Lassen Volcanic National Park

I had asked him if we should do a city instead of camping but he said since I have got that Annual Pass for National Parks we should utilize it and of course I am not the one to say no. It was Labor Day weekend and Yosemite was packed so I checked around and the images for Lassen Peak looked beautiful. Also, the sulphur springs were appealing because it was different and hence it was decided that we would do Lassen Volcanic National Park for the long weekend.

We started from LA around 3 pm; this was going to be one of our longer trips. It’s in Northern California and a good 8 hr. drive and Abhijeet started driving the first stretch, this is what I remember and it’s been some time now so I can’t recollect more about that drive. We would have switched at gas stations; we would have talked on this or that, listened to songs. I would remember Marcia from work who is married for 20 years now complaining how frustrating it is driving with your spouse for long hours and Hetal agreeing to it. I remember telling him that I don’t know what will happen 6 years from now but I kind of enjoy our long drives together. It was late and dark by the time we crossed Redding, and it’s the darkness which had registered for this stretch of road. And the fact that for that stretch of 2 hours, rarely a car or two passed us. And I couldn’t shrug of that feeling of going in-in-in deeper and deeper into the forest. He’d snap at me because I’d have closed the google maps and then we lost network. But the map ran from cache, so we were good and he did have a point. We passed Summit Lake North Campground; and we knew we were nearby. This time I had reserved the campground earlier for one night and so we managed to reach Summit Lake South Campground after a while. It took us two rounds to figure out where our site was because it was pitch black. As we parked and got out the cold stuck us, and it stuck us with ferocity. We got inside the car, put layers on and got about the business of pitching the tent. I had the air mattress, one sleeping bag and one blanket. Earlier while packing he had asked me to take a second blanket and I had rebuked him saying but this was California and it was still hot in LA, and I was pretty sure we’d manage with one blanket. I’d come to regret this lot. Thankfully we had jackets and gloves and socks so somehow we managed to get everything inside the tent. We had packed biryani earlier for dinner and we’d eat that shivering inside blankets in our tent. I had also forgotten to pack spoons or rather we could only find one and I guess we shared or ate using hands. We ate half and stored the rest in the cooler that we had borrowed from my roomies. More reluctantly we’d go and search for the washroom in that cold dark night and with some difficulty we’d find the pit toilets. There was only one good thing and I know it doesn’t make up for everything but it screams a mention. The night sky looked like a dome and there were a million stars and we’d both remark on this. I have encountered starry nights earlier but this somehow surpassed it all, like there was this one moment of pure awe when you realize that you are so small in this immense vastness and you offer a quick gratitude just for being there and witnessing it. A moment was all there was, it was way too cold to linger.

We had the site only for the night so we woke up the next day and looked around, fortunately one couple was leaving and they called us in and we took that. It was a good site and a good campground too, there were pine trees and a lake nearby; unfortunately we didn’t spend any time in there. We finished pitching and then we left for the Manzanita Lake Visitor’s center. We collected maps and headed for our first stop - Subway Cave. It was almost lunch when we started from here and we were hungry. But we didn’t want to lose time and we still had last night’s leftovers. So, I drove and Abhijeet had his lunch in car and then while returning he drove and I ate my lunch. It worked out nicely I would say. Subway cave was a lava tube formed during one of the volcanic eruptions of past. The lava on top, exposed to the air, cooled and formed a hard cap while molten lava continued to flow beneath.  Eventually, the molten lava drained away but the hollow tubes remained. It was kind of cool, as we descended into the dark with rough and uneven floor. As we hiked further it became completely dark which was kind of spooky but again really cool. We stepped out the other side after a short hike, shot some pictures and then started for our next stop.

It took us almost 2 hrs to reach Lassen Peak Trailhead and we were out of water so we had to go till the Kohm Yah-maa-nee Visitor Centre to get water. It was already 4 pm, I enquired at the Visitor Centre and he said we could still do the Lassen Peak. So, we reached the trailhead and started our ascent. And I can tell you we were tired after taking 20 steps but for some or other reason we decided to continue. We kept telling each other that we’ll go as far as we can and then we’ll return. I can’t deny that it was picturesque with spectacular views. We stopped for clicks; there was this one black and white bird that we chased to capture in a click for a while. But the high altitude with steep ascent made this trail difficult. We stopped a lot and I definitely slowed Abhijeet down but he was kind of okay about it, and it’s one of his good traits - he doesn’t make you feel guilty or he doesn’t rush you. And I’m not saying this because he is my boyfriend, he would be the same with anyone. He walks according to your pace, so we stopped every 10 minutes or so I should say. People were returning and they would remark that it’s really cold at the top. One of them remarked that I would appreciate my layers in a bit. It got colder as we ascended and the road became tough. We were on the verge of giving up at so many points that day and then we’d say a little more and go on. We had decided we would hike till it was 6 or 6:30 and then return. It was more difficult for me, I’d sigh with each step I had to take… but a part of me wanted to do it. Also we had come so far so we didn’t want to leave it mid-way. When we were half way through, we could see the snow on the mountain sides. It wasn’t just the height; hiking on the windward side hindered our progress too. Sun was going down and we couldn’t have afforded to go slow or take more stops on route. There were two peaks and from one milestone the highest one still looked way far and impossible to reach and so after some 2.2 miles I stopped. I was out of breath, the cold was getting to me and I wasn’t able to go any further so I asked him to continue alone. It took some persuading and a lot of reassurance on my end that I would wait there and then he started. After climbing some more he shouted down to me that it was just 0.2 miles more and egged me to come on up. It was just there, and so I reached the peak. It was freezing on the top but we had reached just in time for sunset and it was beautiful, there was snow around us. There were these two Chinese photographers who were the only other people there apart from us. It was a sight to behold. I took my bulky sweatshirt out so I could get a good picture taken amidst Abhijeet’s protests that I’d get hypothermia. We spend 10-15 minutes and it was really cold and unconducive and of course Abhijeet was shouting at me to leave. He wasn’t wrong; as we started our descent I realized I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. And the slightest twinge of fear entered my head as to what if he was really right about the hypothermia thingy. Initially we had shared a glove each but it wasn’t helping anyone and since I had more layers of clothing than him I gave him the gloves. The jacket pockets weren’t helping and my fingers were going numb so I put my palm inside my shirt, on my lower abdomen and there it stayed. It took a while but my body heat took care of it I guess, and as we got down the temperature was bearable and I could feel my fingers again. It was still a long way downhill and by now darkness had set in. We didn’t take many stops while getting down but man it did seem like it would never end. We had a flashlight and we just kept walking, cursing ourselves as to why did we ever start on this insane hike - it had literally become a night hike by now. He’d ask me every now and then to tread carefully lest I tripped but I just assured him that I was doing fine. And then I did trip and I was more worried that he’d shout at me rather than think about how injured I was. It was a bad scratch which we’d find later but it was okay. He didn’t scold or shout at me, he was a little concerned. After what felt like forever we finally managed to reach the trailhead. We were cold and hungry and our bodies were aching all over.

We discussed and drove till Manzanita Lake campground hoping we might be able to get something to eat. It was past 9 pm by now and by the time we reached the food courts were closed. The shower however was open and it looked inviting. After a hot shower it did feel a little better and we drove back to our campground. I don’t remember if we made a fire the second day, it was way too cold and we were tired. We munched on chips and fruits or something and we went to sleep.

We woke up the next morning and it kind of started on a good note. But there was still cold and previous day’s exhaustion to be dealt with. We packed up and while leaving I realized we never roamed around the campsite or took pictures, there was a beautiful lake nearby and there’d have been other things. That’s a teeny tiny regret, like I said I wish we were better weather proofed. We first went to the Kohm Yah-maa-nee Visitor Centre for a hearty breakfast and a much needed cup of coffee. We saw some blue jays just by our car and it made me happy, I now like to think of them as our birds.

The agenda for today was Bumpass Hell and we started walking from near Lake Helen trailhead. Along the way the trail leads to stunning panoramas, and now and then I’d tell Abhijeet to look at something or other. He wasn’t in his best of moods that morning, or at least that’s what I assumed. Consequently I sulked part of the way, but I couldn’t keep up with the sulking when the surroundings are so beautiful. I do remember that he had snapped at me for something or other and I would walk behind him and let distance or passersby come in between us. But it was short-lived, he’d wait and I’d go join him, deciding that it’s not worth it. What with the ever changing vistas of dense woodlands, and meadows covered with wildflowers- it was difficult to stay miffed for long. Soon, we reached the end of the ridge and descended into the trail for Bumpass Hell. The smell of hydrogen sulfide filled the air and we started on the wooden boardwalks that traversed the hot-pools. It was really cool, seeing geo thermal action in nature. The pools were greyish blue in color here, and slightly greenish (a distinct turquoise) elsewhere, and they were bubbling with smoke coming out from it. There were mud pots and fumaroles and hot springs, the surrounding rocks were colored yellow, red and brown by the elements. It was colorful and different and cool like nature’s own chemistry laboratory. We spent some time taking pictures, reading about the various geothermal features before starting on our way back. I remember seeing chipmunks, overheard a kid naming them chip or dale. We met other trekkers on our way back; one of them was dressed as tigger - the character from Winnie the Pooh. The sun was going up and as the warmth seeped in, so did our countenance. The return hike was more enjoyable and accompanied with jests and good-humored banter. We stopped by Lake Helen too and I dipped my legs in the cold water, took some more pictures with the blue lake and the volcanic mountain in the background.

