poll results

Well, the results are in, and the official winner of the "Favorite Cheesy Action Show from the 80s" poll is none other than my own favorite: MacGyver! He won with an overwhelming 58% of the votes! (It probably helped that I stacked the votes a little.) When I was younger my room was directly down the hall from the TV, and I could watch TV from my bed. MacGyver was usually on after Monday Night Football, and therefore past my bedtime. However, sometimes I would succeed in being able to keep my door open and watch it from bed, when my parents thought I was asleep! I know, I was sneaky. Although, as I've gotten older I've realized that I think they knew all the time. Sometimes they'd bother to make me close my door and sleep, and sometimes they were feeling benevolent (or too tired to care), and just let me stay up and watch.

It makes sense that he would win. Not only did he have the coolest mullet ever, but he drove a different very cool car every season, and was always changing up his way-cool jacket choices. There were the bomber jacket early years, and then the very cool leather motorcycle jacket as the show moved into the 90s. And, one of the main advantages he had over the other Cheesy Action Show choices, he showed us all the clever non-violent ways to get out of those oh-so-common sticky situations with just a sock, a stick of gum, duct tape and a swiss army knife. Honestly, who doesn't love MacGyver?


Seriously, check out that mullet! And this was from the way-cool motorcycle jacket days. Ah, I miss classic television.

the glamor of Chuck Norris

On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, Caleb and I do our cardio workout at the gym. The cardio machines are all upstairs, with the TVs. And most days, we get eliptical machines in front of the TV airing episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger, which stars Chuck Norris, as you may know. In fact, I'm willing to admit that I actually hope the eliptical in front of the Walker TV is free. Walker keeps me well distracted from the pain I'm pushing my body through. Though I never get to see how these shows end, I fully enjoy the 20 minutes I get to spend with Walker and his crime-fighting pals in the wee hours of the morning.

This week I got an email from my friend Steve (an old friend from college), whose friend Maj. Eric Thompson recently got to meet Chuck Norris. I don't know where Maj. Thompson is stationed at the moment, or where he got to meet Chuck. It looks like they were on a ship. Anyway, just look at Chuck? Doesn't he seem like a great guy? I'm thinking that Chuck Norris and Ranger Walker are actually very much one and the same person, really good guys out to see that justice is served, the innocent are protected, and the evil are punished.

For entertainment's sake, check out this great Chuck Norris website.

Chuck Norris and Maj. Eric Thompson.

Chuck Norris and two marines.

I think we all need to take a moment and be truly grateful for our men in uniform, too. Their sacrifice on behalf of our safety should not be taken lightly. Semper Fi!

a day in the life

Yesterday was just one of those really nice days. I woke up to the sound of torrential rain, one of my all time favorite sounds. We had a leisurely morning, including getting the place cleaned up a little. We went to the Angels game, and even though we lost, we had amazing seats, which was fun. And the sunset last night was incredible, with the fading light bouncing off the clouds, turning them all shades of yellow, orange and pink. It was a great day. Here's a few pictures ...

Andrew, Caleb and I at the game.

Some of the players walking off the field after warm-ups. See how close we were!?

The sunset. I was outside repotting a rose, and so got to experience this for myself. I thought it deserved a picture.

This is our bougainvillea. Isn't it pretty?! We should always buy plants that are hard to kill.

snap judgments

I have begun to judge people according to the Scrabble value of the letters in their license plates. The higher the score, the better. Pickup trucks are in the worst luck, having only one letter. They have to have a Z, Q or J to even qualify to play! Personalized plates are obviously trying the hardest, but that also feels a little like cheating. The rest of us have to play with whatever three letters we're assigned. My license plate is worth 9 points, D (2), V (4), P (3). So I think I'm pretty cool. I feel bad for the people who only have vowels, or letters like R, T, and S. They should so sign up for a new license plate.

If you want to add up the value of your vehicle, click on this list of scrabble tile values.

baby birthdays, 9/16/2007

On Sunday afternoon we helped Lucas and Christie celebrate Conrad and Burke's first birthdays. I can't believe they're one! Well, the party was a great success, and Conrad and Burke, though a bit oblivious about what to do with cake, or presents, seemed to have a great time. The pictures below tell it all I think. For the rest of them, click here. (You can also click on any of the pictures below.)

Conrad trying to figure out what to do with all that sticky icing.


And then he performs for us all as we get the inevitable "cake on the face and in the hair" moment of every first birthday.


Burke seems to enjoy the wrapping more than the gift.


Well, if the babies aren't going to be too excited, at least Mom can be!

Happy Birthday Conrad and Burke!

welcome Amy Beth!

Back on July 6, 2007, my cousin Joel got married in Pennsylvania. He married Amy Beth. They went on their honeymoon, and a couple weeks later, they moved to Southern California. Joel has been hired at EV Free in Fullerton to work with the 8th grade class, and he's also starting school at Talbot this Fall. Amy is a teacher and already working with 2nd graders.

The Lindley family decided long ago to throw Amy her traditional Lindley family bridal shower after they moved here. That way she would be able to come! So, although it was 2 months after the wedding, we gathered at my mom's house on a Sunday afternoon for food, fun and laughter ... and most importantly, to welcome Amy Beth to the family.

