Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Thoughts and Pictures from Pinecrest Lake Hiking

I've been holding on to these pictures to do this post for way to long. I wanted to be able to sit down and do the post justice, capture the beauty, the personal insights I gained in those three trips around the lake.

When my parents were first married they lived in a place call Pinecrest, CA. It's part of the Sierra Nevada's, very close to Yosemite. After they moved slowly down the mountain we still spent many summers there. I have fond memories of my youth. The last time I visited I was in high school.

When I made plans to return to CA for the first time in three years my parents suggested renting their friends cabin and spending a week up there. I was excited to go back and take my boys, I knew there was tons of fun to be had.

Pinecrest Lake is not very big but it's beautiful. The Forest Service has done an amazing job keeping it pure to its original roots. I was busy trying to get my 120 miles in even while I had many vacations planned this summer. The first day I went on a nice run/walk around the cabins and campgrounds.

Then while my dad and I were talking he told me it was about 4 miles around the late and that he and his buddies did it all the time when he was growing up. So the day after our Yosemite trip and killer hike I decided to hit the lake. I wanted to see how fast I cold do it. I did it in 1 hour and 10 minutes. Now that may seem kind of slow but if you check out the terrain it's not an easy walk. There are some serious rocks and inclines to deal with. I loved the fresh air and most importantly I did it sans ipod. I wanted to really observe and enjoy and do some thinking. Day 2 of the lake hike I took my camera. It's hard to capture the beauty on my little point and shoot but if you look close it gives you an idea of what it was like.


Just a little humor. It can get so boring taking pictures of only the scenery, but also just as bad taking pictures of only you and the scenery.

I'm talking big boulders, steps carved out of rocks, and very important markers on the boulders since there is no obvious worn path to follow in some parts.
Did you see the telephone booth? And my awesome self timer action? But in all reality if was being with myself and pushing myself that made me really think and ponder what motivates me. Sometimes it's feeling better, sometimes its looking better, sometimes it's just my commitment to each of you that makes me keep going everyday.

I always find it interesting that people tell you the great things they think of others but never tell you what they think is great about you. I always wonder what people would say about me if they were trying to tell them what kind of person I was and what my interest were. These hikes gave me time to think about what I'd want them to say and also what I should do to make them want to say those things. It's very complex. One of my favorite songs is by Avril Lavigne. In one of her lyrics she say "I'd rather be anything but ordinary, please." Sometimes I feel very ordinary so what am I going to do to make people think otherwise...am I an interesting person? Maybe not.


Ok, enough of the mental stuff. So I took a picture of me running. Isn't that funny. Sometimes I wish my life was filmed so I could see what it looks like form a different perspective.

Last, but NOT least. When I got back to the cabin I started my breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate, monster marshmallows, and Yes, Oreos. A great ending to a beautiful morning.

9 comments:

  1. I love your perspective and I love your pictures. YOU are one AMAZING person, believe me, when people talk about you, inspiring, loving, determined and hard working are just a FEW of the words they would use!!! Thanks for being YOU!

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  2. Awesome!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your photo collage. Beautiful! I am going to have to steal that idea for some family pics around the house. Thanks for sharing your outdoors experience. I hope I get a little taste of that when I run the 6k around the Thanksgiving Point gardens. And yes, you are wonderful! Like Alicia says about so many people, I wish we could meet in person.

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  3. I love the picture of you running! It's "serious Audrey"!

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  4. You are extra-ordinary to me. For so many reasons. But the beauty and humor and insight of this post are some because they reflect you. I can see why spending time with the lake would bring great inspiration as well!

    The running picture is excellent.

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  5. You're no ordinary girl...in a good way! You took some amazing pictures! I wish I could have walked/ran it with you!

    PS...$9 oreos might I add!

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  6. Wow, Audrey, what a great post. The pictures are incredible. You are incredible. You are kind and throughtful to everyone. Not only that, but you always have such good advice that motivates me and keeps me going. I don't think an ordinary person could have started a blog like this!

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  7. You are not an ordinary woman, rather someone extraordinary, beautiful and talented.

    I'm so happy that you had such a super great visit home this summer, so super great that you didn't want to come back to VA. I think the boys were at a perfect age to enjoy your childhood home and I think it is so neat and special that you got to spend a week there. Now for that amazing walk, it would have taken me a lot longer to maneuver around all those boulders. The scenery and pics are spectacular, I can see why you have such fond memories of living there.

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  8. After seeing all those wonderful pictures, you can see why we loved this area soooo much and why it was sooo hard to leave. I know Audrey would have liked to have visited some of her friends, but I think this time at the cabin was very important. It did take a chunk of her time but it was WONDERFUL to be there together and share it with the boys too.. She is a wonderful, inspiring daughter. So much to give and share. We had many fun memories to share.

    We all want to be special. I hope we can all try to make others feel special and as we do we like ourselves more and the world seems brighter. You are all amazing women and I'm glad to get a small view of your lives as you do mine.

    Thanks Audrey for being the glue that keeps us all together.

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  9. Audrey, I love this post. What a beautiful place. I think I would enjoy hiking there every day. You are amazing. I smile every time I think of you...which means you are anything but ordinary. You seem to be able to show up at my house right when I need you to. I wish everyone could have a friend like you.

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