"The distinguishing mark of true adventures, is that it is often no fun at all while they are actually happening." - Kim Stanley Robinson.

Trip dates: 2007 08 04-07

Longtime friend Don and I had been plotting for some time to take his son Ryan (14 years old) on a backpacking / mountaineering adventure this summer.

We set a date, we decided to go to the Mineral King area of Sequoia NP, Don reserved permits and we were ready to go. As Don and Ryan were planning to visit southern Cal after the backpacking trip, we traveled in separate vehicles.

08/04, Saturday - packed, goodbye to Carol, and off I go, planning to meet Don and Ryan at Cold Springs CG around 4 PM. Oops.

First, there was a huge backup on Hwy 152 because of people stopping to allow oncoming traffic to make a left turn across the highway, thus backing up traffic halfway to the 101. Weekday commuters know better; once one idiot does this on a weekend, everyone thinks they need to yield to the left turn. I'm now a half hour behind already.

Then, passing through Fresno, on a whim I decided to take the "scenic route" to Mineral King which involved a drive through Kings Canyon NP and part of Sequoia NP. Apparently, I'd forgotten that the scenery on the highway in a national park consists either of looking at trees (though I have to admit the giant Sequoias were quite impressive) or the back of some RV whose idiot driver refuses to acknowledge there are 40 cars backed up behind them and all those signs saying "slower traffic must use pullouts" don't apply to them and all those pullouts are invisible and having no manners or sense that other people do exist... - blah blah blah.

...This launches me into a reverie where I'm James Bond driving my Aston-Martin with the surface-to-surface missiles and after giving the idiot three strikes (three missed pullouts) I launch a missile and then all the other drivers and I drive past the smoking crater where the RV used to be and give it the raspberry salute...

And then I find the road construction and wait 20 minutes for the light and the caravan through that.

And then I'm on the Mineral King road and find I missed this on the NPS website: "This 25-mile long road contains 698 curves. Allow 2 hours to reach Mineral King from Highway 198." Yes, it does say 698 curves, and I believe it now, after the fact. What it doesn't say is that it's essentially a one-lane road and one needs to slow down and watch for oncoming traffic at every one of those 698 curves or risk being a hood ornament on some giant truck or SUV.

At the time, I scoff and, putting my foot in it, manage to make the trip in only 110 minutes, so there, it's not really 2 hours, by god. Long story short, I'm 2 and a half hours late and Don yells "Rick! Rick!" at me as I'm driving by his car at the Silver City Mountain Resort thinking "that looks a lot like Don's car...", and we connect. Turns out Don has the permit, but the Cold Springs CG is full and we have to retreat down the road to the Atwell Mill CG for the night.

08/05, Sunday - Up, breakfasted, packed, off to the trailhead, look around at the other vehicles and bet that the marmots won't eat our belts and hoses while we're away. No joke. From the NPS website:

Warning, Marmots!

In the parking areas some marmots feast on car hoses and wires. They can actually disable a vehicle. On several occasions, marmots have not escaped the engine compartment quickly enough and unsuspecting drivers have given them rides to other parts of the parks; several have ridden as far as southern California!

The whole thing sounds ridiculous, but it's true. If you visit Mineral King, especially during the spring, check under you hood before driving away. Let the rangers know whether or not your vehicle has been damaged. And don't forget, marmots also love to feast on boots, backpacks, and other equipment.

Last minute arrangements over, we're off up the trail. Oh, oh, Don is stopping to put moleskin on his heel to prevent blisters.