This post's title belies the happy truth that in California, it is always hiking season! In the spirit of wishing you all a belated Happy Earth Day, I thought I'd come up for air from drowning in my dental school workload to fill you in on some exciting plans on the docket for 2015.
To many, 2015 marks the Year of the Sheep, but I contend this is the Year of the Pot. To the chagrin of my more cannabinoid-incined friends, I am not referring to marijuana. Instead, I am referring to Scott the Pot, my dependable cooking vessel and backpacking companion. No words can adequately describe the joy that pot has bestowed upon me, having enjoyed the most satisfying macaroni and cheese ever consumed whilst overlooking some of America's most pristine wilderness. If 2013 and 2014 represented Scott's awkward high school and early college years where he developed his sense of identity, then 2015 is the start of his golden years, an early twenty-something primed and ready to take on the world. With his recent foray into Instagram and Twitter, I have a very good feeling about our up-coming adventures.
I should rewind a moment to recap the highlights of 2015 that have already passed us by. As exciting as this year will be for Scott, I am finally trying my hand at the triathlon. With the help of my best friend, Matt, I found a great intro road bike at Sports Basement, and it has since taken me to some really cool places!
My new Felt bike!
At the top of Hawk Hill overlooking SF
Down the back side of Hawk Hill over in the Marin Headlands
50-mile day to the top of East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais
New to the world of cycling, I would urge anyone unaware of the rules of the road to pay proper respect and give cyclists the requisite three feet of clearance when passing. That being said, the majority of problems I've encountered thus far are not cars, but in fact, other cyclists around San Francisco who somehow believe taking selfies while biking in one lane traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge is a prudent idea. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the adventures I will have on my bike in the future!
Moving right along through March, we come to my Spring Break. Having secured a last minute reservation in Curry Village in Yosemite National Park, I invited my friend Kevin along for some wilderness R&R. Needless to say, I know exactly how I will be spending the next three spring breaks that I get in school, as the crowds in mid-late March were sparse and the weather pristine. Additionally, I got to take some new snacks out for some test hikes to see how they agreed with my appetite on the trail. The results from these and other taste tests have been documented and will be published in my (SPOILER ALERT) post on preparations for my plans this summer.
While in Yosemite, we visited all of my favorite spots and more. Our first afternoon was spent on the unseasonably vacant Mist Trail to Vernal Falls, featuring a pretty mesmerizing double rainbow. The next day I fulfilled my number one priority by hiking to the top of Yosemite Falls. about 7 years ago, after my grandfather had passed away, my family took a pilgrimage to Yosemite, where we were each given the choice of where to spread his ashes. Somber though the weekend was, on a hike to Upper Yosemite Falls, I found a nook at the base of a tree that stood just at the edge of the falls. In all the iconic photos of the falls, it's one of the most visible landmarks to the left of the precipice. In the 7 years since, I have kept a photo of the falls above my desk as a reminder of the peace that both my grandfather and I have found in the wilderness. It was an emotional lunch as I sat cradled in the gnarled roots, held by their comforting embrace, and I made the descent toward the valley floor with a sense of clarity and affirmation that has become foggy in the preceding months of grueling school work. I am putting together a short video montage of the Snap Chat videos and photos that I took on the trip and will post it soon!
Driving in to Yosemite
Vernal Falls double rainbow!
Half Dome from Yosemite Falls Trail
A pleasant lunch
Back with Grandpa
From Upper Yosemite Falls
Upper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Falls from Four Mile Trail
Glacier Point @PlacesMyPotGoes
Half Dome from Panoramic Trail
Lounging before our sad departure
My last full day was spent ambitiously, as I attempted to see as many of the places in the park that I have not yet visited as I could. The hike included a relatively early start up the Four-Mile Trail to Glacier Point (check!), south to Taft Point (check!), back around to Sentinel Dome (check!), and down the Panoramic Trail to Nevada Falls and Happy Isles. Stats for the day came in at 24 miles and over 6,000 feet of elevation gain, one of the longest hikes I have taken. With a successful week of hiking under our belts, we spent our last morning lazing around by the river reading before heading home. If you were wondering, yes, we hit up Chipotle on our way back to San Francisco. And if you were also wondering, yes, it was magnificent.
At the risk of procrastinating even further, as well as writing more than you're willing to read in one sitting, I will leave the rest of my aforementioned plans for a future post. I'll leave you with a few of Scott's latest exploits:
