On Being Mute

Greetings from Quincy, CA (mile 1289).
In the next few days, Oasis and I will reach the half-way point on the trail between Mexico and Canada which is about 1332 miles. We plan to treat ourselves to a beer at the Drakesbad ranch to celebrate this achievement.
We are currently staying with Spud's (another hiker and friend) relatives in Quincy, CA. Beginning with some wonderful trail magic from Steve in South Lake Tahoe, my mother's visit to Truckee, CA as well as a somewhat unexpected visit from a good friend from college and now a wonderful stay in Quincy (not to mention a visit from Spud's parents in Ashland), Oasis and I feel so lucky and well taken care of along the trail. Our group has now expanded to include Spud and Histogram. Spud, also known as Evan, I actually wrote about in my blog (Certified Geardo). I will admit that Spud was NOT impressed my portrayal of him. Nevertheless, after a mildly awkward encounter where I apologized for comparing him to a character in the Portlandia TV series, we decided that since we both like crosswords, cribbage and food, that perhaps we might make a solid hiking trio. We now consider Spud an integral part of our group. Histogram, who is from the Bay area has also joined us for the time-being and we are enjoying his company.
In my eyes, we've reached a point on the trail where putting one step in front of the other has become such a routine that at times minutes walking seems like hours and an hour can feel, well, alot longer than an hour. As a way to combat this time warp, we have began playing word games on the trail: telling complicated-multipart stories that rhyme, playing contact and imagining certain futuristic world problems and solutions.
A few days ago, I remembered an encounter we had with a hiker who chose to spend the day in silence . His reflections of the experience made me curious, and so, on July 14th (my sister's 22nd birthday), the four of us chose to spend one full 24 hour period in silence. The experience gave me time to reflect and relieve some of the pressure that comes with trying to engage your hiking partners in conversation. Although I had no problem interacting with Spud and Oasis without actually speaking, we did encounter a few day-hikers who seemed quite distraught by our refusal to respond to any questions about the trail. I had made a sign that explained what I was doing but since it was buried in my pocket by the time I had found it, most people had given up on me and hurried angrily hurried away from me, (the pretentious thru-hiker). Furthermore, we also ran into trail magic that day. Some burners (people who attend Burningman) parked their RV by a road and gave us food.
This blog must be cut short...but until I post again in Ashland, Oregon, I leave you with poem by Mary Oliver.

The Summer Day 

Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Passing through the Sierras

Hello Friends, Family and Readers. I apologize for not updating you sooner on the past few weeks of hiking. Between purchasing food and sending resupply boxes, Oasis and I found it challenging to fit in time to update.
Nevertheless, we are still out on the trail and still enjoying our experience! Currently we are spending some time with my mom in Truckee California. Last night we made a giant meal that consisted of primarily vegetables and red meat, both food items missing from our trail diet. It felt so splendid to fall asleep with a stomach full of healthy wholesome food.
The last few hundred miles we have made our way through the High Sierras, passing through what many consider to be the most spectacular section of the PCT and definitely the most physically challenging. What sets the Sierras apart from the rest of the trail are the significant changes in elevation. The 230 miles stretching between Kennedy Meadows in the South and Tuolumne Meadows in the North range from 7,500 ft above sea level to over 13,000 ft at Forester Pass.
During the 2.5 weeks in the Sierras, Oasis and I hiked over more than ten mountain passes. According to the Princeton dictionary a mountain pass is defined as "the location in a range of mountains of a geological formation that is lower than the surrounding peaks".
Our first major pass, Forester Pass, also happens to be the highest point on the PCT. Due to some ominous clouds, Oasis and I decided to cross the pass well before lunch to avoid running into lousy weather on such an exposed section of trail. Fortunately the purple clouds only created a more interesting sky-scape and never turned to a thunder-storm. After cresting the pass (and taking many pictures), we ate lunch at a small and ridiculously clear alpine lake. The surrounding mountains reflected in the lake and the views were spectacular.
Other passes also offered similar moments of inspiration. Oasis and I agreed that Muir Pass was one of our favorites. Although the approach seemed a bit tedious, we were pleasantly surprised by a large, stone hut at the top that seemed appear out of nowhere. As it turns out, the hut was erected in the 1930s in memory of the late naturalist and environmental advocate John Muir. Oasis and I both scrambled up jagged stones for a picture on top. I chose the "Superman" pose (arms and legs stretched out). Coming down from the pass, we encountered a series of alpine. We fell in love with Lake Wanda (apparently named after one of Muir's illegitimate children). We went swimming in Wanda, which was more like a jump in the freezing water followed by desperate attempts to get the heck out because it was so darn frigid.
Each day in the Sierras offered moments if not hours of reflection of inspiration. I was inspired one particular day when Oasis and her friend Zack took me on my first multipitch climb in Yosemite Valley. Over the course of seven or eight hours we climbed Tenaya Peak in Tuolumne Meadows. It was an inspiring climb that left me exhausted yet completely in awe. I hope to continue climbing after the trail.
For those of you who sent me letters in Tuolumne Meadows, I really appreciated it! Emilie, thank-you so much for the Honeybear and mom, thank-you for the wonderful treats and snacks. If you want to send us something we will be in Ashland at the end of July. Please send anything to the following address. If you decide to send something to this address, please let me know (you can send me an email lena.sessions@gmail.com)  so we make sure that we pick it up.

Lena Sessions
General Delivery 
 Ashland, OR 97520

Sending all my love from Truckee, CA. 
Lena