardly possible that it could support life yet all around me were gnarly trees well above 10000 feet thriving and surviving. I was struck by one old fellow who had given up the ghost but left behind his shell to remind us of his existence. It was through this stretch of trail that I began to hear sound and noise. I wasn't sure how far ahead of me Skot was but I was confident that what I was hearing was not him. I would stop frequently and stand perfectly still and listen. Most time I would hear only the wind in the trees. Or the sound of my own labored breathing as I struggled with the thin air. I was looking for bears but saw none. A great dissapointment to me. I enjoy seeing the large wildlife. It's only now as I write that I have the fear that I was possible being stalked by a large cat intent upon making me it's dinner.

After descending for some time I met up with Skot at the junction between the HST and the side trail to Morraine lake. I removed my pack and found a nice cool rock to lay on. While hiking I was hot and sweaty but after a few minutes on the rock I was shivering and made my way to the sunshine near Skot. I opened the bear canister and had some lunch while using the cannister as a chair. There was a spectacular view from our break point. In front of us was a large open meadow and beyond that was Mt. Kaweah and Red Spur.

The rest of our party soon joined us. Brent a Kelly were looking a little worse for wear but still pushing valiantly on. I recommended that Brent use the rock I had selected earlier as it seemd to mold perfectly to a tired back. He did and it appeared that he was asleep in moments.

As we rested two gentlemen came down the trail and stopped to take some pictures of the mountain. They two had come through Kaweah Gap the previous day but had not made it all the way to Big Arroyo as we had. The were planning on pushing on all the way down to the Kern valley while we were planning on taking the side trail to Morraine Lake. They pushed on and a short time later we decided to do so as well. Kelly, Eric and I took off leaving Skot and Brent behind us. It was steady downgrade. Eric said there was a waypoint with a scenic overlook up ahead of us and we pushed on towards it. The trees broke on our right and we saw a boulder standing alone. We walked over to it and from where we stood we could see a great chasm opened before us and the mountains far in the distance. Eric was first to climb the rocks and stand on the edge of the abyss and I went up shortly after. Looking down the 2000 foot drop to the bottom I became a little unsure of myself and after briefly drinking the view in I hurried my way back to a more substantial position.

We made our way down the trail and soon came to Morraine Lake. We were there in late afternoon and it seemed that we would be blessed to have the lake to ourselves. After setting camp I took a moment to jump in the lake and remove the trail dust from my clothes and body. The water was warm and I thought about spending a little more time in the lake but I wanted to get my clothes set out to dry so they wouldn't be damp the next day. As I returned to camp I passed Eric and his clothesline. He was quite pleased with it stating that he had bought as an impulse at REI and he couldn't imagine what it would come in useful for. I have to admit I was a little jealous and felt silly just hanging my clothes on tree branches.

Having bathed we set out to gather firewood for the night. In a few days time we would be in the no fire zone of our journey and we were all looking forward to a night around the fire. There wasn't a large amount of wood available to us, what we did find was large and unruly so we had to find somewhere to prop the logs and branches up, make them feel good about themselves and then brutally assault them with a large rock until they were small and manageable. From what I've heard the military uses the same policy with it's new recruits.

As the sun set we gathered on the edge of the lake and enjoyed the view around us, told stories, made fun of each other and reveled in the fact that we were here in the middle of nowhere with no worries other than if we would have another cold night. Not long before sundown we were joined by another group of hikers who camped a little ways down from us. While it would have been nice to claim to lake to ourselves for the day the group was like us in that they were quiet and there only to enjoy the solitude.

As we ate our meals one of the gentlemen from the other group stopped to talk to us. After a short conversation we soon realized that this group was well out of our league as hikers. The were the type to do 10 to 15+ miles a day. I would be learning my limits the next day but even in my relaxed and rested state I knew that this would be more than I or many in my group could handle. We said goodnight and enjoyed a quite evening around the fire.

Day 6 August 25, 2009 Morraine Lake to Junction Meadow.

I woke looking forward to the hike today. We would be starting our journey on a steep decline to the Kern River. I was awake before everyone and took the opportunity to gather some fire wood. There was a slight chill still in the air and it would be nice to enjoy a fire when we could. We ate breakfast and broke camp and were on the trail again. Our neighbors who had come in late the night before weren't quite so swift.

