'I Know Where You Hiked Last Summer' by Uber. Normally, I wouldn't add such filler into the photo journal, but as you might know I lost over half my photos. Thanks, no name #$%@ CF memory disk!
And Elrond said from on high: 'Six companions. So be it. You shall be the Fellowship of the (Hik)ing.' Left to right: Laura 'these poles were made for hiking' Schaub, Dan 'weak GPS signal' Schaub, Darlene 'can't feel my leg' Schaub, Bill 'joke man' Schaub, Ryan 'yeah, I hiked once already this year' Hata, and Uber.
Our itinerary straight from the shirt off my back: Tuolomne Meadows to Vogelsang to Merced Lake to Yosemite Valley.
Don't expect me to name the streams, valleys, mountains, etc. All terra incognita to me.
It was maybe 10 minutest into the trip we came upon...
...a pretty little stream. What with all that (granite?) rock mini-waterfalls and pools abounded. Kinda made you want to sit a spell to take it all in. Or...
It's still *only* 10 minutes into the hike and already Ryan is near exhaustion and Dan's GPS has gotten us lost. Is there really a distinction between ill-prepared and unprepared? Ponder that.
From (far) left to right: some pansy day hiker, Darlene and Dan hamming it up, Laura preparing to do battle (with what exactly?) with poles held militantly, and some pansy day hiker. Actually, that's Ryan debating with himself, 'Shall I DNF this stage?' Remember the words of Jack Handy, 'Fear can sometimes be a useful emotion. For instance, let's say you're an astronaught on the moon and you fear that your partner has been turned into Dracula. The next time he goes out for the moon pieces, wham!, you just slam the door behind him and blast off. He might call you on the radio and say he's not Dracula, but you just say, 'Think again, bat man.' (Thank you, Jack Handy--Ed.)
Weebils wobble but they don't fall down. Ryan may have faltered a bit at the start...but he absolutely SUCKED later on, ha ha ha. I kill me. I feel another Jack Handy moment coming on...'It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.'
Much climbing that first day from Tuolumne Meadows to the Vogelsang High Sierra Camp (HSC). Bill, here, demonstrates how to pick a clear line...of the photographer.
Like I said, much climbing that first day. Darlene leaning into the hill.
Some parts of the trail(s) were more or less cobbled together. Literally. Dan adheres to the 'outside-inside-outside' technique, precisely cutting the apex of the turn, thereby maintaining maximum speed and momentum. Or, he may be just be plodding. Can't tell from here.
This bit of stair step came a couple miles from our destination camp. Utilizing her poles to the fullest, Laura demonstrates the latest craze for the outdoor set, PowerHiking(tm).
Frodo and Samwise Gamgee trudging on deep into the lands of Mordor and to...Camp Vogelsang!
Introducing Ryan Hata in...Mr. Magoo Goes To Yosemite.
'How Green (and Yellow and Brown and Dusty) Was My Valley' The mail and supplies mule train kicking up dust and not caring one whit about who coughs!
This weathered cowgirl sat rather tall in the saddle I thought. Hell, her head reaches the base of the mountain, look.
I'm old, Gandalf. I know I don't look it but I'm beginning to feel it in my heart. I feel thin... sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread. I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don't expect I shall return. In fact I mean not to.
Let me rest just a little bit. I swear I'll get up when they catch back up to us.
I swear the *next* person to catch up to us...
I swear the *next* person to catch up to us...
I swear the *next* person to catch up to us...
If only we had an extra harness for Ryan...
Vogelsang (elevation 10,180 ft), our camp sweet camp for the evening.
The kitchen and dining hall. Oh, and some peak behind.
Can you make it out? Anyway, there's proof of elevation.
Sleeping quarters. Only had to pack our own linen--Darlene was kind enough to sew up sheets for each of us--as there were beds and blankets provided. Rather plush accommodations, eh?
The Swamp from M*A*S*H 4077th. Look carefully and you can see Ryan's tighty whiteys, ha ha ha. Right next to the moonshine still.
Follow me for a peek inside the Ladies' tent.
As for the bathroom facilities...see the next pic.
This intrepid reporter scoops them again! The toilets at Vogelsang used a composting system that only required adding a cup of sawdust after one, uh, got done.
Read the instructions for yourself.
The last photo I promise, and a parting thought courtesy of JH - If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.


^ Back Up ^