Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Day 2: Initial Mixup Ends in Awesome Hike
Hi guys. I'll post something later when I get home & add some photos from today, but just to get the ball rolling I'll go ahead and post something here. Two biggest highlights of the day for me: 1. golden eagle; 2. golden fries at Sonic. Ha ha. I like that Fortuna Peak hike... it's just enough of a push to make you feel a sense of real accomplishment. Don't forget about the your three things for tomorrow (blog, rain gear, breakfast food).
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Today was MAD RAD!
ReplyDeletehiking alongside my girlfriend/valentine Saigey was a dream come true. And the hand holding was magical. Also that lady that we passed by in the very beginning is a member of the choir at the church I go to and we hugged it out.
HERE'S SOMETHING FUN: haiku pick-up lines !
WOAH there, Tabasco...
you sizzling jalapeno
giving me heartburn.
The hike itself was super nice. I loved being able to hike by that little river. It's kinda cheesy but the sound of the water is super calming and really makes me feel like I'm out and about! Going up the giant mountain is so tiring but once we get to the top it's completely worth it. The view of San Diego from the top of that mountain was awesome and it was nice to just chill out for a while and enjoy the cool breeze.
Walking back down with Kate, Alex, Jessie and Saige was sooo funnnnyyyyy. We were all slipping around & Kate fell on her butt. Once the hike was over i felt so accomplished and so GOOD. I was super exhausted but it was the best kind of exhaustion- the kind that reassures i'll have a good night's sleep.
hahahaha ma lay lay ... Today was also a really great day ...I wouldnt want to hike it with anyone else but my hot valentine malea redding.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, the hike today was up a arduous mountain. However, I enjoyed the treasure that anticipated us at the end of the hike, the beautiful view overlooking San Diego. Sitting on the top of the mountain gave me and overview of how much our city is concrete and man made. So walking back down the mountain i took more of an appreciation to the nature that was in plain sight. The thing that i most enjoyed on our hike today was, like Malea said, the sound of the water fall and river. It's really relaxing and calming, and a joy to listen to while your panting from breath and your trying to go up and down the mountain. Another good part about our hike was the way down with Alex, Malea, Kate and Jessie....its probably the hardest i have laughed in a while ... watching everyone slip and slide and fall down was a good lol. To sum up this blog post ... I LOVE OUR INTERIM <3 today was great .. looking forward to tomorrow
The past two hikes have been more then ideal. Instead of going to school and learning about our classic core classes, we get to move out side the class room and learn about individual's views on nature, as well as find solitude for ourselves. Day One. The Cave. The cave was sick, i really enjoyed the small single trail, semi hidden with bushes and shrubs, on the last little push up to the top. The rocks were very fun to climb on and my adrenaline was def flowin'. The view was very pretty as well, with lots of green hills and things to point out in the distance. Although a pretty mellow hike for day one, it was just the right way to start off the week. Day Two. Initial Mixup ends in Awesome Hike. That basically sums it up in six words. Started off being a very stressful, uneasy morning. I found it odd and frustrating that Mr. D, followed by his group, didn't seem to care one bit that our bus was gone. That was annoying. But I cant say i did not get a chuckle when katie pointed to their flat, close to popping tires, as they drove out of the francis parker parking lot. When we finally figured out the whole bus transportation situation, my mind set was beginning to transfer into hiking, solitude mode. I got my note book out and began writing, and just when i looked up to think, our bus passed a gas station. At that gas station was Mr. D and his group, along with their bus, and flat tires, trying to figure out how to fill them up. revenge. That moment snapped me out of my transfer to solitude but i got back into as best as i could as we were on our way to mission trials. North Fortuna was a really good climb. My thighs were burnin' and heart pumpin'. It felt really good to break a sweat, but also have a light breeze on my back. The view was very pretty, and green. The only part i didn't like very much was seeing the freeway right next to us. When i was able to forget that small component, solitude and I started flirting. I enjoyed the hike up way better then back down. I like exploring new places, so it is kinda a bummer when you have to more or less, go back the same way.
ReplyDeleteAfter reflecting later in the day, I realized how quickly I can escape from a stressful situation. Although the morning started out tough, it ended with a stress-less breeze and a chocolate malt (:
I had so much fun yesterday and today!! I really love being outdoors during the day instead of inside the classroom. I loved going up to the cave and looking out at the view. Although I am afraid of heights, I really enjoyed it and had so much fun with everyone on the hike. Today's hike was amazing; even though the path was steep, it made me feel very accomplished when I reached the top. Although our plans got mixed up I really liked the hike up to the top of the mountain and the trail along the creek. A highlight for me was finding the boxes of letters at the top and reading what other people had written. Alex H. and I even signed it ourselves! The best part of the day, however, was the delicious Sonic Blast I got after the hike, I have wanted one for so long. It was a dream come true. I had such a great time with everyone and many laughs along the way. Thank you Mr. Aiston for pointing out the sonic sign, I will never forget that. I have thoroughly enjoyed this interim class and can't wait for tomorrow and the rest of the week!
ReplyDeleteOK, let it be known that I take umbrage with a certain someone calling Ed Abbey what he ought not be called – even if it was in passing. As such, I think it's time to lob some Abbey knowledge into the collective consciousness of our interim group. Read them slowly and let each drop like a big stone into a deep pool.
ReplyDeleteCare of Ed Abbey:
"Freedom begins between the ears."
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”
“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.”
“Climbing K2 or floating the Grand Canyon in an inner tube; there are some things one would rather have done than do.”
"A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."
"There are some good things to be said about walking. Not many, but some. Walking takes longer, for example, than any other known form of locomotion except crawling. Thus it stretches time and prolongs life. Life is already too short to waste on speed. I have a friend who's always in a hurry; he never gets anywhere. Walking makes the world much bigger and thus more interesting. You have time to observe the details. The utopian technologists foresee a future for us in which distance is annihilated. … To be everywhere at once is to be nowhere forever, if you ask me."
"Water, water, water....There is no shortage of water in the desert but exactly the right amount , a perfect ratio of water to rock, water to sand, insuring that wide free open, generous spacing among plants and animals, homes and towns and cities, which makes the arid West so different from any other part of the nation. There is no lack of water here unless you try to establish a city where no city should be."
"I stand for what I stand on."
THOOMP. Feel free to respond/comment upon any of these.
I agree with Malea about the "super calming" sounds of water bouncing from boulder to boulder and skipping over shallow riffles. I sometimes fail to realize how lucky we are to have a little tucked-away spot like Oak Spring Canyon and the expansive views from atop Fortuna just a ten minute drive from school. Knowing this, even on days when I can’t get away, somehow helps.
I'm proud of all of you for summitting and thankful for a day well-spent.
At the start of the day I was worried that we weren't going to be able to hike because of the bike mix-up. Stupid whale watchers... Anyways, I was happy we went to Mission Trails! I had never been to that part of San Diego and I thought it was very pretty and weather was the perfect temperature. At the beginning of the hike, I couldn't help but notice how many caterpillars there were. I was scared I was going to step on them! I like hiking because you have the option to talk to friends and also ponder alone. The hike was hard at the last stretch and my legs were burning, but the view at the summit was totally worth it! I didn't realize that San Diego had so many mountains. I loved just sitting and staring out at the view. It looked like a painting! Then we headed back down. Malea, Saige, Katie, and I made a chain and it failed. We slipped down the hill and almost fell multiple times. It was hilarious! Getting back to the bus I was so hungry and thirsty and I dreamed of Sonic. When we got the food, it tasted amazing because I was so hungry. When we got back on the bus it seemed that most people were in food comas. It was very quiet and I rested a little. Today was really fun and filled with adventure! I was so tired I took a nap. I am excited for tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteps I'm bringing OJ,milk and cereal :)
Yay! GAWGEOUS landscape! The Mission Trails hike was a spontaneous decision, which made it all the more agreeable. Yes, I hardly remember the specifics of the hike because I was in a delirium from my 500 mg antibiotics. And yes, a great portion of my skin is now sun burnt. But it was all worth it! Everyone hiked at their own pace and everyone was cheerful and encouraging. It was an excellent atmosphere and I promise you, it would have been much harder for Snaily and I to make it to the top without all the supportive encouragement.
