Full Moon Unnoticed - Friday, June 13

It's amazing how much we miss when indoors and equally amazing how much we miss when outdoors.

On the trail, camping and hiking for 2 months with minimal contact with the outside world sets one apart from the steady and continuous stream of local and world events. Somebody named Bergdahl is in the news and is gathering the wrath of conservatives, but I don't know what the story is about. I have been preoccupied with elevation gains and losses, snow crossings and avoiding post holing, daily distances and foot pain. I heard a guy named Brat kicked Cantor's butt in a primary, but I don't know how nor why. I was busy coordinating resupplies, arranging transportation to and from trailheads and making miles each day. Although the work load is not heavy, the access to information is non-existent on the trail, either due to no signal or low battery life.

But I know the moon was a waxing quarter and providing early evening light after the sun set when I left the trail. I know the weather is gloriously clear with afternoon winds. I know the mosquitoes are beginning to hatch in the valleys below 10,000 feet. I know that the spring snow melt is providing lots of water for drinking but not so much that the stream crossings are treacherous.

We spent the last four days in a Motel 6 room. It was newly remodeled and European in style with wooden floors, Ikea style furniture and comfy beds (yes, I am talking Motel 6!). While resting my damaged foot in this room the moon moved to full, more snow melted on the passes and stream crossing got easier, harder or stayed the same, but I wouldn't know. I have been removed from contact with this segment of the world. However, I do know Brat won on immigration reform rejection, that Bergdahl was swapped for prisoners and is suspected of being a deserter by those on the right and that Apple's new operating system is called Yosemite (where I sit soaking my sore foot in the Merced River as I write this).

So there are trade offs and I am fortunate that I can dip my toes in both worlds, and if lucky, simultaneously. On this adventure there have been times when I have laid in my tent, tucked under my down quilt, stars beaming overhead, a crescent moon about to set, the next days water and milage plotted out and have simultaneously cruised the web to gather the days events and issues.

Some hikers would scream sacrilege! How dare you let electronics and the crazy world out there interfere with your wilderness solitude and experience. And I suppose they have a point. But, I don't see the need to exclude one world while experiencing another. Do I totally forget about the natural world and the mountain's beauty when at home mowing the grass or performing my cultural obligations? Certainly not. Then why would I ignore the society that supports me while out in the wild? Well rounded is the goal. Respect for all aspects of the lives we live, that's my thought. Enjoy my phone and it's connectiveness to the world from magnificent places with the natural world surrounding and astounding me. Cross cultural multitasking. The best of all worlds, simultaneously.

I stayed in the motel room until 2 today babying my foot. Stretching, rolling it on my tennis ball per doctor's instructions, icing it 3 times a day, letting the secret serum she shot into it yesterday work it's magic. Sally walked across the street to the bakery for breakfast. Due to my five cherry turnovers consumed over the previous 2 days I gave explicit instructions not to get me anything. She returned, and bless her heart she ignored me and brought me a turnover which I thankfully consumed. She knows me too well.

At 2 I had to get out, so I slipped on my boots and wandered down to the outdoor shop, Kittridge, and bought a pair of blue Superfeet as suggested by the podiatrist. On the way back I stopped at the post office to pick up our resupply Wendy had mailed and crossed the highway for a Pepsi at the Shell station where I saw my lovely wife coming out of the store, Pepsi in hand.

We returned to our room, went for a swim and then to Sloccum's bar for happy hour for dinner. Two wonderful hamburgers with fries later and we were out the door. A stop at the Shell revealed "It's It" Ice Cream sandwiches, my favorite treat second to cherry turnovers. The perfect desert after our meal.

As we entered the Motel 6 parking lot Big Red, who we met at Big Bear back on April 29th, hailed us from his truck. He lives in Mammoth. He told us he left the trail 2 days after we last saw him. His wife needed his help and he was missing her. He had been Trail Angeling the past few days and had in his truck Sock Pot and three other PCTers we had met when near Palm Springs. We enjoyed catching up with all and made arrangements for them to join us in the Valley next week. Also, he offered to trail angel us when we were preparing to go out on the trail again.

In our room we each entertained ourselves electronically, Sally watching "Yes to the Dress" on TV and me watching Neil DeGrasse Tyson's wonderful remake of Carl Sagan's Cosmos. We also packed up for our bus ride to Yosemite Valley in the morning.

While we watched the glowing orbs in our room, TV and iPad, another glowing orb, the full moon traversed the sky overhead, unobserved by us. Sometimes we are lucky to dip our toes in both worlds, sometimes not. We were in our room without service to the natural world. Tomorrow we will be back outside in Yosemite Valley, immersed in the natural world with a tenuous connection to the outside world. I like that fit better.