I just had one of the greatest experiences of my entire life. I was sitting in the tavern and I noticed there was a table playing cards that were speaking in sign language. I've always been fascinating by ASL and deaf culture so I just kind of lurked and stared at them for a while. My friend Corey came in and I pointed out the table and we talked about how we wished that we knew enough sign language to talk to them since we've been learning a little bit. Corey signed "we're learning" and one of the guys noticed and we got in a conversation in broken sign language about how we're learning and we introduced ourselves. Turns out only one of the people at the table was deaf (Zac) and the rest were hearing, but his friend (Brett) was fluent in sign language so he interpreted for us. After another round of cards Brett asked us if we wanted to hear a sign language story and we all emphatically said yes, so Zac told us a story about Jerry Rice catching a baby out of a window during a fire in a building in San Francisco (not true but veeerrry funny) and it was so fun to watch his motions and facial expressions as Brett interpreted. He was very cute so I signed "you are cute" and he said "thank you" and then later on he signed "you are pretty" which I think might be the coolest compliment I've ever received just because of the delivery. After a while we all went over to a campfire by the custom camping tents and he told two more stories which were equally awesome and hilarious. Brett started playing a drum and Zac put his hand on it so he could feel it and then started dancing his hand around wildly. Ahhh it was so incredible. Brett told me he has two roommates, one is Zac, who is deaf but grew up in a hearing family, and the other guy is hearing but grew up in a deaf family. He said that roommate learned to talk from saturday morning cartoons so his mannerisms are a little strange and he's very enthusiastic. I thought that was such a cool... cultural nugget? I don't know, just a really interesting concept. I am so bummed they're leaving in the morning but they said they'd come back soon and I hope they do!
Earlier today I went along with Eric and Ryan for some rock climbing so I could serenade them as they monkeyed about on the rocks. I crawled to the top of the rock and wrote a song on my ukulele and every time one of them got to the top I would high five them and they'd climb back down and start all over again. It was quite the songwriting spot- high above the ground in the middle of the forest with trees all around me. Some were dead; cracked in half and filled with holes, leaning against other trees 40 feet above the ground. Others were young and small, some were burnt, many were enormous. I've really been enjoying my new relationship with nature. Living here and learning more about the flora and fauna has changed my perspective a bit, or at least deepened my understanding. I love the feeling of the silky soft obsidian flaky ash from the logs in the fireplace, the scritch-swoosh scritch-swoosh of my fingers on the curled neon moss, the twinkling, ancient patterns of the night sky, the sweet smell of sierra dirt, the play of light on the hetch hetchy reservoir that resembles television static, flowers that smell like grape jelly, trees that are older than my oldest great-aunt, all of it. It's all beautiful.
Went by Mather again yesterday for a short hike. We found a big rock pile with some trees sort of intertwined, and found you can easily sit in the branches of the tree. We dubbed it Sittin' Tree and will hopefully play some music there tomorrow. And yes, it looks out on a beautiful meadow. What doesn't here? We also bushwacked a bit again through moss and dead leaves and fallen trees, and then saw a dead squirrel.
I had my first day of work, too! My boss got stuck in the valley I think so a really nice girl trained me on how to rent out dvds and dvd players to guests, and how to set up s'mores. There wasn't much to do so I tried to get some chords for camp songs. A woman walked by and asked if there was going to be music tonight and the girl training looked at me and said "sometimes staff play music at night?" and the woman looked at me and said "will you be playing?" and i said "yes?" and she said "at what time?" and i said "uhm.. 7:30?" and that was that. I set up the s'mores and the fire and fumbled through a few songs but the guests really seemed to enjoy it, one woman sang along to some John Denver, and when I walked away a man asked me if there was going to be more music or if I was done. I think people don't mind what you play as long as they get to hear a guitar and some singing in the background while they roast marshmallows over a fire on vacation. But it was a good test of the waters, because I have more of a gauge on what the reception of my music playing might be. After work we jammed again, and it was fun as usual.
Today a bunch of us drove to Hetch Hetchy and then hiked along the side of it almost all the way to Wapama Falls. The view from the dam of the Poopenaut valley was stunning, and once we hiked for a bit we got a great view of the reservoir. The water gushes out in two snow-like tusks and lands gleaming in the river below. We sat on a rock high on the edge of the water in front of a small grassy meadow with some fiery yellow and red wildflowers. As we talked and looked out on the water, one of my friends said "This is so much better than TV" and I could not agree more. It really was beautiful. I wasn't expecting much of Hetch Hetchy but I really enjoyed its glittering blue water, wildflowers, and falls.
