Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Garrapata hike challenges half domers

Uncle William and Aunt Margaret put WNMR and Emily through a quite strenuous hike featuring an 1800 foot elevation gain. The views were fantastic, and everybody enjoyed a quick lunch of cheese and crackers near the top. W, as usual occupied himself with geocaching (Bohemian Rhapsody). Copious lizards underfoot and intense concentrations of wildflowers contributed to a generally heightened and impressionistic sense of reality. A quick descent followed, necessitated by a rendezvous deadline with cousin Stella at her junior lifeguard duties.

Aerial view of Garrapata hike

Topo view of same hike (click on photo for larger view). Density of contour lines is intense!

Monday, June 20, 2005

A long way down


Renny relaxes on a rock overlooking a two to three thousand foot vertical drop. W, who does not suffer terribly from fear of heights, was nonetheless only able to look for very short moments at his son on this rock.

Waking up at 4:00 a.m., the family walked from Curry Village to the Happy Isles trailhead at 5:00 a.m. It was still relatively dark as WNMR began the ascent. In the hopes of motivating R and M to get up, W had bought doughnuts for breakfast. M wolfed down three doughnuts, which made him feel quite ill. The day hike to Half Dome is much hyped as a fantastic but strenuous hike featuring a 4000 foot elevation gain. The beginning of the hike features a steep three and a half mile climb to the top of two consecutive waterfalls, Vernal Falls, followed by Nevada Falls. As M struggled to climb towards Vernal Falls, it looked as if the hike might have to be abandoned. He complained of a headache and some nausea. However, he was still climbing faster than N and W. Near the top of Nevada Falls, M finally lost his breakfast. This helped him to feel much better, and he gradually recovered his strength. M and R passed one group of hikers, who described them as "bounding" up the rocks. Meanwhile, W and N trudged slowly but surely upwards. The first part of the hike lived up to its reputation. The waterfalls were tremendously powerful, disgorging a massive snowpack, and soaking WNMR thoroughly with mist. It was still relatively cool due to the early hour.

At the top of Nevada Falls the trail becomes flatter. R found a lizard, which was content to sit on his hat as he carried it ever higher for several miles. When the family turned a corner and Half Dome came into view, R and M were incredulous. They thought that W was surely joking to suggest they were actually going to climb it. But climb it they did. The trail became very steep, with only steps cut into the granite. In the end, there are cables to get to the very top. It was at this point that the lizard was jettisoned. WNMR donned gloves to hold onto the cables (one is not tied to the cables). First N and R went up, followed a few minutes later by M and W.

The cables prevent climbers from falling an extremely long distance. WNMR tried not to look down too much as they climbed it. Finally they were at the top at about 11:30 in the morning.

The family spent an hour napping and lunching on the top. N & R sat unwittingly on a large rock formation called the "Diving Board" because it overhangs a sheer drop off. The wind was extremely strong, gusting to perhaps 40 or 50 mph at times. But nobody blew off.

The descent was long. W felt his feet begin to ache, but after a rest soaking his feet in Nevada Falls, he felt recharged and headed down the Muir trail towards the valley below. NMR returned via the Mist trail. They all met with Grandma Harriet and Grandpa Mark, who had remained down below, for some pizza and beer to celebrate the hike.

Near the summit


Family poses in front of famous Half Dome cables that are used to access top.

On cables


Marcel rests shortly before the summit of Half Dome. Behind him are Nichole and Renny. Far far far below are other people.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Bingo glimpsed in Vienna

Bingo has turned up recently geocaching in Vienna

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Actually, his special "flea hopper" travel bug has landed in Vienna, but Bingo's picture is now world (if you consider Europe "the world") famous, having traveled to Italy, Germany, and Austria in the past year.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Urticaria again!

Nichole has been struck again with a mysterious bout of hives (urticaria is what the doctor calls it, but we all know this just means "hives"). This bout left her so swollen she was unable to grip a steering wheel. Still mysterious is what might have caused it. Since everything causes it (stress, diet, cold, hot), it appears to make no sense to see a doctor, who will be unable to diagnose the cause, and simply charge Nichole to tell her what she already knows.

Saturday, June 04, 2005


No more school until September

Thursday, June 02, 2005

President sighting!

Marcel and Grandpa Mark waved back to an enthusiastically gesticulating President George Bush as he passed by them in a limousine this evening. There was only one other family nearby, so it nearly amounted to an exclusive audience, something that loyal Republicans had just been willing to shell out $2000 a plate for, as Bush had been busy serving his country at taxpayer expense by speaking at a fundraiser for Senator Jim Talent. N and R looked at the decoy limo and missed the President, but thanks to N, Marcel and Grandpa Mark were able to send their greetings. W missed the opportunity as he was out to dinner with Israeli's.