One of the fun additions to this shower was the inclusion of my Aunt Joan (Joel's mom, my mom's sister) all the way from Virginia! Caleb got my computer set up for a computer chat complete with sound and video. Though it took Aunt Joan and I a while to get everything working, we finally did. And she was able to join in the games and the laughter and the fun. I know that was a real treat for her.

Lindley and Liana chatting with Aunt Joan.

tripping with Mom and Dad

My parents leave today for a 5-week cross-country vacation. Its something they've always wanted to do ... and now they're doing it! I can't help but admit I'm a little jealous. It sounds like it's going to be an exciting trip.

I've talked them into starting and keeping a blog as a trip journal. So we'll all be able to follow along! We'll have the privilege of seeing pictures as they go, as well as read stories of their adventures. I encourage you to bookmark the site in your browser, because the web address is a little long:

http://dougandjudiacrosstheusa.blogspot.com

I'll also have the link on my page here, just in case.

see?

I recently was mentioning to friends that Caleb's and my initials are like the C&H brand, you know how the song goes ... "Pure cane sugar from Hawaii, C and H." Well, some of the people in the group had no idea what I was talking about, so I thought I'd prove myself right. Here it is, the C&H logo. Here's the website: C&H Sugar.

Sorry, now you probably have that little ditty playing over and over in your head.

the anti-list

Caleb and I were talking today about some of the things I'm OK with NOT doing in my lifetime, and it inspired the following anti-list. Enjoy.

NOT On My List Of Things To Do Before I Die

1. survive a plane crash
2. stay in an ice hotel
3. be featured on the Shark Attack episode during Shark Week
4. have septuplets
5. sky dive
6. win the national hot dog eating contest
7. sing for an audience of thousands
8. be in a police lineup
9. spend time in a Mexican prison
10. get paid for medical testing
11. be the reason for the 7-mile backup on the freeway
12. be on a reality tv show

Help me finish my list. Send me your own "Don't need to do this in my lifetime" lists.

good morning

Happy Monday! May it be the beginning of a great week ... full of accomplished tasks, reached goals and grown relationships. May your heart be full as you survey your blessings, may you be drawn to praise as you consider God's goodness, and may you enjoy the coming Fall weather!

I know its a little weird that I've woken up so chipper on a Monday. But I'm going with it.

i am weak

I woke up late this morning. By the time I made it downstairs it was already time to leave. So I didn't make a lunch, and I didn't eat any breakfast. Every day I pass a Starbucks on my way to work. This is the Starbucks I previously boycotted because three times in a row they messed up my Peppermint Mocha. But a lot of time has passed since then, and I was hungry. So I stopped, and for the first time in ages, I got breakfast at Starbucks. They have a mostly new crew in there now, so I had renewed hopes they'd get my drink right. Besides, its hard to mess up a Soy Chai Tea. I also ordered a "reduced fat" blueberry coffee cake. I don't believe it was actually good for me, but its an offering to the diet gods at least.

This most recent "eating wisely" setback has forced me to take stock of the fact that my "dieting" has not gone well for several months now. (I don't like to think of myself on a diet, just a journey to a healthier lifestyle.) I still get up early every morning to work out, that's not the problem. And for all my inability to lose weight, I haven't gained any, and there's victory in that for sure. But I am still a solid 15 pounds from my goal. I cheat all the time now, sneaking M&M's into my daily diet now, splurging at dinners out when I used to choose more wisely, things like that. Just enough to keep from losing anymore. Why can't I just DO IT? I worked long and hard for the 25 I've lost, and I'm quite proud of myself actually. Of the 40 I wanted to lose, I've lost 63% of it. You'd think the last push would go quickly.

But ... not so much.

I've tried to analyze why this is. Part of it was summer. Summer is full of parties and ice cream and lazier days. Its hard to be focused when summer is about taking time off. But I think a big part of it is how much I'm enjoying the weight I've already lost. I still haven't reached the doctor's criteria for "healthy," falling into the "slightly overweight" category still. But I'm healthier and thinner now than I've been in nearly 10 years. Its hard not to revel in the success I've already achieved.

But I don't want to settle for good when I can have better, and ultimately, best. But how do I get past this current hurdle? One thing I've done is made a personal (and now, not so private) goal to not buy any more new clothes until that last 15 pounds are finally shed. Shopping is a personal vice. I LOVE new clothes. So hopefully I can follow my own rules and self-inflicted punishments to a good end.

I could do it by the end of the year. It wouldn't even require that much work. I actually wouldn't even mind if it took longer. I'm not worried about time, having put no time limits on myself. And yet, I DO want to be done. There needs to be a balance between challenging myself and recognizing the reality that it does take time.

But the "how" is not really the problem. I know what I need to do. Its the motivation. How do I stay motivated when I'm finding myself happy with my current state? Its hard to imagine happier, and yet I know its out there. And I want it. The thing is, what got me to this point in the first place was the vision of me skinnier and healthier. And the vision was very real in my mind. I've achieved that to enough of a degree to leave me feeling quite content. And yet, deep down, I know more is still better. I have no delusions of grandeur about losing 30 more pounds. I've never needed to be really skinny. That's not me. And I want to stay me, only healthy. Just 15 more. That's all I want.