ReplyDeleteWe saw hawks and caterpillars!
I shall post the photos at the end of the week.
Things definitely got wilder today. After a short mishap with bus scheduling we bounced back nicely and foraged ahead on the hike through the stream, and dusty rocks to the summit of Mount Fortuna. I think (correct me if I'm wrong but) in Spanish Fortuna means fortune, and in that sense we all were very fortunate to experience the spectacular view of San Diego at the peak of Mt. Fortuna. We were flying high with the Golden Eagles, but right in the middle of a metropolitan area: not something everyone can say they've done. I'm probably never gonna try that hike again in jeans- bad idea... The experience was definitely worth the hike though. As well as the trip to Sonic afterwards was nice for me personally because I've never been to a Sonic. It's interesting to think back and realize that today's events would have never unfolded like they did without the fortuitous bus overbooking.
ReplyDeleteFortuitous! I second that emotion, El Granto! The overbooking sent us on an unanticipated adventure that left me - like Kate - perty dern sunburnt.
ReplyDeleteFinally I figured out how to post stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteToday was, in my opinion, bittersweet. When we found out that Mrs. Kelly took our bus and parked it at Dana Point for a week, it made me feel bad that we couldn't go to Mt. Laguna. Then, we instead ended up hiking around in Mission Trails. I was unprepared for this physically and mentally; I was thinking of hiking in the cold and brought warm clothes, but ended up thinking about how hot, sweaty, and attractive to flies I was and making the best of a black, long-sleeve t-shirt I was, for half the trip, wearing as my only shirt. But, there were some upsides. For example, our being packed into a single bus allowed for bonding, and the stop for lunch at Sonic was good (In-N'-Out is still better). Although I had my heart set on walking in the mountains (possibly in the snow), this quick alternative offered a chance to get to know each other better, instead of going, hiking, and going back. I just don't know what to say about today...
P.S.: Mr. Aiston, your sweet and salty nuts (these: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61e0oKyRtbL.jpg ) were delicious.
Even though the day started out with a mix-up, karma prevailed and they got a flat tire yay! just kidding! but anyways it ended up being an awesome day hiking mission trails. The view was amazing and it felt great to get out into the fresh air and away from the stuff classrooms that we are usually kept in throughout the day. I loved taking pictures of everyone hiking along, and all the caterpillars on the ground were entertaining haha. Even though the last stretch was difficult, getting to the top could not have been more rewarding, and then looking up from the bottom and seeing how far we had really hiked just made the day all the more successful in my mind. I have to say, our stop at sonic on the way home was a perfect end to an awesome day, and we got to gain back all the calories we burned off yay!!
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. amped. I gotta say my legs are pretty sore though... the hiking may be a little much for my chicken legs to handle! What I liked the most was the meditative, in the zone just weird state that your brain goes into after you have gotten tired and its just like keep going. Pretty heavy, but sick. Super excited for the mud tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteYou know...its funny that everyone has to talk about how sore they are. It's funny how that is the first thing that comes to mind for everyone. I wonder if Whitman or Thoreau ever stopped on a wonderful Sunday hike and proclaimed his horrible pain in his lower back because of how hard the hill was to walk up.
ReplyDeleteHaha but seriously it was an epic hike today. I have personally been having a glorious time enjoying the scenery and the bright smiling face of Tim Barry. He's does a particularly spectacular job at making my water disappear. I look forward to a thick haul tomorrow.
"Uh-oh."
"Don't tell me. We're about to go over a huge waterfall."
"Yep."
"Sharp rocks at the bottom?"
"Most likely."
"Bring it."
---The Road to Eldorado (thought it might be appropriate) ;)
Today was a very fufilling day. The first thing I noticed on the hike today was that nature is a powerful force, one much more powerful than any human. For example, I took a candid picture of Malea, Saige, Kate and Alex at the top of the peak. They were so small compared to the vast valley below us and the large mountains in the distance. The girls looked so insignificant. Even right now, we are planning our day around the weather, which shows that we must bow down to nature.
