Half Dome -- Reprise

About ten years ago I read the gripping and harrowing account "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer, which chronicles the experience of a couple of climbing teams during their ill fated attempt to climb Mt. Everest. In some strange way, in spite of the descriptions of death, injury, and intense sufferings, this inspired me to climb some mountains, including Mt. St. Helens, South Sister, Mt. Hood, and, in a reprise of my teen experience, Half Dome.

We were having a family reunion of sorts at Yosemite, and each visit there we always planned some hiking excursion. I convinced my brothers, Glade and Kevin, to join me in a hike/climb of Half Dome. We knew it would be a long day, and we wanted to avoid the Saturday crowds, so we camped in Yosemite valley and were on the trail at dawn. Of course, in the fresh, cool morning with the excitement of adventure fueling our legs the early part of the climb was very enjoyable. To avoid the rubbery legs problems of a steep descent, we chose to climb the steep stairway of the Mist Trail, with plans to descend the regular trail down the waterfall area.

I thought I was prepared for the fearful view of the cables up the final side of the dome, but, as with my first climb of Half Dome, I was terrified looking up the steep route. But, I knew I could do it and pressed on. The trick is to keep moving and don't look down. (My palms are getting sweaty right now just thinking abou it!) Here is a picture of my brothers coming up the final section of the cables.

It is a dramatic view on top.

We were glad for our early start, as the cables were so crowded as we worked our way down.

It is such a long hike, and we were so tired coming down. But we made it, and all in one piece!

Be Still My Soul

Oh my goodness. Saturday morning I sat down at the computer to update my check register and pay some bills. I did a search on youtube and pulled up some BYU Men's Choir music to listen to in the background. It was like a thunderbolt had hit. I couldn't do anything on the computer and my attention was fully riveted to the choir singing this hymn. Chills ran up and down my spine.

Fasten your safety belts and enjoy!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1UtCbsg_Sk&NR=1

Half Dome

Growing up in Southern California our family would often vacation at Yosemite National Park, which has to be one of the most spectacularly beautiful places on earth. We particularly liked all the great trails and hikes to marvelous destinations, like Nevada Falls, Glacier Point, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan. And the most memorable of all--Half Dome.

When I was about 14 years old my older brother, Barry, and I decided to tackle the 15 mile (round trip) hike. It starts at the valley floor (about 4000 ft. elevation), climbs up past Vernal and Nevada Falls, around the back side of Half Dome, then up the far side to the top, at 8800 ft. As I recall, we took the regular trail up and did just fine all the way up to the far side of the dome, where there is a steep switchback trail up the side of a smaller dome. Once you get there, you encounter a small flat area with a full view of the final ascent up the steep slope.

I distinctly remember looking at the seemingly vertical slope and feeling such dismay, and thinking there was no way I could climb that. Even though there are cables to hold on to, and wood slats to stand on, it just looked terrifying. We stopped to rest, ate our lunch, and contemplated our situation. I guess we got our courage up because we took to the cables. Once there it didn't seem as bad, as long as you kept moving and didn't look down. Once on top it was a glorious sensation of accomplishment and a scenic view.

Traversing down the cables was a bit frightful, as was the switchback trail down the dome. As we worked our way further down the trail we were getting tired, of course, and worried that daylight was slipping away. So we took the shorter "Mist Trail", with steep steps down the waterfall area. What misery that was to our legs! We finally walked into our camp after sunset, exhausted but feeling so proud. The next day our legs were so tired and sore we could barely walk. But what a fantastic memory to reflect on all these years!

Stay tuned for Half Dome, Part II.

Grapes of Wrath

I recently finished reading The Grapes of Wrath, a powerful fictional account of a down on their luck Great Depression era family relocating from Oklahoma to California, and trying unsuccessfully to make a living there. It is powerful in the sense that it is an engaging story and well written by a talented author. And also because it is gut wrenching to contemplate the impossibly difficult living circumstances of the Joad family. It is strong social commentary, pitting the wealthy and established (which are very negatively portrayed) against the indigent (who are the "good guys"). Steinbeck surely has a political agenda writing the book, and is persuasive in his literary means.

I read this book many years ago, but was motivated to read it again as Steven will likely be reading it for his English class.