I suppose today I'm only presenting the problem. I don't have a solution as yet (though insights and encouragement would be welcome). I just want to get over the hurdle I'm currently facing, motivation to complete what I've started. I want to finish well, not just pretty good.

please vote!

You may or may not have noticed that I'm running a very serious and important poll over here to the right of your screen. If you have not taken the time to vote on your favorite cheesy action show, please do so soon. There are only 11 days left! I need you to exercise your God-given and American rights!

Thanks everyone!

Trail Journal, Days Three and Four

My pack feels lighter today. I know that it IS lighter, there's no food in there now ... but I'm still excited that it FEELS lighter. I was sure by today that any weight at all would feel like too much weight. I'm surprised that I don't feel too sore yet today. I'm definitely a bit body weary, but not too sore yet.

It didn't take us long to pack up. We stopped at Lake #2 to fill up water bottles for the hike out. We only have about 5 miles to hike out, and there's very little elevation to lose or gain. So as we begin our hike out, I'm hopeful we'll reach the car soon.

Hiking out is never quite the same as hiking in. I know in my head the distance is the same. But it feels longer. My theory is its because the novelty is gone. The terrain and the adventure is now familiar. I've seen it before, so I'm not as interested. Well, and after having already done nearly 20 miles in the last two days, I'm kind of ready to be done. That might be the more correct theory.

We're about 3 miles into the hike out, and suddenly ... I'm done. I gotta stop and put my pack down. My shoulders hurt, my body is tired, and my feet are killing me. They're pounding with every step they're required to take, and even pounding when they're resting. I want to just power through, get to the car, but my body says no, it needs a rest. I yell at Caleb (he's several steps ahead of me, more because of the dust he kicks up off the trail than because he's a faster walker). "Must ... rest ..." We stop by a log. I take my pack off. I need a moment without the pack. We eat a granola bar. We drink some water. I'm wondering how I'll make it out. And yet I know I will ... mostly because I have to. If I'm going to get to the car, I have to walk there. That's all there is to it.

I can hear voices coming down the trail our way. And I'll be damned if they see me sitting and resting like a wuss. I don't care if they're strangers. So I stand up, put my pack on, and we start walking again. This time I'm determined to just barrel through. Finish. I can do this. I can. I can. Think about pizza. Mmmm, pizza. That's gonna taste good.

We're starting to pass more and more people on the trail. Some are obviously hiking in for several days, but many are on day-hikes. They have little dogs with them, they're not in the right shoes for long trekking, they have kids on their backs. We must be getting close, people like this don't go far from the trail head. I try and take my mind off the pain in my feet, and suddenly realize I don't have a single song playing incessantly in my head. Weird. I always have a song in my head. Contemplating this strange phenomenon uses up a solid two minutes, but too soon my thoughts are brought back to my pounding feet.

Please tell me the car is close.

We pass one hiker who wants to know where we've been. We chat with him for a while, he talks about hiking Langley and Whitney back-to-back ... back when he was young. He sounds crazy. He tells us we're 1/2 an hour from the trail head. Part of me thanks him, for now we have a time frame, part of me doesn't believe him. Surely we're closer. He sounds crazy anyway, he must be wrong.

He turns out to be right, of course. But we plow through, passing more and more people, and their small dogs, on our way out. As we turn around a bend in the road, I can see the parking lot. But I'm afraid to believe it, I remember what the mountain did to me just yesterday, teasing me time and time again that I was near the top. But this time, its no mirage. That's actually the parking lot. We made it! We really made it! I've never been so happy to see my little plastic Saturn in my life.

We drop our packs by the car. We take our boots off. Oh the glorious feeling of taking one's boots off. We pile our dusty packs and our dusty selves into the car, and we head down the mountain. And the most amazing feeling comes over me ... I've already forgotten about the pain in my feet, the body weariness, the soreness that will inevitably hit, and I'm ready to plan another backpack. What a great trip! It really couldn't have been a better trip. Even the broken stove is now just a great story element. I can't wait to do this again.

It takes us about an hour to get down the mountain. Less than half way down we pass a group, a large group, of hang gliders. At a turnout in the road there are at least 50 of them set up, ready to jump off the side of the mountain. As we continue to wind our way down the mountain, a few of them take off. Of course, the mere thought scares the living daylights out of me, but what a view they must have! I'm guessing they glide for a solid hour before they end up touching down in the valley.

The valley. At the trailhead, where we just were, it was probably 75, with a great cool breeze. In the valley, its over 100. We stop at the visitors center to return the bear canister, and stepping out of the car is like stepping into a sauna, only without the humidity. Its HOT. We turn in the canister, and do a little shopping in the air conditioned visitors center. I buy a new keychain. I love trinkets!

We decide to head over to the hotel and see if they'll let us check in early. Suddenly (or, not so suddenly) all we want in the world is a shower. The girl at the Best Western is extremely helpful, and says as long as the room is ready, we can check in. We silently pray the room is ready. If not, we have to wait another 2 hours before we can get in. She comes back from checking with a smile on her face, "It's ready!" She gives us the key, and we send up silent prayers of thanksgiving. Yay for showers!

