What do father’s day, a crying girl, Satan and Yosemite all have in common?

I finally understand what it means. “When I was your age. I had to walk to
school in 10 feet of snow uphill both ways.” I will tell my kids one day that I walked up hill both ways in the heat and the snow! You don’t believe me? Well, climb Mt Baldy in June.
The morning began with a gradual incline up a service road, where along the way, ski lift chairs taunted us; “I can get you there in less time. Take me to the top!” But we were able to turn down Satan’s persuasion of an easy way out. When we finally made it to the ski lift hut, we were about ¼ of the way to the top of the elusive Mt. San Antonio. We were hot and tired already, but persevered, and continued along. When we hit the actual trailhead, we had already hiked over 3.5 miles. It was then that I suddenly thought my name was Johnny and I was playing the fiddle in Georgia, because the devil made a bet that he could get to the top of Mt. Baldy before I could, and was willing to bet his shiny hike boots made of gold. But I took his bet, and I know he regrets it, because “I’m the best there’s ever been!” (ok, maybe not, but I couldn’t stray too far from the song) So, the devil lay down on his stomach so I could walk along his backbone, because he was sure I wouldn’t make it (the trail really is called Devil’s Backbone). And that’s when the real work began. Although Satan’ s ski lifts were no longer in sight (we were up too high for them), he continued to taunt us, showing us how close we were to hell by adding more and more heat to the snow-covered trail.
Along the way, my teammates and I relied on each other a great deal. And I kept telling myself “I think I can. I think I can.” I couldn’t help feeling like the little blue engine that helped the toys get over the mountain. The little blue engine hooked herself up to the train full of toys and pulled and tugged slowly as they started up the mountain. This little blue engine had never climbed a mountain before, but she wanted to help the toys out. “I think I can – I think I can – I think I can.” “Up, up, up. Faster and faster and faster…the little engine climbed, until at last they reached the top of the mountain.” As the little blue engine pulled into the city where the children were, the toys exclaimed, “the good little boys and girls in the city will be happy because you helped us, kind, Little Blue Engine.” Obviously the toys in my story are the $7500 we raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In the story, many other trains came by and were asked by the toys for help, but they all had their reasons why they could not help the toys over the mountain, some declaring that they were too good for the toys, that they were more important than the toys and it’s not my job, and another saying “I am so tired. I must rest…I can not. I can not.” But that little blue engine, although unsure of herself, decided to help those in need and attempt to get over the top of that mountain to save the day. And slowly, but surely, she made it! When I finally arrived back at the parking lot beneath the ski lifts and the ominous trail that is the Devil’s Backbone, I recited the final line from The Little Engine that Could, “I thought I could. I thought I could.”
At last, I had comfort in looking at the devil because
“The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat. He laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said: "Devil just come on back if you ever want to try again."I told you once, you son of a gun, I'm the best that's ever been."
And with that, we are off the Half Dome to save Tissayack from her tears. Don’t know the story of Tissayack? She’s the girl who was turned to stone (and became Half Dome) and cried because she’d regretted being turned into stone over an argument with her husband over returning to Mono Lake. She cried and formed Mirror Lake, but you can still see the remnants of her tears streaking down her face if you look at the face of the Dome. Her tears are from sadness and regret.
In honor of Father’s Day, and the age old saying, “When I was your age. I had to walk to school in 10 feet of snow uphill both ways,” on June 20th (Father’s Day 2010) we will join Tissayack in her tears, but our tears will be of joy and pride! And to all the Dads out there, I finally know what it means…uphill both ways in snow” and heat with the devil breathing down my neck, and with people counting on you! I get it! Happy Father’s Day, Dad! Sorry I’ll miss you! I love you!

How To Climb Any Mountain by John Wooden 1910-2010

John Robert Wooden (October 14, 1910 – June 4, 2010) was an American basketball coach. He was a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player (inducted in 1961) and as a coach (inducted in 1973). He was the first person ever enshrined in both categories. Only Lenny Wilkens and Bill Sharman have since been so honored. His ten NCAA national championships in a 12-year period while at UCLA are unmatched by any other college basketball coach.

