Wombat's Wootish Wonderings While Wandering: O' Starry Night

Saturday, June 7, 2008

O' Starry Night

There have been a few nights where I've been sleeping out and the stars were bright and clear--perhaps not quite like an evening in the Sawatch above 11,000 ft ASL, but impressive nonetheless. The quiet solitude of the trail, and wherever I happened to be pitched for the night has been rejuvenating. I've seen a few good satellite flares, one "shooting star" (can't wait for the Perseids in August).

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Mileage Stats

Day 1 12 miles to random spot in Hauser wilderness
Day 2: 9 Miles to Lake Morena Pk(approx)
Day 3: 12.4 Ridge above Fred Canyon Road
Day 4: 10 Mt. Laguna
Day 5: 10.7 Pioneer Mail trail head
Day 6: 24.9 Scissors Crossing (brutal heat once dropped down into Anza-Borrego Desert
Day 7: 13.6 To 3rd Pipe Gate (ridge cache-This is the day I holed up under the juniper around mid day, then hiked again from 6pm until 9pm-locals said it could easily have been 118 degrees in the Anza that day and on Day 8)
Day 8: 18.4 (was up hiking by 3:40 am, and got to Warner Springs Ranch at 3pm...took a nap/break at Barrel Springs)
Day 9 &10: Zero Day @ Warner Springs Ranch-resupply, internet, real FOOD, laundry, and letting my blisters blisters, grandchildren heal. Great hot springs, I could stay here forever...but blisters are healing
Day 11: 10 miles. Left Warner Springs Ranch Reluctantly at 3 pm. Camped near spring with guitar guys, and after running into the 3 Gospels and a Canadian
Day 12: 21 miles-above Nance Canyon somewhere. Got hammered with snow, sleet, rain and a bit of exposed lightening/thunder which was motivating. Camp felt oddly liked a critter was looking in on me--not unlike being predated by mtn lions in the slot canyons East of the Ark in Buena Vista--could be since it was appropriate terrain, and a lot of deer tracks
Day 13: 11 miles plus 1 mile road walk to Paradise Cafe on hwy 74...hitched to Idyllwild to get bounce box from P.O. since they aren't open on Sat to mail forward. Cold, rainy. Ran into bunch of folks from trail--sang karoke with new friends.
Day 14: 12 miles--hitched back to Pines to Palms from Idyllwild part way--walked about 5 miles on the hwy before getting on the trail
Day 15: 15.2 miles to Humber Park Picnic table--brrrr.
Day 16: Picked up Food resupply in Idyllwild. took shower and short nap-saw Indy Movie, and hiked up Devil's Slide trail and then up to Summit of Mt. San Jacinto--slept on summitt, froze butt off.
Day 17: 26.6 miles from summitt of San Jacinto to near snow creek faucet...but not exactly there
Day 18: 4 miles to I-10, then 4.5 mile lonely walk on a lonely road to Cabazon--then hitched a ride to Banning.
Day 19: Zero---new insoles, mailed box in banning, saw new Narnia....let feet have a break
Day 20: 10 trail miles, took bus from Banning to Cabazon, then walked the 4.5 lonely road miles next to the I-10. Camped in sand at Whitewater River--best nights sleep yet, with the sound of the river nearby.
Day 21: 13 long hot miles up Mission Creek--nearly walked into young golden/black bear-100 lbs or so....came around densely foliaged creek crossing, and there he/she was! 15 feet or less away---glad it took off like a shot. I said, "S _ _ _, a bear!!" out loud That thing shot up the canyon wall sooo fast---I saw it was "cubbish" in look right away, and got out into the open so that when momma bear came to tear me up, at least I'd see my doom coming at me :) When that didn't happen, I think he/she is just really young....still, was wary of all the bear prints up the trail the rest of the day and into the next....VERY COOL. That's the closest I've been to a critter like that yet (that I've been aware of/awake)...just glad it was young and small, and that mom wasn't around. Lots of creek crossings---took a number of breaks with shoes off. Feet continue to be an issue, but not as bad when in such a gorgeous and remote setting
Day 22: 23 miles to Arrastre trail camp.
Day 23: 10 miles to hwy 18 and hitched easily to Big Bear City...great town, Idyllwild and this place rival each other for trail towns

Why the picture of lichen? Because I lichen all of you a lot. :)

I think of it as a little reminder of an eternal Truth I and other guides would share on the river as we floated past Rainbow rock. We are all in this together-all parts of one Body...Just in case you've forgot what your 10th grade biology teacher taught: Lichen is a sort of fungus and alga which lives in a symbiotic relationship with one another called mutualism. You know, where each has a gift or talent if you will, and contributes to the overall well-being of the organism as a whole, and each other. Each part has a role whether it's the heart or a big toe. It's all necessary (Ok, maybe not the appendix as far as we still know, or that I'm aware).
The sum is greater than its parts.
The fungus provides the physical structure, moisture absorption and storage, and anchors the whole little thing to the rock or log it is living on. The alga does most of the science stuff---photosynthesis, etc... The Brawn and brains if you will. Growth comes slowly, and not without struggle. Life lessons to be sure.
Here's a link to some mo-beta info on Lichen than I can provide.
And to expand a bit more on the philosophical/spiritual take.
Same passage in a more updated vernacular.

This next one is unrelated, but one of my favorite passages that clearly demonstrates the God of the Hebrews was clearly all about LNT (Leave No Trace) and public health (one of many detailed descriptions, some of which are quite entertaining, yet practical particularly for a few thousand years ago) amusing and appliccable to my current situation...I don't mean to gross out the genteel easily grossed out just a little, well-gross humor in there: Ruminate on that :)

Wombat's Wootish Wonderings While Wandering

Saturday, June 7, 2008

O' Starry Night

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Links to Photos, and other exciting stuff related to the PCT

Mileage Stats

About Me

Why the picture of lichen? Because I lichen all of you a lot. :)