We unload the car and Caleb showers first. I want the freedom to take as long a shower as I want, without feeling guilty that Caleb is waiting for his turn, so my generosity in letting him go first isn't as altruistic as it might seem.

Ah, cleanliness. It feels so good! Now that we're clean we head into town for lunch. Our options are few, so we end up at McDonald's. The hot meal and that HUGE cold soda taste really really good ... as greasy as it all was. We spend the rest of the afternoon reading. We weren't tired enough to sleep, but definitely weren't interested in DOING anything. So we whiled away the afternoon in the air conditioned room, just waiting until it was time for ... The Pizza Factory.

"We Toss 'Em, They're Awesome," the sign says. Oh, and they're so right. The pizza tastes goooood, and well worth the wait. We barely talk as we devour the happy greasiness.

The soreness has set in. Every time I sit down for longer than a couple minutes, I have a really hard time standing up. Its my thighs, and my calves, and my shoulders, and my back ... all of me really. It just takes a minute to make my body do what I tell it.

Yet surprisingly, the next morning, after an Aleve and a good night's sleep, the soreness is gone. Except for some residual pain in my calves, I feel good. I could take on another mountain! But I won't. Not today. Today we're driving up to White Mountain and the Bristlecone Pine Forest. These Bristlecones are the oldest living things on the planet, some nearly 5,000 years old.

The road to the visitors center is long and windy. It takes us all the way up to 10,000 feet before we finally reach the center and the trailheads to the short trails. We start up one 4-mile loop trail, and it climbs straight up, for quite a while. We're tired. And we've already spent a lot of time in the sun. I'm wearing sandals and don't feel like changing into my boots. So we turn around. As we head down we pass an older woman with a walking stick coming up who says, "You're not doing the whole 4 miles?" I fantasize about bragging over the 25 miles I did the three previous days, somehow feeling the need to explain to this total stranger that we've already put in a few miles this weekend. I'm not a wuss! But I refrain, and we head back toward the car.

Caleb goes into the visitors center to buy a really cool photo book on trees, and then we head back down the mountain. We stop at a great lookout point to look over the Owens Valley and on to the Eastern Sierras. Its weird to think just 48 hours before we were on the other side, gazing over the Owens Valley at the White Mountains. If time travel were possible, could we see ourselves? Hmm ...

We're heading home now, very grateful for the air conditioning in the car. The temperatures outside are reaching 110 in some spots. The drive is uneventful, we don't even hit any traffic. We're home by 5:00, and once again step out into a sauna. We decide we were lucky the heat wave hit on a weekend we were gone. After unloading the car we jump in the pool for a little while, just to cool off. The temperature inside the condo read 92 degrees when we got home. Ick.

Tomorrow its back to work, back to the daily commute and back to regular life. Oddly enough, I feel rested, I feel like the four-day weekend was enough rest, and I'm as ready as I ever am to head back to work tomorrow.

I came across a book in the Lone Pine Visitors Center about the 15 California 14ers ... there are 15 mountains in California taller than 14,000 feet. I've crossed two of them off my list, and I'm starting to think it would be really cool, in my lifetime, to climb them all. I've already climbed the tallest one, and a truly difficult one, surely the rest can be trained for and conquered as well! Next year, we'll do White Mountain I think. After that, who knows?

I can't describe in detail what it is that draws me to this kind of adventure. Its too intangible. There are a few things I know ... I love the feeling of accomplishment, I love that I can eat peanut butter for dinner and pop tarts for breakfast and not gain any weight, I love the view from 14,000 feet, I love pushing my body to its physical best, I love the solitude and the quiet, and the incomparable beauty, always so vast and changing. Its a one-of-a-kind experience, every time. My legs and my feet and my shoulders have already forgotten what I put them through, and they're looking forward to the next climb.

welcome Katie Nicole!

My very good and old friend Donna gave birth last night to the newest addition to their family, a healthy baby girl, Katie Nicole. Congratulations Tom and Donna! Here's a couple pictures of the little one, in her first hours of life outside the womb. Both Mom and Baby are feeling good and healthy, and should be home by Tuesday morning. Katie joins brother Jackson (1 1/2 yrs. old) and pet dog Shelby in the Agrelius household.

Donna and Katie.

Tom and Katie.

Trail Journal, Day Two

I haven't slept well ... at all. I tossed and turned most of the night. Laying flat on my back suits the sleeping bag well, but hurts my back. Same with laying on my stomach. So I'm relegated to sleeping on either side ... for only as long as it takes for my arm to fall asleep. Which means turning back and forth between my two sides every hour or so ... all night long.

Somehow, though, I've woken up ready to tackle the mountain. Its early, though I don't know how early. The sun is up, but hasn't come up over the hill behind us yet. It lights up the cliff on the other side of the lake, and the shadows are slowly disappearing. Soon it will be beating down on our backs, keeping us warm as we climb.

We get up and find the morning not to be quite as cold as we expected. I can't decide whether or not to put on my long sleeved shirt first, or second. If I put it on first I can't take it off all day. But if there were a layer underneath, I could. I decide to put it on second. And then while Caleb dishes out breakfast (strawberry pop tarts), I change my mind and switch my shirts around.