Next we stopped at the King’s Creek Picnic area- the sole purpose here was taking pictures. It is a large flat meadow with a meandering creek. From the Upper Kings Creek meadow one could see the evergreens at a distance with the Lassen Peak towering over it. There were butterflies, small birds, lush green grass and lupines blooming in the flat grassland. We spent some quality time here, taking shots from different angle, enjoying the tranquil landscape. Abhijeet finally took his sweatshirt off and posed; he also crossed the creek and went to the other side for more pictures. Suffice it to say we had a good time here. Our last stop for the day was at the Devastated Area. It was just a 0.5 mile loop which had interpretive exhibits with audio description. A quick stop and we started for our way home.

We had a long 8 hr. drive ahead of us. At around 3 or 4 pm we stopped at a Panda Hut for lunch, abhijeet reminded me now while I was penning this down that he nearly hit someone, only that he didn’t but it was a close call. Anyways, we made it to Northridge by 10 or 10:30 pm and all in all it wasn’t a bad trip. I’ll agree that we weren’t as prepared and it was somewhat more arduous than our other trips. But in retrospect we can always say that we climbed atop an active volcano, saw geothermal hot springs and made it home in one piece. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon

[Have used second and third person interchangeably, happened while writing…and I’m not changing it. The reason is not laziness, just the way I want to keep it]

The smallest details will escape over time and yet they are the ones which matter, at least to me. Hence this memory demands to be poured into this pensieve of mine to be retrieved later. Below is an account of my trip to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park over the Memorial Day weekend of 2016. And it’s going to be a long, long post.

I had taken a leave for Friday and had planned to start latest by 1 pm, but of course when has anything gone according to the plan. I hadn’t reserved a camping site for us. I had checked the wrong website which said that July 4^th weekend was busy and for late spring they had campsites on fcfs basis. By the time we realized and called up all were booked. Abhijeet was working from home and he was stuck in some urgent issue. He was still working, it was already 2 pm and I offered to go and get the gas filled. I returned and then he told me maybe we should travel tomorrow morning. I took a deep breath and said okay but I guess my eyes betrayed or the facial expressions did and he saw it and he said, “No, we are going”. He wrapped it up in another 15 minutes and we started around 3 pm. I was driving the first stretch, and after getting stuck in LA traffic we managed to get out of the city. I don’t remember the songs; this is what happens when you postpone writing down.

The terrain was different than what either of us had come across, like it had contrasting features with the ocean and mountains making way for valleys and plains. And it was continuously changing, like driving the country roads in Midwest had a different feel and this was something altogether different, as if this was wider, bigger and right now I’m really wishing I could articulate it better. I do remember getting onto Highway 180 and there was this stretch of roads flanked on both sides by Orange trees. It was a sight, and I remember thinking that despite there being drought since last 3 years, Southern California was still a very fertile place. That’s almost the first thing that struck me when I moved here from Milwaukee. I have come across myriad varieties of flora and fauna, like I’ve seen hummingbirds and pelicans and those cute little prairie dogs. We switched places after a while and then Abhijeet drove, it was still sunny when we entered Three Rivers. Right now I am searching for synonyms of beautiful; and since I can’t come up with anything better let’s go with picturesque for now. We didn’t stop, we wanted to but we were getting late and so we decided we’ll stop while returning. Thinking of it now, we never returned back that way. Abhijeet was remembering the hotels and inns nearby, lest we weren’t able to get a campsite. I was adamant and I said that there’s no way I’m staying indoors and I remember him telling me, “jyada attitude mat dikhao, nahi milega toh kya karenge”. I gave him the silent treatment for a while and then he’d have said something funny or the surroundings were so pretty that it rendered one impossible to hold a grudge.

Camping:

We stopped by the foothills near the trailhead of Sequoia National Park and I bought an Annual Pass. On enquiring with the ranger she said that every campground in the foothills area were full. We were a little disheartened on hearing this as the light was diminishing. We stopped near the Foothills visitor Centre but it was closed, so we continued straight ahead. Just a little farther down the road was the Potwisha campground; it had a sign outside saying FULL, I guess we thought we’ll just take a look around or maybe ask someone which is why we entered and drove. We took a round, there were a lot of people and most of the campsites were full. We were going to exit but then we stopped to look at the fliers or notices. And then it caught our attention, that the sites with a green card on them were available to camp only for one night. So, I guess we were just lucky. We found one site and we paid the daily rate and parked our car. It was a good site too, as the restrooms were close and we weren’t exactly adjacent to other sites so it offered us a sense of privacy.

Abhijeet wanted to set the tent up before it got dark, so we started working on that. I had bought a Meramac 4 person tent last month and this was our first time trying it out. After stumbling a little, with the connecter of one of the poles breaking, we managed to put it up. There were bugs and we were both sort of tired too I guess. After setting up tent, the next job was making a fire. We hadn’t bought firewood along because a lot of National Parks do not allow firewood from outside for fear of infestation. It was dark by now, and along with a flashlight we started out to search for dry wood. We met a ranger who was giving a talk on bears and enquired a bit on firewood. She said what we already knew that we just have to use what’s in here for burning. By now I know that we need three things to start a campfire- tinder, kindling and fuelwood. Tinder was already taken care of, we had Vaseline and cotton and lighter etc. which would do. We collected twigs, short sticks and dry leaves which would serve as kindling, finding fuel wood now proved to be a challenge. Also, it’d have been much easier if there was light. We found a dead fallen tree but we didn’t have an axe or anything to cut the branches. And we tried, using a pointed stone as a lever, trying to put pressure hoping we could break some part of it, but to no avail. We gave up, collected as much kindle as we could gather and left. I had bruises on my palms, and we were both exhausted.

This is what was going inside my head, as to how much he would have liked someplace a little more comfortable, or some girl who didn’t drag him into searching for firewood in the forest. We have similarities and differences and sometimes I wonder if I’m not a little too coarse or uncouth (can’t find a better word, apposite phrase that comes to my mind right now would be “junglee”) for his taste. There was another dead tree just near our site which we had considered as too heavy even for both of us and looked impossible without chopping it off. As a last attempt we managed to drag this particular one till the fire ring. It was more like a long piece of log 6-7 feet in length and a and 8-10 inches in diameter, it had one thick branch protruding outside and another small one on the other side. We did make a fire, after struggling for a while we realized that paper towel was an excellent piece of kindling. We had a good fire in a short while and then we sat down to drink our warm Tecate, we didn’t cook anything that night; we ate chips and cherries and some leftover cake from road. And since it was bothering me (go back to how this paragraph started), I asked him if he was a little taller would he still have gone for me or something like that. Then I also asked him to give an honest answer. And he said, if I was taller I don’t think I’d have been single. He also said that then he got to know me and fell in love with me so it doesn’t matter. I didn’t prod him, but I know I hadn’t let it go then. There were fewer stars and we talked about our earlier camping trips, memories to be relived. I think we took a short tour of the campground before retiring into the tent. We put out the fire as best as we could and went inside. It was an almost perfect setting: the stars above, the sound of gushing river and the one person I wanted with me; thinking back now I wouldn’t trade this setting for anything more or less. You would say, “We have been blessed by the stars”, the context and remark muted out.

(I pinged Abhijeet on Gmail to ask him the dimensions of the log and his version if he ever narrates this to his grandkids: “6-9 inches, Rough edges, Crawling with insects, We painfully removed each insect to save their life, Before we set fire, With our bare hands, Using Rocks” and when I reminded him that he almost killed a spider he said “It was suicidal, I just wanted to help”. And I’m putting this down because when I read this post at 60, I’ll remember and it’ll give me yet another reason to smile.)

I woke up in the middle of the night to the roaring fire which had again started, the embers fuelled by the wind. And then I woke him up and he got up, put out the fire and it was then in the middle of the night that I realized that it doesn’t matter, that I loved him and not just because I knew that I could always wake him up in the middle of night and he wouldn’t complain. I just couldn’t hold anything against him at that moment. And, so I woke up to a happy morning, would laze around in that deflated air mattress (because we didn’t have the right set of batteries for the inflator pump to work) for an extra half hour before getting up. The site was one of the fcfs site and had to be renewed every day. And we decided we’ll come back to the same site, so we paid for another day, left the tent as it was and started for the day’s adventure.

