Thursday, June 11, 2009

Lone Pine

I tried to stay in bed as long as possible, but I am a morning person. I just had to get going. So wet tent and all, I packed up and headed off to Trail Pass and Horseshoe Meadow.

The hiking went easily. My feet had been hurting by the end of yesterday. Some of my old injuries seemed to have returned. But they were not bothering me today at all. I felt strong and healty.

I found the trail to Horseshoe Meadow and soon I was at the parking lot. There were lots of hikers there who had had their bear cans driven to the parking lot. The hikers could hike to Horseshoe Meadow without their cans and pick it up in the parking lot in one of the bear boxes. A lot of them had arrived at the end of the day and were now getting ready to head off to climb Whitney.

There was sun on the asphalt so I unpacked everything in my pack and laid it out in the parking lot like a yard sale. I got everything good and dry.

My Grapenuts had exploded all over the place this morning. My bear can and backpack were full of loose nuggets. I cleaned that all up and repacked my pack. Then I set off for the long walk down to Lone Pine. I had little hope that anyone would be by to pick me up. Who would be nuts enough to drive up here in this weather?

Within a half hour of walking the road, I saw a van approach. I thought, what would be the chances that that's Chuck Norris' van. Probably zero. Then I saw the pink stripe across the front and all the hiker signatures. It was Chuck! He pulled over and told me to get in. He'd take me to Lone Pine.

We went back up to the trailhead and picked up a few more hikers. Then we went to Lone Pine.

Lots of hikers are planning to skip the Sierra and go up to Donner Pass and hike South instead. I am not sure what to do. I will think about it while I am here.

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