We've eaten and packed our daypack for the day. We have crackers and tuna for lunch, snacks, 3 bottles of water, the first aid kit (though I don't know how band-aids and Neosporin will help when the bear attacks), and cameras. Our boots are on, our jackets and gloves are safely stowed in the pockets, and we're off. Off on what will end up to be a 10-hour day of hiking.

We're on the New Army Pass trail, which heads up the mountain in a longer but safer direction around the south side of the mountain. The air is cool, the sun is warm, the trail isn't too steep yet. Its a great beginning. And then, as I look at Caleb in front of me, I notice his wedding ring is missing from his hand. "Did you decide to finally take it off?" I ask. His ring is too big, and when the weather is cold it falls off easily. He looks at his hand, looks at me, and immediately I know he didn't take it off. Its fallen off, somewhere. He had it on last night as we went to sleep, that I remember. Caleb's sure it probably came off in his sleep. And since there's nothing to be done about it at the moment, I pray a quick and pleading prayer, and then slowly turn the thought from my mind. Worrying about it now won't do anyone any good.

The trail slowly climbs up and up and up to High Lake, the last body of water we'll see before we come back down. We've already gone through one water bottle, so we take this opportunity to rest and refill. So far we haven't seen another soul on the trail. We've come up above the tree line, and the landscape is turning stark and rugged. As we rest by the lake, we're surrounded by stone cliffs, and I can't figure out for the life of me how we're supposed to get up to the top. I count on the trail to show the way.

We begin walking again, and the trail starts to reveal itself. We'll be climbing switchbacks up out of the north side of this little valley. Back and forth, back and forth. The sun alternately heating our backs, and then our faces ... now back to our backs. Its intense, and with the heat coming off the granite mountain I'm starting to regret putting the long sleeved shirt on first. But even as I contemplate how to get cooler, the clouds come in and rescue me. They're sporadic, but frequent enough to offer some shade from the sun. In fact, this cloud is staying a little too long, and I'm starting to get cold.

I'm still regretting forgetting my chapstick. The air is cold and dry, and my lips are getting chapped.

Marmot! Up ahead on the trail is a marmot cleaning itself. It doesn't seem to notice us. We've gotten close enough to get a picture. Marmots are scavengers and can create quite a mess when provoked, but they're so cute! It scurries off as we turn onto the next switchback.

I bought a new hat for this trip. Its a great hat, very comfortable. Which is hard for me. I have a big head. It has a wide brim all the way around, and I hope I look like Indiana Jones, or Crocodile Dundee, or at least Jessica from The Man From Snowy River, a tomboy of sorts, but still really cute in my rugged hat. However, for all my imagination, I have a fear that in reality I look a little ridiculous in my outdoorsy hat. I decide I don't care, its keeping my head and neck out of the sun.

I'm beginning to wonder when these monotonous switchbacks will end. Yet higher we climb the more we can see of the mountain ranges beyond. We can see lakes we didn't pass on our trail, and wonder which lakes they are. And then without any warning, we're here. We're at the top. We're going over the pass! Let's take a snack break.

The GPS reads 12,300 feet here at the pass. We've found a couple rocks to sit on and eat some trail mix. There's another marmot nearby hoping for a few crumbs. We're not sure which way the trail goes. And we can't find Mt. Langley. We've got to figure out which way is north. The mountain is north. The GPS confirms our suspicions, and we follow a light trail away from the pass ... and down. Why are we going down? Whatever ground we cover going DOWN we'll have to go back UP! I've already done the up work! This is ridiculous. And yet, apparently, the New Army Pass takes us over a mountain NEXT to Mt. Langley. We climb down into the little valley, losing at least 500 feet in elevation.

Where are those people coming from? Across the way we see people coming up over the side of the mountain. That must be the Old Army Pass. We thought it was closed. Let's head over and take a closer look. Yep, Old Army Pass. And there's people on it! And it doesn't climb any extra elevation. When we come back, let's go back this way. It'll cut out a few miles of hiking, and a LOT of unnecessary climbing. The decision is made, and we turn and follow the hikers up the Mt. Langley trail.

Now we're starting to climb. This first part isn't too bad, a gradual uphill on a soft shale trail. This goes on for a few miles. We appear to be making our way over to the actual slope of Mt. Langley. The weather is still nice, with sporadic clouds giving respite from the heat of the sun. We play leapfrog with a few other hikers, passing them as they rest, being passed as we rest. We stop frequently to drink, and sometimes to snack.

I'm looking at the side of the mountain, and once again I can't figure out for the life of me how we get up this thing. It appears to go straight up, and I can't see any switchbacks through the boulders. The trail must be there, I just can't see it from here.

I've had a Josh Groban song in my head all day. Its called "Lullaby." It seems incongruous with my outdoor adventure. I feel like I should have a Michael Martin Murphy or Kenny Rogers or Willie Nelson song in my head. But no, Josh won't be pushed aside. These things choose themselves.

