... More pictures later ... no time now
FROM RED's MEADOWS near Mamouth California
July 17th, having crossed the highest pass in the Sierras on the PCT 13000ft
We are newly equipped with pack saddles adjusted to each of us and protections for our backs (thank you RED's Meadows team and especially Bobby Tanner). Pascal is going to Mamouth to find new bags as ours are shreds. We plan to leave tomorrow 18th for Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite and be in Lake Tahoe Area at the end of the month.
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What
a descent into Cajon Pass! Pascal drove us hard and we had quite a
stiff about it, but we did manage to get there before sundown, coming
down rolling hills, then gullies like ate lands. The trail kept on
the crests and at times we had several hundred feet drops of sand
dune like material on one side and steep brushy slopes on the other.
Finally after crossing dirt roads, and under power lines, we ran into
a stream, the trail carved into the side of the hillside and
meandered this ever weaving stone chaos to the 15 freeway! There a
monument commemorates the Santa Fe and Salt lake City trails that met
… once upon a time.
Pascal
parked us in the empty lot across from MacDonald's and then went to
stuff himself with poor quality food while accessing the internet.
There he met a fellow who had ended up there, camping now for over 2
years just down a dirt road he says is much quieter. Life leaves some
people stranded on the wayside and they find a niche to survive and
lead something of a life. He says he has everything, water, food,
wifi … welfare is all he needs to “survive”. Like Guerjo who
lives on his $900 of disability … a whole lot of people who
“survive” living what they consider 'outside' of the system even
if it is 'the system' which is really providing for their survival.
No great needs, no apparent desires, just the satisfaction that
they'll eat tomorrow and meanwhile do what they like. A real issue
for society. Not that it cannot afford it, just a question of what is
the meaning of life for a society. Remember, these people come out
with novelists, artists of all types, social work that they do 'off
the grid', … so they DO contribute … some of them … and YOU
can't tell one from the other, no one can.
We
got off to an early start, filled up with water while people took
pictures, and then went to the stream that passes under the freeway.
Long noisy tunnel, but now we are accustomed to these bizarre human
creations. The stream flowed a little and while Pascal was insuring
our route, we grazed tall grasses and ate some watercress. A heavy
fog was on the whole valley, we benefitted from it for the next 4
miles climbing steeply out of the pass. First badlands like on the
other side, then slowly up and around hills and crossing valleys
going up to 8000 feet. What a spectacular view over the freeway, the
two train tracks, and the continuous stream of movement.
In
a valley, at the crossing of a road, there stands a couch, a table, a
couple of chairs and of course the ever present water jugs. Someone
has made a hiker's rest stop … nice of them even if our slave
driver did not stop. He did sign the trail book a little further and
was thoughtful enough to include us. Then we climbed another 3000
feet before reaching our night's goal which turned out to be another
water stop with 2 outdoor chairs. Pascal parked us 500 yards away on
a hillside with what he calls grass, I would say dry dirty remains of
over cooked stuff … and then spent the evening talking with passing
hikers, offering them a cup of hot chocolate and just enjoying
relaxing in one of the chairs.
Another
day and we are at the crossing of the road that leads to the Love's
house. After trying to decipher the maps, the GPS and the reality of
the crossing, we finally go down a dirt road and camp at a dry
stream-bed crossing where Pascal sleeps on rocks and we eat the few
grass stalks that peek behind the rocks. At dawn we're back on the
road and going down, down, cross the creek which now has water (and
we drink!) two or three times to end up at a paved road where a state
prison is built.
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| Love's house built with adobe |
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Swimming pool with NO chemicals
and view over the valley |
We of course pass by, but this road for another 10
miles is only for getting to the prison it seems. Nice walk down the
valley. Then we meet a family on an outing to the river, pictures
with the grand-daughter of course, and later with a guy who is
camping alone, doing yoga and seeming to take a pause to think about
his life of hollywood, music … etc. The sun is now getting high and
as we have gone down the heat is over 40° centigrade (100 F you
fools!). We navigate from one road to the next, the dirt roads
indicated of course are now blocked off on private property and we
endure the pavement.
Pascal has of course under estimated the
distance, after 15 miles we at last arrive in the vicinity, but it's
only 4 miles later and that after crossing hillsides, dumping Jimmy's
pack, and crossing on private property … We are lost. Indeed the
GPS MAP, the so called indications that he had send to be verified …
the street that is supposed to be there is NOT. So Pascal calls
Stevie who very kindly takes her car around the block to find us and
then leads us through the hillside to her street. We finally get
there around 2 pm while we should have arrived at 12. Happily, Stevie
has water for us and the hillside, if not lush with grass, has
adequate food materials for us.
Meanwhile
Pascal lived the life of luxury. Good times with Stevie, even if they
went to re-supply (poor Stevie having to go shopping!) they cooked
together, talked a storm, he went swimming almost each day once or
twice, took naps, … They even went to Claremont to see painting
expositions in the town center where there were lots of people about
… a real change of atmosphere for Pascal. Stevie is an active
painter in that community, showing several times a year and her
studio is full of her next show in September. Pascal did not show us,
but he likes the pieces with the abstract perspectives, the stuff with
visual illusions from simple patterns, the multi-material layered
stuff. Not all, but enough to enjoy pieces that he could live with.
