What more could a person ask for then a little time to play and explore? After a month of working and endless amounts of squats, I was ready to get out and pepper it up with some fun and sun. First stop Midpines, where I had the wonderful opportunity to watch the inner-workings go on at another Outward Bound base. So many new and interesting people to meet, who's heart and passion lie in adventure and share a love for the Sierra's. Since this is my first year being away from the OB community, it felt like quite a special treat to be around for the Midpines staff training. What a great reminder of the human spirit. Last day of training to kick off the season ahead, was the Midpines staff auction, feat and dance party. It's theme: Circus freaks and Carnies! These folks brought the night full of colour, creativity, dance moves and some hootin' n hollerin' good times! When not needed on base, and the nights festivities all wrapped up, most folks drive into the valley for days of climbing and exploration within the Yosemite National Park.
Having never ventured into the park myself, I was in for a treat. What a magical place! Every which way the eye looks is this incredible sight....as if coming out of some pristine fantasy book. I have never seen anything like it before. Giant waterfalls, mountains and cliffs climbing up high into the sky, speckled with trees and flying birds swooping about gaily singing their songs. Let me just rest upon the trees here for a moment. Though I have been witness to giant cones in my fathers wood collection, to see a large cone in the wild, up close in personal is incredible. These were certainly not the largest cones out there, but of significant size to make me grateful that none decided to drop while I stood at the base of these giant pines gawking at their magnificence. Think those were big, flash forward into another section of park where I got to stand, for the first time, in a sequoia grove. Hmm, where to even begin with this. I have never seen trees so big as these, and apparently they are considered small, which peaks my curiosity as I begin to figure out how and when I will come across the giants! I felt like a tiny any in comparison, but there is something so comforting and inviting about being surrounded by such large specimens. Days were filled with going off the beaten track, exploring areas that few to none would dare see. Second day into the park, we took to scrambling up a gully, parts of which had recently experienced a rock slide. The view just breathtaking. From where we stood, the road just disappeared, making the park seem uninhabited, wild and what it must have been like when the first explorers came into the valley. Is this what John Muir experienced in his day? Later along the hike, further up, I had my second go around of scrambling up snow, having to kick in small foot holds in order to make any upwards progress. A great test of my comfort levels. Let's just say for now that I am still getting used to my vertical legs....they are pretty wobbly, and unsure of what it is I am asking them to do! But that is all part of the adventure and learning process. If we never try, we never know what is out there, AND we never get any better. Other highlights of my time in the park include braving the giant swing. Heights, never really being a subject of comfort, have been something of a challenge. But from time to time I like to get up and test my levels and see how far I can push my little heart racer, expanding my horizons and perhaps, growing just a fraction of a hair more comfortable with dangling hundreds of feet above the ground held on only by a single rope. So, setting my mind to a new challenge, I scrambled up this rock that lead me to a rope which will swing you out into the valley for an incredible view. It's a little scary to be harnessed into a rope that seems to just drop from the sky but I put my 'need to know' feelings on the side and let the experience happen. It took awhile to make take off, but the swing out was smooth, in fact I rather enjoyed it.....the part that gave me the trouble was letting out the rope in order to get my feet back on ground, or rather rock. For a good 5 minutes or so, I dangled wondering if I ought to accept the fact that this may be my new home. Luckily, with some coaching, deep breaths and tapping into some stored inner courage, I slowly began my decent. Phew! Once landed, just for good measure, I went again. Much smoother second time around. Perhaps post-Camino, when I return to the valley, another venture on the swing will find its way into the itinerary, though with all there is to see and do...maybe the adventures will continue elsewhere!
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| The Tunnel |
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| A rainbow soaring across the sky |
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| Sharing a moment with the Coyote |
Having never ventured into the park myself, I was in for a treat. What a magical place! Every which way the eye looks is this incredible sight....as if coming out of some pristine fantasy book. I have never seen anything like it before. Giant waterfalls, mountains and cliffs climbing up high into the sky, speckled with trees and flying birds swooping about gaily singing their songs. Let me just rest upon the trees here for a moment. Though I have been witness to giant cones in my fathers wood collection, to see a large cone in the wild, up close in personal is incredible. These were certainly not the largest cones out there, but of significant size to make me grateful that none decided to drop while I stood at the base of these giant pines gawking at their magnificence. Think those were big, flash forward into another section of park where I got to stand, for the first time, in a sequoia grove. Hmm, where to even begin with this. I have never seen trees so big as these, and apparently they are considered small, which peaks my curiosity as I begin to figure out how and when I will come across the giants! I felt like a tiny any in comparison, but there is something so comforting and inviting about being surrounded by such large specimens. Days were filled with going off the beaten track, exploring areas that few to none would dare see. Second day into the park, we took to scrambling up a gully, parts of which had recently experienced a rock slide. The view just breathtaking. From where we stood, the road just disappeared, making the park seem uninhabited, wild and what it must have been like when the first explorers came into the valley. Is this what John Muir experienced in his day? Later along the hike, further up, I had my second go around of scrambling up snow, having to kick in small foot holds in order to make any upwards progress. A great test of my comfort levels. Let's just say for now that I am still getting used to my vertical legs....they are pretty wobbly, and unsure of what it is I am asking them to do! But that is all part of the adventure and learning process. If we never try, we never know what is out there, AND we never get any better. Other highlights of my time in the park include braving the giant swing. Heights, never really being a subject of comfort, have been something of a challenge. But from time to time I like to get up and test my levels and see how far I can push my little heart racer, expanding my horizons and perhaps, growing just a fraction of a hair more comfortable with dangling hundreds of feet above the ground held on only by a single rope. So, setting my mind to a new challenge, I scrambled up this rock that lead me to a rope which will swing you out into the valley for an incredible view. It's a little scary to be harnessed into a rope that seems to just drop from the sky but I put my 'need to know' feelings on the side and let the experience happen. It took awhile to make take off, but the swing out was smooth, in fact I rather enjoyed it.....the part that gave me the trouble was letting out the rope in order to get my feet back on ground, or rather rock. For a good 5 minutes or so, I dangled wondering if I ought to accept the fact that this may be my new home. Luckily, with some coaching, deep breaths and tapping into some stored inner courage, I slowly began my decent. Phew! Once landed, just for good measure, I went again. Much smoother second time around. Perhaps post-Camino, when I return to the valley, another venture on the swing will find its way into the itinerary, though with all there is to see and do...maybe the adventures will continue elsewhere!
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