Sequoia National Park:

Abhijeet drove the way up on CA 198, the ascent from the Kaweah River canyon to the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park; this portion of CA 198 is known as Generals Highway and it snakes its way through hairpin bends and steep grades till an elevation of 3700 feet. We stopped midway at the viewpoint for the first glimpse of the High Sierras and then continued ahead. It was a beautiful day and the road was flanked with rows of trees of different heights and with reddish brown trunks that looked stunning against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. There was no network so we couldn’t play songs on Saavn app and I was mumbling some song and he told me the perfect song for this setting would have been “chala jaata hoon” and then we started humming that. We saw the first huge trees here along our way. The speed limit on those winding roads was 20 and it took us some time before we reached the Giant forest area. We explored the Big Trees Trail which had the concentration of massive Sequoias, including the General Sherman, which is the oldest living tree. The forest had trails with dozens of sequoias and other scenic features like meadows, streams and fallen logs. We passed by a family where one was in a wheelchair and it was kind of reassuring to see them as a whole group enjoying the trail. There was another old couple and the lady asked us if we wanted a picture together. And then she told us that her father who had passed away was a photographer and this was her small way of paying her respects to him. And these are those random nameless acts of kindness that keeps you going, makes you smile in acknowledgement. There were a lot of people that day; it was a holiday weekend after all. I remember this Asian father who was carrying his child on his shoulders, it was almost like a chair and I’m sure that kid had the best time there. There were other cranky children, with parents coaxing them on their way up. And so on.

Our next stop was to be Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow. The Ranger outside Giant Forest advised us to leave our car parked there and take one of the free shuttles. So, we took the bus which stopped first at the Visitor Centre and then took us to Moro Rock. It was overcast already and by the time we reached Moro Rock, it had started raining a little. Moro Rock is a granite dome rock formation and there are some 400 odd steps to reach the top. It was one of those rewarding hikes, any side you turn on your way up while stopping for a breath and you see images that will stay with you. The rain added an additional element of precariousness to the hike, with Abhijeet reminding me every now and then to tread carefully. It would stop by the time we reached the top and the vista above was something to behold. The snow-capped Sierras far ahead, canyons carved by the Kaweah River on one side, the long stretch of General Highway that one can see extending far into the Valley. It always feels unbelievable that I find myself here, that this part of my life is like from a book or movie where all the interesting things happen. And I offer a silent prayer for I realize that I’m blessed to see Nature in its best attires, and this time here is all the more precious because I had him with me. I don’t know how else to put it. We walked down and took the next bus to Crescent meadow. We passed by the Tunnel Log and the driver asked if anybody wanted to get down and I shouted yes. It was a tree carved into a tunnel which let vehicles pass, more like a photo-shoot area. And of course I had to get down. We took a few pictures, climbed across the fallen tree, had fun I’d say and then took the next bus to Crescent Meadow. There wasn’t much, there was a meadow which looked pretty from a certain angle. We had some time to kill, so we started on one of the trails. It went into a forest with all sorts of huge trees, more sequoias, redwoods and others I can’t name. And there weren’t a lot of people, it was just the two of us, and so we walked holding hands, not talking too much, just taking it all in. And this part of walk was one of my favorites; there was a sense of calm and contentment, just walking through it. We saw a deer and some birds. We saw trees with their roots splayed, trees burnt by lightning or wildfires in strange ways, the stump of some tree hollowed by fire, black streaks on red trunks, moss covered trees, weird fungi here and there. I’ll remember the sunlight passing in through the trees, and the silence, and the company, like everything was in harmony during that walk.

We were exhausted after the Crescent Meadow loop, we went back to the Giant Forest parking to pick our car up and we decided we’d go to the nearby Lodgepole village to find something to eat. It had started raining again, and while we were driving a deer crossed right across the road, thankfully we were going slowly but it was frightening and it’s one of the things you remember. We stopped at the Lodgepole Visitors Centre, and it had public showers and food and everything. So, we had a very late lunch and then a much needed shower. I remember that you had to wait for some time before I came out of the shower and you were irritated. And then I told you there was a line and maybe (?) you realized that you got angry over nothing. Anyways, we bought firewood (we were too tired to scramble for fuel). And we bought one of those Swiss knife types which you’d name “bear repellant”. And refreshed after the shower we’d take the long drive back to the foothills to Potwisha. There was still light when we reached the campground, we took a stroll which was a nice idea since we got a chance to walk along the stream. And then we huddled back near the fire, roasted corn and drank beer, talked some and then lay to rest what had been an eventful day.

Kings Canyon National Park:

We started the day packing everything up, putting it back in my car. The front doors of my car were open and a squirrel got in, and I missed it. This had to be noted down, I can still imagine it so perfectly that I’m not sure I should put it as ‘missed’. We were back on the road soon after. And for this part I can say that the journey surpassed the destination. We drove past Sequoia and Giant Forest to arrive at Grant Grove village where we filled gas. Our first stop of the day was the Panoramic Point, a short drive and a shorter hike to the viewpoint which was so aptly named. The whole vista was stunning: before us stretched the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada Range, Hume Lake cradled in between the valleys amidst all those trees along ridges. The trips best pictures are undoubtedly from this point, but it was more than just pictures. It was a sight to behold, as if one is transported onto some plane, that the same earth we inhabit with it’s never ending pollution and cacophony of vehicles could be so pristine. One has to see it and be there to believe it.

After lingering a while we started towards our destination which was Cedar Grove. I was still driving this part and our next stop on the route was Hume Lake, we had just passed it and then we returned. It was a meandering road down till the lake, and full of tourists. The Hume Lake Christian Camp was just by the lake. There wasn’t anything unique about this place, we had our lunch here. Maybe it was the crowd which was irritating; otherwise the lake in itself would have been a nice place to spend some more time. The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway or Highway 180 begins near Hume Lake Ranger Station. I have had some experience with Road trips by now but this one was surely one of the best, especially with respect to the spectacular surroundings. It was a 50-60 mile descent into the canyons, and the first thing that hits you is the grandeur of the walls of this canyon. We switched seats and I was free to awe at those huge granite walls which appeared to close in on us. It was a difficult drive; one had to tread really carefully but the views more than made up for it. It was a strange sight to behold with burnt trees spaced out and spread across stretches. As if Nature has once again let it’s imagination run wild in painting this part. And I was just taking it all, drawing his attention to some wall here and some tree there.      

 The drive just kept getting better as we progressed. Soon enough we came to the stretch of roads with the roaring Kings River to our side and this was one of my favorite stretches. I lowered down the windows so that I could listen to the sound of gushing water. It was the late spring snowmelt which fed these and it was an appealing sight. We envied the backcountry campers by the roadside along the river who had put up tents. This part also reminded me of the Aut-Mandi valley road, the one past Beas River in Himachal in India. Just that now as opposed to then I was in a much happier state of mind, partly owing to the company. We reached Cedar Grove village and enquired at the Ranger station for things to check. From the Ranger station we went to Roaring River Falls. I can say this there is something about plush waterfalls that triggers the happiness button inside me. We walked amidst shady trees to reach to the mouth of the falls. It was gushing with full force and I almost wanted to wet my feet in it, but the force was too much and of course Abhijeet wouldn’t let me, he wouldn’t even let me get near it. I still managed to coax him into climbing onto nearby rocks to take pictures, to just sit for a while. Maybe it’s the energy that the water exudes, there’s an undeniable allure in it. I wouldn’t say I had my fill here, so he had to drag a reluctant me to our next stop. We were getting late. There were a few Indians at this place and there were kids, and he would stop me citing PDA in front of kids as a concern and I lectured him on how there’s nothing wrong if kids are audience to harmless displays of affection, rather it fosters love. To which he would give the irrational argument of would I then concede to a quickie behind the tree, like who cares about the kids or other people watching. Ike I said ‘irrational’ argument. But I guess it’s these playful banters which keeps me cheerful.

We finally reached Zumwalt Meadows which was our final destination. The loop path started at the parking area and took us over a suspension bridge opening into a dirt trail. There were a number of sandy spots and pebble beach by the riverside where we could see families with kids wading in. We walked alongside the river and entered a patch of meadow area with tall grasses. The light was almost perfect, there was a wooden platform across which allowed unimpeded views with the river and meadow in the foreground and the rim of Kings Canyon high up.

