Carmel
New member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2004
- Messages
- 193
- Reaction score
- 64
IF you don’t want to read this all…summary is on the bottom of Part 2.
http://community.webshots.com/user/carm11w
11/29/06 - As some of you know, I had to leave the day after Christmas to go to work in L.A. I was a little bummed, because I had planned to spend New Year’s in N. Conway, so what was I going to do in L.A. all by myself? I was planning on maybe hitting up Mexico, relaxing and drinking all weekend until Friday morning, when I had a novel idea, why not go to Yosemite? I had decided, I was going, despite Darren trying to convince me I was crazy and I was going to end up getting into a car accident or stranded in a blizzard…regardless of the method, somehow I was going to end up dying on this trip.
So, anyways, after I got out of work, I headed to REI to rent some gear (there is nothing more annoying than renting or buying gear you already own) and got some other camping supplies from a coworker. I had called Yosemite and apparently there wasn’t a spot available in the park other than the camping option. So, anyways, I made the 6 hour drive to Yosemite and got there in the dark. I definitely was freaked out driving the icy-curvy roads with the big trees all alone in the dark. One other car passed me going way to fast, I found him two miles later, he was backwards, in a snow bank…he wasn’t driving with intelligence.
I pulled over to look at my map once, but I was sure there were animals and little girl killers lurking in the woods ready to eat me alive, so I decided to toss the map and just keep on driving. I was getting too freaked out…those roads are lonely…but SOOOO COOOL! (I kinda like the eeriness of it a little bit). I was so overwhelmed and excited just to be there, my heart was beating double time!
Finally I made it to the camp site. Some other campers were there by the fire and helped me set up my tent and we got to chit chatting.
Anyways, within 15 minutes after my tent was up and I was unpacked, I was asked if I wanted to go rock climbing the next day. I was a little embarrassed, as I’m SO out of shape (after damaging my Achilles almost a year ago combined with much laziness), but I figured, why the heck not!?!? I don’t know anyone and it will be fun to give it a shot
(my second time ever), so I agreed!
12/30/06 – Didn’t sleep so well last night! I was a little chilly, and I was definitely missing my hot water bottle and Mtn. Hardware down jacket!!! I have two areas where if its cold, I can’t even think about sleeping…my toes and my bum. Well, my bum was frozen, and it took those heat pads a long time to warm it up (don’t comment on that please…I know, I know.) I woke up in good spirits tho, excited for a new adventure with new people and a new activity. We headed to the base of El Capitan....two of the guys set the ropes for everyone else and wallah…here I was rock climbing randomly in Yosemite…Nice. Unfortunately I was too busy to go all the way up to the top, I’m sure you all know how THAT goes. I was pretty satisfied with my performance….my body was throbbing afterwards, all my limbs felt like jelly…and my leg looked like a sewing machine thing going up and down…(know what I’m saying?) I’d put my heel down to make it stop, and then my glute was all messed up!
After my short climb, due to extreme exhaustion, I made a little hike out to mirror lake. It was a perfect length for the few hours of daylight I had. Apparently mirror lake is a lot bigger in the spring and the summer…I was more impressed with the nice little trail in the valley than the lake itself. There were patches of snow everywhere, mixed with redish trees, and this neon green moss, I don’t know if the pictures will show it, my monitor sucks. Anyways, it was a nice little hike after my climb to stretch my legs.
I hit up the cafeteria (I know its lame, I should have cooked on my stove, but I was on vacation) with the rock climbers I climbed with in the morning and hit the sack as early as I could! What an AWESOME day!!!!!
http://community.webshots.com/user/carm11w
11/29/06 - As some of you know, I had to leave the day after Christmas to go to work in L.A. I was a little bummed, because I had planned to spend New Year’s in N. Conway, so what was I going to do in L.A. all by myself? I was planning on maybe hitting up Mexico, relaxing and drinking all weekend until Friday morning, when I had a novel idea, why not go to Yosemite? I had decided, I was going, despite Darren trying to convince me I was crazy and I was going to end up getting into a car accident or stranded in a blizzard…regardless of the method, somehow I was going to end up dying on this trip.
So, anyways, after I got out of work, I headed to REI to rent some gear (there is nothing more annoying than renting or buying gear you already own) and got some other camping supplies from a coworker. I had called Yosemite and apparently there wasn’t a spot available in the park other than the camping option. So, anyways, I made the 6 hour drive to Yosemite and got there in the dark. I definitely was freaked out driving the icy-curvy roads with the big trees all alone in the dark. One other car passed me going way to fast, I found him two miles later, he was backwards, in a snow bank…he wasn’t driving with intelligence.
I pulled over to look at my map once, but I was sure there were animals and little girl killers lurking in the woods ready to eat me alive, so I decided to toss the map and just keep on driving. I was getting too freaked out…those roads are lonely…but SOOOO COOOL! (I kinda like the eeriness of it a little bit). I was so overwhelmed and excited just to be there, my heart was beating double time! Finally I made it to the camp site. Some other campers were there by the fire and helped me set up my tent and we got to chit chatting.
Anyways, within 15 minutes after my tent was up and I was unpacked, I was asked if I wanted to go rock climbing the next day. I was a little embarrassed, as I’m SO out of shape (after damaging my Achilles almost a year ago combined with much laziness), but I figured, why the heck not!?!? I don’t know anyone and it will be fun to give it a shot
(my second time ever), so I agreed!
12/30/06 – Didn’t sleep so well last night! I was a little chilly, and I was definitely missing my hot water bottle and Mtn. Hardware down jacket!!! I have two areas where if its cold, I can’t even think about sleeping…my toes and my bum. Well, my bum was frozen, and it took those heat pads a long time to warm it up (don’t comment on that please…I know, I know.) I woke up in good spirits tho, excited for a new adventure with new people and a new activity. We headed to the base of El Capitan....two of the guys set the ropes for everyone else and wallah…here I was rock climbing randomly in Yosemite…Nice. Unfortunately I was too busy to go all the way up to the top, I’m sure you all know how THAT goes. I was pretty satisfied with my performance….my body was throbbing afterwards, all my limbs felt like jelly…and my leg looked like a sewing machine thing going up and down…(know what I’m saying?) I’d put my heel down to make it stop, and then my glute was all messed up!
After my short climb, due to extreme exhaustion, I made a little hike out to mirror lake. It was a perfect length for the few hours of daylight I had. Apparently mirror lake is a lot bigger in the spring and the summer…I was more impressed with the nice little trail in the valley than the lake itself. There were patches of snow everywhere, mixed with redish trees, and this neon green moss, I don’t know if the pictures will show it, my monitor sucks. Anyways, it was a nice little hike after my climb to stretch my legs.
I hit up the cafeteria (I know its lame, I should have cooked on my stove, but I was on vacation) with the rock climbers I climbed with in the morning and hit the sack as early as I could! What an AWESOME day!!!!!
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