Life's Other Dimensions

Though having meant to follow up months ago with more rants about the current politics of my adopted country, and though there are plenty more observations to make, in those months I’ve slipped off into other worlds. I’m sure those issues will rise again to the top of our concerns, because the surreal revolutionary farce that consumed so much of our attention was just one act in a drama that’s far from over. Maybe I’ll go back later to revisit the fascinating aftermath, the no-confidence debate in Parliament, the posing and posturing on all sides, the attempts at healing the divisions that are being carved and gouged and picked at by those who hope to profit from them, the questions about who did what to whom and who is covering for whom, all those issues that we’d like to just go away, so we can get on with our lives. Maybe later. The last round was kinda exhausting.

So, other worlds. I’ve been trying to get on with my own life by following an old dream, which has sent me back for a few months to the country of my birth, so at this point I can send you greetings from the decadent old U.S. of A., where, strangely enough, I’ve come to find a little spiritual peace while paying some attention to this of late much-neglected physical body.

And so far, so good. In a couple of days I’m making another try at the John Muir Trail, starting at Red’s Meadow, where in 2007 the wheels started to come off my earlier attempt. This will involve about 18 days of hiking, about 160 miles (about 240 km) in altitudes generally between 9000 and 13000 feet (2700-4000m), over 7 major passes, capping the trip at the top of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the U.S. outside of Alaska.

I make no promises about finishing—that was one big mistake last time—but right now it feels good. After more or less a month of preparation, I’m in a hotel room in Mammoth Lakes, with Jim Weil—classmate and buddy at Cal Berkeley and fellow Peace Corps Thailand alum, too!—and his son Dustin, and tomorrow we’re moving to our jump-off spot, we’ll actually start moving on Sunday the 8th. Will be taking notes and will try to give you a blow-by-blow after it’s over, say early September. By then I’ll have spent most of the summer up here in the high country.

The pictures here I took on yesterday’s day hike, a loop of about 13 miles, up from Tuolumne Meadows to Young Lakes and back.


Am just getting used to my new camera: the old one was lost at Ireland Lake a few weeks ago when the trail decided to disappear on me and I got a little flustered and put the camera down someplace by mistake. Missing some spectacular pictures, too, dagnabit. But that experience, as were others that of themselves don’t sound so great—hiking in the rain, pitching camp in a thunderstorm, coping with swarming clouds of mosquitoes, getting sunburned,

and on and on—was just part of this great meditation that hiking the High Sierra is. Learning so much about living in the moment, and feeling stronger and better with it all the time.

So, all for now. It’s late, gotta get an early start. But stay tuned. Just be patient, it will be awhile . . . but for the three of us, whee, here we go!
 








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