John Wooden wrote the book on how to succeed not only at basketball, but in life. He was a man who began teaching UCLA students how to play basketball by first teaching them how to put on their shoes and socks (literally) because he believed so deeply in fundamentals. He also believed in having a strong moral foundation to build everything else on in life. To give you an idea of his great character, he has been writing letters to his late wife on the 21st of every month for over 30 years because that was the date she passed away. I didn't know much about him, except for the fact that he coached Karim Abdul Jabar and Bill Walton at UCLA, until recently. He passed away earlier this month at the age of 99. They began airing shows about his life on ESPN which is where I fell in love with his his life lessons and principles. The show I saw featured Wooden alongside one of my all time heroes, Vin Scully (voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers), in a roast style interview. I wanted to see the show to hear Vin talk, but the real presence on the show was John Wooden. I was immediately drawn in to his presence, frail as he was (97 at the time), because he bared the striking resemblance to my late grandfather, but had the wit of my late grandmother. At 99 years of age, he was as sharp as a tac and didn't let the interviewer stump him with any of his witty questions for a second. After listening to him speak, I realized that he didn't have to "think" of an answer because he already had rooted beliefs and principles to base all of his answers on. I found out through watching this show that he created one of the most inspiring tools to success I have ever seen. It is called John Wooden's Pyramid Of Success. From foundation to peak, it defines the character traits that any successful person should have to achieve their goals. It just so happens that his pyramid kind of looks like a mountain, so I thought it fitting to include this as my final message (one that requires a slight bit of looking at) as we all make our way to the Great Yosemite Valley and our final hikes of the season. I hope you will get something out of this and keep it with you somehow as you reach the top of Half Dome, the Falls, or any hike you have chosen. Enjoy, and see you at the top (literally and figuratively)!!!

This may require a bit of magnification or google imaging it. It is worth taking a look at, and just may help give you the extra inspiration you need to reach the finish line!!!

A Send Off Message From My Boy Aesop

A fable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized (given human qualities), and illustrate a moral lesson which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim. –Wikipedia

My boy Aesop wrote one of the great all time fables that I would like to share with my friends; the awesome members of the OCIE Yosemite Hike Team Chapter of TNT. I feel like this is a very appropriate story that needs to be told to send us off on our journey to Yosemite no matter which different hikes we all end up taking on June 19th. We have all had our successes and our struggles throughout this long process of training to be the best long distance hiker that each of us can individually be, and we have ALL put forth our best efforts to get in shape for Yosemite. Without further adieu, here is: "The Hare and the Tortoise" from Aesop's Fables as told by Margaret Clark.

A hare was one day making fun of a tortoise. "You are a slowpoke," he said. You couldn't run if you tried."
"Don't laugh at me," said the tortoise. "I bet that I could beat you in a race."
"Couldn't," replied the hare.
"Could," replied the tortoise.
"All right," said the hare. "I'll race you. But I'll win, even with my eyes shut."
They asked a passing fox to set them off.
"Ready, set, go!" said the fox.
The hare went off at a great pace. He got so far ahead he decided he might as well stop for a rest. Soon he fell fast asleep.
The tortoise came plodding along, never stopping for a moment.
When the hare woke up, he ran as fast as he could to the finish line.
But he was too late-the tortoise had already won the race!

In this story the hare chose to engage with his opponent by calling him names. He called the tortoise a "slowpoke", but in his arrogance, he gassed himself out early in the race and could not continue. Instead of encouraging the seemingly slow tortoise, he decided to boost his own ego by trying to make his opponent feel bad about himself, but in the end it was the hare who made himself look foolish. The tortoise on the other hand showed extreme perseverance and humbly took first place in the race because he had the will to keep going and never give up! Of the two, I hold the utmost respect for the tortoise, and not for getting 1st place! He knew he could do it, but he didn't feel the need to make someone else feel bad as a tactic to win.

