NEW FIRST BEGINNINGS

July 12: I get the rental car from Hertz. It is a Chevrolet Trail Blazer.

July 13: We almost didn't get married due to a small administrative oversight, but the county clerk pulled through and got the information she needed to complete the marriage certificate. Pam's mom and dad, daughter, brother, uncle, aunt, niece and nephew and I get together to celebrate at the Pizza Factory in Lone Pine. We were also joined by Pam's former co-worker (our photographer) and his wife. After dinner, I take Pam, Joe and Jaymi to Whitney Portal Falls to show them the layout where the ceremony will take place. Joe and Jaymi are in awe of the place.
July 14: Pam and I are married at the Whitney Portal Falls in the Inyo National Forest on top of a large rock adjacent to the falls. The ceremony started at 10:00 and lasted about 20 minutes. Jaymi, Pam's daughter, was Maid of Honor. Joe, Pam's brother, was my Best Man. No one from my side of the family was present. After the ceremony, Pam and I later hike to Lone Pine Lake. Our first hike as husband and wife. It is Pam's first time on the Mt. Whitney Trail and first visit to Lone Pine Lake. The lake was down almost six feet due to the lack of snow and snow melt during the past year. We conclude our hike and enjoy a plate of Portal Fries. We have our first dinner as husband and wife at Seasons in Lone Pine. A perfect day.

July 15: We return to Juniper Hills to unpack the wedding stuff and reload for the trip east. We debated to spend the night in Las Vegas, but decided it would be best to push on into Utah. I have forgotten how nice it is to drive through the canyons in Arizona during sunset. We were not disappointed with the colors we witnessed. We spend the night in St. George, UT and eat at Cracker Barrel since I had never eaten Cracker Barrel. I ordered a salad in a restaurant for the very first time.

July 16: We drive up through Utah and take a back road through the countryside. We hook up on the I-70. We stop at the rest stops along the way to take in the views of the canyons and desert formations and stop to look at the Navajo wares. We drive through Aspen, CO and then hit the mountain roads. We drive past beautiful vistas of the Rocky Mountains. We spend the night in Buena Vista at the "luxurious" Topaz Lodge and dine at Jan's.

July 17: We go to Royal Gorge to walk across the 1,053 foot high suspension bridge just to say we did it. After walking back, we decided to drive over it later for the first time just to say we did it. After breakfast, we drive up to the summit of Pike's Peak (14,110). As a child, my first visit to the top of the peak was not a pleasurable experience. I developed acute mountain sickness and may have suffered from high altitude cerebral edema. This time was not the case. On the way down, we decided to sneak in a one mile hike with our packs for an acclimatization hike at 13,000 feet. The hiked took a lot of effort just to make it up one-half mile. After our return to normal altitudes, we were going to head south and then on to Kansas. We thought it was best NOT to go to Kansas since there is nothing there to see since it is so "flat." We did a 180 and drove through Denver and spent the night in Loveland. It was Pam's first visit to Royal Gorge and Pike's Peak. My second for both.

July 18: We drive to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. Our first visit. We walk around the tower on the loop trail and stop to take some pictures. We drive through Deadwood and Sturgis and eventually stayed in Sioux Falls, SD for the night. We barely miss a hailstorm of ping pong sized hail. What a scenic drive through the Black Hills.

July 19: We visit Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Monuments. My first visit. We head east to the other side of South Dakota. We stop at Wall's Drug, SD on I-80 to see what the big hubbub was about the place. Kept seeing all of these freeway billboards about Wall This and Wall That. If you like western wear, this is the place to buy it. We take a "spur" trip to Minnesota's first rest stop on I-80 to say we were there and headed back to Sioux Falls, SD, and then south on the I-35 to Sioux City, IA and spend the night there.

July 20: We go through Kirksville before heading to Shelbyville. Pam meets my mother and Japanese aunt for the very first time. Mileage driven so far: 3,222.

July 21: Pam and I take a walk around Shelbyville in the morning. I later take her to the grave of my grandparents as I say goodbye to them (N 11/18/02 - 12/03/78; H 02/11/06 - 05/22/82). Later that afternoon, all of us go to Quincy. My mother and aunt get us stainless steel cookware as a wedding gift. We stop by Terrible's Casino in La Grange, MO for lunch and to close out dad's comps. We had to provide proof of death and proof of identity. We had the proof of death, but had destroyed dad's driver's license. We had to get final approval from the manager to okay the transaction.