It was exciting getting on the trail because the first five miles of the day we would be headed down hill from 9800 feet to 6700 feet. The thought of not struggling up and up at the beginning of today was a very appealing one. We stayed together as a group. Early in the trip we passed a meadow in which the whole of the Kaweahs were visible. We were out early and I was fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of some deer grazing in a meadow that we passed. It was obvious that in some years past there had been a fire through this area. The trail wove it's way through dense growth of very young trees. We soon hit the switchbacks that marked the beginning of the steep drop to the Kern River and we began to pick up speed. I was in the lead with Skot and Eric behind and then Brent and Kelley. It was exhilirating going downhill and there were segments of the trail that we were jogging down as we descended. We made quick work of the five miles and found ourselves at another trail junction where we met up with one of our neighbors from the previous night.

We began talking about experience and gear. He unpacked his pack and showed us his Bearikade food cannister and his sleeping pad. Skot Eric and I oohed and awed with envy and I'm sure dreams of an ultralight load danced through all of our minds. Our new found friend related a story to us of how a few of his companions had met and how they came to be traveling together.

We waited at the junction until our party was completly reassembled and then we moved one. Eric quickly pulled ahead as we came to a large scree field and I slowed down. Skot Brent and Kelly again brought up the rear. We were hiking now at the bottom of the Kern Valley following along the river. The terrain was a mix of trees and sage and decomposed granite. For the moment it was a relief to be in the bottom of this valley but by the time I had reached the Kern Hot Spring I was ready to start climbing again and see the exposed granite of the high altitudes.

As I approached the Hot Spring I saw Eric sitting by the river and little ways down from it. The group that had camped near us the night before had made it to the hot spring first and were taking the opportunity for a hot bath in the middle of wilderness.

Soon everyone arrived. When Brent made his appearance his feet were wet. There was a water crossing shortly before we arrived at the Hot Spring that required a crafty bit of balancing and Brent had elected to tredge thruough the water assuming that he would fall in regardless. For those of you not experienced in hiking there are a few things you want to make sure that you always take care of. The most important of those being your feet. They are your means of conveyance and when they are damaged you are in big big trouble. We shared our concern on the foolishness of this maneuver.

I took the opportunity after the spring was free to jump in the 'pool' and enjoy a hot bath. It was fantastic to be taking a hot bath this far in to the backcountry. After dressing and getting the pack back on Skot Eric and I set off down the trail leaving Brent and Kelly to soak their feet. We set a grueling pace and drove up the trail. The trail rose steadily and alternated between open sage and pine. It was warm and the air was realatively still. It was a frustrating trail because it never really seemed to change much. You knew you were moving but each stepped looked very much like the step before. We continued to push on and stopped for a break about two miles from junction meadow. We were tired and losing motivation for the day but decided to push on. With each step I could feel the energy draining from me. The only thing that kept me going was frequent updates from Eric letting us know that according to his GPS we were getting closer to our camp.

As we stumbled into Junction Meadow my legs were rubber and moving by some unknown power because there was nothing left from me. The campsites were close to the kern river and already inhabited by a couple of anglers who we later learned had started from Horseshoe Meadow. The group we had camped with at Morraine lake were there already and had told us that they were planning on moving on. I was amazed that they could cover 14 miles and still have energy to go further. It was later as they began setting up camp that I felt truly awesome because these super hikers decided that they had had enough as well.

It was 90 minutes before Brent and Kelley made it into camp. We had a fire going and Brent took his shoes off. It was a little scary seeing his feet. I think at this point he was aware of the danger that having wet feet posed. I think we all were exhausted and turned in early tonight. We will be beginning the back side of our journey now and while I will be exited to get home I am also reluctant to return to the stresses of the real world.

HST 2009 Part 1 Crescent Meadow to Big Arroyo

From August 20, 2009 to August 29, 2009 5 friends thought it would be a good idea to walk from west to east across the Sierras and climb the highest peak in the continental United States. What follows is a travel log from my perspective.

Day 1 August 20, 2009.

Today was the assembly day. Eric came from the central coast, Brent from Caruthers, Skot and Kelly from Fresno and I started the day in Merced at work and was very unfocused. The thought most present in my mind was not how I was to get the packages delivered for the day. Instead I had thoughts of mountains and trees, wide open vistas and the companionship of my friends. I dispatched the drivers, said my goodbyes to the center team and made my way to the Fresno building where I took a conference call. The call finished at noon and I changed into my hiking clothes and tore off to Skot's house in Fresno where the party was already assembled.