Now we all know that as hike team members we are not in a race, as much as it may have felt like at times, and we are not (suppose to be) in competition with one another. Please understand before I say the following that I do not use the term 'tortoise' in any way to imply anyone is slow. I use this term as a reference of respect for anyone who has persevered through all of these challenging hikes and cared about the members of your TEAM, no matter what speed you may hike or if you were physically capable of summiting those peaks or not. I consider myself to be a proud tortoise, and so should you! To all of the tortoises on our team, hold your head high for never giving up and for pushing yourselves as hard as you could (and then some) to climb some of the highest mountains California has to offer (literally and figuratively)! I thank you all for the positivity, support, character, encouragement and respect you have shown your fellow tortoises. Congratulations on keeping this a positive experience for each other and for never losing sight of the reason why we are all doing this, to cure blood cancers.

Update: The tortoise has since joined some of his teammates of tortoises who will be climbing Half Dome even though he did not get picked by his coach to go. He had to pay out of pocket to stay an extra day in Yosemite, but he will have his dignity and pride in tact as he reaches the top of Half Dome one day later than he planned on! He no longer feels the need to hide inside his shell when a rude little name calling hare that can't even finish "races" get picked to climb Half Dome instead of him and the rest of his proud tortoise heram!

God speed (no pun intended) and best of luck to you all in Yosemite!!! WE MADE IT, WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!

Can I get a f*@k yeah?!

Can I get a F*@k yeah?! These were the words spoken by one of our teammates when we finally arrived back at our cars yesterday. We had just finished hiking to the highest peak in Los Angeles County, 10,064 feet high Mt. Baldy. The hike began yesterday morning at ~7:30am, and we made it to the top at 12:30pm. It was 5 hours of grueling pain, labored breathing, and crying. Our hike team split into a couple of distinct groups: the fast group, the middle group, and a few slower folks. I was part of the middle group and I would say it was them who got me up that mountain! No wonder we train as a team. I would have quit 3 miles in if it weren’t for them! But the feeling I had when I reached the peak was like nothing I’d felt before! I practically ran the last 30 feet just to scream “I made it!” From the top, we could see San Gorgonio, San Jacinto, Saddleback Mt., all of the high desert, Mt. Wilson, and even Mt. Whitney. I think my tears earlier in the hike were tears of disbelief that I would be doing something like this. We took the Devil’s Backbone Trail on the way up. The trail is named because it looks like a spine, and it was as hot as hell, so it definitely was named accordingly. On the way down, we took the Baldy Bowl trail. It was much steeper, and had much more snow! We had a few casualties in the snow, as it was slippery, but ultimately, we just wanted to get to the service road ASAP! Three hours and 20 minutes after leaving the top of Baldy, we were back at the cars! As I descended, I was filled with emotions. I was actually somewhat sad that I had to leave this mountain I had conquered. I was happy to go home. I was overwhelmed with leg pain. And I missed my husband, who hiked with the fast group. Someone asked me at one point, “Where’s Phil?” I said, “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in a few hours!” It was a very surreal experience, and one that will most likely be matched by nothing!

