Adventure Journal 01

This is one of my favorite backcountry explorations - back in early fall 2020 my boy Ollie and I set out into the Sierra for a few days to a secluded destination called Bear Lakes Basin. Nope - no bears there, at least in my travels. This trip gives me very fond memories of calm and quietness. Peaceful - no one around, just a boy and his dog wandering around amongst the Mountains.

There are numerous ways you can get into this area - we went up Pine Creek drainage - just slightly north of Bishop, CA. Hike it early - the climb is not all that enjoyable, exposed and staring at an old mine until you reach the first Lake. We took a break here - off loaded our gear and sprawled out next to the lake together for a little mid day siesta. Then continued climbing up into Granite Park which is Marvelous ;

Then we continued upward to the base of Italy Pass - where we camped for the night near a small tarn lake.

Next Day ; up and over Italy Pass and a little XC over into the main destination for the trip ; Bear Lakes Basin. A very cool place that is plush with soft green grassy ramps, small lakes, fun ‘hallways’ to navigate to the next area. We had hopes to XC over Feather Pass - but weather kept us in the basin for a couple of nights and we enjoyed just cruising around the basin and exploring all the nooks and crannies, enjoying the storms when they came and went.

I think we did 3 nights total on this trip together - it was just our kind of trip. Good Movement in the Mountains, deep breaths, being present with one of my favorite beings on this planet and in this existence. I wanted to write this quick blog about this trip because Ollie boy is getting old! He is 11 years old now and still charging hard - I am very grateful that we can continue having some adventures together and we just finished planning another one which we are going to do this September. Embrace your Dogs! They aren’t with us forever, except in memories, so go make some with your four-legged friend and give them the life that they could only dream of!

Get Mindful

Mindful Movement

Maybe I say it too much, this concept of Mindful Movement - but it’s the best way I can describe the feeling, the moment, when its quiet, all you can hear and feel is your heart thumping away in your chest - deep & full of life - big inhale, pause. . . big exhale. . . a “life sigh’ as I call it.

It’s Truly when I feel most Alive

This moment isn’t exclusive to weightlifting, training in a gym, or during an hour of predetermined exercise. It comes frequently when out playing in the Sierra, during a long trudge up a pass, or scrambling up the next moraine. It comes during a day’s work when hauling material to a from, or playing with the dogs. 

It’s an odd phenomenon - because there is so much resistance at first, when your heart is at rest and comfortable. . . as you begin to exert your inner forces into the physical world, your heart starts to race, maybe you stumble over your first few breaths - and it’s so easy to stop there and not experience those few seconds of discomfort. But I encourage you - stay uncomfortable - just a little longer - because soon you will get on top of the moment, on top of the breath, on top of the movement - you’ll hit full stride, feeling fluid - “like water my friend” - and in that moment - that Mindful Movement is alive. You can feel your body working, breathing, heart thumping, and it feels good. . . not easy necessarily - but it feels good. Damn good.

Embrace it, get it daily - consider it a Daily Minimum - this Mindful Movement, a deep Life Sigh.