Eagles Peak...Practically

Sometimes, I feel like getting up at O dark thirty just for fun.  Then I like to drive off into the mountains in the very back of a minivan where I can be offered mini pretzels at least 10 times while listening to Wham-rap and trying not to get car sick for the first time ever.  Valuable lessons can be learned in these kinds of settings.  Like how carrying a bowling ball in your trunk just might help to get dinner on the table, not to stand at the bottom of the stairs at Bryan's parents house, the importance of good knot tying, and a few hair pointers on grooming and accessorising with ribbons.

There are lots of things to consider when making a trip like this. For example are your hiking companions too old to be exercising like this, if Blues Clues stripes are really the best option, where you should go for a massage afterwards, and exactly where all the bags of cookies are being carried.  Another important thing to decide is where you are going.  Lucky for us, our trail had a few options.

Don't pay a bit of attention to the distances noted in the sign though.  Really that's just there as a reference point, we are much better at calculating distances.  We figure we hiked 10 miles maybe even 12 to Yosemite Point.  That includes bonus distance for having intentions of hiking to Eagle Peak. 

 If it wasn't for those backpackers, who looked way too clean to have been out for a few days, telling us we couldn't have made it there without compass and a GPS, we would have made the treck to Eagle Peak.  Well, maybe them and the fact that Corey was so opinionated and practically forced us to go to Yosemite Point.  The tall guy wouldn't even tell us what he thought, but either way, the views were spectacular!

 

Hiking is one of the best times to solve the worlds problems.  We discussed how pleased we  are with our childrens productivity these last few weeks in school, how much we love the attendance policies the government has given us for our childrens education, and extolled the virtues of Chinese Massage parlors.

We are always grateful for fellow hikers who are kind enough to take our picture at the vista points and kinder still to re take the pictures because some people can't keep their things out of other peoples faces.  

Sometimes making decisions can be the worst.  I mean Lancaster is okay for the summer, but then really where do you go from there?  It doesn't really matter that you still have a few years before that choice must be made, is it ever too soon to think of these things? Another really tough one is what to name your first born.  That discussion can go on for hours and is a favorite of most husbands. Bryan especially.  They were so grateful we were all there to help them really think things through from an unbiased standpoint.  

One decision that wasn't hard to make was where to stop for lunch!  Corey and Kirsten pulled up on the best piece of real estate on the rock and were into their sandwiches before we made it down the steps!

Lunch on a hike always tastes better than lunch at home.  You seem to appreciate it so much more.  Thats why it was such a BUMMER when Reed finally figured out where his cookies were! 

Good thing Bryan is a strict carnivore.  He still had a bag of cookie crumbles to share! Whatta champ!

With our tummies full and our bodies ready for a good nap on the rocks, we did what all reasonable people do, we got up and hiked!  Over the river and through the woods...

(thats the top of Upper Yosemite Falls)

We are pretty tough though and needed a bit of a challenge.  Maybe not as big as Eagle Peak, even though we totally could have done it without the GPS and compasses, probably even blindfolded, if only Corey would have let us.  We'll never know though... nevertheless, we marched on to Yosemite Point

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We did come a cross some snow, and there were even a few spots where we weren't exactly sure where our trail was.   But every good hiker knows to look for ducks when you get into these kind of situations. Dont worry we found one. A really big one.

And as every good game player knows after finding enough ducks, you're bound to find a GOOSE!

Just hope you don't run into this one on the way down the hill. Some sights can really be disturbing.  Especially for mothers in law.  Fathers in law can sometimes be a handful!

Especially when they take off down the side of a steep mountain running behind shirtless men with webbed feet, dragging thier sunrise buddies with them, and leaving you with a pregnant woman,  3 older women who can't even shop at all the stores they want to anymore, and carrying two packs!!

Not that Bryan minded though.  He enjoys nothing more than hiking with his lovely bride!  Well maybe hiking with his lovely bride, a nice slice of meat and a little Blues Clues are in a three way tie, but hey who's keeping track anyway?

At last we made it to the top of Yosemite Point.  It was totally worth it!

We only lost one pair of sunglasses, a few hundred calories from laughing, a pair of shorts, a gallon of sweat, and a couple of husbands for a short time.  We found slippery rocks, a few hundred mosquitos,  amazing views,  unwanted tan lines, filthy dreadlocks, sunburned necks, delicious Mexican food, and frienships worth seeing the sunrise.

And that is why sometimes I like to get up at O dark thirty.  It really can be fun!

**In all fairness since many of you don't know Corey...this depiction of him couldn't be further from the truth...just gotta give the guy a hard time.  He's easy going and wouldnt tell us which route he wanted to take!