July 22: Auction day. The auction crew comes by at 7:30 a.m. to take everything that is to be auctioned out to the yard for display. The auction starts at 12:30 p.m. at the tools and slowly makes its way in a clockwise manner. I thought it would be best that Pam, my aunt, Mom and I leave when the house and car went up for auction around 2:30 p.m. to avert any emotional breakdown moment my mother might have and drive to my father's grave. When we returned to the auction, we were told by some family members that some of mom's quilts sold for more than $200, the car sold at near its blue book value, and the house and land sold at its assessed value. The good news was that the place was purchased by our good neighbors across the street. The old place will be in good hands. We spend the night at the hotel in Shelbina, MO which is eight miles south of town for the very first time for ANY of us! It is ironic that my last days and nights in Shelby County is spent in Shelbina. Shelbyville and Shelbina just don't get along. Shelbyville is the county seat and Shelbina has been fighting to have the county seat moved since it is four times the population.

July 23: All of us then head back to Shelbyville to pick up the proceeds from the auction and to sign paperwork at the attorney's office to finalize the grant deed. We return to the house to finish packing up some things and discard certain items. It is a long and very emotional day for my mother. It is hard to let go of 33 years of memories living in one spot after spending our entire lives as nomads living in different states and countries at U.S. Army bases. Later that night at the hotel, Pam and I break open a bottle of champagne that we had brought back from the wedding and went to my mother and aunt's hotel room. At first I couldn't figure out what to toast to until Pam said, "To new beginnings." Very appropriate.

July 24: I take my mom to the bank to deposit the check from the auction sale. Pam and I say "see you later" to my mother and aunt. Pam and I leave Shelby Couny for the last time. It was quite an emotional moment for my mother and me. We stop at the county border for that last picture along Highway 36 near Clarence, MO. Pam and I stop by the veterans' cemetery in Jacksonville where my father is interred to say good-bye and to have that final beer that dad and I never had back in March. I popped open a can of Busch beer and took a sip and poured the rest on the grave. Love you, Dad. We drive south through Columbia, MO and through Ozark Country. We spend some time driving near Pam's (her mom's side) grandparents' old homestead. We later drive across into Arkansas to meet Pam's aunt and uncle (her father's side). They are remarkable people. They have a beautiful house just a short distance away from the lake. It is so serene there.

July 25: We leave Pam's aunt and uncle's place near Emerald Springs, AR. We stop for a photo opportunity at the AK and MO border. Goodbye, MO. We hit Ft. Smith and head south to the I-40 and head west. The oil light comes on in Oklahoma and I decided to change the oil in Shawnee, OK. We stop to eat at Sonic. Pam's first visit to the eatery. We drive on and later stop at The Big Texan in Amarillo, TX to feast on steak and salmon. The 72 ounce steak? Maybe next year. We spend the night in Tucumcari, NM.

July 26: We drive through New Mexico and stop in Albuquerque as we search desperately for a Starbucks. We do not see one but manage to stop at a place to get some caffeine in our system. We reach the Arizona border. I decide it would be best that we prolong our trip just one more day and so we decided to stop in Flagstaff, AZ. Note to self: DO NOT GET A HOTEL ROOM NEAR THE RAILROAD TRACKS!

July 27: We return to Juniper Hills and unload the car and drive to the rental place to return the Trail Blazer. End of trip. Total miles: 5,682.

Pictures maybe...

SHOULD YOU GO FIRST

by Gertrude Rosentrater



Should you go first and I remain

To walk the road alone,

I'll live in memory's garden

With happy days we've known.



In spring I'll watch for roses red,

When fades the lilac blue,

In early fall when brown leaves fall,

I'll catch a glimpse of you.



Should you go first and I remain

For battles to be fought

Each thing you've touched along the way

Will be a hallowed spot.



I'll hear your voice; I'll see your smile,

Though blindly I may grope;

The memory of your helping hand

Will lift me on with hope.



Should you go first and I remain

To finish with the scroll,

No lengthening shadows shall creep in

To make this life seem droll.



We've known so much happiness,

We've had our cup of joy,

And memory is one gift of God

That death cannot destroy.