One measure of a good book is when it leaves you thinking about it for days afterwards, which this one does. Of course, it doesn't help that there is no resolution at the end of the book--it kind of just ends when things are about at their worst. While Steinbeck does provide some glimpses as to what motivated the Californians in their cruel treatment of the Okies, the portrayal is largely one-sided, with the Okies on higher moral ground. Things are rarely so black and white in real life, and of course there were helpful and magnanimous locals, as well as scoundrels among the real Okies. These were very hard times and the nation hadn't figured out how to solve the many tough economic problems. (In fact, we still haven't.)

Growing up mostly in California I also took an interest in the historical setting. My mother grew up in California during this time and I want to ask her what things were like during the Depression, and whether she was aware of the "Okies" pouring into the state. I also wonder how things ultimately turned out for all these newcomers--did they settle permanently? Are their descendants a significant portion of the population, and doing much better financially? (I guess I'm looking for closure to the book.)

I'm currently reading a non-fiction book on a related topic--"The Worst Hard Time", by Timothy Egan. This is an account of the Dust Bowl area, and the difficulties faced in the 1930's by those who settled the southern High Plains of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, especially those who stuck it out (as opposed to those who fled to California, for instance). A very interesting read so far.

I have a dream

Okay, sorry for the slightly misleading title, but the subject today is dream themes. You know, like the exam dream. Which, after all these years since high school and college, I still dream variations of fairly often. The classic one is that you haven't attended a class all semester, or read the textbook, and it is time for the final. A variation might be that you can't find where the classroom is. And I have dreamed other variations, which don't have a school setting. For instance, being late or unprepared for sacrament meeting. I wonder if exam dreams are largely exclusive to those who attended college. Anybody?

Another common theme I have is being in public wearing pajamas or underwear (or less). A recent variation of this for me is being on the stand at church (un)dressed in this way.

Some dreams are based on real physical symptoms, like a toothache or body aches. Or the most common for me is having a full bladder and being unable to find a functional toilet. Or finding one, but getting no relief (thank goodness!). I often find the toilet is stopped up, or the plumbing isn't functional, or it is in an open public place (related to the underwear dream above?).

I think everyone has the dream of trying to run away from something, but the legs are lethargic.

Does anyone else laugh out loud while dreaming? I think I used to do this more often.

Not many people seem to have my favorite dream, where I can fly like Superman. Actually, I float rather than fly, but it is such a wonderful sensation and I love it when I dream that.

My most nightmarish dream places me in the midst of atomic warfare. Planes are flying overhead, and atomic bombs are going off on the horizon. I wonder if this is due to my childhood emotional scars when we had atomic bomb drills at school, hiding under our desks. (What were they thinking!?)

So, who is with me on these dreams? What common ones have I left out?

Better than I deserve

How many of you know who Dave Ramsey is, have read his books, or listen to him on the radio? He comes on a local AM station in Portland every evening from 7 to 10PM and I enjoy listening (other than the heavy dose of advertisements). His MO is frugal money management, avoiding/getting out of debt, and living Christlike lives. While I don't agree 100% with all he says (he is fanatical about no debt, except maybe for a home, and never using a credit card, even if you pay it off each billing) I'm generally on board with him.

Some of his sayings:

"Better than I deserve" (when asked how he is)
"Debt is dumb, cash is king."
"The paid off home mortgage replaces the BMW as the status symbol of choice."
"Rice and beans, beans and rice."
"Never see the inside of a restaurant unless you work there."
"Live like nobody else now so you can live like nobody else later."
"If it's not in writing it didn't happen."
"If a debt collector is opening his mouth he is lying."

I admit that listening to his show and hearing his advice to callers helps me with some of the financial counseling I do as bishop.

You can check him out at www.daveramsey.com.

Reading books on the go

A year and a half ago I somehow got the idea that I could listen to books on CD or mp3. I think the first book was John Adams, by David McCullough (a fantastic inspirational book, by the way), which I took on a trip to California. I would checkout audio books on CD or mp3 from the library and download them into my mp3 player. It was amazing how quickly I could read/listen to a book. I would listen driving the car, while working in the yard, riding my bike, or just relaxing. It is funny--I associate certain books with doing certain things ("Escape" by Carolyn Jessop reminds me of building a block retaining wall, "Teacher Man" by Frank McCourt of a business trip to Colorado, "Shiloh" by Shelby Foote of demolishing our kitchen, "Hunger Games" of being sick with a bad cold and sleeping downstairs, etc.).

I have "read" more books the past 18 months than any similar period in my life, I'm sure. I read over 30 last year, and 36 so far this year. The vast majority of these have been audio books, and the majority of those non-fiction.

On another post or two I'll have to give some book reviews and recommendations.