Oh no. I think I know how we get up. And suddenly I'm afraid. I'm afraid of the mountain. That trail has no switchbacks. It climbs STRAIGHT UP! There's no way they can expect us to go up that. We practically need ropes! We're getting closer, and it is as I've feared: the trail goes straight up the side of the mountain. It winds through the boulders a little, but still, it may as well be a long staircase.

Only if it were a staircase at least every step I took would be a solid step forward. This shale is so loose that with every step forward I also take a short slide backward. I'm doing twice the work to get half the distance. Who decided this was a good idea for a trail!? Masochists. Sadists. My calves are going to be so sore tomorrow.

We're climbing, and the trail is steep. I have to stop every few minutes to let my legs rest, and to catch my breath. Oxygen is thinner at 13,000 feet. I'm still afraid of this mountain, but now I'm determined to conquer. It will not beat me! I'm so thankful Caleb is carrying the day pack.

I think I see the top. Its not that far. I can make it. I can. In fact, one final push and I'm there. But wait, this isn't the top. It was a false top! Ah, cruel trick Mountain. But you're still not going to beat me. My legs are tired, my lungs can't get full, I feel a headache coming on, but I'm almost there. I can see other hikers at the top. I want to be among them. I want to be one of the conquerers today. And so I'm pressing on, slowly but steadily, winding my way through the boulders to the top of one of California's 14,000 foot peaks.

Wow. I can't believe I'm finally here. Deep down I believed I would make it, but I can't believe what I just climbed. If I'd know what was required to get here, would I still have done it? Probably. I've had Hammer perseverance drilled into my since I was a small child. "No pain, no gain," I can hear my dad saying.

The view is nothing short of spectacular. I can see Mt. Whitney, and countless other mountains. I can see down into Kings Canyon and Sequoia. There's a fire in those mountains. I can see down to Lone Pine, where people are suffering in 100 degree heat. I can see countless alpine lakes and several mountain ranges beyond the Owens Valley. Its too much. Its impossible to take it all in. And yet I have to try.

Here at 14,042 feet I have to put my extra jacket on, and my fleece mittens. The wind up here is biting and cold. I don't know how long I can take it. But I know I'll take it for a little while. I worked too hard to get here not to stay and enjoy it. I can't stop taking pictures, even though I'm sure Caleb's taking better ones. There are a few other hikers up here. I'm the only woman. I like that distinction.

I can't take it any more, the wind is biting through my four layers and causing more discomfort than the climbing did. Its time to start back. Its going to be a long trek. We bid farewell to the other hikers, take one more look at the staggering views, and begin our descent. Finding the trail is tricky, as the climb up was sort of a "choose your own adventure" type trail. But there are trail markers to help guide our way, and eventually we pick up an actual trail.

The way back always seems to take longer than it should. I have theories about this. I think its because on the way up everything is new, so there's a lot to capture your interest. On the way back, not only have you seen it all once already, but you're anxious to be off your feet. At least the loose shale is more of a help on the way down. With every step I take, I also slide a little further, going twice the distance with half the work. I think its only fair, since the mountain made me work so hard on the way up.

We've reached Old Army Pass. I'm even MORE thankful now for this alternate route down. I don't think I could do any more climbing right now, and the other trail would have required it. We begin heading down the switchbacks. They're steep. And the trail is a bit unkempt. I'm forced to step over rocks and avoid loose gravel. My old knee problems are starting to flare up, making each step a bit painful. Maybe I'm glad we went up the other way. I don't like this trail.

We descend with Cottonwood Lakes #3, #4, and #5 in view. They're big lakes, and beautiful. The wind is causing them to dance, and the sunlight bounces off the tiny waves and sparkles. In moments of stillness they reflect the sky and the big thunderclouds. For a moment I remember again why I put my body through such arduous strain. You just can't drive to this kind of rugged beauty. It must be earned.

We're walking along the lakes now, the trail has leveled out and there is soft earth beneath our feet. No more boulder obstacles, no more loose shale, no more incline, the sun is dipping lower in the sky and the trees offer constant shade. There are a lot more tents and hikers set up here.

I've reached the point where I just want to get back to camp. My legs are shaky, my feet throb with every step, my arms swing listlessly by my side, fingers swollen to the size of Vienna sausages, and my face feels hot. I think despite my precautions, I've gotten sunburned. I'm ready to be done, to take my boots off, to lay in my uncomfortable sleeping bag and fall fast asleep from sheer exhaustion. But there's still a mile or two to go. I keep walking, barely taking in the scenery around me now. The only scenery I'm interested in is the scenery that includes our tent.

I see it. There it is! We just have to get through this meadow between the lakes, and we're home. HOME! Funny how in 24 hours a small tent on the ground can become home. The first thing we do is shed our boots for our sandals (my pink ones that match my toes). Ahhh, there's almost no better feeling in the world. We sit down on our rock, neither of us sure we'll ever stand up again.

And yet we smile. We did it. We reached the summit of Mt. Langley. We conquered the impossibly steep trail, the shale, the distance, the sun, the biting wind, the pounding feet and the aching head. Despite it all we got what we came for: breathtaking moments at the top of the world. Totally worth it. Even now, as my body begins to believe I won't punish it any more today, I can already say I'd do it again. (Although, probably not any time soon.)