Should you go first and I remain,

One thing I'd have you do

Walk slowly down that long, lone path

For soon I'll follow you.



I'll want to know each step you take

That I may walk the same

For someday down that lonely road

You'll hear me call your name.



I dedicate this poem to my Mother who would have been married to my father for 51 years this day July 16, 2007.

A PERFECT WEDDING

If there is such a thing as a perfect wedding, ours was. The weather, the scenery, the ceremony. All were perfect.

GOODBYE, ORANGE COUNTY

I am outta here...

Orange County is no more. Since 1985, Orange County has been my California home. All good things must come to an end.

So long to some of my friends Ken, Bob and Jayne L., Mark and Heather G., Joe M., Mike B., Dave and Jane P., Kindra W., Kandace D., Erin M., Jonathan S., Jean M., Julie K., Yvette W., Debra J., Sue R., Cheryl L., Wendy H., Horacio C., Ira K. We played a lot of softball, rode a lot of miles and hiked a lot of trails. We had fun.

I will miss some of you, but for some I hope to see some of you again on the trails somewhere out there. I am not that far. Just on the other side of the mountains, closer to the mountains. I cannot ask for a more better playground than that. If you are in the area, let me know. The door will be open.

As for the rest of you, you will not be forgotten.

Thank you.

A NICE RING TO IT

Pam and I went looking for engagement rings and wedding bands in the Los Angeles Jewelry District. Somehow we missed the turnoff and wound up somewhere we weren't supposed to and managed to find where we wanted to go. The freeway systems in downtown Los Angeles suck. One wrong turn and you have to go this way to get to that way.

After frequenting various shops along 6th and Hill Streets, Pam found her diamond. After more than a million years of heat and pressure, this 1.03 carat diamond is now in sole possession of a very beautiful woman. I sacrificed a lot of hiking and camping gear for this ring. Too bad REI doesn't sell engagement rings and wedding bands, because I would have had one HELLUVA dividend!

We selected matching wedding bands engraved with designs all around the band. I was opting for the plain wedding band, but decided the first to "rings" were plain indicative of the past marriages and so it was time to do something different.


These photos suck. You have to see it up close and personal.

BADEN-POWELL

Pam, Veronica, and Sandra at the obelisk at the summit.

Third time is a charm.

Pam and I finally reached the top of the 9,399 foot peak in the San Gabriels. We were joined by Pam's co-workers Sandra and Veronica. It was Sandra and Veronica's first summit of Baden-Powell.

Pam, Sandra and Veronica are training for their Mt. Whitney hike in September.

Eight miles in 3 hours and 33 minutes. Kicked ass! Took us just a little under two hours to make it up the 41 switchbacks to the summit. There was some wind blowing at the trail head and along certain portions of the switchbacks. The summit wasn't all that windy and the weather was spectacular.
We started at 1:43 p.m. and finished at 4:16 p.m. leaving us with plenty of time to head down to BJ's Restaurant in Palmdale to celebrate.

We stayed at the summit for about 15 minutes before deciding to head back down.

SIGHTINGS

Coming out of the tunnel and there they were.

I CAN'T STAND THE RAIN

by Erick Gaddison

The wind is blowing
The clouds are gray
As I look up into the dismal sky
Raindrops begin to fall gently on my face
I can't stand the rain

This dreary day I stand alone
No one for comfort or to hold
The world seems frozen in time
I hate this place and state of mind

My umbrella is broken, full of holes
In which the rain comes pouring through
Sullen and quite I continue on my way
I can't stand the rain

Weary and tired I dredge on
Through the streets and mud-filled puddles
Seeking shelter and rest from this awful downpour
I sadly find no place to go or hide
My feelings inside

My hope and drive is draining away
As I slowly kneel to the ground
The rain conceals my swollen face and tear-filled eyes
I can't stand the rain

As I sit there and ponder times now past
I reason and question why
But I still don't know why the storm in me rages inside
I gradually rise wiping my face and eyes
I scan the world around me while I stand to my feet and say
I must go on, because I can't stand the rain

FROM THE LAND OF THE RISING SUN

The twins with mom on the left and Aunt Kimiko on the right.

Mom holding one of the twins who are the newest members of the family.


That is one large "fish"ing boat. And check out that green glob of wasabi at the lower right!


My mother and uncle Takao with the twins.


My cousin Kumiko and mom with one of Kumiko's twins.