I arrived at Skots and went to the back yard where I found Brent packing his tent. Eric thought it was a good idea that Brent knew how to set up and tear down his tent before we got out on the trail. We packed our gear and I made my final call to my wife before we loaded the cars, Eric and Brent together and Skot, Kelly and myself in another. I had to make a few stops on the way up the hill, first at grocery store to get some dinner for the night since I left my foily dinner in the freezer at home. Second, I had to get fuel so that we could make it up and down the hill.

We had to be to the Lodgepole visitors center by 4:00 pm to pick up our trail permit for our journey. The plan was to camp in the Lodgepole campground and get an early start on the trail the next day. As we approached our destination we saw a sign stating that there was roadwork up ahead and we should expect delays. We traveled quite some distance after seeing that sign and I believed that we would somehow not be delayed and then as we rounded a corner we saw the line of cars. We stopped and got out to stretch our legs. Up ahead we saw Brent and Eric. We congregated in the road with our companions.

I looked around at the travelers gathered near us and had to laugh a moment. The one thing that I tell everyone that has never been to a national park is that the can expect to see three things. First, is obviously the beautiful scenery. Second, Germans. Third, Japenese. As we stood in the road getting excited about our trip and razzing Brent as he inhaled some cancer leaves I noticed a small group of Japanese tourists ahead of us and a group of German tourists behind us.
Our delay was soon over and we rushed back to our vehicles and resumed our trip. We arrived just as the ranger manning the permit desk was wrapping things up. We gathered our permit, went to the general store for our last taste of civilization in the form of Gatorade and prebundled wood and made our way to our campsite.

It was strange setting up camp at the Lodgepole campground as we were preparing for a journey into the backcountry and our goal in coming to these mountains was to escape civilization and all around us were people that seemed to only want to bring civilization with them. Our campsite was limited to the barest necessity of shelter, our backpacks set around the campsite and that was it. In looking at our surroundings as more and more people arrived it definitely had the feeling of an apartment complex without wooden walls. There were radios and TV's, electric light and unbelievable noise.

We cooked our steaks and dogs over a minimal fire and when it had fallen to nothing but ash we turned in. An early start for the next day was in my mind. I was eager to join the trail and leave this noise behind me. I slept peacefully that night in my hammock. I was a little sad that I would not be taking it with me on the trail.

Day 2, August 21, 2009. Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw Meadow.

Our little spartan camp began to stir around 6:00 am. I learned as we began breaking the camp down that my partners had been kept awake through the night by a couple of kids at a campsite above us. It was Eric's perception that they had waited until midnight to begin drinking and then proceeded to be drunk and noisy the majority of the night. Personally I heard nothing and slept soundly in my hammock.

By 7:00am we had broken camp and were loaded in the cars and making our way to Crescent Meadow. Our spirits were high. I was eager to get on the trail that I had been thinking about for a little less than a year. In 2008 I had done part of this trail and had been looking forward to completing the entire thing ever since.

After a short drive to Crescent Meadow we parked the cars and began a finaly gear check to ensure that we had everything that we would need for our journey. While we were getting ready I was approached by a family from Southern California who inquired as to where we were going. They were in the park to pick up their daughter who had been working in the visitors center for the summer.

We started on the trail shortly before 8:00am and began a swift trek through the trees. Not far into the trail is Eagles View. It was interesting seeing Kelly and Brents reaction. The Eagles view I think gives the first taste of what we will be seeing throughout the rest of the journey. At that point reality began to set in and we were happily rolling down the trail.

The first few miles flew by, the trail rising to meet our feet, optimism and excitement were overflowing. We were passed by two trailrunners who came and went so fast I wasn't entirely sure if they were real. Throughout the day we passed and were passed by two women throughout the day. We took a moment to talk to one of them. She said that she had done the trail before with her husband but he was now disabled. She said that this trip to the High Sierra Camp at Bearpaw was to prove something to herself. I almost got the impression that she was facing something scary down the road and that she needed to prove to herself that she could do something by herself. There was something sad about it and at the same time there was something inspiring. I've often thought that if there were something to happen to my family I would want to cope with it by walking. I would want to escape the world and walk. I would like to make my way across the US either from West to East or South to North.

We made good progress and by the time we reached Mehrton creek I was ready for a break. We stopped and took our boots off and refilled on water. Mehrton creek was a busy place. We meet up witht Jewish family that we had passed earlier. There was a father and his daughter and he was escorting his parents to Bearpaw. He talked to us as he had completed the HST in past years. He said that the hardest thing we would ever do was the Kaiser Pass which we would be going through two days from now. There were groups coming down the trail and returning to the trail head. When the traffic had died down we made our way down the trail. Our next stopping point was Nine Mile Creek where we would relax under the bridge before our final push to Bearpaw.

