The Idyllic Spirit: The High Sierra Trail

The Kern Canyon was my favorite walking of the whole trip. We had 8 miles to go to make it to Junction Meadow. The terrain was relatively flat, deeply forested, shady, cool, and very pleasant. The granite walls of the canyon rose on either side of the trail and ranged from 2000 to 5000 feet. Our walk took us right along the Kern River the entire day. We had several stream crossings over Guyot Flat, Whitney Creek, and Wallace Creek. The canyon is densely populated with Jeffrey Pines.

I can't remember which creek we were crossing but Nancy took a spill. Her feet flew out from under her and she went down on her side. I threw my poles down like I was going to lunge in after her but ended up just standing on the side watching. The stream wasn't carrying her away so I figured she was alright. She struggled with her hip belt and finally got it undone and was able to get herself standing again. She was soaked and gouged her knee on the way down. We made it to a sunny clearing and took a break to assess the damage. Gouged knee, scraped elbow, wet clothes, wet boots, and a bit mentally shaken up. Could have been way worse. Nancy is tough.

We made it to Junction Meadow at a decent time. Enough time to filter water, wash my blisters, and relax. When we walked into the campsite, there was one tent set up. I immediately thought, Hmmm, this doesn't look like a thru-hiker, this looks like someone who's been here awhile. He had a California flag hanging in the trees and big old water bottles. He also had massive rocks holding down his tent stakes. He soon came up from the river from fishing and we had a brief conversation with him. Jeff was his name and he came out every year for a month. His record was 36 days. He became addicted to the solitude (although he was very talkative and seemed lonely). I thought he was a little "off" and had good serial killer potential. The river was so loud and our tents so far apart, Nancy and I wouldn't be able to hear each other scream if he attacked one of us. I had dreams that night that he was shaking my tent and trying to get in.

When I go in my tent every night I read my kindle for an hour or so or however long it takes me to relax and get sleepy. Before I do that though, I read one chapter out of my teeny tiny New Testament. This keeps my mind focused spiritually. I intended for this to be a spiritual trek and not just physical. How could it not be? I opened randomly and this is what I read:

Acts 3:1-9
Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

That spoke to me. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.

We slept at 8036 feet.