10,064', Adjust Your Altitude At Mt. Baldy

10,064 feet = 15% less oxygen = a slight bit of mountain sickness = headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, lathargia and soar freakin' feet!!! Sane people just ride the chair lift, but we hikers laugh at chair lifts!!! Climbing Mt. Baldy (the highest peak in L.A. County) was our last training hike before Yosemite in 2 weeks, so this one was a doozy! When we got to the parking lot at the trailhead in the early morning, we ran into the L.A chapter who was doing their training as well. They informed us that the cables at Half Dome may not be up in time for us to climb the rock, but whatever happens happens and it’s been a fun ride with a great team either way! At times on this hike it felt like we were wildlife videographers trekking through desolate lands in search of elusive animals hunting their prey. It was so desolate and quiet in parts that we were wondering if we were the prey being stalked by cunning mountain cats. We began the hike at around 6000’ and made it to the peak at 10,064’ where the air is so thin (see above) that you begin to feel sick and your steps become much slower as your breathing becomes more labored. We began the hike on a service road that took us all the way to the top of the chairlifts to the ski lodge, all the way the chairs seemed to be taunting us saying “Ha ha, you could have taken a much easier way up”. When we got to the lodge, it was all I could do to not follow the instructions on the signs and adjust my altitude at the bar inside, but I resisted the urge and trekked on. After the lodge we hiked up more service road alongside a second set of chairlifts and more of their evil taunting. We then made it to a ridge called Devil’s Backbone where one false step on either side of the trail could have spelled curtains to an unfortunate hiker. When we got through the ‘Backbone’, we began to see more snow cover on the trail that we had to navigate through. There was so much snow in parts that at one point we saw some back country skiers shoveling a jump down a double black diamond grade slope. At this point we were within sight of the peak, which was like seeing a mountain on top of a mountain that we still had to climb. The grade of the trail is so steep at the peak that the switchbacks turn every few feet once we hit the final ascent to the top. I was the first one to reach the peak at 10:45 a.m. Once we got to the top we were greeted by the sight of other groups of hikers resting in the rock wall wind barriers, dogs cooling off in the snow, and a 360 degree view spanning the High Desert, Inland Empire, and many of the other mountains we had climbed throughout our training. I was in the lead group and we decided to descend the way we came so we could see other hikers from our team on our way down. It was painful seeing the trail frustration on their faces, but we tried to encourage them and boost their spirits as best as we could to help motivate them to the top. I was seriously considering doing a second ascent to be with Stacy from this point forward, but she was in good hands and it could have ended me to try that again in one day. As it turned out, being in one of the lead groups and deciding to double back was a good decision. When I got towards the bottom of the chairlifts, we ran into a guy sitting on some rocks who looked to be on the verge of heat stroke. We were able to hydrate him and get him to his car so he could turn on his A.C. and cool off. It was a good thing for this guy that we have a nurse on our team! When we got to the cars, we hung out on some rocks and kept a lookout for the rest of our team so we could cheer them in. I would have preferred to have changed into my flip-flops and sit in the car and blast the A.C., but my car key privileges were revoked as a result of a certain someone’s trail frustration. I deserved it, and from this point forward, I can’t wait to hike WITH Stacy in Yosemite!

I Love It When A-Team Gets Together!!!

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem...if no one else can help...and if you can find them...maybe you should hire the A-Team!" (cue machine gun fire and theme music)


That was then...this is now! The year is 2010 and there is another team on the run who survive as modern day soldiers of fortune. They are an eclectic band of characters as diverse as Hannibal, Faceman, Murdoc, and B.A. Barakas. Every Saturday there is a new action packed episode about how these renegades risk it all to fight for what's right for people in trouble who need help. If you want a cure...if no one else can help...and if you believe in the power of research...maybe you can support TNT! (cue machine gun fire and theme music)

O.K., so we aren't really escape war criminals from the Vietnam war, we don't have a cool van, we don't wear disguises to hide from Colonel Decker, we don't carry automatic riffles and/or explosive devices, and we don't build armored cars out of ice cream trucks. We do have a fun team that is always on the run trying to help people and have an explosive title (TNT). We have catchy nicknames like EAZY-P, Tator-Tizzle, Love-Kitten, and Doodle. Some of us are crazy, some of us are smooth talkers, some of us are wise leaders, some of us are body-building, gold chain wearing, irritable guys with mohawks (ok, maybe everything but that last one). We have no fear and we all love it when a plan comes together!
On this week's hike, we felt a lot like mercenaries on the run. We hiked Pyramid Peak above Hemet, California via the PCT. The Pacific Crest Trail is a world famous stretch of hiking trail that goes all the way from Mexico to Canada. Being in the middle of nowhere on a trail that could hypothetically lead to your freedom in another country gives a hiker the distinct feeling of being an outlaw fugitive on the run. It took nearly 2 1/2 hours to get to the trail head which made us as irritable as B.A. Barakas being forced to board an airplane. Once we rendezvoused with the rest of our team, we set the plan into action!

