Swimming always saves the day.
I got up early today and set off to hike to Taft Point and Sentinel Dome. On the way, my phone suddenly started receiving emails.
I had Internet access again. I hadn't for over a day.
That's not long, but suddenly it became urgent that I pull over and check all these emails and Facebook and the blogs I read. I do not want to share how much time I wasted in that parking lot.
So much for an early start.
Just past the Taft/Sentinel trailhead is Glacier Point, so I stopped to see that. I love that there are still things that can take my breath away. This sight was so perfect, it didn't seem real.
After enjoying the beauty and enduring the crowd that came with it, I was ready to hit the trail. My feet, however, were not. As soon as I put on my hiking shoes, I knew hiking was out of the question due to some blisters I'd gotten a few days ago.
I was so mad at myself. It was already 2:00 and I'd done pretty much nothing besides waste gas.
But the day could still be redeemed. I found a nice quiet spot on the Merced River and went for a swim. The rocks were perfect for lounging, and I had a Diet Coke and the book I'm reading (127 Hours). I really couldn't ask for anything more. I finally relaxed and was actually grateful that I wasn't getting cell reception anymore. It makes things simpler.
A few hours later, I was in a much better mood and ready to take on Yosemite Valley. I wanted to go see a movie there tonight, not to mention see the sights, but it's always such a cluster***.
This time wasn't as bad as last summer, however, and I was once again awed by the sights. I can't get over how tall Yosemite Falls is, or how massive El Capitan is. I stopped to look for climbers on its walls. They look like tiny bugs up there.
The movie ended up not being a movie, but a PowerPoint presentation about Search and Rescue at Yosemite. SO interesting, but now I am SUPER paranoid! They actually showed a video of a guy getting swept away in a river! I definitely started feeling stupid for swimming everywhere without telling anyone. However, I am VERY careful, especially since I'm alone. They also talked about how they find people, and what you should do if you're lost, and they shared several stories about climbing rescues on El Capitan. The audience was riveted. I am amazed at what SAR does and have a special love for them since they came to save me and Kristin in the Black Hole.
After the presentation, I was feeling a little homesick and missing my parents, so I called home. And my mom asked what I was missing, and that's what's weird- I really am homeless right now. I have nowhere to go home to. It made me kind of sad, and not in the mood to camp.
But as I pulled up to my campsite, who should I see but the Germans! They decided to stay another night. I feel so much more comfortable knowing I have friends sleeping nearby. I love how, sometimes, God gives you exactly what you need in the moment. No more, no less. Joyce Meyer says, "God's never late. But he's not always early, either." Kind of the same thing...
I got up early today and set off to hike to Taft Point and Sentinel Dome. On the way, my phone suddenly started receiving emails.
I had Internet access again. I hadn't for over a day.
That's not long, but suddenly it became urgent that I pull over and check all these emails and Facebook and the blogs I read. I do not want to share how much time I wasted in that parking lot.
So much for an early start.
Just past the Taft/Sentinel trailhead is Glacier Point, so I stopped to see that. I love that there are still things that can take my breath away. This sight was so perfect, it didn't seem real.
After enjoying the beauty and enduring the crowd that came with it, I was ready to hit the trail. My feet, however, were not. As soon as I put on my hiking shoes, I knew hiking was out of the question due to some blisters I'd gotten a few days ago.
I was so mad at myself. It was already 2:00 and I'd done pretty much nothing besides waste gas.
But the day could still be redeemed. I found a nice quiet spot on the Merced River and went for a swim. The rocks were perfect for lounging, and I had a Diet Coke and the book I'm reading (127 Hours). I really couldn't ask for anything more. I finally relaxed and was actually grateful that I wasn't getting cell reception anymore. It makes things simpler.
A few hours later, I was in a much better mood and ready to take on Yosemite Valley. I wanted to go see a movie there tonight, not to mention see the sights, but it's always such a cluster***.
This time wasn't as bad as last summer, however, and I was once again awed by the sights. I can't get over how tall Yosemite Falls is, or how massive El Capitan is. I stopped to look for climbers on its walls. They look like tiny bugs up there.
The movie ended up not being a movie, but a PowerPoint presentation about Search and Rescue at Yosemite. SO interesting, but now I am SUPER paranoid! They actually showed a video of a guy getting swept away in a river! I definitely started feeling stupid for swimming everywhere without telling anyone. However, I am VERY careful, especially since I'm alone. They also talked about how they find people, and what you should do if you're lost, and they shared several stories about climbing rescues on El Capitan. The audience was riveted. I am amazed at what SAR does and have a special love for them since they came to save me and Kristin in the Black Hole.
After the presentation, I was feeling a little homesick and missing my parents, so I called home. And my mom asked what I was missing, and that's what's weird- I really am homeless right now. I have nowhere to go home to. It made me kind of sad, and not in the mood to camp.
But as I pulled up to my campsite, who should I see but the Germans! They decided to stay another night. I feel so much more comfortable knowing I have friends sleeping nearby. I love how, sometimes, God gives you exactly what you need in the moment. No more, no less. Joyce Meyer says, "God's never late. But he's not always early, either." Kind of the same thing...
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