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| An angel helped us cross the desert |
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| We got into the van all by ourselves, feed helped! |
Did
I tell you they built the house from the dirt on the property. It's
an adobe house with just a little additive to retard the water
degradations. Otherwise the adobe as it dries is harder than cement.
Using the traditional rounded ends of the house, it's a house cool in
the day and warm in the cold nights. Everything is carefully though
out, details are everywhere the meeting of the energy of Bruce and
the “tender loving care” of Stevie. Simple, low cost for the most
part and yet beautiful. A house Pascal felt immediately “at home”
in. Both for the way it was conceived and the way it is lived in by
Stevie & Bruce. Too bad, Bruce was evangelizing Mayan culture in
Mexico and Guatemala so we could not meet him, but life with Stevie
was gentle, thoughtful, with real exchanges and listening. Also, the
group of friends, a real community with long term relationships,
welcomed us and Pascal shared a couple of meals with them. A friend
of Stevie's, Ellie the body worker, said her mate, Tracy would be ok
with taking us to Kennedy Meadows on tuesday. Wow! We found a ride.
Judy Casey, a professional transport person we had met on the side of
the road had otherwise proposed to take us and even Michael … but
they were both quite a ways off and Tracy had the vehicle and the
time while being a neighbor. So, sad to leave such a wonderful
haven, we decided the morning of the departure to take a hike of our
own. In less than 15 minutes, Jimmy took me down the road half a mile
and then into the bush. What a panic! Pascal & Stevie looked for
us everywhere without any luck. Then Pascal traced us through our
tracks and discovered we were just in a dell where he had not looked.
So we gently walked back to our holding place and a few minutes later
Tracy showed up to load our gear and us. I even barely made any fuss
to get into the trailer, I should say luxurious trailer, and Jimmy
after hesitating just followed. I suspect that the hay at the end of
the stall helped. In 10 minutes we were ready to go for the 120 miles
that took us to the crossing of the 395 and the road to Kennedy
Meadows. We unloaded, took a good hour to get ready, I must say
Pascal really stocked up and our loads were heavy. Then off we went
up the hill. We did almost 15 miles out of the desert floor up to the
start of the hills. Nice camp with grass off the side of the road
behind trees, we still got the visit of a young couple, she a good
looking british black girl and him a typical californian … nice
people.
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| Pascal feeds us the scraps from the kitchen |
Next
day, we finally got to Kennedy Meadows and this in record time since
we covered the 16 or so miles in less than 5 hours! I must say the
road is really good and easy. The trailer could have gotten us up all
the way, but it was interesting to climb from the desert floor back
into the mountains. It gives you a sense of the real size of things.
The store where all the hikers were grouped seemed to make a good
living feeding hamburgers and providing re-supplies at exorbitant
prices. Tom was out fishing but we met his helpers who welcomed us
and fed Pascal pancakes. But instead of staying around the “scene”
Pascal gave up on the internet and we camped alongside the river a
couple of miles up. After our 4 days of luxurious living we had no
need for the 'trail' atmosphere, our only regret being that we did
not see Tom … we would have liked to thank him for the welcome at
the kick off meeting.
At
camp, Pascal discovered that Jimmy's pack saddle, both arms are
broken. Should he go back to Kennedy meadows and see if with Tom's
help he can make new ones? He finally opts for using the Epoxy glue
that Joe provided, cleans everything and stirs the 5 minute glue as
best he can, then assembles the wooden parts and tapes them. In case
it breaks again he still has a last tube of glue … finally one side
held, he had to repair the second side 4 days later … it's holding
for now but for how long???
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THANKS -------------------
So
off at dawn to climb out of Kennedy Meadows into the very dry, desert
like mountains where water is still an issue. Yet premisses of the
high Sierras are here and there.
Trees, streams, and even if there
are still swaths of burn hills, the cactus is getting scarce and the
air is cooler. Until we get to Forester Pass at 13137 feet (4000
meters almost) we'll be on the 'dry' side of the mountains. But past
11000 ft the lack of vegetation will mask the transition. We climb
rapidly to 9000 ft then hover for a couple of days in the 9000 to
11000 ft heights which is good since it allows us to get acclimated
with the high mountains. The first day Pascal was feeling a slight
dizziness, but since he has had no signs of mountain sickness. The
training in the San Jacinto and San Bernardino mountains was certainly
useful.
We are in a country of impressive cedars that have been
struck by lightning, desiccated by the wind, the sleet, the long
winters, the frozen temperatures and the summer sun. They often look
like naked bodies sculptured into wood, stylized birds and strange
creatures. At times as you pass under a carcass still holding up and
bent over the trail, you ask yourself if it will not choose just the
time you're under to fall. Often the several hundred year old trees
are decapitated with several trunks compensating for the loss of
height. Then there are the vistas as you come over a pass looking on
one side to highway 395 and the desert landscape 9000 ft or more
below or on the other side, the empty valleys where the Los Angeles
political powers have decided to drain permanently a natural lake to
capture it's water.
The PCT for the most part is winding along side
the mountains to avoid steep climbs or descents which is great for us
since then we do not have to have our front or back holding straps.