FORMS, FORMS, FORMS

Since my father's passing, my mother and I have been bombarded with forms from the government. In particular, the Office of Personnel Management.

I am posting this as not only as a memory jogger for me, but for anyone else out there who may need assistance.

Some of the people I have talked to over the phone have been very helpful in assisting me in filling out these forms and there were others who were f***king @$$holes.

It has been a trying time, but eventually my mother and I have pulled it off.

DD Form 2656-7 APR 2006
VERIFICATION FOR SURVIVOR ANNUITY. No copy of death certificate required for submission with this form.

When completed and signed, send to:
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
U.S. Military Annuitant Pay
P.O. Box 7131
London, KY 40742-7131

You can also fax this form to 1-800-982-8459. Toll-free 1-800-321-1080.


Standard Form 3104
APPLICATION FOR DEATH BENEFITS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (PINK FORM). The cover letter stipulated a copy of death certificate while the PINK stipulated a certified copy of the death certificate. Be sure to send a certified copy of the death certificate and a photocopy of a marriage certificate. Phone (724) 794-2005. Toll-free 1-888-767-6738.

Standard Form 3104A
SURVIVOR SUPPLEMENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM (PINK FORM)


FE-6
CLAIM FOR DEATH BENEFITS UNDER THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM (BLUE FORM). This requires a certified copy of the death certificate. Toll-free 1-800-633-4542.

Standard Form 2800
APPLICATION FOR DEATH BENEFITS CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT SYSTEM
This form is similar to the SF 3104. A certified copy of the death certificate is required as well as a photocopy of a marriage certificate.

W4-P WITHHOLDING CERTIFICATE FOR PENSION OR ANNUITY PAYMENTS

DIRECT DEPOSIT AUTHORIZATION

Standard Form 1174 (EG)
CLAIM FOR UNPAID COMPENSATION OF DECEASED MEMBER OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES.
This form will need to be signed by two (2) witnesses (non-family).

The SF 1174, W4-P, Direct Deposit Authorization, and photocopy of death certifcate gets sent to:
Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS)
U.S. Military Annuitant Pay
P.O. Box 7131
London, KY 40742-7131

CONGRATULATIONS, DANCES WITH KOYOTES

Congratulations to my hiking friend and Whitney summiteer, Kandy, on her finishing her first (and last?) marathon in the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon in the winning time of 5:16:54.

Winning time? Hey, if you finish what you started, you are a winner in my book.

Great job, Kandy! Running with coyotes did the job, huh?

Last? Yeah, right!

So, Kandy, what was harder...hiking Whitney or running the marathon? Her reply: "The marathon, by far. One can be inspired to continue on by the beautiful scenery in the mountains; the inspiration after mile 18 in the marathon was simply 'when am I gonna see the next mileage marker?' After Whitney, I was on a high with enough energy to party the rest of the day; yesterday, that high lasted about one hour. Surprisingly enough, I'm not that sore, just really tired."

PERMISSION GRANTED

Pam at Whitney Portal Falls.

Today, I asked Pam's parents for their permission to marry their daughter. Permission granted and they welcomed me into their family. A date has not been set but the some locations have been selected.

One of them is the Whitney Portal Falls. On a whim, Pam and I drove up to Whitney Portal since she has never been there. She has driven by it many times, but never seemed to take that small 13-mile detour west of Lone Pine. She works with someone in her office that has a friend who owns one of the cabins at Whitney Portal. I took her on a grand tour of the Portal Area. I took her by the falls and she was speechless at the beauty and sounds. I then took her to the old stock trail that I use to take on my hikes. The old stock trail bypassess the Carillon Creek and North Fork water crossings and takes you up to the John Muir Wilderness sign. Then it was off to see the pond with the trout. There were a lot of anglers but no one was catching anything. We went into the store to browse around.

Jack and I.

This is a picture of me and Jack N., the only man who has climbed Mt. Whitney twice in one day. He and his wife, Betsy, were up at the Portal Store helping out with the National Trails Day at Whitney Portal while clearing trail on the Whitney Portal National Recreation Trail. Yesterday was his 62nd birthday and he will be attempting summits number 53 and 54 this summer. His training regimen is riding a stationary bike for one hour each day to get his cardio up. On his summit bids he starts at 10:00 p.m. the night before his permit becomes active, summits in 4 hours, comes back down in 3 hours, rests 30 minutes, then goes up again. All he packs is a water bottle with Gookinade and some trail food and some clothing needed to keep warm. He does not carry a pack. He told me he has met people going up while he was coming down on his first summit, only to meet those hikers as they are coming down as he is going up on his second summit attempt, and then PASSING them on the way down on his second return.