The trail then passed through woods and we didn’t see any animals but we saw some Robins and black birds. He didn’t take a picture of them, saying they are like “preema and abhijeet of the bird world” and I retorted to what was wrong with preema and abhijeet because I happen to like them. There was a fork half way and a path lead to Road’s end and we took that trail. It was longer through stretches of grassy meadows, pine trees and short boulders. We were walking through the pine trees alongside the river when we spotted the Blue Jay, and the bird wasn’t at all frightened. Abhijeet was clicking as she hopped from one branch to another and then to our surprise she came down, like almost posing for pictures. She danced around and we took shots. He would later make a remark “if only it was a little more beautiful”, and that was it. I didn’t give him a break after that, like how he wasn’t contented even after she came down and posed for her.  I almost equated the bird with myself and I’d pull his leg all along the way, it was fun one could say.

The trail was interesting, to one side we had the Grand Sentinel which justifies the name and we could see views of the North Dome. We saw a rock formation which we almost mistook as a bear; it was shaped in such a way. We crossed another river on our way and we finally reached Road’s End. It was a trailhead and as the name suggests it designated the eastern terminus of Highway 180. The only way to explore any further than this was by foot. Anyways this was our last stop. We were almost tired when we realized that there was only one way back to Zumwalt Meadows parking lot where we had parked, that the trail hadn’t looped us back into our starting point. It was almost a 2 mile hike back. We contemplated for a while if we should ask someone to drop us there because a lot of smart people had driven till here unlike us. But when it comes to asking people I guess we are both shy and uncomfortable so we just swallowed our lot and traced the path back. It was end of a long day and we had a long drive back to LA. It was okay though I guess, like we don’t complain that much and in a way it’s not fair. In retrospect, I should say what’s another mile or two when you have just witnessed Nature at such sheer magnificence?

Abhijeet would drive us back till we crossed and left Sequoia and Highway 180 behind us, we wanted to stop at an overlook and I remember my car skid when he braked. It was frightening, even though there wasn’t anyone on the road, we could easily have hit a tree or the wall of roadside. He thought it was a lucky save, and it dampened his spirits a little. And so I drove us back after that, he had anyways covered the difficult terrains. Soon we got into the freeway as the last light of sun was leaving us. Nothing noteworthy across this stretch, it was returning home, you’d call your father to wish him a birthday and it made you happy that your mother and brother had planned it. Small things to jot down.

As I was writing this down, I think I want to go back to Kings Canyon and explore it more. Go beyond Road’s End to Paradise Valley and the Bubba Falls, camp beside the river. Like if feels incomplete, so I am not sure if I’ll get a chance to go there again. But I know this already that it will hold a very special place in my heart.

PS: Now I can say I have walked with you till Road’s End and back *wink*

Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior

Because we lost the photos and videos. Because I’m not sure if I’ll ever visit that place again. Because sometimes the smallest of things or especially the small things deserve a mention. I had some free time and I wanted to travel again before winter really set in. We were talking over lunch one day and Northern Lights popped up and it was in my bucket list, though I didn’t realize we can see it from here. So, I searched and the chances were slim but Marquette, MI had some possibility. After some more research I decided we should have other things to do and just consider ourselves lucky if we could spot the Aurora. But, this did give me yet another excuse to travel.

I wanted to take all of them Arijit, Abhijeet, Madhav and Jim Kim. And the initial plan was to travel to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park. Madhav said he’d definitely come if we can postpone it by a week and so I did that. We had set the weekend of October 17-18, it was already late fall and the weather looked edgy to me. For me and Abhijeet it would be our second camping trip but it was a first for Madhav and Jim and I didn’t want to take them into rain and snow which was what the forecast looked like. So, after some more research I decided that we should go to the Porcupine Mountains National Park. It was still in the UP Michigan, and the weather looked a little better than the other place.

Arijit had a lot up his sleeve so it was finally the four of us who started Friday evening after work. We had to pick Jim from office and traffic detours forced us to a late start. But, we were on our way around 6 ish I’d say. We split the drive first me, then Abhijeet and then Madhav. There were songs and I remember distinctly the feeling when something played and all four of us would chime in, why or how it was important to me I can’t explain. The highlights of this stretch of drive was when it was too dark to see anything on the road and Madhav was behind wheels at that time and we would close the lights for just a second to see how it felt like. I can’t speak for him how much he enjoyed driving that stretch, but it was something to cherish for all of us. It was creepy and frightening and consequently very interesting. Abhijeet would hit 100 mph in this drive and we would all come to this and make fun of it when he wouldn't get his driving license at first try : reason speeding. We also came across packs of deer on the side of road. I’ll also remember that small bar we stopped for a restroom break, the red and blue sign, autumn wreaths and decorations outside. Nothing eventful, just that we passed by that place and my memory retains it.

It was late, very late by the time we reached our campsite at Union Bay Campground. I had reserved site 6 by the lake. And the minute we got out of the car we realized that it was freezing. And on that cold, wintry night with wind blowing at us from all ends we started pitching our tent by the shores of Lake Superior. This was a 6 person tent that I had rented earlier from the Urban Ecology Centre and it took some time and all the effort we had, to stop it from blowing away while simultaneously trying to tie it to the supports. It was makeshift or at least the air flap was badly placed as we would find it the next morning. When we all got inside the tent, there was that feeling of a small achievement that we did manage not to freeze ourselves to death or sleep inside the car. So, we got the air mattress and sleeping bags out and went to sleep.

Madhav woke us up the next morning by taking the air out of our air mattress when we wouldn’t get up. And, the sight that we woke up to was really beautiful. The sound of waves crashing in the early morning sun. If it wasn’t the cold I’d have said it was all too perfect. But there was the cold wind to deal with. We went for a walk and decided that we should move our campsite up one level where the wind was a little easier on us. So, after paying the parking fees and registering our new campsite we carried our tent (without unfolding it) to our new site. It was funny, carrying that tent and I really wish that we had those pics. But we have memories, and I hope these lines will trigger them back whenever I want to reminisce. We picked up dead wood and we made fire (with Vaseline and cotton), and it’s another of those little somethings that we accomplished. Jim helped keep the fire going while Madhav grilled us marinated cottage cheese in pudgy pie holders. And, trust me they were really good even though they weren’t cooked to perfection. Also scrambled eggs which we ate with bread and there was badly brewed tea. All in all I would say definitely a great breakfast.

We were running low on gas so after dealing with that, we started for the Presque Isle waterfalls. The road was flanked by trees in their peak of fall foliage - red and yellow and hues of orange, with now and then an evergreen pine. We played songs and we took videos of that drive. Madhav was driving, Abhijeet was clicking pictures, Jim and I were in the back seat enjoying and taking it all. I was sitting in the middle with my chin resting on my arms between the two front seats and I remember the song Bailamos playing and the mood was in sync with that music. The rhythm, and the drive was taking us over. You really have to go to UP Michigan for this, and I don’t know if it can be replicated. The Falls weren’t that good or at least not compared to the ones I have seen but we walked around, and since the company was good I had fun. There were wooden bridges to walk on. Madhav and Jim were giving poses with Banik clicking away. We met other people on our way, a bunch of Chinese, an older American couple. We climbed up on trees, got inside dead hollow tree trunks and clicked away memories to store. I dropped my blue and violet hairband - tiny essentials to serve as memory cues. We walked on a bridge to get yet another beautiful view of Lake Superior. After this, we headed back and went to Summit peak. There was a short hike to the observation tower from where we got amazing views of more fall colors. The scope assisted viewing was interesting, I was able to see the gradation of colors sort of. And again more pics, more poses. And then happily we trotted or tumbled down, walking and hopping in those bed of yellow leaves. I guess I was still carefree and I was enjoying it.

We wanted to be back in our campsite to catch the sunset by Lake Superior, and the lady at the Visitor centre said we can see it from our campsite. But the sun was in the opposite direction and everyone said we wouldn’t be able to see it. I still hoped that maybe there would be some way or some inclination of our campground and we would be able to watch it. We all started preparing for dinner because we were hungry and we wanted to start before it got dark. Madhav was leading, he was grilling more cottage cheese, bell peppers, baby corn and the best of it all – pineapples. Jim was helping with the fire, Abhijeet was making us drinks. There was still light and we were grilling by the lakeside, there was this pink and orange hue on the horizon so I went with Abhijeet and we clicked pictures. And they had come out really nice, as in the frame was too good. There were these white logs and he didn’t mind taking pics and he took some really good ones. He tripped on a short pool while returning, and the water was freezing so the first thing we did was we ran to get a change of socks. It was after some 10 – 20 minutes that we realized that my phone was missing and we found it lying in that pool of water. It was still on, and I switched and packed it off. I was going to put it in a bag of rice after going home. More on this later. So, we had some food and then went back to our campsite. I was adamant about sleeping in a hammock that night so I was making arrangements. Jim again helped and kept the fire going, a proper and bigger one this time. We started drinking, roasted corns and marshmallow smores. Roasted the rest of pineapples and they were yummy. I was offended earlier because Abhijeet had made me a lighter drink, so while he wasn’t watching I was pouring a little bit from his cup into mine. I also think I drank a little more on empty stomach, so I didn’t actually realize when it was that I got drunk. I remember that we went on a walk, I remember that there was the moon and there were stars but I have faint memories. I don’t remember a lot of things till the time I threw up. Yes, and I’m not proud of it. These people helped me into the tent, I was totally shitfaced.