But the climbs are impressive. Pascal has us now on a rhythm where we
start at dawn and try to reach destination by noon. This allows us to
rest all afternoon and night, feed at leisure and take in the
beautiful places where we camp. A meadow here, a hillside there, a
cosy little stream with a field … the walks are hard, the load
heavy … but what a trip! Better than our 7 acres with 90 donkeys we
had for 13 years. Pascal is trusting us more and more and letting us
free to roam most afternoons.
The grass is good and we are tired from
the walk so we roll creating dust clouds, we eat, and eat and …
eat, then we lay down and rest, roll again, go drink at the stream or
river and just live a donkey's life. Pascal is finding the steep
climbs and long walks hard on his old body. He has tried out his new
hiking boots, the mountain type that are quite adapted to the rocky
landscape, and if there is some adaptation, they are working out. His
back is getting a real workout and often at the end of the day all
sorts of various pains come out, probably slight nerve pinching from
the strenuous workout either uphill or downhill. The high Sierras are
quite the test for a human body, he had forgotten how demanding. So
the afternoons and nights are used for recuperating physically while
the mind keeps quite active either walking or resting.
After
a month of 'adaptation' to the life of the trail, the need to care
for us and the physical requirements, it is now time to ask the
bigger questions. How does it really feel? How is it to be ALONE ALL
THE TIME? Are you ready to spend the next 3 years living like this?
Are you finding the richness of the creative within you?
Clearly
this is a second phase of the journey. Obviously a key element is
being alone. Yet it is one of the real goals, alone there is no
avoiding of anything. It all comes out. The good and the bad. The
trail is interesting in the sense that you can meet people but each
one is too much in his own “trip” to pay much attention to the
others. It's nice to know that should you have a heart attack,
someone would find you and take care of the animals, but beyond this
you are really alone in the immensity of the land. The music is
slowly getting more satisfying. The real frustration is the solar
panels, they just are not providing electrical autonomy.
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| Straps holding sports bags on the pack-saddle |
This issue
MUST be solved, hopefully at the Lake Tahoe stop. Is it the controller
or the panels … the solution must be identified and provided for.
The PC is the issue, if it could be recharged at will then access to
writing, listening, working on multimedia would become possible.
Depending on recharging at stops is not workable for the journey.
One
of the nice things is that as you walk you can let your mind go
through various scenario and follow them to where your mind leads
you. It's a good way to identify what is an illusion from a need. The
waking dreams you can build on reveal issues you have with your
relationship to the world, to others, with yourself.
For example, in
this gold country the fantasy of finding a nugget of gold, sacks of
gold left by some poor miner or an army transport … so where does
money lead you? What do you make of that relationship? How does it
affect those around you? … your mind leads you into the nooks and
crannies of your own illusions, desires and reality. This is an
interesting part of this journey. Obviously the same process that
applies to money, goes for women, sex, friendships, and the creative
acts. You can 'trip' on anything, just let your mind navigate freely
… and then to change pace, just let yourself just BE, not THINK. I
find that this NO THINK is often the source of the REAL THINK …
over time.
Meanwhile,
as he types away, we are eating up as much as we can of this
delicious mountain stuff that is so rich and varied, with flowers,
seeds, tall stems … t'ill we could become FAT! No risk of that with
the slave driver … but it is true that our bodies are getting
sculptured with muscles that were not there a few months ago. I must
say my brother is really a monument of solidity and I confess that my
fine muscular profiles are quite the thing! I wish Wyme could see me.
And now that Pascal has finally understood how to use the back and
front straps, only for climbs or descents, our hair is growing back
and in a month of so we should be without any scars.
Why
do people when they see water have to get into this wet, cold …
dangerous stuff? Whenever there is a stream, and if big enough for
immersion then he just jumps in, lathers himself on the shore and
rinses then goes back into it! We would much rather roll in nice warm
dust. Jimmy is fascinated by the morning and evening ritual of
putting a stick in the mouth with hairs and rubbing hard. I think
he'd like to try it. As for the other rituals, preening the feet,
rubbing them with baby cream and making sure they are regularly
washed … no such bother with our hooves.
Did
I tell you the water is frozen in the containers in the morning? We
are learning to find shelter behind a tree or a rock and if Jimmy was
not such a loner, he could keep me warm when at dawn the chill comes
in. Well another week or so of very high mountains and then we should
get back to reasonable altitudes. Probably then it'll be the
mosquitos!
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| We pause while Pascal takes pictures |
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Thoughts ----------------------------------------------------
You
cannot expect to find in others, those things you lack or think you
lack within yourself. This is why religion, first started to invent
spirits to try to dialogue with the dimensions they wanted to explore
or understand within themselves. The mono theism is the prevalent
thought that one is all onto himself. Thus you only need one god to
dialogue with. Two persons opened the door to the universe of
awareness for me (aside from Parents … ) one was an indian, living
in a tepee who said “I have two rooms, the one where I receive only
persons with whom I am intimate, and the other where all my friends
are welcome”, the other is a Buddhist monk who said “ you know
Pascal, all these stories are just a way of trying to tell others
what you can only understand for yourself”.
