I didn't leave my heart in the Sierra, but I did lose my glasses in the river
We're back. We've returned from the John Muir Trail after hiking 77 miles in eight days.
Today, Mark Crosse and I hiked 15.5 miles down to Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park. After climbing Pinchot Pass at 12,130 feet the day before, we descended to approximately 4,000 feet. The adjustment is pretty big, as you can imagine, and most of the adjustment is occurring on our knees, because it's a terrible pounding that your knees take when you go downhill.
When we got to Road's End, Mark and I both decided to dive into the Kings River to clean up. We've been bathing in rivers and lakes for a week. Yes, it is cold. In my haste to clean up, I forgot to take my glasses off. And by the time I emerged, my glasses were downstream with a confused trout, who will probably develop myopia.
I've given up on them. You may not recognize me in Fresno this week. I'm the guy with the gray beard and the prescription sunglasses. I think I'll just be a passenger in the car when the sun goes down.
My first meal when I got back? A massive, greasy cheeseburger with great quantities of fries and a cold beer. I chased it with a cookie and ice cream sandwich. It was about 1,600 calories. I've lost five pounds.
Suddenly, I find a compulsion to shower three times a day ... to get a manicure ... to drink lattes ... to sleep on a mattress. Indoors. I love linen!
Comments
(Collective sigh of relief) GLAD YOU'RE BACK! love those satellite phones, eh?
eric
Posted by: eric | August 29, 2006 08:24 AM
Wow, 77 miles thats great.
The trick now is to keep the pounds off and not gain more weight then what you started with.
The alternative, keep hiking!
Your no longer "desk jockeys" but more so- rugged, beared, Grizzly Adams type individuals!
Posted by: Rich | August 29, 2006 08:58 AM
Welcome home! Can't wait to read about your adventures.
Posted by: John | August 29, 2006 09:28 AM
Get a pedicure while you're at it...you guys deserve it.
Welcome home!
Christina
Posted by: Christina Vance | August 29, 2006 12:13 PM
Congrats on your descent. You second leg hikers covered some incredible miles in a short period of time, but sorry to hear about the souvenier you left behind in the river.
Seeing the incredible high Sierra backcountry will leave you with incredible visions that you'll carry in your mind for a lifetime. Moreover, backpacking also makes one appreciate the little things in life ... like that first real meal and a hot shower. And, maybe, even a pedicure. Go for it!
Posted by: Patti Ogden | August 29, 2006 02:30 PM
Myopic fish. A love of linens. It's vintage Grossi. The Marks are really back. Hooray. I'm so relieved that I may even forgive you for getting me into all this in the first place. Congratulations and welcome home.
Posted by: dm | August 29, 2006 03:50 PM
Congratulations, Mark! Welcome back to Target, Starbucks, River Park, $3.25/gallon gas.
It's good to be back, no?
Posted by: Heather | August 29, 2006 04:29 PM
Note to the editor: This blog matrix is a bummer. Hope the forthcoming series of articles on this adventure are more coherent.
To Mark and Mark:
Welcome back.
Read my complete note on Marek's blog page where I in advetently posted it.
Posted by: Yosemite Dan | August 30, 2006 07:15 AM
Thanks to On-lne Editor JW for responding to my cry of frustration in my previous posting. Bottom line - I have much more to learn about blogging.
Hike on!!
Posted by: Yosemite Dan | August 31, 2006 05:16 AM
Understand all you have said,,,waiting for you to say,,"When are we going to do it again?"
You need a partner,,just ask, ready to go anytime.
rob
Posted by: rob | September 1, 2006 09:46 PM
Your loss of eye glassesin the Kings River brought back a lot of memories of 10 years of Sierra treks I was fortunate enough to make. Leaving Courtright Lake in winter left us sleeping in the snow. And crossing streams became a problem. We did remember the water level and current speed are higher and faster at the end of the day. So we waded in fast but knee deep water to cross in the morning and had to find a fallen tree to get back across the stream. Funny, I cannot recall the name of the stream, but it has been a few years. Best wishes and congratulations.
Posted by: Bill Patterson | September 10, 2006 10:40 AM