We pushed on and I found that my strength was beginning to fell. I was falling behind and as we got closer to Nine Mile Creek I felt myself failing. My lack of dedication in conditioning and preparing myself for the journey was being felt in every muscle of my body. I told Brent that if I had a similar experience the next day I would turn around and go home.

It was a relief to see nine mile creek with Eric, Skot and Kelly already relaxing at the creek under the bridge and I was eager to join them. We spent an hour or more at the bridge resting and preparing for the final upward climb to our resting place for the day. While we relaxed a mule team came down the trail and watered at the creek having just resupplied the high sierra camp we would not be staying at.

It was with some reluctance that I put my pack and boots back on and we began our final leg of our journey to Bearpaw Meadow. As we made our assent the clouds became darker and thunder could be heard in the distance. Eric pushed well ahead of the rest of us and while Brent, Kelly and Skot began taking breaks the thought of hiking through the rain spurred me to maintain a slow but steady pace and not rest. I made the cutoff to the Bearpaw campground and met Eric along the way. He had set camp already and was coming back to check on the group. My partners weren't far behind me and we soon had camp set for the night. I went to get water and struggled to return to the campsite just as the wind and thunder began to pick up. I was utterly drained and I turned in for the night before 7:00 pm.

Day 3, August 22, 2009. Bearpaw Meadow to Hamilton Lake.

The night did not turn out as stormy as it appeared it would be the previous day. I woke early and feeling much better about myself than I had when I went to sleep the night before. The only downside about facing the new day for me was that the the immediate beginning of the trail from our campsite was steep and not what I wanted to do. We did it anyway and I felt good about the day ahead of us. We stopped briefly at the Bearpaw high sierra camp and saw the woman we had passed the previous day. We chatted briefly and then continued down the trail. I was relieved that the pain and doubt I had felt the previous day had dissipated and I knew that the remainder of the trip, while difficult, would be good.

We had done this same stretch of trail and year before and knew that it would be a frustrating trail as it climbs up and down. We crossed the bridge at Lone Pine creek and looked up to what Eric, Skot and I had named the Victory Tree. At a high point of what looks like an unclimbable granite face is a lone tree sticking out against the horizon. This was our goal from the bridge crossing and we climbed until we hit the tree. Skot and Eric raced ahead, I fell to the middle position and Kelly and Brent brought up the rear. While resting here we once again met the woman from the previous day. It was humorous talking to her this time because the spectacular vistas were scaring the hell out of her. She was resolutely facing the mountain and did not wish to see the cliff faces and vistas that we as a group were enjoying so much.

After a much needed rest we pressed on with the goal of Hamilton falls where we would be taking our lunch. When we got to the falls there was a group of hikers that had passed us and were staying at the Bearpaw camp. We had lunch and enjoyed the view. The clouds above us were starting to thicken and we decided to cut our lunch break short and do the final climb from the falls to Hamilton lake.

We arrived in early afternoon and looked at a sign describing where the campsites, pit toilets and bearboxes were for the lake. We took a site right of the main trail. There was still sun as we set up our tents and prepared for an afternoon of leasure. I took a quick swim in the lake to take the dark brown trail dust off my my body. I suppose that is one of the hazards of taking a highly traveled trail.

As we sat around the lake enjoying the beauty of the scenery around us we noticed what looked like trash floating in the lake. Upon further inspection of the sign we had read previously we learned that there was a group of students staying there and studying the nutrients of the lake to evaluate the feasability of it supporting fish.

It started raining late in the afternoon and we stayed outside as long as we could. Skot and Eric had a cup of coffee at the granite 'table' that was in our campsite. We stayed out as long as we could tolerate and when it became evident that the clouds would not relent and the rains would continue to fall we turned in.

It is only the second true day of our journey and I'm amazed at how much I miss my family. I brought my cell phone with me in hopes that I would get a signal at high elevation but to this point have had no luck. While this is not the first time I have been away from my wife and children, it is the first time I have not been able to have any contact with them whatsoever. The night before we left I tucked Grace in to bed and she went through a very long and detailed list of all the different kinds of animals that I should watch out for. That little voice warning me to watch out for dinosaurs would have been a welcome distracting from the sound of rain dancing on my tent.