I woke up with one of the worst hangovers and add to it the embarrassment of not being able to hold my liquor. We had plans of watching sunrise at Lake of the Clouds and so we drove there. Now I was silent and moody, partly owing to the after effects of being drunk the previous night. We were on time to see the sun rise and it was worth getting us early and going there. I really wished I could garner up the effort to be cheerful again but I was mad at myself. And I guess we were all tired by then, so after returning from Lake of the Clouds and a short breakfast we packed our stuff and we headed out. I was recovering a bit but I was still reeling in that aftermath. Initially, when the three of them started telling me about my last night’s rambling I just thought they were all pulling my leg. Jim was leading it, so was Abhijeet and Madhav was just confirming it. And then slowly I realized that I actually didn’t retain at least some part of last night. And, I hated myself even though I knew I couldn’t have done anything by then. I was silent for most part, and I was wondering about all the worse things I could have said and done for that half an hour or an hour that I have no memory of. The worst part is these guys didn’t tell me what exactly it was that I said. They just said that I said and did things that they can’t repeat, and they built on it. So, it was this sullen and brooding me till lunch time. We stopped for pizza on our way for lunch. I was still sulking but I was getting a bit of my old self back. So, on this return trip they talked. They narrated weird incidents – Jim and Madhav and Abhijeet – they all talked with me chiming in now and then. It was interesting for me because I was getting a guy’s perspective on things.  I was wondering that just as women are complicated and it’s difficult for them to interpret our thoughts and emotions, it’s the same with them. Sometimes I wonder that I learnt a lot more on that return drive, I learnt how people are objective and rational. I knew it in theory from books and movies but that day listening to Madhav narrate, I actually understood and accepted it. We talked the usual trash and clichéd topics, girls and guys, and marriage, and parents, incidents from college days. It was all three of them actually, like I got to know each one of them and their views and ideas a little better. This is how we became friends. I would get to know Abhijeet and Madhav a lot more in coming days but the beginnings were there. And I grew up with brothers and sisters and cousins and I had skipped a phase where you made friends. Dipti and Suchi were the only ones I stayed in touch with all these years and they were my school friends. And after that I never had or needed friends, so this was new for me and hence deserves a mention.

I was sleepy and tired by the time I reached home, took a shower and then tried switching on the phone. It came up, everything was fine. I spent two hours checking the photos and videos. I wanted to share it via Whatsapp or post it on Facebook that night but then I postponed it till the next morning. And since everything was working I didn’t think it was necessary to put it in a bag of rice. So, the next morning when it was showing low battery without a second thought I plugged in the charger. It was after I had fully charged it, the phone started restarting every 10 seconds. To cut a long story short, we tried everything from putting it in a bag of rice (the damage was already done when I plugged in the charger I guess) to taking it to various customer care centres. It was a Samsung S6 and there wasn’t a separate memory card and I hadn’t backed my device to cloud or google drive. And the phone wouldn’t stay on long enough for us to take backup into the pc. So, the pics were there in the drive just that there was no way to restore them anymore. After 3-4 days we gave up hope and I rued it the most. Like I said I was the only person who had seen those the previous night, those videos and some excellent shots. And they were gone. We had two cameras, so we do have some pics. Just we lost the majority of them.

So, this post is to retrieve and store some of those lost memories into words. This was different from my other trips because this was again one of those beginnings that would actually blossom. I never really expected this out of travelling, I meet people and we stay in touch but travel is what connects me with all of them. Not with this group, we found other things together. We became friends – and I know I’m reiterating it – but you have to be in my shoes to understand it. Friends. Period.

Camp-kayak-hike Sylvania Wilderness

It’s been almost two months or more, but I need to write it down. There was something that Mary said last week at the book club, she is old and she was continuously jotting down names and taking notes. Also, since I opened a fb account there are all these people whom I can’t place sometimes so I’m realizing this thing about memory, that it’ll fail me. And even though I think that I will remember somethings like they happened yesterday, I know it’s not true, there are and will be slips as time passes and new memories form, letting the fresh ones take precedence. So, I need to write this down now when it’s still fresh because of the singularity and novelty and because it was different in ways I can’t exactly figure out. Here’s an account of Camp-Kayak-Hike Sylvania Wilderness in UP Michigan.

I had RSVP’d for this almost a month before it was due, it was a week after the Scuppernong Trail and I had invited Abhijeet along which I wasn’t sure he’d accept. But it sort of all worked out and we started at around 3pm that Friday. I was apprehensive because I had never camped before, and in all my previous treks in India, someone was always there to organize things. I kept going over my checklist, lest I miss something. The driving part also worried me, this was going to be the first longer drive that I was attempting, it was a four and a half hour drive, and I still hadn’t gotten over my fear of taking the freeways. We started despite all these fears that I kept to myself. I almost wished he’d back out because I was so sure it was going to be a disaster.

The roads were good and there were fewer cars once we entered US 41 and US 45 and from there towards County Hwy M, I was driving a little over speed limit and I was terrified, I was thinking of the mirage that gets created in front of your eyes when you’ve been driving for a while. I was afraid my senses will trick me into making a mistake, but over a period I calmed down. It helped that I had company, that I was listening to songs I hadn’t heard before and I was talking. We stopped once for gas, picked up a cinnamon coffee (why is it important to note this down, I don’t know, maybe nothing is or maybe everything is, who decides anyway whether it’s relevant or not?). The roads were picturesque, and slowly I was beginning to enjoy it. I was also getting the knack of it - of driving - when to overtake, when to let go. I was beginning to figure out how and where I’m comfortable resting my hands, how my car behaves at a certain speed and small things. Our next stop was around 7:30 pm at Watersmeet I guess, it was getting dark with a slow drizzle starting just then. We had dinner, picked up beer, there was a guy who suggested Mangorita, and so we grabbed a can of that too. By the time we took the wheels again it had started pouring.

The rains came from all sides, there was no street lights and I was driving. We were glad when we had a car in front of us whose back lights sort of guided us, and we hated when something came from the opposite side with its front lights blinding. I’ll remember driving this stretch, that it was really frightening, that I wasn’t thinking, that I almost knew then that we were lost. I was still driving at 60 miles/hour with Abhijeet reminding me now and again to slow down. We entered another road, it was clearly a forest road, narrow and even in that dark we could make out those huge towering trees on both sides. I was afraid of animals too as we were crossing this. By the time we made it to Clark Lake Campground, the rain had thankfully slowed down to a drizzle. Kevin wasn’t picking his phone and even though I knew Kevin’s loop and site number the gps had stopped and it was after 9 and we took a few rounds before we came across people. It made me happy, seeing those people out there, realizing we weren’t exactly lost. We asked the way for Kevin’s campsite, made few wrong turns, asked some more people and finally found him. Thankfully he wasn’t asleep, he offered us to stay in his RV that night as it was raining. I was almost going to accept his offer when Abhijeet said, we’ll try pitching the tent and we’ll let him know if we can’t make it. Later he’d tell me he didn’t want to ‘inconvenience’ Kevin and also so that we can be free and we can gossip.

We took another campsite not adjacent to, but near Kevin, in the same loop. It was still drizzling a little, and cold. We kept the headlights on the car and we started pitching the tent. It was a first for both of us, Jered had shown me how to do it but on higher level, sort of like this goes here and then pull like this and it’s done. So, we struggled in the dark and in the rain. But like I say we are engineers and it’s our job to figure things out. It was the perfect tent but it was done. We wrapped the rain flap in a haphazard manner, postponing to perfect it the next day. We took our sleeping bags and jackets inside, we took torch, water and that can of Mangorita. We were already feeling that sense of accomplishment at managing to pitch that tent, and that dash of beer was slowly getting into my system. I wasn’t drunk, I was just getting a little tipsy. It was a nice warm feeling on that cold, rainy night, at overcoming the first hurdle sort of. I slept early (he’d complain about it later in another trip that I didn’t talk much, that I slept). I woke up in the middle of night because I had to go to the washroom but I was afraid. And I didn’t want to wake him. I don’t know how long I stayed awake tossing and turning. I was also cold, the sleeping bags weren’t exactly enough. After a while I told myself that I needed to go out, I was going to do it alone. But he woke up and I was grateful because he accompanied me and waited for me. Sometimes I wonder how silly fear is, and what it is exactly that we are afraid of.