ReplyDeleteBecause we spent more time on the peak today, I got to reflect a little bit more than yesterday. But after a few minutes of reflection, I was lured back into interacting with my fellow classmates. I may just not be taking enough time to reflect, or I may not be taking it seriously enough, but I feel that I can gain more from human interaction than I can from solitude.
For Yesterday:
ReplyDeleteI loved that we started out the week by sitting on the little bluff outside of school and just observing what was in front of us. We walk by that little area everyday, and most of the time we pay no attention to it at all or we wonder why Parker never decided to pitch in the extra cash and landscape it. But it's a pretty good thing that they didn't because that little piece of nature is probably the most organic and original thing at our school; every plant, rock, and ant is in its own, unique place. One of the things that caught my eye while looking into Mission Valley was the golf course- shocking, I know. Anyway, it wasn't the fact that it took up pretty much the whole valley, it was the fact that it was placed next to a mall. At first glance, I thought that they were total contrasts and opposites to one and other because the mall was so grey and covered with concrete and the golf course was so green and covered with plants and little ponds. But when I really looked closely, I saw that there was a fountain in the pond which meant that under all the water were pipes, I saw that the grass was much too green for this time of year, which indicated the use of a sprinkler system and more pipes, and then BAM, I saw that right in the middle of the whole course were trolley tracks. So little by little, the golf course didn't seem that different from the mall anymore. And then I started thinking about the purpose of each place. The mall of course, was created to ease our superficial needs and to support our consumerism culture. So then I figured that the golf course was created to be a place where people could go out into nature and relax and play a little golf before returning to the real world. But there's something wrong with what I just wrote. We should not have to create a place to go into nature; nature should always be there. In actuality, there is nothing natural about a golf course: everything is perfectly planned and designed, the same way the mall is. It's sad that society has come to the point where we have to create nature because we tried so hard to get rid of it so create civilization.
For Today:
One of the things I kept thinking about on the hike today was how little time you spend thinking. Looking back, I can't remember a single thing I thought about today, except things related to 'the moment', like how much farther we had to go, the view, and whether or not there really was a credit card hidden in a metal box at the top of the trail. I think the reason you spend so much time not thinking is because you're using your feet and not your brain. Each step required some sort of decision like whether or not you were going to step on the big rock or the flat one or whether or not you were going to come dangerously close to a caterpillar and risk squishing it or if you were going to go off the trail to avoid it. It was fun watching people make these decisions and the best part was that everyone made their own. No one had to ask their friends for advice or worry whether or not they made the 'right' decision, as you would with any situation requiring a decision at school. Today, everyone just went without any sort of outside pressure and was solely focused on getting to the top, no matter how they got there.
Hands down, today was the best school day I have ever experienced. Despite a few mix ups in the Transportation Department, our trip to Mount Fortuna was still worth it. What a lovely hike indeed. There are three things that come to mind when I recollect on todays hike: Sweat, Blood and Tears and Tots. But as a wise senior once said, "our tears make us stronger." The sheer, never ending incline separated the men from the boys. However, our arrival at the peak of Mount Fortuna was well worth the bloodshed. It seemed as if we were on top of the world gazing out across the magnificent landscape that we call home. There were a few rare bird sightings today including some ravens (which unbeknown est to me are native to San Diego) and a magnificent Golden Eagle. The hike down was much more casual than the ascent. A round of wordie gurdies and a few bouts of the campfire game kept us well amused until we arrived at our pick up destination. And what better way could we have ended our fantastic hike with a trip to the local Sonic Burger. Banana Shakes and Tater Tots constituted the bulk of my meal, and I must admit the Super Sonic Cheeseburger was a wise choice.
ReplyDeleteYesterday was cool, I guess. We started off with a lovely reflection period at the south point and eventually made our way out to Lakeside. A Mr. Lucas Barmeyer made a celebrity appearance, which certainly brightened everyone's day. We faced yet another steep ascent and, again, we overcame. And, as it seems to be the case, the view was well worth the agony. We climbed some rocks, sat on some boulders and called it an afternoon. Lovely.