1998 JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS 50 MILER VIEW THROUGH THE EYES AND WRITING OF JENNY, THE EVENT JOURNALIST

Note for the reader:
Major editorial changes are highlighted in italics. Please also note that within the reading material below there are intentional misspellings and odd sentence structures. The sentences are meant to read like a "stream of consciousness." For further examples, see James Joyce's book: ULYSSES.

Day 0-

On the way up Suzi and Laura had wet pants due to the lack of coordination with a water bottle.We are sorduf here! Mmmmm...last night of real food...spaghetti & sauce & bread mmm...mmmm!
The first sight of this beautiful country is breathtaking. (Future reference: allow 10 to 20 minutes for in-ahh-ness).
Friday night... (more future reference) When camping in campgrounds, first notice the surrounding people and their annoyances. Baboons could never do a bo!
Now sleep, as the beginning ends.

Day 1- Post Corral Meadows.....

At lunch break we tried our first attempt at the "backpacker with an attitude picture."
Sitting here in the middle of (Burnt Coral Creek) river/stream thing with eyes closed. I could imaging I'm the only one for miles and miles. You could yell from the shore and never be heard by me. This place would be perfect unless you've experienced the joy of no mosquitos.....mmmm....
Spaghetti again. (I like last night's better.)

Day 2- Rae Lake.....

A mi young love... I have noticed a strange pattern in these days... Get up... hike... (till you think you die)... stop....rest... hike till you die again... then get to your destination. And think gee... if I died this is an ofly (awfully) nice place to be.. And soon you forget the hard hike and enjoy the peacefulness of Rae lake.
The boys went fishing and they caught Edna + Jorge (The parents of Jorge Inchy Forward Jr.. who was given to them one lucky day when a mosquito few in with a new inchling.--Story line created by the scouts for the fish caught by the boys.)
Dinner: Mac & Cheese (not really "Mac & Cheese," really noodles and veggies and white stuff) (good stuff).

Day 3-Devils Punchbowl.....

Here I sit with "the end of the world" on my right and the biggest cliff I ever saw on my left. Wow.....(silence)...
I could never emagine a better place to be...(and if I could, I wouldn't say so). I feel so small. A little ant in the middle of heaven with its eyes wide open, never wanting to shut them as not (sic) to leave this beauty or forget it.)
Heber and Paul caught the brady bunch (couzins of the Forwards (Edna, Jorge, Jorge Jr.)) otherwise known as the dinner bunch...

New song...(To the tune of Brady Bunch)

They all had fins of gold like their mother, the youngest one with spotts.
One day a lady met this fellow and they knew it was much more than a lunch.
And this group would one day form a meal
And thats how they became the dinner bunch...

Day 4- Devil's Punchbowl (Layover Day).....

Ahhh...The relaxing day.
I'm all pumped up for the pass tomorrow, but I really hate to leave this place. Now, the Alpine glow is on the cliffs and the sun just dropped over the "end of the world". There's a small need inside me that wants the security of this place. But the only way to keep it is in memory.
Now that I've hiked to the other side of the lake to where "the world ends"... Oh god... let me die now. I've always felt that (sic) I wanted something...something I never ever had, something to fill a hole deep inside my....sole. I have found it here. the sunset, the water, the cliffs, the country. I found it here. And now I have to leave and find other places. Good night.

PS No more sun dried tomato pasta!

Day 5-Horsehead Lake.....

Arragrh (grunt). What a hike! Got up early, broke camp early, hiked to the top of the pass, golly jeeze, what a view. Ate lunch at the top. never ever seen anything like it. But our sunny peace ended and down the other side we flew. then a few more unnarghsfs (grunts) and here I lay safe inside the mosquito nets.

Highlights-

-made yellow snow
- got sunned muches
-walked through suchshur cupping mud.
-mocca moose pie is good!
-watched mountain turn ping (oooh ahhh)

Day 6-Horsehead Lake to Woodchuck Lake.....

Got 2 sleep a little more today, but we broke camp a little late. On the way to our first big bite of downhill feasting, we stopped at Guest Lake. Good thing we all agreed to not push on to there, cuz the mosquitos thought we were tasty bait. to bad though, its a pretty place. After going down and down and down, some discussing their escape to home (in rather creative and detailed ways, we stopped at a stream. We all went nuts from mosquitos while the aqua socks got put on. The rest...all uphill in one big loud grunt, to Halfmoon lake, but the moon was really full, (oh well).

Dinner:

    Potatoes..good!
    Chile Mac w/ beef...ok
    Black beans w/ rice..ok/good
    Raspberry crumble...good!

Day 7-Woodchuck Lake to Wishon Reservoir.....

Last full day...good...but sad...
We are longing 4 something called um...food!!
Wow, sitting and looking at Woodchuck lake, I realize how much of a priveledge this trip has been. I mean, how many people have seen what we've seen in the past 7 days? How many people could not possibly ever make a hike like this! A lot...
That's kind uf sad to me, because you gain so much. But, maybe that's me. this place really lets the inside of you shine..., really brite! I have come to terms with myself and met ends with myself. It's almost going to be weird going back home.
In the past few (sic) days we've watched the clouds get bigger and bigger. Right now they are casting funny shadows on the lake. They change shape and shades as they move through the sky.