After the hike I went straight to work, where I learned to CHOP WOOD!!! I had a great time splitting logs and felt like a real mountain woman. I also got some more concrete duties today which feels good. "Dam" I love it here.
Lodgingly,
ET
Today was great. I woke up this morning feeling rested and headed over to lunch. After lunch (and after a quick meeting with my boss who is awesome!) I went exploring/hiking with Kristina, Dan, and Tristan. We went past some untouched meadows with babbling brooks and dappled sunlight by Mather, and then cut across past Birch Lake. We were looking for a path to a lookout point over the valley, but we ended up adventuring and bushwacking our way up the side of the mountain, which was more fun. Once we reached the top we heard a weird sound and followed it, where we found the path and finally reached our viewpoint. As everything here is, it was breathtaking. There below us was a deep craggy valley with the Tuolumne River running through the bottom, sparkling and lined with giant trees. We sat and talked for a while and then headed back to dinner.
After dinner a bunch of us went down to a nearby river where we sat in the fading sunlight and told rowdy stories. I came back and did some watercoloring with Kristina, and then we all hung out in the tavern/restaurant. When Dan got off work it was time for band practice. Our band name is Manzanita Jam. Dan got the idea for the name because one of the chefs went Manzanita blossom picking today. This time of year the Manzanita flowers are sticky and goopy, and if you pick them and brew them into a tea you can turn it into a delicious jam. So Manzanita Jam it is. Our band practice went so well! I play ukulele and sing, and there are two amazing guitar players and two other girls that sing and a guy that plays bongos. We wrote a really epic pirate song (we're the Sky Pirates of Yosemite!!) and another one called "Five O'Clock Shadow" and I finally overcame my fear of jamming! Everyone here is so friendly and supportive and talented. I even felt comfortable enough to jam a bit on the bongos. We sang some Old Crow for a while, and then headed to bed. Tomorrow we're having band practice in a nearby meadow under the light of the moon after we all get off work. We're all lucky to work here.
Lodgingly,
ET
Ohhhhh man. This place is gorgeous. The pictures really don't do it justice at all. After a day in Sacramento we finally made it up the mountain (elevation 4500 feet) to the lodge, right at sunset. The cabins are light stained wood, there are little twinkling lights on all the pathways, the trees are covered in moss, and I saw two shiny brass colored dogs trotting around. The air is fresh pine heaven, and all the guests look refreshed and relaxed (some under the welcoming arms of Bacchus). The lodge reminds me of The Last Homely House.
I settled in and a few of the guys came to my room to ask if I wanted to eat in the restaurant, so we headed over and had a great meal. After we hung out and danced and chatted and I met a bunch of people, including the LOVELIEST girls who are part of the rec staff. Apparently they are building a stage in the forest where from 9-11 I will play camp songs?!? And do puppet shows. It's late. I'm tired. I love it here.
So, tomorrow morning I'm packing my bags and moving to Yosemite. I have the nebulous position of "Evening Activities Coordinator" at a lodge. I am expecting my job will entail lots of s'more making, ping pong tournaments, family-friendly movies, night hikes, and camp songs. My hours are from around sundown to midnight, and I get two days off every week. That leaves me free to swim and hike and bike and explore Yosemite, and I could not be more excited.
Books I'm bringing, many of which I should have read YEARS ago:
The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test- Tom Wolfe
On the Road- Jack Kerouac
Lolita- Vladimir Nabokov
Naked Lunch- William S. Burroughs
Catcher in the Rye- J.D. Salinger
Logicomix- Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos H Papadimitriou
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- Jonathan Safran Foer
American Splendor Anthology- Harvey Pekar
The Grapes of Wrath- John Steinbeck
A Brief History of Time- Steven Hawking
Confessions of a Teenage Deadhead
The Hobbit and The LOTR Trilogy- J.R.R. Tolkien
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest- Ken Kesey
High Fidelity- Nick Hornby
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq- Thomas E. Ricks
The Complete Stories- Flannery O'Connor
A Journal of Ramblings Through The High Sierra of California- Joseph Le Conte
Collected Stories- Carson McCullers
and many many more that I think I'll have shipped to me since I am only packing one bag. I'm an idiot for packing this library, but I'm not going to have a stitch of cell reception, I'm an hour from the closest "town," and I have no car. So, books it is.
I made this blog partly so that I can keep in touch with people who have few ways of contacting me or knowing what's going on in my life, but mostly because I want to keep a log of what this "strange trip" in my life will be like. Expect lots of descriptions of the High Sierra, secret hikes, pictures of dilapidated cabins, funny guest stories, and writing about the Strawberry Music Festival.
Lodgingly,
ET
Cosmic Charlie
