Fool – The Walk

I did something stupid. Yesterday, while my friends were dropping me off at the hostel, I left my sunglasses in their car. We both realized later that they had already reached Mammoth. Normally it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I bought these alpine-tinted sunglasses to help protect my eyes from the reflection of snowy steps. Being in the Sierra, we have many snowy passes in the future. So my friend, being the true human gem that she is, took time out of the morning to drive back to Bishop and drop them off. I bought him coffee and a Loony Bean cupcake as a thank you, but it still wasn’t enough for how sweet he was! Admittedly, I was also glad to spend a little more time with her during breakfast.

We walked to Schat’s Bakery so she could buy her husband some treats for breakfast. Schat’s is a very nostalgic place. I grew up traveling to Mammoth to ski every winter. Every time we drove through Bishop, we always stopped at Schat’s for lunch. The smell of bread and pastries reminds me of when I was 10 years old, getting out of the back of the car to stretch my legs on the long journey. I gave my friend the biggest hug and returned to the hostel to take a bike and continue with my chores.

Scratch and I traveled to Vons to work on our resupply. The group estimates between 5 and 6 days to reach Vermillion Valley Ranch. This time I was sure to pack 6 days plus an emergency ramen. I think our planning was a little better this time.

A Bedrock Sandal employee approached Straight Up and Rascal on the street and noticed them swinging their shoes. They were looking for hikers they could model for a small photo shoot. What a fun opportunity for them! While they were launching their careers as foot models, I wandered around Bishop to the local equipment stores with a few specific items in mind. I needed a new waterproof bag for electronics, a water filter, a smell-proof trash bag, and a backpack liner. I also bought some dehydrated meals to complete my resupply. Bishop is such a beautiful town. I wanted to get some goodies from local artists scattered around town, but I can’t justify carrying more in my backpack. I guess I’ll have another road trip to Bishop in the future.

When the new foot models returned from their shoot, we all headed back to the brewery for dinner. We were hoping they would show more World Cup games, but they didn’t have TVs, so after dinner we went back to Rusty’s house.

On the way the sky turned gray and walls of rain could be seen covering the mountains. I looked at the forecast and saw possible intermittent storms. It looks like there may be a storm tomorrow and again in 5 or 6 more days. I’m a little nervous about going on a hike tomorrow. Rain is not a big problem, but lightning does worry me. I’m hesitant to stay one more night, but then I’d be hit by the storm later in the week. Or I could walk in the storm tomorrow and have sun until the second storm hits, around the time we reach VVR. I don’t know if there is a correct answer. I think it’s best to sleep and check the weather again in the morning. At that point I hope I can have a little more clarity to make a decision.

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