Day 4, August 23, 2009. Hamilton Lake to Big Arroyo

We broke camp and were on the trail from Hamilton Lake to Big Arroyo by 9:00 am. We had spent some of our afternoon the previous staring up towards the pass trying to ascertain where and how we would find our way out of this granite bowl that was the home of Hamilton Lake. The trail was steep and I think that I had found my pace. I began pushing hard and when we took our first break Eric commented that it seemed that I had overcome the struggles of the past few days. I wish that I could keep the pace that I had been pushing but I knew that I could not. Eric moved ahead of me as we climbed out of the bowl. It was soon that we were looking down on Hamilton Lake and seeing it in it's entirety. The climb is steep but the views it offers are absolutely stunning. At one point you could see all the way to the smog and dust filled San Joaquin Valley. These would be the last views we would have of the valley as we pushed onward and upward to Kaiser Pass and the Big Arroyo Valley.

Eric had pulled ahead of me and I spent the majority of the climb alone. It was peaceful and enjoyable. As I skirted a scree field and made my way towards precipice lake and young woman in here twenties traveling alone came down the trail towards me. She looked as though she had woken in a hotel room and was freshly showered and making her way to the breakfast bar. We exchanged a good morning and I was later to learn from some other hikers that she had hiked the high sierra trail solo and went from Crescent Meadow to Mt Whitney and back in SEVEN DAYS. Insane as we were attempting a one way trip in nine days.

I met with Eric again at the lake just below Precipice lake. The clouds were rolling just over our heads and the sun was making infrequent appearances. While hiking my body was warm and sweaty. As soon as I stopped to rest with my friend the breeze hit me and I soon found myself shivering. I was about twenty minutes behind Eric and then Skot, Brent and Kelley arrived twenty minutes behind me. We rested and ate and then pushed on again. Eric took off like a rocket and I was behind. I met up with him again at the greatest dissapointment of our entire trip.

Precipice lake is said by many to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the entire Sierras. Should doubt please follow this link (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paigefalk/1403585447/). Our view was somewhat obscured. What I know of Precipice Lake is a few rocks, some five to ten feet of water and clouds that reminded me of our dreaded fog. Heartbreak is the only way I can describe my emotions at this moment. All that climbing and fighting and pushing to be rewarded with this sad vision. Eric and I shrugged our shoulders and pushed on. We still had the pass to clear and the Arroyo valley to descend through.

We proceeded up past Precipice Lake and began to make our way through the pass. Even with the cloud cover the high alpine meadows we passed through were beautiful. We continued up and up and thought we had reached the pass a few times only to find that we had farther to go. Finally we caught a glimpse of blue sky and Mt Stewart. Eric let out a yell and slapped my backpack around. Our pass quickened and we pushed forward. We were excited to see the light and blue sky and our pace quickened. Overcoming the gap and looking down the Big Arroyo valley was a high point for me. It was finally real to me at this point. To our left was the way to Nine Lakes Basin, ahead of us the Kaweah Range and to our right the Arroyo valley extended away from us. After our upward climb for the last few days it was relieving to see the downward slope. Eric and I found a place to rest out of the wind while we waited for Skot, Brent and Kelly. they arrived and we shared a moment of accomplishment before pressing on to where we would be camping for the night.

We pressed on down into the valley, Skot Eric and Kelly pressed ahead with Brent and I bringing up the rear. I was wearing down a bit and was relieved to be going downhill and at a slower pace. I could tell Brent was struggling. He had twisted his ankle slightly and it was causing him some difficulty. We kept a mellow pace down the valley until we hit the Big Arroyo crossing. I had pulled ahead of Brent at this point and made my way across the river to where the rest of our group was resting.

I found a good place to rest and removed my pack and got out my water filter. As I pumped water I noticed that it was getting more and more difficult to pump water. I couldn't believe it. My new replacement cartridge was clogged after three days. Fortunately I had brought my Steripen and my partners where kind enough to share their equipment.

We rested by the edge of the river. As we did so I noticed a man emerging from the trees farther down the trail from where we had stopped. He was a little over 6 feet tall and was wearing grey pants with red suspenders, a dirty white BYU T-shirt (go cougars) and an Elmer Fudd hat with the ear flaps down. He walked up to me and smiled.

"How ya' doing eh?" he said. If this were a phone conversation I would swear that I was talking to either Bob or Doug MacKenzie.

