Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Sunshine.
Solitude.
Beautiful scenery.
Cold lakes.
Warm nights.
Nearly full moon.
Fresh fish.
Tired feet.
Good company.
Great weekend.

The past three days I spent in Lakes Basin guiding a group of students from Rick's Outdoor Recreation Principles class on their annual backpacking trip.  Lakes Basin was the ideal place for this trip, not only because of its proximity to Quincy, but also because it gives the feeling of being in the high Sierras even though we are in the low Sierras.

My group consisted of six guys who, believe it or not, made my job easy.  During one of the planning sessions I asked them if they had any expectations or goals for the trip.  Without hesitation, Donnie piped up and said, "I just want to see you tired."  The others agreed, and at that moment I knew we would have a good time. 

For me, the most meaningful aspect of the trip was nothing that I did or accomplished, but rather what I observed.  I love the look in someone's eyes when they experience something for the first time.  There were skilled guys in my group, but for a few it was their first backpacking trip, first off trail hike, first night sleeping outside of a tent, first taste of fresh trout, first time standing on a Sierra peak.... and I'm sure there were more.  Those activities have been part of my life for so long, that I can sometimes lose a sense of appreciation.   Sharing in the new experiences of others helped renew my joy for activities that I had begun to make routine and take for granted. 

Here are a smattering of pictures from the weekend:


a cross country jaunt up to Mt. Elwell


Coty becoming acquainted
with the area


Long Lake

 
shoe blow-out.... time to bust
out the duct tape!


Donnie and Travis on the summit
of Mt. Elwell
 
Sierra Buttes in the horizon

Jamison Lake: 1st night's camp

a smidge shy of a full moon

the final scramble up Mt. Washington

Hunter, Connor and Zane doing
map and compass exercises
on  Mt. Washington


Wades Lake: 2nd night's camp
Zane out in the lake catching dinner

Sunday night was a fish feast
thanks to Zane

Coty doing the dirty work of gutting the fish

good morning.






"Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."  Walt Whitman

Wednesday, September 22, 2010


Serendipity: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.

______________________


My summer came to a rather abrupt and premature end during a casual afternoon of kayaking on the Kern River.  That day turned into a long, but humorous night at the Bakersfield ER as I awaited for the doc to reduce my dislocated shoulder.  I remember laying in the hospital bed thinking, "The docs will pop it back in, pain will be gone, we will be on our way, and I will still be able to guide on the river tomorrow."  Four hours later I woke up from the anesthesia to discover that I had to keep my arm immobilized for the next three weeks, followed by a few months of therapy.  What was I going to do? I certainly was not going to just loaf around the house until I healed.

The next day was my first "rest day" of the summer.  It was a welcome change of pace...I did some cleaning, baked a pie, read a book, and relaxed.  By the second day I had my fill of that rest nonsense; I needed to move!  So I did the only activity that I physically could.  I ran. 

______________________


When I returned to FRC this fall, it was hard to sit on the sidelines and watch my mates paddle, slackline, climb....you name it.  One morning I was in Rick's office, and he relayed to me a message from the cross country coach.  (Apparently Coach Dan had heard that there was a girl in ORL who liked to run.)  Rick handed me a sticky note with Dan's number and I just laughed.  I had never run a race, let alone timed myself.  Oh yeah, and did I mention that I am slow?  Even if I was slightly interested, they wouldn't be interested in me.  Just to humor Rick, I stuck the note in my book without any intention of pursuing the team.

Running has never appealed to me as an activity on it's own, in fact, rarely will you find me running simply for the pure "enjoyment" of it.  To me, it is the means of releasing stress, clearing my mind, or touring a beautiful place.  When I run, I run for the scenic beauty and soft dirt of shaded mountainous trails, not on pavement or around in circles on a hard track. 

I felt that I at leased owed Coach Dan a call out of courtesy to let him know that I wasn't interested.  I don't know what came over me (perhaps I was influenced by the sweet iced tea I was drinking?) but my conversation with Dan didn't go at all like I had anticipated.  The next morning I found myself running with the 1st ever FRC cross country team.  Yes sir, all two of them.   

So here's where everything ties together; good on you if you have stuck with me this far.  Coach Dan makes an effort to run us on trails whenever possible....this makes me oh so happy.  But what thrills me even more is the the rehab my shoulder is getting.  Since I am an "athlete" now, I have access to  the training equipment I need for my therapy, not to mention access to expert advice.  I wasn't looking to join the team, in fact, I wasn't too keen on the idea, but it has turned out to be the best thing I could have done for my shoulder.  Sounds rather serendipitous if you ask me. 

FRC's first xc team: Jasmine, Jaimee, and me
Our first race was last Friday down by Folsom Lake.  Props to Jasmine and Jaimee- you guys did awesome.  Me...well..... I finished AND I wasn't last.  Once I crossed the finish line I ran down to the lake and took a refreshing cool-down swim.  All in all a successful trip in my book.

______________


"There is something so universal  about that sensation, the way running unites our two most primal impulses: fear and pleasure.  We run when we're scared, we run when we're ecstatic, we run away from our problems and run around for a good time.  And when things look worst, we run the most."  -Christopher McDougall, Born to Run


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

"So....you want to be a professional pack mule?" were the words of mumsy when I told her that I wanted to study Outdoor Leadership in college.  Being able to major in Outdoor Leadership was a new concept to my sixteen year-old self, and I didn't have a crisp idea of what it would entail.  For all I knew there could have been validity behind mumsy's scarcastic statement.  All that mattered in my mind was that the Outdoor Leadership path would allow me to explore incredible places.... all in a day's work, of course.

It certainly wasn't chance how I ended up at FRC and in their ORL (Outdoor Recreation Leadership) program, God definitely had planned for me to be there long before I even heard of Quincy.  During my high school years I spent my summers working at Silver City, a rustic resort in Mineral King.  One slow morning at work I was chatting with a guest who just happened to be from Quincy.  During our conversation, I mentioned my desire to pursue a degree in outdoor leadership.  She introduced me to FRC, and highly encourage me to look into it.  A few phone calls later I was sold. 

I came to FRC in the fall of '09 bringing very few hard skills to the table.  I was just an enthusiastic hiker and backpacker with a willing spirit to learn.  Most people probably said, "Poor Cara, she's not very good....but she has heart!"  It was true though.  I hesitate to even admit this, but I originally thought kayakers rolled their boats in order to go under obstructions (logs, bridges, etc.) in the river.  I smile whenever I think back instances like that, because it reminds me of how much I grew this past school year.


My original plan was to get my ORL associates degree in one year and then transfer on.  Well, I got my degree, yet here I am again in this cozy little town.   In one year I was just barely able to scratch the surface of what Plumas County has to offer, which made me reluctant to leave.  Naturally, I was only slightly disappointed when I found out that I would have to come back to take a few more classes before I could transfer.

Last year I was always on the receiving end of learning, but this year I want to make an effort to practice the "leadership" role in "outdoor leadership."  So far I am living up  to that goal; just in this month I'm guiding the Principles backpacking trip,  teaching outdoor ed. to 6th graders, plus organizing personal trips.  We'll see what else crops up!