Psychology
is the modern approach to deism. There is both a use, as in the
church, of tools to manipulate masses and up to the individuals by
categories (see TV advertising) and the whole field of 'awareness'
where from the professional ability to 'understand the other' to the
psychoanalyst/therapy … we explore the so called 'internal' self.
In church the “word of god” attempts the manipulation while the
contemplative, the confession … are all aimed at our 'internal'
self.
So
what does it speak of relationships?
Obviously
we are not seeking what we lack within since we know it does not work
to get it from others. We try, have tried … and probably will try
again in some way or another. What we lack within must be found from
within … But the ever continuous circle of learning has by now
convinced us that if you don't learn the lesson the first time,
you'll have to make the mistake again.
For
me a relationship is an exchange, where one brings to the other the
unexpected, the unthought of, the ability to contradict, argue, …
make the other discover, share in the discoveries, … and create.
Create silence, beauty, touch, feelings, smells, tastes, sounds …
contribute in awakening ourselves and the other …
So
I'm in a relationship with myself, walking the mountains of
California and expecting to have this road lead to Chile. I am “re”
discovering myself, or just re-establishing the balances of my life
where those things such as the AWE that nature provides are present
daily.
Can
I be in a relationship with myself and another at the same time? That
is what I am trying to understand, become aware of, have insight on …
The relationships with my friends while being away, with my children
while being far, and I dearly would wish to share my life with a
woman who could love me as I could love her and share the life style.
I have received a lot from my past companions, yet I've always felt
that excepting for a few that were too brief to judge, my
relationships have always been unbalanced. Financially,
emotionally, intellectually, sexually … I have hungered all my
life, I probably expect too much from others since I do so from
myself. Hunger that was “built in” by my parents … the story of
my life. But hunger that has allowed me to meet fabulous people, to
share exceptional times, to live a life of passions, efforts yes but
achievements. All that because I was an “abandoned” child. Wow!
The stuff of life. No wonder so many people spend their lives trying
to understand, teach, preach … lay in a couch or take drugs.
What
of this chemistry of love that selects unawarely that individual
who's genes are most likely to produce 'diversity'? How come a woman
is totally inaccessible for one and totally giving to another? A man
the same … just in a different way.
What
is nice in these questions is that I've been asking them since
puberty … and still have to find any valid answers. What is
interesting is to keep asking which means you are still open to an
answer. There is the real state of awareness.
Man
living 'on the road' with 2 donkeys, presently on the PCT heading
north but walking with 2 donkeys to Chile and expecting to arrive
within 3 to 5 years, independent financially and emotionally, married
with 2 children but obviously living separately, seeks a companion
to share the journey's experiences. Laughs, wonderment, making the 6
senses work each day, and joys are the expected program.
Join
him for a period and prolong if you like it.
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to be continued, back to blog life -----------
We
have been climbing regularly since Hwy 395 and are now arriving at
Forester pass 13475 feet! Pascal the day before pushed us to a lake
in the crook of the rocks, so transparent that you could clearly see
several meters below the surface as if crystal clear. He of course
went for a bath naked in this snow melt. Yes, we are at the level of
the last patches of snow. This year apparently there is very little
for an 17th of June … thank goodness!
It
is also the day he lost his brand new pair of glasses! The pouch at
his hip just unzipped and little chance to find them even if we did
the 18 mile journey backwards. Too many climbs and descents, times we
stopped to breathe off the trail … hopefully someone will find them
and Pascal passed the word to hikers going each direction that they
belong to the DONKEY MAN. Nice how he identifies with us! But not
only that, he also broke the hinge of his dark glasses … so now he
has duck tape decorations to hold the branch on. What a day …, we
met Laura and Dave her father at the lake. Laura has invited her
father for father's day for 11 days in the back country hiking and
camping. What a nice gift! She is studying child psychology, I wanted
to tell her that it was NOT a coincidence …
So
this morning we got up at dawn as usual, got packed and began the
final assault out of what I would categorize as the “cactus”
country of southern california to the “green” country of the
north. We were high at camp, but we climbed another 1000 feet and the
final mile was up a rock wall with carved steps into the hillside.
What a climb! All around us the rock walls and below the ice melted
lakes and a stream rushing down the valley. The old man's heart beat
hard and breath was short but he made it up with us keeping a good
pace. I can tell you that Jimmy bravely followed my exploits as I
often had to rise my full leg height and jump up the steep stairs.
I'm not sure a horse could do this. Perhaps a mule since they are
half donkeys, but even that, with difficulty. Almost at the top there
was this ice slope cutting the trail with people traces in the hard
frozen snow. I did not like it at all so I just stepped in the rubble
below and went around it, but had a real hard time climbing back up
on the trail and the other side was a steep downfall. Jimmy of
course followed me and was on his knees coming back on the trail.
Looking back at it, at the steep slope, the loose rock … I could
have gotten us into REAL trouble. Pascal was furious … and he let
us know.
Then
incredible, we arrived at the pass, a narrow passage between the
mountains with a plaque. There was a hiker there so we did get the
“memory” picture.