Driving through the clouds on the way up the mountain was our first indicator of how high we'd be hiking. When we began the hike, we could instantly feel the difference in altitude in our lungs. We knew we would be breathing harder on this hike as its purpose was to get our bodies use to the altitude we will face in Yosemite. It began at around 5000' and we climbed to about 7000'. The hike was as formulaic as an 80's TV action adventure show, as two hike members got separated from the group and had to match wits and utilize their survival skills to reconvene with the team before lunchtime was over. Once we got back (yes I was one of the ones who hiked too far, er-um, got separated), we had lunch and began the ascent to the peak. When we got to the top, we had a killer view, from a precariously rocky Pyramid Peak, of the surrounding San Jacinto mountains, Coachella valley, and Hemet Lake. It was as windy at the top as being under the roter-wash of a military chopper coming to rescue us (we wish). The rest of the hike was, as they say, all down hill from there.

The gang had a good laugh about their adventure back at the truck (God I wish we had a cool van) once it was all over. I love it when a plan comes together!

Tune in next week for another action packed episode!

If you want a cure...if no one else can help...and if you believe in the power of research...maybe you can support TNT! Go to: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ocie/Yosemit110/TeamLostDogs to help support our mission!

Goonies never say die!

In 1985, an antique map discovered in an attic launches a group of youngsters on a thrilling adventure in pursuit of long-lost treasure, pirates, crooks, and monsters. In 2010, a map on an old bandana given to a member of the team leads a group of team in training hikers on a thrilling adventure in pursuit of a cure for blood cancers. Big Santa Anita Canyon was the 9.5 mile “tunnel” we trekked in our adventure. Although we did not encounter the Fratelli’s, along the way we did face booty traps (“that’s what I said, boobie twaps!”). There were a number of obstacles we faced on Saturday in our hunt for a cure. Our first obstacle was parking. “There’s plenty of parking at the top!” said our fearless leader. He was mistaken, although the joke was on us. We parked adjacent to a mountain side that could theoretically come tumbling down at any moment. Phil had to climb out the window (Dukes of Hazzard style) because he couldn’t open the door. We “hiked” to the trailhead, where we began our 9.5 mile journey, climbing over 2000 feet to Zion Peak. As we trekked alongside a creek, we were enamored with its beauty. That was until we came across Chester Copperpot’s remains (not really, but it was an effigy - a dummy-like representation of a person) near one of the old cabins (like the old, abandoned restaurant that matched the coordinates on One-Eyed Willie’s map). As we continued on maze filled with traps and skeletons (er, effigies), we had to find ways to entertain ourselves, as the uphill climb is always daunting. This week we kept our mind off of the climb by asking “If you could be punctuation, what would you be?” (sounds bad, but at least we weren’t trying to outrun the Fratelli’s).

At one point along our journey, we nearly got caught up on some trip wire booby traps (that could have only been set by One-eyed Willie himself). And just a few moments after avoiding the first set of trip wires (there were a few), we suddenly felt like someone was playing the organ, but missing notes, because it seemed the earth was falling from right under us. Damn, Andy, get the notes right! And when we weren’t almost falling down a cliff, we were dodging swinging machetes (ok, so they were speeding mountain bikers, but they felt like machetes and they could have just as easily ended my life!). The final booby trap was the snakes. None of us encountered a snake this time, but the fear of snakes was alive and well on Saturday. Just when we thought we could take no more, we came around a corner only to see a sight as majestic as One-Eyed Willie’s pirate ship itself…the parking lot! So, the end was near. A skeleton-filled maze, trip wires, machetes, the Earth falling from under us, and the snakes. All this and we keep going week after week! We keep going because we know that out there, it’s our time. It’s our time out there! Goonies were on a quest to save their town; we are on a quest to save lives of cancer patients! And we do it week after week in hopes that our efforts will make a difference. This is our dream, our wish! Maybe Rosalita will find a handful of gems in Mikey’s marble bag (that’s donations in our team’s accounts), so we can all enjoy Yosemite together!