May 30, 2007

Fireball and I planned our hike through the Sierras last night, so today was another day off save for a 2½ mile hike to the Kennedy Meadows Campground.  I awoke around 7:00 a.m. and 30-30 and I went to Irelan's for one last breakfast dining experience.  Then I took a nap in my tent. When I woke up I chatted with Marcia, Ken, Barb, her husband, Greta, Cheryl, and Four Winds as they were doing routine hiker business like sorting through their food boxes, folding laundry, eating, drinking, taking showers, trimming nails, etc.  Geek hiked out in a neon yellow shirt.  He has been known to light up the mountains in the dark.

A local drove me to Fireball and Hot Chocolate's campsite at the campground.  Hot Chocolate gave me a tour of their trailer and invited me to spend the night inside on a pull-out bed.  Nice!  I packed my pack for our early morning departure and yes, it is VERY heavy.  I don't care though because I am so psyched to be entering the High Sierras. Plus...Walter trained me well.  I made several phone calls on my satellite phone but no one was home.  I plan to call all of my family from Mt. Whitney's summit in a few days.  I've been told that cell phones work on the highest mountain in the lower 48 states.  Cool!

At the moment I am relaxing in a cozy chair with a cushion sitting next to Percy, Fireball and Hot Chocolate's golden retriever.  I just ate two Ding-Dongs and I'm drinking a Squirt.  There is a slight breeze and birds are chirping.  The Kern River runs next to their campsite which is very beautiful.  ***Ladies hiking tip: Hot Chocolate introduced me to the female version of the man's Gatorade pee bottle.  Sometimes getting out of one's tent to relieve oneself is just too cold.  The Freshette allows a female to urinate in a controlled stream.  Or...a woman can even write her name if she so chooses.  The device is placed on the nether region and a tube will lead the flow into a Platypus.  Nifty.  Hot Chocolate is ordering me one so I'll let you know my feedback in a week or so.