We woke up to a sunny day, the temperature was still in lower 50s of Fahrenheit so for me it was still cold but the sun seemed so welcoming. We went around Kevin’s tent who offered us the use of his stove and we made breakfast, bread and cheese for me, bread and scrambled eggs for Abhijeet. And then we made plans, Kevin helped in this. So after breakfast Kevin drove us to the Sylvania Outfitters where we rented a canoe. The tandem kayak wasn’t too comfortable for me, is a nice way of saying I was too fat to get into it and comfortable come out. So, it had to be a canoe. After struggling for a while trying to hitch the canoe in Kevin’s truck, we decided to pay those guys to transport it for us. The drive in Kevin’s pickup was also nice that day, we saw what we drove into last night, and the maple trees were just starting their color change. Kevin also told us about moose and deer and I was just thinking about it all. I was thinking about the time and place and how I ended up being there. For me this will always be the image of North or UP - roads flanked by pine trees, the image first formed during that drive in Kevin’s pickup.

We went to Crooked Lake, where our canoe was waiting for us. Kevin had his red kayak. I had taken a “Canoeing for beginners” class at the Urban Ecology Centre, it had seemed a nice way to spend a Saturday then. I knew some of the basics but this was still a huge lake. So, it was another first for us, but no one was complaining and we got into the lake. It was a beautiful day, with the sun out and wind was almost perfect. We started paddling, making mistakes and then figuring out, learning, enjoying. The blue expanse of the lake, the beginning of Fall, the clouds floating and bluer than the lake the blue sky. The water was clear, we could see the weeds floating below. We went around the lake, there was a small passage which opened into a bigger spread of water. If you ask me I will tell you that I was having the time of my life, it was the surroundings which were weaving that magic. I remember the color “blue”, I remember laughing freely, feeling happy and contented and in harmony with that atmosphere. There’s this clichéd saying that sometimes the forces of universe unite to make something happen, for me that day still looks as if it was woven with wonder, beauty and magic. Nature in one of its most unadulterated state, it reminds me now of that Emily Dickinson’s poem: “I taste a liquor never brewed”.

We reached our campsite after 3 pm, cooked Maggi for lunch. Kevin offered to drop our PFDs at the gear shop as he was heading out for the town. We lingered here and there deciding against a post afternoon nap (argument: shouldn’t be wasting our time sleeping on a camping trip). We thought we can check out the day care area by the beach and take a shower. So, that’s what we did. It took me 15 minutes to figure out how the shower worked, why do they make the showers operate differently every place escapes me. There’s a dialogue in the movie “Once upon a time in the West” where the protagonist says something about a tub of boiling water restoring everything and she had used it in a different context. But it has stuck with me and I remember it now and again, my version is saying to myself, “There’s nothing that a hot tub/shower of water can’t fix”. And as an afterthought maybe it’s trivializing, and it doesn’t always work. But I don’t remember stepping out of a shower and not feeling a tad bit better, or at least till now. I’m not daring you Grief with a hot shower as my weapon. So, the shower did good, felt a lot better and then we walked by the beach. For me beaches are always related to sea, so I stop for a moment when I use the words “shore” or “beach” for these fresh water lakes.

The sun was still up, we spent some time practicing ripple effect. Or he teaching me how to throw flat stones in what angle etc. After a considerable time, I managed to make 2-3 ripples and called it a day. We chased some squirrels and chipmunks, clicked photos, went on a short trail and were back in our camp just by the time the sun was setting. Kevin had put up a fire, so we went to join him. We sat by the fire and exchanged stories, Abhijeet had his first smores. We roasted corn and more marshmallows, and a 6 pack that we shared with Kevin. I had asked him if he had any kids and he said they had a daughter who died very young. I hated myself for asking, and made a mental note in my head to never ask it to anyone again. And I sat there and thought of life and how everybody has to deal with their own issues, with people who come and go, with loneliness. Kevin was saying how one of his ex-girlfriend had got him into canoeing. And about nearby parks and places that we should check out. We stayed till we had used up all the logs, then we said good bye to Kevin and left. It was dark. What I remember now was the expanse of the sky and those countless stars in it. I remember supporting my head on the hood of car and just staring above and not being able to shrug of that feeling of awe at being able to witness it. I would realize it much later that we actually saw a part of Milky Way very clearly that night. We thought we should walk till the lake but it was pitch dark and I got afraid and voiced out loud my fears which probably frightened him so we ended up not going there and now I wish we had seen the reflections of the stars in that lake.

We woke up next morning, Kevin had packed and left. We planned on checking out some waterfall and then head back home. We packed the tent and checked out at the front gate. The ranger there who was kind of cute suggested Bond Falls so that was where we went. The weather was nice and sunny and after an hr or so of drive we reached the Falls. We started at the bottom near the foot of the Falls. I was happy that I could go till the water, I sort of hopped till there. The water was cold but it was fun, and we got good pics. We hiked our way till the top, walking adjacent to the falls, stopping here and there wherever Abhijeet’s “photographer’s perspective” bade him. The water formed sort of silken cascades and there were various viewpoints to take in the ‘flowage’. We reached the top of the Falls and saw a way to the dam. And I’m glad we decided to check it out. After the gushing waterfall our eyes were treated to the still water and there was a strange sense of peace or stillness pervading there. I sat by the rocks to take in the view and we got a panorama shot. And I realize just now while penning this down that the details are already escaping me. Anyways we started from there, it was way past noon. There was some other river that we stopped by, by this time I was asking Abhijeet to drive. Since I had driven I knew that all we had were straight roads and less or no traffic. So, he drove us and we made another adventure out of it.

I reminisced when Titun had taught me how to ride a motorcycle on our way back from Deomali, and I knew that there’s a certain pleasure to be derived from driving and especially in those roads. Also, when I was driving I had to concentrate on the roads and I was glad to have a break. And he had good instincts so it was fun and interesting. We stopped by a pizza hut for a late lunch, and we talked on our careers and this and that. He was narrating incidents from his campus interviews. It was also during that lunch that I would come to know for the first time that he would be leaving for Plymouth in another month or two. And the slightest tinge of sadness that I felt. We started from there, and I guess he still drove another two hrs (we also made a video as a proof) before finally handing me over the wheels. We listened to songs while I drove and reached Milwaukee a little after 6 on Sunday.

It was a lot of ‘firsts’ and that is another reason why this will always hold a special place in my heart for me. I fell in love with UP Michigan because of this trip. I made and I understood that we needed friends at all stages in life. I realized that I could never have done this alone, that it made all the difference in the world because I had company. I also got confident about driving, this trip alone did what three months hadn’t done. I knew my car better. This trip made me feel like we achieved some things, mostly because of the driving but it also felt like we got a lot of things done. Like in some places I leave a part of me, in this case I carried and brought along something back with me – that’s the closest I can explain in terms of words.

Scuppernong Trail at Kettle Morriane

I had RSVP’d for the Scuppernong Trail which was posted on Milwaukee Campers, Backpackers and Hikers Meetup. I had managed to drag one of my co-workers Abhijeet too, so early on Saturday morning I picked him up and we went to Susan’s place with whom we were carpooling and who was driving us there. And this is an account of my first hike here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

It was a beautiful day with just a hint of chill in the air. The roads had less than the usual traffic with it being a Saturday morning, and after driving a few miles on I-94 we took the exit towards County Road E and the route became scenic. Susan and I kept talking with Abhijeet jutting in now and then. We had plugged in the coordinates and reached the trail head after a good 40 minutes’ drive. We could see a few people had arrived, Susan knew Donald and Mark and that’s how we located our group. After a round of introduction - just names – the seven of us along with two dogs started on the trail path.

We were led forward by Sung, who had organized this. We were doing the green loop, the previous day I had googled and had read somewhere that it was a 12 mile hike and I was a little apprehensive about my stamina. But then Sung or Gordon checked and they informed me that the whole loop was just a little more than 5 miles. With my imaginary fear thus assayed, and with a hearty spirit I thus started on the trail path. Abhijeet kept me company for a while, we shared stories from previous trips’. Then somewhere along the road I walked a bit with Mark, a part of it with Gordon, some parts alone. Susan walked with Don, with both of them collecting hickory nuts. The dogs Ginger and Mulligan, making us keep up the pace whenever they found anyone slackening. 

There’s something about being in the woods that appeals to all the senses. There are those various shade of green, brown and red pleasing to the eyes, the sounds of insects and birds keeping us company, the commingling breeze bringing a whiff of dirt and foliage as well as tingling our skin – stirring up memories, and let’s see now what do I attribute to taste – the parched feeling which makes that gulp of water extra sweet? The truth is I felt a sense of overwhelming satiety, also a sense of being in a weird way, because for a while I was able to let go of my existence because I blended in and became a part of it.