Why
do we go so high only to go down after? This serpentine path is well
done but does it go down! Then our second crossing of a frozen snow
melt. Pascal checked and thought I could just go up the ice bank 3
yards which is what the hikers do and then you're back on rock and
rejoin the trail. So he urged me and I went with energy, almost made
it to the top, but I was too deep in the snow and I slipped, rolled
on my side and slid down the ice to land almost 100 yards down on the
rocks taking Pascal with me. Thank goodness the packs took the chock
and I was just stuck, feet uphill, backpack pinning me down and a few
scratches on my nose and head. But I COULD NOT MOVE.
Pascal had to
undo what he could and then passed behind me and was finally able to
undo the belly strap of the pack. Once freed of the pack, after a few
tries I managed to get up … a bit shaken for sure. Pascal checked
me all over and found that DONKEYS are really strong and sturdy, any
horse of even mule, despite their great heritage, would have been out
of commission to say the least. ME? Well he just loaded me up and
then took me through the jungle of rocks where I slipped miserably
and we got around the snow pack. Jimmy was just as shook up as me, he
kept standing and looked miserable as I got freed and repacked. Then
when he saw I was going through the rock shambles, he came bravely
after me and followed me close.
Back on the trail we all took a deep
breath, rechecked everything and went on. For the first mile I was
still in shock and walked at the pace of a snail. But slowly I got
better, and the slave driver would have no excuse anyhow, so we went
another 7 miles down into the valley. You can feel the difference,
here the vegetation is really of another type. I must say, once
again, despite my doubts and the many trials I made to make him stop
at really nice meadows, the one where we are camped is impressively
beautiful with the hill, the river and several prairies to choose
from (apparently marked “not to graze” but we never saw the
sign). We just turned left when the site looked good and the GPS said
we were reaching the trail junction for tomorrow's climb out of the
valley.
We have difficulty choosing the grass as there is so many
different kinds. For rolling, the knoll upon which Pascal has put his
tent is perfect, and we don't even make dust for him. For the night
we are hobbled in a small but very dry meadow where the grass is
perfect.
Well,
goodnight to you and may you see the mountains we saw today in your
dreams.
Hard
day! Oh what a day …
Next
day, went up the hill, the canyon and then the staircase in zig zags
that climbed to the pass. Up to then fine, big steps, steep climb …
but ok. Once up there we took the classical picture and then … Oh
my! A big patch of iced snow, no trail but many foot prints in
different areas depending on what time of day people passed.
Well,
you know him … Pascal decided on a course and there we attempted to
go. But it's cold, and I step deep at times, less at others and not
at all, just on the ice without any grip. So I started panicking and
jumped but that either got me deeper or at one point I stayed on the
surface and slid … 100 yards down with Pascal trying to hold me but
being pulled by my weight. At one point I had a hoof in the air and
hit Pascal in the nose, I really didn't do it on purpose! And then we
landed, me on my back, or should I say the loaded packsaddle and
Pascal managed to hit the rocks feet forward and amortized the shock.
But there I was all feet blocked or in the air, the load keeping me
down and my head in a bizarre not very comfortable position. Pascal
tried to get me to stand but seeing the impossible situation started
unpacking.
The trouble is that the cinch was under me … but without
cutting, Pascal managed to free me while I patiently stayed still.
Once unloaded I managed to twist and get some footing to stand up.
There we were 100 yards down from the trail, on large rocks and above
just iced snow. Meanwhile Jimmy had stayed still, above the snow
pack, on the trail.
Well
you know my Pascal, he just loaded me up again and then asked me the
impossible task of walking on rocks back to the trail ahead. I
valiantly did the 30 yards, but just as I was about to step on the
trail again, I slipped and went head over heals into the rocks again.
There I got scratched in a couple of places. The hard part is that I
was again stuck by the load and feet in the air with no access to the
cinch. Pascal finally freed me so I managed to twist while staying on
the packsaddle and stand up. Hikers who had been watching the scene
came to the rescue and a human chain brought the materials to the
trail. Then I managed to bravely get myself on the trail. Upon
inspection I had only 2 small scratches and a lot of fear. Pascal
talked to me smoothly while rubbing his hands all over my body. It
felt good but we were both in shock.
Pascal
went to get Jimmy who by now was getting very impatient but did not
want to cross that ice field. So Pascal led him by the lead rope
while 5 persons with ropes assured that Jimmy would not slip. I don't
know if it would have helped him, or did, but he stepped slowly (not
like me) and followed Pascal to the next rocks, along them and then
the iced over gap to reach the trail once again. OUF! I was anxious,
even if a kind lady, a nurse by profession, stayed with me and calmed
me while inspecting my whole body. She confirmed to Pascal that I was
fine physically. So we loaded me up once again and down the steep
slopes we went, but on rocks, not ICE. As soon as we found a place to
pitch the tent and have grass for us, alongside a beautiful lake, we
stopped and made camp. I'm getting really good with water, the upper
lake flows into the lower lake and a rushing stream results from
this. Well while Pascal stepped with much peril on the rocks to
cross, I just walked into the water up to my chest and did not even
slip on the rocks. Jimmy, just followed me as he now has understood
is the only possible way.
I
can tell you we were, and still are 2 days later, under the shock of
these two slides. I feel unable to walk much and Pascal is ruminating
about the possibility of my breaking a bone. He just doesn't know
donkeys are much sturdier than horses!
