It all began with a hot cup of coffee.
Last night's dinner took a bit more cooking than usual. I normally use one solid fuel tablet per meal, but this time I needed one and a half. Any other time I would let the other half just burn out. However, due to high winds and the risk of starting a fire, this time I opted to put it out and use the remaining tab later. This morning I figured I would use it to heat up my normally cold energy drink/coffee mixture. What a treat!
Of course that got me thinking about all the little things I take for granted back home; things like coffee, hot showers, a table and chair at meal times. It struck me to realize that I don't really miss those things much. Contrary to what I would have believed, there isn't much I truly miss out here. I don't crave a solid meal or long for a hot bath like I was sure I would. On normal backpacking trips I would, but I guess I've gotten used to my way of life out here. So while I hiked today I made a mental wishlist of things I really do miss:
1. Friends and family. I keep having moments I wish I could share. Like a stream I could picture my mom or brother fishing, or a stretch of trail my dad would love to see. Erin can't stop adopting cats, so I know she would have loved the chubby little marmots. Even my former co-worker Natalie, a confirmed city girl, would love sitting out with a cocktail and a sunset, just chewing the fat at the end of the day.
2. Reception. The next best thing to having you all here. It's hard going a week without communicating or posting my blog.
3. Speaking of blogs, unlimited battery and a keyboard would be nice. I'd like to take more pictures, listen to music, or type more. Unfortunately, battery life is an issue, and typing on a phone is a royal pain.
4. An encyclopedic knowledge of flora, fauna, and geology. Curiosity is killing me!
So that's it, that's all I really want (though of course I'm not turning down showers and steak dinners). Other than those things, and the inevitable bills I'll have to start paying again some day, I could really do this forever.
Today's hike was short but tough. I camped at 10,400 feet (which I just realized I had thought of as "low elevation"). The trail dropped to under 10,000 before turning and heading steeply uphill. I wound along switchbacks that gave me a lovely view of the canyon (pictured) before reaching the Kearsarge Pass lateral trail. Heading up to Kearsarge Pass was beautiful and, even better, free of snow. I snapped a picture looking east over Bullfrog Lake, and another of me at the top of the pass (11,760 feet). I then descended quite a ways into Onion Valley, where I will meet my parents tomorrow. I made the mistake of hiking to the trailhead, where the only camping costs $16. I had to hike back uphill half a mile to cross back into national wilderness so I could cowboy camp for free.
