Trekking Part 1

I am writing to you from a 24 hour laundromat. A laundomat opposite the motel we just checked into. We are so living the American dream right now. 

This unexpected bit of connection allows me to update you on life on the road part one. Right now we are tired, hungry, our bodies hurt and we've only been away from civilisation for a week (not quite). 

So what have we been up to I hear you cry? 

Well first we were in Point Reyes for three days. It's just north of San Francisco, right by the ocean, and just a couple of miles trek from where we left the car. That meant it was a bit of a practice-run. We had all our stuff for the couple of miles in and out, and took a day bag for the rest of the time. The day bag was still heavy at the time. We were so innocent then. 

So good things about Point Reyes are: the wild and empty beach, the lack of bears, all the other animals and birds that were EVERYWHERE! Lizards, deer, gofers, kites, and more whales :) we were happy nature spotters.

Bad things about it: teenage boys. School trip season meant they were everywhere. It was pretty tricky to wash, let me tell you. There were no showers so a discreet bowl wash was all we could manage. 

Before we knew it, it was time to move on so off we drove to the Carson Pass Ranger Station to get our permits for our next trek: the Mukelumne Wilderness.

Except we didn't get there that day. Who knew we'd end up caught in traffic on Labor Day Weekend. Not us apparently although I expect any Americans reading this to be rolling their eyes at our naivity. 

So we needed somewhere to sleep and we stopped long enough in Folsom (that of the Johnny Cash song) to see only a shopping centre and get wifi enough to google a campsite.

We found a beauty. Up a Top Gear worthy mountainside road, to a beautiful lakeside spot. 

Only, because of Labor Day (again!) it was completely reserved for a wedding no less. 

It had taken us an hour to get to just from Folsom. We had nowhere else to go so resolved to wait for the staff to leave and sleep in the car.

But we didn't have to sleep in the car after all. We went to the wedding party (the wedding was the following day) and asked their advice in somewhere nearby to sleep. Hint hint. And being the happy and generous gang they were, we were allowed a spot at the back if the site. I felt like Mary and Joseph asking for room at the inn. I think that wedding got some good karma for their kindness. 

That night we saw the Milky Way. 

Leaving the wedding early in the morning to not get in their way we headed for our original destination. The Internet had given us an address in Placerville but when we arrived it was just a house. Hmmm....

3 hours later and we had almost driven in a large circle hunting this place down (damn it Internet...you're supposed to know everything), when we chanced upon a ranger station that issued us permits, gave us directions and assured us we didn't need bear canisters as bears where almost never a problem there. Almost? Is that good enough? We were both nervous every time we fell asleep there in case the smells of avocados and jerky proved too much for a brave bear to resist. 

As you can see we are both still alive and have all our limbs. Hurrah! 

Mukolmne was just stunning. 

The first day we trekked past four lakes, down a mountain side and into the woods by the creek where we set up camp. 

The second day the creek took us through the pine woods and eventually to a sunny spot for a dunk in the creek to wash our hair. We stayed there for a while jumping from rock to rock, enjoying being clean and alone in the huge wilderness. We were so free that day. 

We even had a wilderness poo. The most scenic of our lives. 

Not together. 

That evening we put to use the skills we learnt at Survival School and successfully built and maintained a campfire that lasted hours and warmed our chilly bones. 

Today we had to make it back to the car and it was our hardest day yet. All uphill and overgrown so it was miles and miles of slog. Until you looked up or behind and where once again astonished by the view. 

The worst bit was when the path was ruined by landslide and we couldn't see which way to go. We scrambled precariously up the loose rocks until a sheer cliff face beat us back. We found to right path on the way back from our near death experience and continued...and continued...and continued. I have no photos of the day as I was too exhausted to get my phone out of my bag. 

It took us 7 hours a to walk as many miles but we had some wildlife highlights in a hawk and a yellow-bellied marmot. 

Some advice for your future road trips: 

Never celebrate reaching the top of a mountain until you are definitely on the way down the other side. It only leads to disappointment. 

Always check the map as well relying on TomTom. The place we were looking for was there all along. 

Don't be afraid to ask to crash a wedding. They are in a good mood so it's the perfect time to ask a favour.

Put sun cream on your ears. 

More to come...Yosemite tomorrow.