"I want my pants back." - "'No Pants' Woodstock"
What a lovely day we had in YOSEMITE!!! We enjoyed an easy eleven miles into Tuolumne Meadows along an idyllic stream coasting gently through a mountain meadow. Upon arrival we reunited with Dayhike, Spearhead, and soon Animal, who somehow slept in until 10:30, hiker 4pm. AND we got three boxes from M&M, awesomely decorated with a mix of inspiration and education, with a touch of cynicism, as usual. The boxes have become famous, and everyone enjoys reading them.
We spent the afternoon eating ice cream, drinking beer, resupplying, and feeling generally overwhelmed by the tourist experience that is Yosemite. All around us are California families with their hollering kiddos and people who spend most of their time indoors. One older fellow who was hiking a trail near Tuolumne carrying nothing, not even water, asked me if we had been out cross country skiing. What you talkin bout Willis? Been walking on these two dang feet for nearly a thousand miles! Must have been the trekking poles.
Hikers debated whether to bus down into Yosemite Valley, aka the zoo, since it's a holiday week. We opted out after hearing tales of traffic jams and feeling depressed from the few brave souls who ventured back into society. Another time, we told ourselves. Spearhead decided to be brave and hopped on the bus alone while the rest of us contemplated whether to keep hiking. Woodstock got on a different bus back to Mammoth since he somehow lost his pants yesterday in the process of drying them on his pack.
Genie, Boom, and I all hiked another six miles past impressive rock formations, waterfalls, meadows, and tons of people to a little campsite where we enjoyed a perfect sunset over the picture perfect scenery. This is the life.