Its only 6:00, but we're crawling into our sleeping bags. Our rock is too hard to sit on, we need something more comfortable. We're in for another uncomfortable stint in our tent, but we're hoping exhaustion will help us sleep, at least for a little while.

Tonight its warmer, and Caleb's taking the rain fly off the tent to let the breeze blow through. Our tent has large mesh windows and we can gaze into the night sky. I love the mountain sky, free of light pollution. I can see the Milky Way, and the stars are shining bright. I just saw a falling star! Coooool. This helps make the uncomfortable sleeping bag a bit more comfortable.

Eventually I fall back to sleep, and even though I toss and turn quite a bit, I sleep well. I sleep the contented sleep of a woman who's conquered something previously thought ominous and foreboding, whose body is gloriously achy and whose mind is filled with a sense of accomplishment. Its a good sleep after all.

Oh, and Caleb's ring was found, buried in his sleeping bag.

Trail Journal, Day One

Beep Beep Beep ... What is that noise? Is that the alarm? But its still dark outside. REALLY dark. As consciousness slowly takes over, I start to realize that it IS the alarm, and as much as I usually hate it, this time it means vacation is starting. A vacation we've been planning a LONG time. I slowly drag myself out of bed, and head straight for the shower. I know its the only way I'll wake up enough to finish packing and make my way to the car ... where I can fall back to sleep.

At the beginning of this year Caleb and I decided we needed to plan a backpacking trip. We'd been told Mt. Langley is a beautiful hike, and the mountain is over 14,000 feet high. Its a formidable height, making the adventure a bit of a challenge, complete with bragging rights. So we sent away for the permits, and made reservations at a Lone Pine Best Western. All we had left to do was enough training to keep the hike from being torturous.

And now here it was, our long-awaited Sierra adventure. I was so excited I didn't even mind the 4:15 a.m. wake up call. Its 5:00 a.m. now, and we're actually in the car, heading out. Who knew we could be so prompt so early in the morning? OK, OK, who knew *I* could be so prompt so early in the morning? I guess when its vacation, its a different story.

We're driving up the 14 and the sun is finally peeking out from behind the hills. There's a bit of a cloud cover, what's left of the hurricanes in the Gulf I guess. The combination is making for a beautiful sunrise. Caleb says, "See how great the morning can be?" I tell him I'm content with the pictures of mornings. He grins. And yet in my mind I'm agreeing with him, the sunrise truly is beautiful. And I'm glad I'm up to see it.

We've reached Lancaster, and at 7:30 we're pretty hungry, ready for breakfast. Oddly enough we can't find a Starbucks (I thought they were everywhere), but we've found a Panera Bakery. I order a cranberry muffin, Caleb orders something with pecans. I also finally get my large coffee, and I'm happy. I'm on vacation and I have my coffee, can life get any better? Yes, soon I'm asleep, confident Caleb will get us to Lone Pine safely.

I'm waking up, and the first thing I see is the Eastern Sierra mountains on my left. Every time I come here, every time they start to make their presence known along the highway, I am left in awe. They're stark and harsh, mostly the color of stone, with ragged edges and sharp points. And yet they're beautiful. I can't take my eyes off of them. I can't wait to be IN them.

We've finally located the ranger station, only to discover its not the ranger station any more. The sign on the door says to go to the Interagency Visitors Center, a mile back down the road. We turn around. Its only 9:30. We've made good time.

The Visitors Center is new. This is my second time visiting, and they have more displays up this time. The Mt. Whitney Quilter's Guild has a display up, amazing quilts I know both my mom and mother-in-law would enjoy seeing. At the far end of the center is a giant window, out of which you can see for miles down the Sierra range. Again, its breathtaking.

The ranger behind the counter is laying down the hiking rules and guidelines for us, probably just one of 100 times she'll have to say the same things today. "All your food has to fit in the bear canister." "Camp at least 100 feet from water." "Carry your pass on you at all times." "Clean your car of anything that even remotely looks like food, the bears won't hesitate to rip it apart." We nod seriously, promise to follow all the rules, grab our bear canister and head back to the car. Its not that hot yet today, though the forecast predicts it'll go past 100. I'm glad we're leaving Lone Pine for higher altitudes.

We decide to grab some lunch to go from somewhere in town, and then head up to the trail head. The drive is at least an hour, and by then it'll be lunch time. We can be on the trail by 12:30, 1:00 at the latest. We've found a little "always open" cafe at the edge of town. Its classic in here. The decorations look like they've been collected throughout the years. There's everything from an old fishing hat to displayed like a Monet, to various canisters and knick knacks sitting on an old secretary's desk. In the entrance sits an old wood-burning stove. We order two sandwiches and wait patiently while they're made. The to-go boxes cost us an extra $.50 each. I love small towns.

We're driving up to the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead now. Its a steep and narrow road, with a sheer drop down the mountain on MY side of the car. I didn't like this drive the last time I was on it, and I don't like it now. But Caleb is a good driver, and we arrive at 10,000 feet safely. After not seeing a single car our whole drive up, we're surprised to see the parking lot so full. There must be a lot of hikers already on the trail, out there in the backcountry somewhere.