"Good," I replied, slightly weary.

"Where ya' guys comin' from?"

"Hamilton Lake and Kaiser Pass"

"Oh ya thats nice. I'm on the trail crew up at nine lakes."

"Cool"

"Where ya stayin' tonight"

"Big Arroyo"

"Oh ya?"

"Yep"

"Ya know the mules are down at the river. Good times. Been hangin' out with 'em."

"Cool"

"Oh ya' they're great. Just hangin' out ya know. They got great personalities ya know."

"Yeah."

"You guys should go down and hang out with 'em. They're great."

At this point the wilderness man trailed off in his mumblings and walked away from the river and back up the trail. For the record, when first he suggested that I hang out with the mules I believed that he meant that we should hang out with the people running the mule team what this stranger meant was that he was hanging out with the actual mules. It was at this point that I decided that if ever I would spend a long period of time in the backcountry I should make sure that I'm not doing it alone.

Having been slightly disturbed by the man from the woods we decided to push on and make it to camp. Brent and Kelly stayed behind for a little longer rest. We covered the short walk quickly and made it to camp. As we entered the campsites and found the bear box we also found the mountain mans friends firmly planted in our campsite. The were tame and friendly and very curious about what we were doing as set up camp.

It was nice to set up camp and not have to worry about it raining. The sky was a little cloudy but there was enough blue showing through to make us comfortable and little hopeful that we might see a few stars that night. The bitterness of the cloud encased Precipice Lake still sat in my mouth but the beauty of our camp, it's proximity to the water and the excitement of not getting rained on was pushing that feeling away.

Park City

We're making use of our timeshare this week up in Park City Ut. From what I can tell we're here the week before the Summer Season officially begins so things aren't quite up and running yet. To some this might not mean a good time is to be had. As for me I love it. The resort is not overcrowded, there aren't people everywhere and things are simply quiet and enjoyable.

The only down side to the vacation so far is the weather. Scattered thunderstorms and mid 60's. I like the weather but it limits what we can do outside which is providing some kids with severe cabin fever. Not to mention we didn't really pack for this weather. I didn't even bring a jacket. Not very Smart.

We walked through the 'village' last night and got some good pics of Grace being Grace.

Wal-Mart = sad

I hate Wal-Mart.

For those of you in close proximity to me this will come as no surprise. I don't hate Wal-Mart because I feel they are a poor corporate citizen. I don't hate Wal-Mart because they aren't union or don't pay their employees enough or give them benefits. By all means I would encourage Wal-Mart to continue doing what they are to stay in business and provide a 'product' that consumers are willing to gobble up.

I hate Wal-Mart because of their employees. I work in a service industry and I do what I can to encourage civility and courtesy to customers at all possible times. I feel that in a service industry you should try to meet a customers need before they know they have that need. That is the epitomy of service.

Today I had to get the oil changed. Wal-mart is not my first choice but many places that I would prefer to go either are no longer in existence or because they are a small business they took the luxury of closing for a long Holiday weekend. I first went the the Wal-Mart on West Shaw. After stopping the car (which contained my two children) getting out and standing by the service desk for 5 minutes all the while watching the attendant talk on his cell phone and shoot me furtive glances I departed in disgust.

I then proceded to the Wal-Mart on Ingram. A promising sign, there were people working and there was not a back log of cars. I parked the car and went inside to the service desk (with my two children) and stood for 5 minutes while the person behind the desk tried to explain to a gentlemen the difference between what he would pay for tires and for insurance and that if he didn't buy insurance now he couldn't do it later. After this entertaining exchange the man made his decision and moved out the way. The person; the only person behind the counter promptly dissapeared as I approached the counter. I waited for a few minutes and they returned and took my information.

We proceeded to peruse Wal-Mart for TWO HOURS while I waited for the car to be serviced. Wal-Mart is not my ideal place to spend TWO HOURS especially with a 3 month old and and a 2 year old with pink eye.

Finally the car was completed and we made our way to pay for the 'services' rendered only to find a line of 4 people all purchasing non-automotive related materials at the automotive counter with the same person working the check-out that had done such a stellar job before. It took this 'stellar' employee 23 minutes to ring up 4 people who were buying bath products and Christmas decorations. I finally made it to the counter and the clerk found this to be an opportune time to answer the phone that had been ringing untended during the previous 4 customters. Jack decided to voice my displeasure in a wail of frustration that I was feeling. I paid my fee and departed as quickly as possible.