Komorebi: (n.) sunlight filtering through trees

That’s the image which will stay with me of that walk. And all I have are broken phrases like something fresh, something beginning, something unadulterated. I was reminiscing one of my earliest hikes which was the Rajmachi monsoon hike, and the people in it. I was thinking I had fell in love with the woods during that, or was it before that… the place I was born - Koraput – was this little hamlet surrounded by forests and hills and mountains so maybe that had moulded me. Or it’s just plain old Nature and these hikes are like going back to her.

We took a few breaks, joked about animals and people and nations and languages. Gordon took a detour along with Jackie and Ginger to start the coals for the cookout planned afterwards. We completed the green loop and joined them half an hour later, with our feet complaining but the spirit rejoicing at finishing it. Then we all pranced here and there to set up tables as if the hike instead of draining our energy had replenished it. We piled up food and beer. Susan had bought table clothes, vegetables, dip, grill, fruit, skittles, corkscrew ??; I kept saying how she had thought of everything to which she replies that at her age you think of all these. But she wasn’t alone, there was Donald with his foldable tables, water in a jug with spigot, buckets. Sung had bought all these different types beers from Chicago and Wisconsin. So, we all started on the Oktoberfest. Susan and Abhijeet cut up the veggies and set them with the dips. Kaela filled Portobello mushrooms with tomato and cheese and we put them on the grill. Gordon was already grilling bratwursts and hot dogs, remarking that he is doing all the hard work – cooking he meant. We added veggies, asparagus and Sung’s famous potatoes (which took ages to cook) to the grill. It was the good humored banter, Gordon was of course heading it joined with Mark and Susan. I guess he did his best to rattle her, so much that she made Donald sit between them. They made fun of me and Abhijeet, Susan, the dogs, the food and I was a little relieved that we didn’t take offense. Abhijeet even came up with a befitting repartee that put me at ease. They cracked jokes sparing no one and I don’t know if it was the beer or it was just their natural disposition. I guess it was that happy spirit which had kind of engulfed us that day. And in a strange way I didn’t feel excluded. It was not just that I had another Indian with me or an Asian and hence it was more of a diverse group, because there was something else that bonded all of us that crossed the barriers of race, age and nationality. The drive back with Susan was equally interesting when she said she didn’t want the gps and she wanted to drive from her memory. The day was entering its third quarter, and the cloud floating on blue skies, the country roads flanked on both sides with yellow and purple flowers, the lone farm houses and windmills all played a part in heightening the beauty of our surroundings. We reached Milwaukee around four pm and I was left with the feeling that the day couldn’t have been spent any better.

For the highlights of the trip, the striking similarity between Donald and Christopher Walken, Susan being nicknamed dirty Susan, Abhijeet being nicknamed man servant, Kaela hiking with her flip flops, Sung’s potatoes, my pronunciation of “asparagus” and my famous salsa (which was Sam’s recipe). Gordon sure was the life of it despite his nearly-offensive remarks. I like Susan’s comment later when she said “Jackie you are a saint and Gordon you are a riot.”

Does it become more pronounced when you say it again and again, and in how many different ways can I describe the harmony of that Saturday in September. I witnessed the happy carefree side of nature, human and otherwise. And it was perfect. Period. 

Walking through Madison

I wanted to visit Madison since I came here, more so than Chicago. A part of the lure lay in the fact that it created an image of this little college town, flanked by old bookstores on both sides. So, this weekend I finally went there with Kathy and her mom Wendy. And I’m writing down this account so that I can come and revisit the memories again.

We started early afternoon, and it was a bright, summer day. It was a little over an hour long drive from Milwaukee, and we reached Madison around 1:30 pm heading towards Wisconsin State Capitol building. The dome resting on the columns looked simple but elegant, an imposing piece of architecture almost demanding respect by virtue of its nature and history. Sam had shown me images of the earlier protests held here against Gov. Scott Walker so I had this romantic notion of what this building had stood for and the role it had played, so all of it was coming back to me. There was also this gold figurine at the top of the dome which caught my attention, I had googled afterwards to find that it was referred to as “Golden Lady” carved on the lines of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and there are connecting thought threads in my head with this statue and the city being home to University of Wisconsin – Madison.

There was no check post or security, we just walked into the East Wing, no tickets and the inner rooms boasted of an equally magnificent design. The walls and ceilings were decorated with paintings and murals which evoked another surge of awe and reverence as we walked through taking it all in, walking though winding stairs and checking it out from different levels. There was a wedding group in the city hall, and I was thinking that maybe the surrounding and the event itself complimented each other, like a celebration of something grand and ceremonial in that place was justified.

Next we took the road to Monona Terrace which was nearby, the view of Lake Monona from the top was beautiful and the weather with the wind blowing through on the sunny day was almost perfect. Kathy had made a list of things to check out so after grabbing lunch we went to State Street and parked there. We started walking, checking out local shops which were on both sides. I loved those little shops and I liked the fact that I had Kathy with me who I knew wouldn’t mind at all checking out these small cards and journal and odds and ends stores. So, we went to 2-3 similar stores and I enjoyed them, I’m going to make an exception to my aversion to window shopping. So, bookstores (new and old), card shops and these places in Madison are heretofore exempted from that list.

We continued our walk along State Street, treated Wendy with Cheese Curds which is a Wisconsin thing. Then stopped at Collectivo Coffee House for a while before resuming our walk on the street lanes. It was in essence a quintessential college town, Kathy kept saying how it reminded her partly of Sacramento and partly of Berkeley. We passed through fraternity houses, lot of college students settling in for the fall semester, and there was this twinge of regret inside me for the things I cannot acquire. And this city was bringing out all those repressed dreams. We drove towards Memorial Union Terrace next and this was the best part of the trip for me.

We stopped and parked for some 10 minutes near the Dept. of Limnology where we were not supposed to, but it was beautiful. I walked around the lake with Kathy, we dipped our feet in the water, walked on the ramp for boats, and we saw all those ducks and gulls, and the array of sail boats all out there in Lake Mendota. It was pleasing to the eyes and to all other senses too. We heard music on the terrace, so we went to find a proper parking spot so we can come back and spend more time here. We came back, this was where Wendy’s father had attended college and I was thinking what she was feeling back there. By the time we reached the terrace, it was filled with people of all ages, families had come to drop off their kids. There was this strange sort of vibe in the air, of things beginning. We went inside a sort of Hall which had German epithets all over, and ordered more Cheese Curds and beer for us. For some strange reason the hall reminded me of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, it was the ambience inside with colors and those strange signs and young college students, old professors and such types replete with a fire place under one roof.

We came outside with our beers and found a place to sit, the entire terrace was now crowded and the stage was taken up by this Irish group with their jingles and tap dance. There’s something about Irish music, you can’t help not feeling happy and you can’t stop tapping your feet or being taken away by the music and the beat. I don’t know if I have a tourist’s view point, which might be as well since I am one, but it wasn’t too much, as if the whole thing was in harmony. The lake and the boats and the music and the drinking, it was all bubbling with life and it’s clichéd but I don’t know how else to describe it. We stayed there for an hour or so before we walked back satisfied with the day and started the drive back home.

I don’t know if I’ll go back to visit Madison and if I’ll love it so much the next time around, it’s also a matter of who we go with, and I was glad that I went with Kathy and Wendy. I walked along the streets of Madison with this knowledge that all these were transitory like so many other aspects of my stay here in the United States. And as I’m soaking in the views and the culture and nature (both human and otherwise) and a part of me is grateful that I’m witnessing these.

Wayanad Trip

Maybe sometimes it is about ticking places off your list. We went to Wayanad this weekend and though we saw a different Wayanad from the ones in Google images, the trip’s still worth a mention.

We were five of us this time, me and Venkat from Hyderabad and Vijaya, Shalini and Benoy from Bangalore. We rented a car (zoomcar.com) and started from Bangalore at 2 am last Saturday. The first thing I registered that night was Shalini’s contagious enthusiasm; she was all geared in for the trip, not sleepy at all at 3 am. We started playing A. R. Rahman’s “Andha Arabi” (Tamil Version of “Humma Humma”) and that set the tone. After an hour or two we stopped for tea and Vijaya took the wheels from Benoy. Ideally we were under the assumption that we had two drivers – Benoy and Vijaya, only that the last time she drove was three years back and so she had gotten somewhat rusty. So when Vijaya took the wheels, with Benoy re-teaching her, we were all on our edge with Venkat keeping track of speed breakers, Shalini literally taking stock of the gear…and we used to shout – “speed breaker-brakes-slow down-change gear”. She drove for an hour or so and dawn was creeping in when we crossed Mysore. The roads were beautiful with mist coming at us from all sides and enveloping us in this white shroud. We entered into the forest roads and instinctively knew we were nearing Kerala because of the meandering nature of its roads.