Our lunches are good. You can't beat a homemade sandwich (er, handmade at least). We've found a picnic table near where we parked. In minutes I'm cold enough to need my sweatshirt, and Caleb digs it out of my backpack for me. The weather is perfect for hiking. The sun is shining, and on its own quite intense. But there's a cool breeze to offset its intensity, and my legs shiver a little as the wind blows.

We've packed up our packs, loaded all the food into the bear canister, changed into appropriate hiking attire, bathed ourselves in sunblock, and cleaned the car of all food-looking items. We're ready, all that's left now is actual walking ... walking with huge packs our backs. Man that's heavy! Wait a minute here, did I say I would carry this much? Caleb just smiles at me. "You'll be fine, its not that heavy." He would turn out to be right, but at the moment I'm feeling a bit ... alarmed.

We stop for an obligatory picture at the trail head sign, and we're off ... off on our mountain adventure! The trail is a nice one, in fact at the moment, here at the beginning, its mostly downhill. I'm already worrying about coming back ... it means I'll have to go UPhill at the very end of this three-day backpack. Oh well, at the moment I feel good, fresh, ready to attack whatever comes my way. I don't think about it anymore.

At home last night I spent a solid 10 minutes searching for my good moisturizing blistex, with SPF 15. I know I'm going to need it. I finally locate it in one of my many purses, and put it in the purse I'll be taking with me. But I never transferred it to anything I'll be taking with me on the hike. And now, a good 15 minutes into our first day, I suddenly remember. "My Blistex!" Caleb asks me if I want to go back for it, we're not in that far. But I say no, knowing I'll probably regret it. I just don't want to backtrack already. So we continue on.

The trail continues to wind and curve, still with zero to little elevation gain. The weather is nice, high 60s I'd say. I'm starting to feel raindrops on my arms, just a few here and there. And then suddenly, its raining. Really raining! I'm grateful for my broad-brimmed hat, keeping my face dry. Fortunately, its not too cold, and the rain actually feels good on my skin. Its also beautiful to watch it falling in the meadows we're walking past. Its falling softly, creating a moving haze all around us. We welcome the rain.

Today's hike has been fairly uneventful. In 5 miles we only gained 1,000 feet in elevation. It took us about 3 1/2 hours to reach our campsite. We were going to camp closer to the trail, but Caleb found a more protected spot further up the hill. It has a great view of Cottonwood Lakes #1 and #2. The ground is level here, and the perfect size for our little tent. We've found a home for the next two nights.

We're a bit tired from the early morning wake up and the long hike with heavy packs, so we're setting up the tent, and blowing up our thermarest pads. Our first order of business is a nap. I take my boots off, a glorious feeling. I put my sandals on, and realize my toenail polish matches the pink straps! Caleb is amused at my enthusiasm over this fact.

The tent has a lot of mesh windows in it, which lets in the cool breeze. Its too cold when the clouds cover the sun, but when the sun's shining through, its perfect. After an hour its gotten too cold, the sun is going behind the mountain, and its time to get up anyway. We have to make dinner, get water to drink, and finish setting up for the night.

I'm sitting on a rock, it would become our favorite rock to sit on to eat dinner, put our shoes on, gaze on the lakes. I'm journaling about our day while Caleb works on getting dinner going. He's trying to pump gas into the stove to get it lit, but its not working. He finally discovers the valve is broken, and there's simply nothing to be done about it. There will be no hot water this weekend, and therefore no hot meals, no hot chocolate, no oatmeal in the morning. We're panicking only a little, we quickly realize we've brought enough food to sustain us, even without the hot stuff. It would have been nice, for the night is getting downright cold, but we'll survive. Within minutes we've accepted our predicament, and sit down to a dinner of crackers and peanut butter.

My feet are so cold they're turning blue. I realize its only 7:30 or so, its still daylight, but still I want to climb in my sleeping bag and get warm. It takes a long time for my feet to finally warm up, and my sleep is restless. Mummy bags don't allow for a lot of movement, and our tent is really small. I'm also absolutely sure we're going to be raided by a bear. And regardless of how tired I am, I toss and turn most of the night, only getting several cat naps' worth of sleep.

But I'm happy. I love being out here. I love the quiet and the solitude. I love the natural beauty we are surrounded by. I love that it takes some work to reach a place like this. I love that I can go to bed at 7:30! I love that Caleb and I both love being here. I love that we can take a broken stove in stride. Its been a great day, and even a bad night's sleep won't ruin the rest of my trip.

(For more pictures, click here.)

Stay tuned for Trail Journal, Day Two.

teaser

I have much to write and many pictures to share about Caleb's and my trip up Mt. Langley this weekend. It was a fantastic trip! I promise to share more soon. But right now I'm tired, and tomorrow they're expecting me back at work, alert and walking without wincing, so for now all I have time for is this picture ... of me and Caleb at the TOP of Mt. Langley, 14,048 feet high. It was a spectacular view, and much worth reaching. More to come! (I wish we could have gotten above the rocks a little more, to give you a better idea of the view, but the other side of those rocks is a sheer drop of many millions of feet ... and that's simply as close as I would get to the edge.)