Cathedral Peak

Wow. Cathedral Peak has got to be the wilderness mecca for all us old school gothy types that liked to wear black and listen to depressing music back in the day. This peak, captured in the right light, could have easily been used on album covers for bands like....Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, The Church, or Echo and the Bunnymen. It's incredibly unique, and one of the most beautiful granite formations that I've ever seen.

Located in the high country of Yosemite National Park, this locale was the destination of a chilly hike that I took a couple of days ago. And when I say chilly....I mean freezing ass friggin' cold. But it was so, so worth it. The hike is 7-8 miles round trip and it leads you to some of the most amazing high elevation meadows and lakes that can be reached without extensive hiking/packing experience. If you find yourself in the Tuolumne Meadows area with a few hours on your hands, give it a go...you won't regret it. Check the wind gusts in the area though. I encountered 70mph freezing winds that could have been really dangerous had I not been prepared for them.

In spite of the challenging weather conditions, this is still my favorite time of year to explore the high Sierra's. No crowds, and the fauna and flora are busy getting ready for the long harsh winter ahead. The energy up there is unbelievable and it resonates completely in the power of this immense wilderness that heals, inspires, and challenges me....and the peace that comes from the energy that I am able to give it in return.

Giving Thanks 2007

Ok, I've come up with my list of things to be thankful for this year. But before I get to that, I want to present some turkey fun facts in hopes that, come Thanksgiving Day, you will more greatly appreciate the dead body at the center of your dining room table. Here we go. Benjamin Franklin proposed that the Turkey (not the Bald Eagle) be the official bird of the United States. Wild Turkeys can run up to 20 miles per hour, and they lived almost 10 million years ago. Turkeys heads change color when they become excited - oh, and they can see in color. The costume that Big Bird wears on Sesame Street is rumored to be made from turkey feathers, and like Big Bird, commercially raised turkeys can't fly either. Gobbling turkeys can be heard from a mile away, and lastly...the fleshy growth under a turkey's throat is called a wattle. There you go. And before I forget to mention it...pigs, cows, chickens, sheep, game hens, deer, elk, boar, rabbits, bears and frogs are all really, really cool too. Ok, ok...I'm putting the soap box away...on to my 26 reasons to be thankful on this Thanksgiving holiday...remember, these aren't in any particular order (oh, and all 26 reasons from last year, still apply):

1. Lola. There aren't words - I just miss you.
2. The rain.
3. The Police. Best concert experience of the year for me.
4. My parents.
5. V8. Tasty drink...give it a go, you'll like it.
6. Pomegranates. Nothing like working for it.
7. Hwy 108/Sonora Pass.
8. Naps and bubble baths.
9. The Rain Song.
10. San Francisco.
11. Tears.
12. Barefoot walks in the park.
13. Moments of truth.
14. The health and happiness of all the people that I love.
15. Clarity. However brief.
16. A secret crush.
17. My friends. I couldn't make it without you.
18. Black and Tans. mmmm, sounds good right now!
19. Laffy Taffy, Lik-em aid, and marshmallow creme in the jar.
20. A starry night in the mountains.
21. Getting carded the day after my thirty-------birthday.
22. Kindness.
23. Imagination.
24. Words.
25. Strings, picks, amps and distortion.
26. Hands. But, only the sexy ones - that's what I'm talking about!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all. I hope this holiday season finds you at peace....lord knows the world could use all of the help it can get in that area. And if you are one of the lucky people who end up with the wish bone...make a really good one for me!

Adventures in the Woods

When was the last time you had a real adventure? Let me assure you, they are as good for the soul as anything. I long for those experiences of my youth, when I would come across something for the first time and my imagination would just run wild with ideas and wonder. I still have an overly active imagination and I build all kinds of wonderous ideas into my little fantasy world, but, real-life adventures that make me feel like a kid again - priceless, and totally awesome.
So, Redwood and I went on a dirt bike ride. We were looking for an old logging train trestle that he knew about. You never know what you are going to find out in the woods. Especially the woods of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I am partial, I know...but the area in and around the Sierra Nevada's is one of the most amazing places on this earth. And today, for us, they served as our adventure land as we rode on over 50 miles of trail, and hiked the crippled rail bed in hopes that the trestle would be there. We laughed alot, speculated on how people must have survived out there over 100 years ago, and even came close to pissing our pants with what we believed was a mountain lion sighting. Let me just say....those cats are stealthy. We saw it move, but never heard it. That's when my attention shifted toward finding the biggest friggin' stick I could carry.
Anyway, we eventually made it to the Trestle , and it was beautiful. Rugged and surly...much like it's origin, much like the history of those mountains. We wanted to cross it, but the beams were too compromised to take the chance. And motorcycle boots are not exactly conducive to free leg movement and the possible need for agile footwork should shit start to crumble. We had such a great day. One that will stay with me forever, as it's not everyday you can sit on a rock with your brother, in the presence of an old train trestle, and feel like a kid again.