Another Hike

By the way, I did another "hike" this week. Sorry, no photos from this one. It was the Stake 4th Level Girls Hike (which I have been going on for 28 years - more on that later). This year they wanted to do it in conjunction with Girls Camp so it was only 2 days/1 night, and done at a Bullard's Bar campground, instead of higher up in the mountains, because they wanted to keep the girls close to camp.

Like most of these hikes, it was almost not a hike at all. We did cover about 4 miles, but along a level, soft, forest path through heavily shaded woodland. If you know the area, it's the bike/foot path around the lake. A leisurely stroll.

Almost everything about this experience was the opposite of the 50 Mile Hike I did with the boys a week or so earlier. Easy walking, short distances, we camped in a campground (so they could have toilets available), and very HOT weather - well over 100 degrees. It's alright, I just go along to provide priesthood support. It's not my gig.

The first time I did a 4th Level Girls Hike was in 1981, the year I graduated from BYU. My little sister Suzy was that age and Dad had been asked to go along. He in invited me. I've been doing them ever since.

About 15 years or more ago the program changed and the hike was no longer required, so sometimes they have merely camped without a hike, and one year (the year Michelle was that age) they had no outdoor activity at all.

I've hiked in a variety of locations with some hikes more difficult than others, some in the wilderness and some in well appointed campgrounds - but nearly all of them fairly easy to do over the course of 3 days/2 nights.

We have rarely been rained on, but one year we were up near a ridge (at Penner Lake) and a thunder storm rolled in with rain and lightning. The ground got soaked, and the lightning was striking nearly on top of us. Some of the girls (who had pitched their tents in depressions that the water ran into) were getting a shock with every ligthning strike from the electricity conducted through the water in the ground. We packed up and went home. That was also the trip when the water pump on my truck went out and I had to leave it and come back the next day to fix it.

There are lots more stories where that came from. Maybe someday I'll write a book.

50 Miles or Bust! (a long read, and an even longer walk, but worth it)

The 50 mile hike this year was just about the hardest hike I've ever done. If I'd had more time to prepare for it (like scouting out the route) I would have have done a couple of things differently. Most of this particular route was one I scoped out on maps 12-15 years ago, but never had the chance to hike. It basically makes a loop around six lakes and a couple of significant peaks - starting and ending at Chub Lake (Marin Sierra Scout Camp) at the joining of Hwy 20 and I-80.

The lakes we visited were Byers, Meadow, Bowman, Penner, Island and Milk. The peaks along the route are Old Man Mt. and Grouse Ridge. We started at 5200' and spent most of our time at 6800' - 7800'. Most of us overcame the change in altitude from sea level by the end of the second day.

My big mistake, and the one which cost us most in time and effort, was in assuming that trails were the same as 12 years ago and that maps were accurate. It also didn't help that we started late (due to some last minute priesthood responsibilities that arose) and that I was exhausted before we even left. On the other hand, I didn't fair any worse than the others - and they were no doubt grateful for my fatigue.

The first day is really what did us in. We ended up on roads and trails that didn't lead us where we wanted to go. I hiked 2-3 extra miles trying to find the best way to get where we needed to be. (In fact, most days I ended up hiking a couple miles extra in this effort) Ultimately we were on the right trail, but that meant a steep, steady uphill climb of 1600' over the roughest, granite rock trail I've ever been on. We even had to cross a river by taking off our boots and wading to the other side.

We eventually made it to Byers Lake by 7:30 that evening, with just enough time to fix a final meal and go to bed as it got dark.

The next morning looked brighter and we made our gradual ascent up and over the ridge toward the old mining site of Baltimore. Below is the view of our group form above Byers Lake.

Just as we crossed the ridge we came upon a snow bank and had some fun with that while we replenished water supplies. Snow was plentiful on the trip and we often consoled ourselves by consuming 2 or 3 slushies a day made with Crystal Lite and snow. I tried to convince the boys that there was no need to purify this snow melt - but they persisted anyway.

Later that day we had planned on getting to the top of Old Man Mountain, but being worn out by the first day's hike and with smoke from the hundreds of lightning strike fires burning in NorCal that week, we thougth it best not to push the boys too hard. For those who have been up Old Man, you will remember the tremndous view missing from the photo below.

It turned out well to give the boys a light day. We made it to Meadow Lake by 3:30 and everyone had a nice rest that evening. Meadow Lake is the former site of one of the largest cities of the Gold Rush era. Over 2000 people, 80 businesses, a stock exchange, and tour boats that would take people across the lake to dance halls at night. Mark Twain even visited there and wrote about it. The interesting thing about this town is that it grew from nothing in the course of two years - then after a harsh winter with 30' of snow fall (and of course, little gold being found) it disappeared in less than half that amount of time. You see the smoke settling in. This was common every night of the hike.

The next day was much easier, and pleasant for the boys. We stopped for lunch at Catfish Lake and one of the boys caught the first fish of the hike. That's rigth, a catfish.

