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.