A
russian lady asked if we were camping there, Pascal asked her if it
bothered her, she answered “I guess I have no choice” to which he
started to try to explain that we had had a rough day … but she
turned her heels and left. Then 1 hour later, just as Pascal was
lighting the fire, she came to say that fires were prohibited and
probably the grazing of animals near the lake. Pascal mentioned it
was his way of life and needed now to rest (due to the “accident”)
but she left without listening seeming furious. 10 minutes later we
saw her practically running down the trail … No doubt to report us
to the ranger since there is a station 100 yards away, but no luck,
the station is not manned. Pascal wonders if his 2 minutes naked in
the water and then drying on a rock out of the wind is not what got
her exited initially … Of course she is right in the absolute, but
in view of the circumstances … This is the whole difficulty with
establishing rules, they apply always except for exceptions … and
this seems to me to be a valid “exception”. After all, we were
supposed to do another 7 miles down to where camping, grazing, fires
… are allowed but we really could NOT get that far. Is it the new
immigrant reaction of the absolutes of law? Interesting to think
about.
We
have 2 more important passes to go through where there might be snow,
or should I say we know there is snow but not how much, in what kind
of configuration … can we pass safely?
The
days are hot and it's melting fast, possibly by passing around 3 pm,
the hottest time of day when it could be mush, sticking to the trail
and possibly Pascal tracing the path first … we are concerned.
On
top of that since we have joined the John Muir Trail (we are doing so
for over 100 miles) the design of the trail has changed. Now it's up
and down steeply and it requires much effort to climb or descend …
not only has our mileage decreased but we are exhausted. Even the old
man who is carrying NOTHING is feeling it. We are of course at around
11000 ft (3000 meters) ranging from 8000 to 12000 or more. But what a
spectacle! Each new view is like a painting, a sculpture, a film that
speaks of the grandeur of things. Pascal now not only lets Jimmy free
as he follows quite well behind me, but his new thing is to leave the
lead line around my neck and just walk ahead with hands free. Of
course we have a few quibbles about how nice it would be to stop here
or there for a nibble, but over all I feel freer to choose my way and
he has his hands free which allows him to take more pictures. He
really gets mad when I decide to stop, to take the wrong trail, to
not stop when he wants to. But even if I did get a few whacks with the
walking stick, we are getting to an understanding which is great for
the both of us. People are surprised to see him 20 yards ahead of us
and Jimmy & I following at our own pace.
We
are down to 10 mile days and these still take 5 hours or so, which
means we reach camp around 2pm with the pauses. That is short to set
up camp and take a bath before 3:30pm when the sun starts to decline.
Well that's his problem, I'm not taking any other bath than our dust
baths which are so delicious. Not really good dust here though, or at
least not all the time. Tomorrow Pincho PASS and the next day the
difficult Mather PASS. That one we'll try to hit at 3pm. Then
there'll be apparently another difficult one, but aside from the
“golden staircase” which might be exposed to the north and thus
have ice, there is only Seldom PASS and then Silver PASS a few days
north but seeming to be below 11000ft, thus without much snow danger.
I'll be glad to be passed Mather PASS. If you don't read about it,
just say a prayer for me.
I
think we're starting to get a reputation. There are over a dozen
hikers each day now on the trail and most have heard of us or know
about 2 donkeys taking a man up the trail. Pascal keeps giving out
cards and explaining how we get to Chile by going north … People
from all over the world, Australia, Europe, Africa … the only ones
we rarely see are Asians. Those we do see are true blooded americans
(later on the John Muir Trail this was no longer the case). Sometimes
we stop, other times not, I don't really know why. Older couples,
retired and 4th age on a few days hike, of course young
people, as a group, as two buddies, sometimes as a couple and rarely
young women, but it happens. The 30's and 40's are least represented
… for the present, possibly in July & August when they take
vacations. It's early for the high country yet. We know, the nights
are cold, yesterday it must have reached -5° celsius, in the high
20s F. All was covered by white frost and the water in the pans was
frozen solid. I keep telling him he should give us his porridge, but
he is really stingy, wanting to keep it to prove to any ranger that
he is able to feed us when grazing is prohibited. Up to now we have
not seen a single ranger, I expect them to be more in Yosemite
wherever there is a concentration of tourists. Too bad, people really
misbehave by letting paper wraps fall along the trail, taking craps
about anywhere and most of all not burying them and leaving toilet
paper appear! I don't mind camping over a buried shit if it's at
least 6” underground so it does not smell nor attract animals, but
under a rock with paper sticking out is odious! And we, donkeys, can
even want to eat the pulp it represents ….! Thank goodness it
smells so bad we don't even think of it …! Can people not
understand that if you MUST use toilet paper, then have a zip lock
bag and put it in. Then either burn it at camp or take it home and
frame it to remember the “good times”. The hikers have this nasty
habit of eating an energy bar while walking, so they tear the top and
drop it and then eat the bar and feel good because they kept the
major part of the wrapping … or the other one is the smokers …
Pascal has a pocket dedicated to trash he picks up along the way and
then burns it on his campfire each night. Oh! About campfire, with
his camp-stove made out of a stove pipe, he now puts it about a yard
from the entrance of his tent and the heat generated keeps the inside
of the tent warm while he types on the computer … Hopefully no
spark will jump to the tent, but so far it works really well. The old
instant set up Quechua is now full of holes, the zipper works when
it wants to … so Pascal has asked Nathalie to bring him the new
model which folds twice as small and is a bit bigger … hopefully
she can put it in her luggage, if not then he'll try to have one
shipped. It is really great to have a tent to store gear and set up
camp that is ready in 2 seconds. Especially when we'll have to start
facing rain … after the dry hell the wet hell will come … living
outdoors has it's issues, just like having to maintain a home.