We reached Bowman Lake by 1:30 that afetrnoon, another good thing for the morale of the group. That night we had dinner brought to us from camp. A couple of boys had made noises about leaving the hike and returning with the food vehicle, but we managed to bolster their spirits with the good meal and the promise of better days to come. The weather had been great and things looked good.

Our hike the next day took us up hill much of the way (from 5500' to 7500'), but we had soft trails and shady pathes. We hiked past beautiful lakes and expansive vistas.

David may remember swimming out to the island in the lake seen below (through the smoke).

Not long after noon we made the final steep ascent up to Grouse Ridge. Later in the afetrnoon we hiked up to the abandoned Forest Service fire lookout and had fun in the snow. Two views of the lookout give you a good idea of how cool it was to climb around it.

You see the snow, and the boys made the most of it.

This is my favorite shot from the peak. It's a view of the "facility" at the lookout. If it appears that the outhouse is suspended in mid air out over the edge of a cliff, well, that's pretty acurate.

And now, the photo you've all been waiting for. . . me in my "do-rag." I liked to get it wet in a stream and wrap it around my head, letting it hang down my neck. Very cool.

We picked the only level campsite at Grouse Ridge for our last night out. It also turned out to be the worst place for flying bugs. For the first time ever I broke out my mosquito net and used it to my great relief.

The next morning we rose early and left by 7:00 am. The 10 mile, mostly downhill, hike was done by noon and we were back in camp in plenty of time for lunch (which was a smorgesbord of leftovers from the rest of the week). It was a beautiful thing.

We hiked 13 of the toughest miles I've ever made the first day, 7 the second, and 10 or 11 every day thereafter. It was a great experience for the boys. At our Aaronic Priesthood Camps we have what amounts to a daily seminary class called Retun With Honor. On the hike we did that for the boys every evening before turning in. Nearly all of the young men commented on how moved they were by the testimonies shared.

In short, there are a lot of things I like about doing this kind of thing. The hiking, the solitude, the scenery, and the food. But the experience as a whole is what really makes it worthwhile.

Video Ride

Melody bought me this pretty cool Fathers Day gift. It's an action sports video camera. It comes with a variety of ways to attach it to helmets, bikes and assorted other equipment. With a 1GB SD card it will take 30 minutes of video with audio. The claim is that it's water proof down to 10 ft., so I can take it boogie boarding. This is my first attempt at using while attached to my bike.

As you can see, it's pretty rough. Later I had it on my helmet and it was a lot smoother. This ought to provide some great future blog videos!

More Grant and Lucy - LIVE!

I know this is supposed to be Pete and Mel's Blog - but if I can't show off my grand kids here, where else can I do it. The first video clip is of Grant on our daily walk to get a newspaper. This was the only time he had his hat on. The rest of the time he held it between his thumb and fingers in front of him. The next one was the next day. His pants are too big so he's trying to hold them up while he runs.

The bottom one is of Grant driving Lucy (and Grandma) crazy.

And my favorite line from Grant? "What did you tay?" (he doesn't quite have the "s" sound down yet) A thousand times a day - in the middle of anything - he just has to be sure he understands you. "What did you tay?"

Grant has a BLAST!

Grant and I went down to the park yesterday and fired off some rockets (propelled by air forced through a tube by stepping on a plastic bladder). We kept this up for a good 45 minutes - a new endurance time for keeping Grant occupied. : )

HGH, back when it meant something good

Here it is - a week and a half late. Grandpa Hall's grave marker in the Sutter Cemetery. Grandma keeps the flowers on it at regular intervals, and the cemetery puts out the flags for Memorial Day. I've also put up a couple of other photos of interest from the visit to the cemetery.

Later in the day we met at Uncle Richie's house for a bit of charred meat. Actually, James cooked up some tri-tip for us that turned out really well. But we did tease him a little about the "burned offering." That's Emily and Sabrina watching the fire.

Below is a little clip of Emily learning to "crack the whip." Since it was a celebration of her 18th birthday, Rich got his whip out (the one he got on his mission in Brazil) and showed her how to get started.

We are in AZ visiting Grant and Lucy (not Pam and Rob, they're in Washington) so I'll have some more fun stuff to post later this week!

So here's the deal...

Sorry for not updating the blog for a while. There are a couple of excuses (no good reasons) I will offer:

First, this past week was the last week of school here - a week that really needs 6 days instead of the usual 5 for me to accomplish everything that needs to be done, but in fact only had 4 due to Memorial Day. (Who's bright idea was it to end school the week of Memorial Day? Oh yeah, the union was involved).

Second, this was also the week prior to stake conference, which as you might guess is fairly busy for a stake president. I'm not complaining at all. It was a WONDERFUL conference! However, one member asked me: "Since you're in charge, why don't you just change the dates?" Of course, I'm not in charge of that - Pres. Packer makes those assignments - and I have not felt at all comfortable with going to him and saying: "Gee, I'm kind of busy that week, how about if you pick another weekend for us?"

Anyway, I have photos and information from Memorial Day that will be kind of fun for you to see. We're going to AZ tomorrow to see Grant and Lucy (Pam & Rob who?) so I should have time to post them this week. See ya in the funny papers.