I bought a book for Pam that Doug wrote and had Doug autograph it for her: "To Gary and Pam. Great to see you on the mountain. Doug."

Pam likes the book. It is chocked full of little tidbits of information.

Jack provided Pam with a lot of information on how to prepare and what to expect.



At the dinner table on the east side of the store.

While at the Portal Store, Pam wanted to order the infamous Portal Fries I had been salivating over during our discussions in her Whitney planning. She was impressed with the quality and the quantity of the fries. We sat with Doug, Jack and Betsy, as well as two National Park Service rangers as we ate lunch. The rangers handed out free water bottles and postcards to everyone at the Portal Store to commemorate the 100th birthday of the Inyo National Forest.


Jack (foreground) and Doug (back).

ONE KNEE

I got down on one knee and I popped the question to Pam.

She said yes.

HALF DOME

Half-Dome 1, Yamaman 0.

Yes, Half-Dome done me in. You would figure that one who has been to the top of Mt. Whitney five times would consider hiking Half-Dome a "walk in the park." Over the last two years, I have heard people planning on hiking the Dome. I say, "If you can hike up Whitney, then Half-Dome shouldn't be a problem." I got a real dose of reality today. It is not that easy.

This was my first visit to Yosemite National Park in over 30 years. Pam and I left for Yosemite National Park at around 4:30 a.m. just outside of Coarsegold, CA.


6:30 am: We start the hike. We planned on a 5:30 a.m. start but due to my poor planning because I did not think it would take that long to get to the trailhead. I was wrong. Then again, there are people on the road who do not know what the turnouts are for to let other drivers by. We followed at least 3 slower vehicles that finally decided to pull over. We park the car at Happy Isles parking lot and head off into the wilderness. Instead of taking a left, we took a right and went to the end of the Happy Isles area. Oops. We double back and get on the "right" side of the Merced River which is the Mist Trail.

7:18 am: We reach Vernal Falls Bridge before making our way up to Vernal Falls. There is a water fountain here as well as restroom facilities. This is where the High Sierra Loop Trail begins. Pam and I are excited to be hiking this trail.

7:30 am: I help Pam slip into a shell to shield her from the mist of Vernal Falls and I decided not to don mine. Although a bit chilly at this time, I got a good soaking from the mist, but it sure felt good. The trail is steep with at least a thousand steps in between. There is a section along the trail that is limited to one-way traffic.


7:45 am: Finish the "rock climb" going up past Vernal Falls. The trekking poles provided extra pushing power up the stone stairway.

8:31 am: We reach Nevada Falls.





8:54 am: Half-Dome/Merced Lake junction.


9:40 am: Pam and I noticed a four hikers up ahead of us taking a picture of something off trail. When we reached the party they pointed out that there was what appeared was a western diamondback rattlesnake under a dead branch. This was my first encounter with a rattlesnake at 7,000 feet in elevation. From this point on every step up or step down over anything got a quick scan.


9:50 am: I believe this sign is misleading. It was a very long 2 miles considering the "99 Steps" required just to get to the cables. The risers high and the tread narrow and precipitous. At the Steps, I had to stop and rest every tenth step. Very demanding especially since we had been ascending steadily since the sign.


11:30 am: This is how it looked when we got to the cables. Where did all these hikers come from? On our way up, we encountered few hikers. We passed a few and a few passed us. I kept thinking to myself that this should be a great day to make it to the top. Such was not the case. As Pam and I prepared for our ascent, something was cascading down the granite slope. At first I thought it was a rock and yelled, "ROCK!" As the object got closer it was someone's cellphone walkie-talkie. Well, it is now part of Yosemite Valley.