We'll
soon be out of battery for the PC so no more writing. This is really
a problem that has to be solved. Pascal will not make it if he cannot
write, listen to music, … have his electronic world with him
wherever he is.
So
we walked, I should say I was dragged by Jimmy to get there, to the
John Muir Ranch where we arrived, our legs full of bruises, having
lost quite a bit of weight and my feet hurting bad.
Run
by Hilary, this ranch is in a transition phase with a real concern
for hikers and a real experience for people wishing to spend time in
the high country. Luke her husband looked at me and recommended 5
days of rest while Hilary had her staff give us a quarter sack of
rich grain mix and salt licks to pep us up. They have been supportive
of us in many ways even if the first contact is rather distant and
seems often “unfriendly” to hikers. PAT with her cohort of young
women working at the ranch, she is the 'trail angel' of the ranch,
has helped us re-supply from the hiker boxes to enable us to stay
while I heal. She has a warm “motherly” or “old aunt” caring
for each hiker that comes in while insuring the ranch rules are
respected. I expect she used to be quite a young woman having a “good
time” with hikers in the past ... You get all kinds of hikers, from
those trying to take advantage of hiker boxes to those who are here
on vacation or a PCT or JMT hike and generally tend to contribute to
the well being of all. I think everyone should make a stop at the
ranch, enjoy the remarkable Bleiney hot springs and stay a day or
two. Eden is rarely so wonderful. Access from Florence lake is easy
and only 5 miles from the ranch once you cross it, so accessible for
all who are able to walk, or an alternative is to ride in with the
ranch. For less than the price of a 3 star hotel in San Francisco,
you get a 5 star mountain resort environment with enough of a
primitive context to feel you're living a real adventure.
Meanwhile
Pascal has been fussing about my feet and bathing them in water he
brings from the hot spring across the river and up the hill, cleaning
wounds and insuring they are with disinfectant, putting poultices of
plants to draw the puss and calm the pain, and finally after
hesitating has decided to give me antibiotics to insure no infection
gets installed. After 5 days I now walk but still have issues with
where the hoof joins the foot, the cracks are deep and not healing
yet. Since we have a 10 mile hike to do when we leave here, Pascal
wants my feet to be in shape. Possibly another 2 to 3 days … we'll
see after the antibiotics kick in. Luke gave us a half can of Corona
Phillips Ointment, lanolin enriched antiseptic dressing and
lubricant which seems to really work. Meanwhile he puts socks on my
feet to keep the wounds clean and the flies out of the wounds. I can
tell he is thinking of leg pads using socks and padding to protect my
lower legs. I'll look real sophisticated but will it help? Jimmy is
bored and tends to wander off but the meadow we are in is so rich
that it's a pleasure to graze and we don't need to go anywhere.
Pascal
keeps meeting people, some stay in our meadow and share his diners.
Once he got invited by Paul Grossman, lawyer from Los Angeles, to
diner with his family gathering at the ranch … over all he spends
his days in the hot springs across the river or with people he meets
who see us from the trail. His days are becoming routines, wake up,
release us from our hobbles, check on my feet and clean the wounds,
cup of coffee, get dressed, feed me my medicine and food supplement,
have breakfast, clean up camp, write, play music, then off to the hot
springs to soak for a couple of hours, come back to have lunch, nap
time, clean my wounds and test my ability to walk, play music, write,
go to the ranch, check on us, go to the hot springs for the sunset
while laying in the bath, come back at night fall, cook diner, play
music, check on us and hobble us for the night, go to bed. It's now
been 6 days and hopefully tomorrow will be our last day here … if I
can walk without any pain.
The
birds and chipmunks are getting used to our presence and now hovering
around the camp to see if they can steal a bite to eat. A bleu jay is
particularly insistent and has even gotten into the 'tool box' we use
as storage for all breakfast items and any open food.
Progress
on our education is on-going, we now recognize it when he calls out
our names and know when things are ok, good or NOT authorized. The
tone of voice and recognition of our names makes it possible. Pascal
climbs now regularly on Jimmy's back but Jimmy still has not the idea
that it is to be transported, he usually stands still. But Pascal is
trying to teach him commands such as STOP. GO. Right and Left. It
will take time as Jimmy is less smart than I am.