We reached Wayanad around 8 or 8:30 am and checked into the KTDC hotel which we had booked earlier. Exhausted by all the shouting, singing and staying up whole night throughout the drive, we all tumbled into our beds and fell asleep as soon as we got into our rooms. I think we got up after a short nap, to the sad news that all the three waterfalls were closed for the weekend. In my head I was cursing Kerala govt. or whoever had planned those road works during our visit. But, we decided to make most of our trip. So, after having lunch we started towards Kuruva Dweep. The recent reviews at trip advisor weren’t encouraging regarding this place, nevertheless we went along. There is a certain charm about Kerala roads, those ups and downs; it’s a different type of experience, different from Himachal roads and other Ghat section roads. And because I was sitting in the front seat I was enjoying the drive more, the speed, the now and then twists and turns along the way. We reached Kuruva Island around 2:30 pm and then took a bamboo raft to get to the other side. They had this rope tied to trees and they steered the raft via these ropes, which I found quite interesting, no fuel and less manual labor…so kind of indigenous. We got down on the other end and passed through small wooden bridges and a forest path with flowers and quite a lot of butterflies till we reached the water spot. We whiled away our time sitting in the water, playing in it, splashing at each other, the flow was forceful and we had our full. We also made a ploy to drench Venkat who was trying to stay dry. On our walk back we stopped at a place where we tried various Kerala delicacies like Pazham Pozhi (Ripe plantain/banana fritters), Gooseberry and Pineapple slices dipped in salt water with chilly, Mulayari Payasam (Bamboo Rice Payasam),Then Nellikka (Gooseberry in honey) and lazed in that late afternoon sun. Shalini lectured Venkat on his bad love choices; actually we all lectured him. And, then finally Shalini had enough and she went into a tirade of scolding in Tamil which got us all roaring with laughter.

While returning we decided to check out Chethalayam Falls; we had encountered a sign board and this wasn’t in the list of closed falls. It was evening and we stopped our car on the way and hiked till the falls. While on the road we were discussing exit strategies in case we were attacked by wild elephants or snakes and like. Vijaya also took us through a swampy detour which was fun when their feet got stuck in it and we blamed the idea on Venkat. We couldn’t go down till the bottom of the falls but at least we got a view of the waterfalls and I was inwardly happy. It was getting dark and we returned back with jugnus (fireflies) following us. We came back to Wayanad and after searching for a while for a place to eat (Apparently people cook in their own homes so not many hotels and that too after 9 pm) stopped at a road side place. Our taste buds were in for an adventure with Appam, Puttu, Pathiri, Parotta – all these with kadala curry for us vegetarians and chicken curry for Shalini and Benoy. And then we got lost for a while but the advantage of having a mallu (Benoy) among us was that we could ask the localites, which we did to find our way to the hotel. The guys retired into their room and me, Vijaya and Shalini were gossiping till late. And I remembered the long chats I used to have with di or Dipti and Suchi and I slept that night thinking that maybe we all need people and we need groups.

We had this elaborate plan of getting up at 4 am the next morning and trek to Chembra peak but either the alarm didn’t go or we forgot to set it, anyways by the time we woke up it was 7 am. So, seeing “misty” Wayanad was no more in cards. But, we weren’t a very cribbing/whining lot that morning. After having Puttu and Kadala (better Puttu than the previous night!), Bread Toast and coffee – a good enough breakfast – we started for Chembra peak. We passed through various tea plantations, again via snaking roads and the sun was near perfect that morning, the tea plantations, the climbing peppers, the lack of pollution, it all seemed as if we had entered some other place or we were in a place where time had slowed down.

We started around 9:30 for the trek towards Chembra Peak along with a guide. Vijaya and Venkat were ahead of us and soon Shalini joined them, while I and Benoy along with our guide started the climb up slowly. Climbing uphill isn’t my cup of tea and in all the treks I am usually afraid of this part. But we were in good spirits that morning and so I started my climb, in my own pace, without any worry. I was reminiscing about my other treks, comparing them with this one. We came across groups of school kids, coming down, few foreigners going up or returning back. Then there were other groups who passed us by and we were still left behind. But none of these perturbed me that day. I kept asking the guide “how far?” and also the people who were coming down, but at least I didn’t feel like quitting. I took a lot of stops, sometimes to check the view below, at others to just catch my breath and rest awhile. I had one Red Bull which actually helped and I had those salted gooseberries which I chewed on as I climbed. There are a lot of thoughts which plagues one during these uphill treks – the futility of it all constantly nagging at the back of your head which keeps asking – to what end? I never used to think that just because I’ve climbed a mountain I’ve achieved something, I usually do it for some or other waterfall at the end of my climb. And this time there wasn’t any, and still I felt good. It was nearing noon but the sun wasn’t harsh. There was this one place in between when we were crossing from one hill to the next and there were tall grasses – the yellow ones and they were moving with the direction of wind and I remembered this Sting’s song “Fields of Gold” specifically these lines: You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky/As we walk in fields of gold… /See the west wind move like a lover so/Upon the fields of barley… .

We reached the top 40 minutes after the trio and I saw that heart-shaped lake Hriday Saras. The localites say that the water doesn’t dry up even in the harshest of summers. I sat there dipping my feet and I was thinking how to add more mysticism to it – that there’s this lake nestled between mountains, which you reach after crossing hurdles and obstacles, which moves you just by being there, which is peaceful in a strange way and I wanted someone to weave a fairy tale around this lake. Who knows maybe it did have a story brimming with elements of wonder, beauty and magic and now people have forgotten the story. All that remains of it now is the shape of that lake, and the vicinity had a dual effect of unsettling you and calming you at the same time.

While returning I was taking my steps cautiously and I met this other guide who saw me and then helped me, he literally held my hand and down I came ‘tumbling after’. And I’ll remember that feeling that he was dependable, stopping my falls and helping me at every step. We took almost 2-3 hours to climb up and we came down in about 45 mins. (It gives one something to ponder about…). Anyways we were all famished by the time we the time we got down. We had ordered meals before starting the climb and now it was ready. The food was the best we had in Kerala. We had Kerala style Rice, Sambar, Rasam, Cabbage Fry, Mathanga Erissery (made of Pumpkin), Vellarikka Kichadi (cucumber cooked in curd) and Papad. There was special Meen Curry (Fish Curry in coconut milk) for Shalini and Benoy. So, it was a very satisfying lunch. We dropped the plan of visiting Banasura Dam as Benoy had to drive us all the way to Bangalore and we were all a little tired. We started for Bangalore, and had a small incident - Vijaya’s palm was crushed when Shalini accidently closed the car door. Thankfully she didn’t break any bones, and we were all pulling Shalini’s leg that she didn’t want Vijaya to drive us on our way back.

While returning to Bangalore we stopped mid-way to have those sip-up ice-creams which was something different for us. And since we had the time to spare we made few more stops on the way for pics etc. Vijaya took the wheels for a good amount of time on our return trip. Venkat was still apprehensive and he was on edge almost the whole time till I think we scolded him. He didn’t even let Vijaya hum words of song asking her to concentrate the road. So, when she crossed one of those speed-breakers without any bumps and Venkat commented “Perfect!” it was actually a genuine compliment which she acknowledged. Meanwhile I and Shalini were enjoying Vijaya’s slow drive to A.R.Rahman’s melodious renditions from Bombay and Roza. We stopped at Mysore for dinner at RRR and the food was equally good. After dinner I, Vijaya and Benoy took a night stroll around Mysore Palace for an hour before starting for Bangalore.

The distance from Mysore to Bangalore was again shared by Vijaya and Benoy and I think Venkat dozed off for some 20 min or so – the ultimate proof that he finally trusted Vijaya’s driving. One of the highlights of this trek was Vijaya’s driving, another was probably the food, and one thing I can’t leave mentioning was the music. We were five people from five different states and music was what connected us best. We could listen to Rahman’s Tamil songs and hum the Hindi words. We had songs in sync with our driving speed. We listened to all kinds of songs, in different languages. There was Dil Chahta Hai, Rang de Basanti, Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara, we had some old Hindi songs, Afro Jack, Lungi Dance, Honey Singh, Manali Trance (which almost became an anthem sort of) and others I had never heard of - and strangely I enjoyed them all despite my biases.

I learnt about people in this trip, that there are stuffs we can’t enjoy alone. And that there are so many emotions and so many sides to each one us, that there are different definitions of having fun, and that Nature humbles us whether we want or not and finally travelling leaves us with something indescribable and wanting for more.