12:00 pm: I decided to turn around. At the rate we were going up the cables, we would get to the summit around the cutoff time leaving no time to take it all in. As I paused on the granite, my calves would become fatigued. Pam and I would rest on the 2x4s at each stanchion as we patiently waited our turn to make it up. All the hikers worked in unison. As one pair move up, the other pair moved as well. A couple of hikers who aborted their summit attempt came down on the left side. On my way down, I slipped. Luckily I held on to the cables preventing me from slipping any further on the slick granite. A fellow hiker grabbed me by my pack as well. I have a nice bruise on the inside of my right arm but nothing else.


3:00 pm: Mules and horses on the John Muir Trail. Some hikers were a bit impatient. Some hikers tried to slide by the mules. Luckily none of them were spooked causing harm to hiker, rider and mule. One woman was told to stay away at least 15 feet from the last horse but she kept getting too close. I shouted at her to keep back. The cowpokes were courteous to stop the train at one of the switchbacks to allow us to pass by without further incident.

4:30 pm: We reach the car. Before we finished, we stopped by the bridge to freshen up and to replenish our water. I used my SteriPen for the very first time. I guess I will find out in a couple of weeks how well that ultraviolet system works. Tired, weary and dirty, we had fun. The parking lot was crammed full of cars. I had to maneuver ever so carefully to get out. I wished getting out of the park was easier than getting out of the parking lot. It was bumper-to-bumper traffic in the valley. You would swear it was rush hour on Interstate 5.
Half-Dome from the back side on the left as we made our way back down on the John Muir Trail.

Nevada Falls with Little Yosemite Valley in the background as seen from the John Muir Trail.

We had fun.

Pack: Osprey Stratos 40

Lessons learned:

1. Never go to Yosemite during a long holiday weekend. Too many cars, too many people. It is best to go during the week.

2. Took 100 oz. of water each and that lasted us until a mile at the end of the hike. It may be best to refill, but not top off due to weight at the spring.

3. Go light, go light, go light. Next time I will pack my CamelBak HAWG for that final push to the summit to save on weight.

4. Rock shoes? That is a possiblity since they provided excellent traction on rock surfaces. Some further research will be done on this.

5. Climbing harness? I did bring one. Maybe next time.

6. Bonk avoidance. I need to eat more energy food. The peanut M&Ms provided good nourishment, but I need to add more trail mix to the fray to get more bang for the buck.

1,000,000th ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

On December 1, 1997, I decided to start logging the number of abdominal crunches I do daily.

Well, today (3,453 days later) I did my 1,000,000th abdominal crunch at 6:07 a.m.

What next? Pushups. I started doing those daily since November 1, 1997.

724,900 and counting.

MT. WILSON

Pam and I arrived at the Mt. Wilson trailhead in Sierra Madre around 6:45 a.m. joined up with TeamBruin along with their friends Lynn and Glen, Mike and Cheryl, and Rollie for a "little" hike up to the top of Mt. Wilson. This hike was a Half Dome training hike for TeamBruin's friends. They will attempt a summit sometime in August. Pam and I will attempt this hike during the Memorial Day weekend. TeamBruin has hiked the trail to the top of Half Dome.

According to Dave, he had a feeling the hike was going to be somewhat of a physical and logistical nightmare from the start. Glen and Mike showed up with their little "Costco" packs with the water bladders removed although they did pack a few small water bottles. Rollie's pack had four 1/2 liter water bottles, two apples, and two oranges and wore cotton socks. Cheryl wore no hat, Mike had an iPod. Glen and Lynn had trekking poles but did not use them "to their best advantage." No electrolytes or other carbohydrate sources other than snack food consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables.

We started our hike a little after 7:00 a.m. Little did all of us know that the 14-mile hike would last almost 11.5 hours.

We encountered dozens of trailrunners preparing for the Mt. Wilson Trail run that will take place during the Memorial Day weekend.

Dave told everyone to stop at First Water, which is a little over a mile and a half into the hike. It is here we heard news from Dave that Lynn and Greg dropped just a mile into the hike!

Here is what Dave observed as he was the sweep: "Watching from the rear, I could see everyone's gait and speed, and could see when things got dicey. At one point, Mike and Cheryl got a little snippy with each other and I seriously thought Cheryl was gonna bail ... that's when I gave her my (trekking) poles (she was laboring), pumped her full of Cytomax and GU, and she was raring to go in better spirits. I knew we were in trouble just above Orchard as Mike was griping about 'What the hell was Glen thinking about putting us up here on this hike?!', with Cheryl trying to calm him down, while I was trying to keep Rollie focused on moving forward."