10
days later. Well, we got over Silver Pass! It was a long ways and we
camped in a delightful meadow at the end of Bear Creek. Just before
the big climb into the higher country which leads to the long,
meandering trail going to the pass. We crossed a huge forest on top
of a hill that only had trees, no grass to speak of, no ground
vegetation … a deserted land of huge trees and NO sound since birds
probably cannot find any food there. A big up hill to get there and
then a very long meandering downhill with switchbacks … finally the
rushing river and back up another hill before finding a delightful
camp. Two men with their children were hiking and camped near us. I
loved to hear the girls giggle, it's nice to have people happy around.
Pascal had put up the tarp as we are getting used to a little rain at
mid-day, but none came and the sunset on the high rocks are
stupendous. We passed to get here Edison Lake, half empty due to the
need to cool down a reactor I've been told, a place Pascal had passed
in 2006 on a hike to Mono Lake. The cascading water on the way up to
the pass on granite carved out slabs makes me think that Adrien would
be happy here, climbing during the day and sliding down the granite
slabs in the afternoons. Then there is the fishing, anything that
looks like a fly seems to catch fish, too bad that it's so fished
there are no sizable fish left. Pascal has no license so he just
takes advantage of people who catch more than they can eat.
We
did 5 miles the first day out of Muir Ranch, 10 the second over the
pass and 10 again to arrive on Fish Creek, where we got of the PCT to
take the other trail avoiding the steep climb and descent into Reds
Meadows. Cascade valley via Fish Creek is a rather easy trail (baring
a few down trees we have to get around) and Iva Hot Springs only 7
miles away. Pascal decided to be french and take the 14th
of July off and stay at the hot springs which are quite corrosive but
how beautiful to be in the warm baths with a view over the valley and
NO mosquitos. Yes I'll appreciate and today was again feeling my feet
even though he continues to care for them 4 times a day. The rest day
is also because we'll arrive anyhow too late to communicate with
France, it'll be sunday the 14th, a day either with too much tourists
or day when things are shut down … Reds Meadows will be for Monday.
Pascal is starting to “live” on the trail. He is no longer pushed
by time even if he still likes to progress and he feels at home in
this high country. We have passed the 900 mile mark of the PCT and
things are starting to settle into a life style. Why hurry if each
camp is a wonderful site, each mountain deserves careful observation,
nature changes progressively with each mile … the high Sierras are
really wonderful in July. The only handicap is not having electricity
to recharge the PC and be able to write at leisure, listen to music …
use the PC.
Do
I have to remind you that we donkeys are totally unpredictable? I
crossed very large streams today without even hesitating with water
up to my belly, but because of the embankment, a little stream 5
inches high became a nightmare to cross. Yesterday it was Jimmy who
refused to take a rock ledge slanting down and finally had to jump …
he came out of it with scrapped knees and Pascal broke his belt and
lost his precious multifunction tool/knife/plier that a couple of
friends camping in Texas had given him. Boy was he upset! Couldn't
handle him with pincers … If you have a donkey friend, just
remember that he'll amaze you by what he does do as well as what he
refuses to do … all in the same day!
Planning
--------------- present expected timing for contacts and
participations------------------
It
looks like we can reasonably do 10 to 15 miles on average 6 days a
week. This means 90 miles a week or about 400 miles a month. Possibly
we'll keep improving the milage, but our concern is to be able to
have time to take advantage of the scenery and at the same time
finding a rhythm for our bodies so we are not 'suffering'. Possibly
we'll do another skip at some point as it would be really nice to get
to Cascade locks early September. But then again, there is NO time
issue, just living it … so we'll see. People who did the Mohave
desert said it was really tough, but that they really do not regret
it. … lessons.
We
had to stop 10 days after the passes at the Muir Ranch/Bleiney hot
springs & lake (not a bad place to be forced to stop …) so that
Daisy could heal her feet and both put back some weight on … we
were exhausted.
18th
of july – Tuolumne meadows
28th
of july – enter Lake Tahoe Area
Here
if we could find a person willing to lend us his workshop
(basic tools for woodworking/drilling/sanding/cutting) we MUST remake
2 packsaddles (see blog) Expect ½ day to get materials and 2 days to
make them. Will need to find a source for hard-woods like oak.
15th
of August – cross HWY 80
and
1st
of September in Shasta area
late
October Cascade Locks
What
does a donkey do on a rest day? He stands and sleeps, he maintains
the grasses short and he rolls on his back regularly to show his
ability to roll from one side to the other. That's the program unless
he gets untied (which Pascal does whenever he is around) and tries to
enlarge his horizons when Pascal takes a nap or is not paying
attention … but we never get too far.
Well,
I'm going to get him to post this. This means we are in Red's Meadows
near Mamouth (lake, mountain and city). Next stop will be Tuolumne
meadows, the high mountain center of Yosemite Park, only 3 days away.
There we hope to be welcome, but being a dense tourist center it is
likely that donkeys are not really welcome. Yosemite officially does
not allow us to graze … so it's possible we'll only do quick
re-supply shopping and move on rapidly. Hopefully we can get Email
and possibly post once again.
The opinions around me vary, Susan thinks the
condition is capable of being stabilized with rather intensive care, TY my farrier is seriously concerned, my veterinarian after looking at the Xrays seemed rather positive.
Only time can tell the story but I will definitively not be able to
take the trail once again and thus will have to find a home in the US
for adoption … once I have recuperated, probably early next year.