We continued our push towards Orchard Camp another two miles away. Poison ivy lined the trails on either side. Since I was the "point" I alerted the others behind me "oak left" or "oak right."

Mike and his iPod.

We finally reached the "halfway up" portion of the hike...Orchard Camp. We sat down to eat and drink. Dave came over an lifted my pack and asked me how much did it weigh. I told him it weighed 25 pounds. I went over to his pack and lifted it. His Osprey pack had to weigh at least 35 pounds! "What the hell is in there?" "Water, electrolytes, food." "Any rocks in there?"

We struck out for Manzanita Ridge which according to the trail signs was 1.9 miles away. Pam and I set out on a really good pace. I told Pam we could turn around at Manzanita Ridge if her foot was an issue. It was not. She wanted to continue. We sat there on the bench waiting for the others to catch up.

Poison oak was abundant between Orchard Camp and Manzanita Ridge. There was one portion of the trail you had to duck under a canopy of poison oak. Pam and I waited for the other to alert them, but we decided we go on ahead to the ridge.

We get to the ridge, take off our packs and rest on the bench in the shade. Once everyone caught up and rested it was off to the summit another 1.6 miles away.

Whenever I hike, I usually note when and where I am at along the trail. Today, I did not. I didn't even count the switchbacks.

All of us made it to the top. Pam and I opted for the "shorter steeper" route while the rest went the "toll road" and into the parking lot.

Sitting (l to r): Me, Dave, Cheryl, Mike. Standing (l to r): Pam, Jane, Rollie.



Now that the "getting to the top is optional" part was accomplished, it was now the "getting down is mandatory" part. I knew that this portion would be a problem for some.

Jane, Pam and I reached Orchard Camp ahead of the others. Jane said for us to go ahead and go if we had time constraints. Pam and I decided to wait for the others. We were there for a good half hour or so when Cheryl and Mike finally came down. I noticed that Mike had a slight limp, but he was okay. Cheryl looked fine and was in good spirits.

When Rollie and Dave made it down, there was a problem. Rollie was having serious knee problems. Especially, his left knee. Luckily, Dave had two neoprene knee braces for Rollie to wear. After everyone was well rested, it was time to hike the last 3.5 miles to the end. It would be the longest 3.5 miles for Rollie.

About two miles from the end of the trail, I stopped at a vantage point to spot the rest of the hikers since Pam, Jane, and Cheryl were with me. I saw Mike coming down the trail, but no sign of Dave and Rollie. I gave my car keys to Pam and told the ladies to go on ahead. Mike later caught up and I gave him the situation. Mike was yelling at Cheryl to stop since Mike was out of water and Cheryl had some.

Still no sign of Dave and Rollie.

There was something in the back of my head to wait. What if Dave needed help with Rollie? What if something happened to both of them?

About 45 minutes later, I saw Dave and Rollie coming down the trail. Rollie was hiking "backwards" because his knees were bothering him so much. Not a good sign. A disaster in the making. By now, Rollie is experiencing fatigue as well as agony. I bet his mind was saying "I want off this f**king trail now!" but his body was telling him, "Patience. You will eventually get your ass off this trail." The danger about hiking backwards downhill on such a steep trail is that you increase your risk of stumbling and somersaulting out of control resulting in serious injury or even death. Walking backwards down this steep trail is like walking down the stairs backwards without holding on the handrails.

I took off my pack and and reached into my utility sack and pulled out two Ibuprofen 800 tablets to give to Rollie when he reached me. When they did, Dave told me he already gave Rollie some Aleve. I placed the two tablets into Rollie's shirt pocket and handed him my trekking poles to assist him with easing the strain on his knees.

I grabbed Rollie's pack about one mile from the end. He didn't want to relinquish it, but I grabbed it anyways without further comment.

It was slow going but we eventually were in sight of the houses towards the end of the trail. It is here I gave Rollie's pack back. Once the three of us were in sight of the road where the cars were parked, we saw everyone including Glen and Lynn. After celebratory hugs and handshakes, I couldn't help but notice Rollie still 20 yards away from us. It appeared he froze in his tracks overcome with emotion and fatigue realizing what he just did. "Come on, Rollie, you ain't done yet!" He finished. We all finished. The Mt. Wilson Death March was officially over.

This was Pam's first really long hike. Considering the grade of the Mt. Wilson Trail and the amount of physical exertion needed to hike up it, I feel she will have no problems climbing up to the top of the highest in the lower 48 in September.

As for me, this was my first long hike since my sciatica flare up in March. With my 25 pound pack, I experienced no problems with my back the entire way.

What a hike.

LUCKY ME

As luck would have it...









Surgery WILL NOT be necessary.

My second visit to the neurosurgeon was full of trepidation. Would I need surgery due to this recent flare-up? What effect will it have on me for life? I hear the good and the bad. Homeopathic alternatives? Chiropractor? NOT! Orthopedist? Massage therapy? Decisions to ponder and weigh. I am looking into acupuncture.

Before the appointment, I wanted to grab a bite to eat at Taco Bell. I walked in and walked right back out. I was starting to get those agoraphobic feelings for some inexplicable reason. I just wasn't hungry.

I went in for my appointment at 3:00 p.m. I explained to the neurosurgeon the events that landed me back in his office. The dates, what I was doing at the time of the flare ups, the feelings, the pain, Tramadol, Vicodin, Flexeril, Ibuprofen 800, the emergency room visit.

I told him I was currently feeling no discomfort and told him I even went on a couple of short hikes with no problems. I also told him I haven't been on the bike for well over a year. One of these days this year that will change.

I did tell him I was trailrunning and jogging on surface streets. He advised me NOT to run on concrete or asphalt. Point noted and taken. Jogging bad. Trailrunning good? That leaves that door open just so ever slightly.

He performed a few flexion and extension tests on my legs and feet. Tested my reflexes. My left leg didn't even twitch when he tapped my left knee. The right knee was fine.

His advice was to continue with my hiking, but know my limitations and use sound judgment. He said surgery WOULD NOT be necessary unless the pain returns and does not go away or there is no strength in my legs. As far as the numbness in my left leg and right toes, I would have to deal with that for the rest of my life.

With this "switchback" out of the way, I can proceed with my plans to re-visit Whitney once more. Mt. Rainier is out of the picture again for now. It will always be there provided it doesn't explode like Mt. St. Helens.

WESTERN DIAMONDBACK RATTLER

This Western Diamondback rattlesnake (crotelus atrox) was recently killed at a water treatment facility between Diamond Bar and Chino Hills.


This "freak of nature" measured 9 feet 1 inch long and weighed a hefty 97 pounds. "Normally" rattlesnakes of this species grow to 7 feet.

Something in the water? Doubt it. However, with a water source nearby I am sure this rattlesnake had plenty of vermin to feast on.

MRI UPDATE

The MRI went without a hitch except for one thing...I was denied music to listen to during my 20 minute magnetism. I was provided earplugs to silence the pinging, ponging, whirring...The agony of it all.

I told the technician that I will never ever rip Mozart again.

Me and my big mouth.

I probably won't know the results of the MRI before my scheduled visit to the neurosurgeon. Guess I will hear all about it when I get there and go over the findings with him.

A THOUSAND WINDS

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that flow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grains.
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die.

Author unknown

My father passed away on Saturday, March 10 at 11:19 a.m. My mom and I were at his side as he took his final breaths.

The cause of death was renal failure since he was not given any intravenous solutions other than morphine through a catheter.

The visitation services were held at the funeral home. Many friends and family were in attendance. I met three of my high school classmates I hadn't seen in over 30 years.

At the conclusion of the services, my aunt, mom and I started placing items in dad's casket: his letter carrier "claw" that he used to deliver mail, a can of his Kirin beer (his favorite), word puzzle books and favorite pen, his army medals and rank insignia. The birthday card I read to him on the day of his death was also placed in the casket. All for eternity.

As we drove from the funeral home to the cemetery 45 miles away, I couldn't help but notice how much respect Missourians show for the dead. Cars and trucks would pull off to the side of the road and stop as the funeral procession passed. When we reached the city limits of Macon, the Missouri Highway Patrol escorted us through town to the southern city limits. As the officer moved to the side of the road, he got out of his patrol car and rendered a salute to my father as the hearse passed by.

My father was interred at the Jacksonville Veterans Cemetery with full military honors. The honor guard was from Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Many of the family members and friends had never been to a military funeral.

It is hard to put into words how I feel so I am going to let the pictures speak for themselves.