Month: November 2009

Whatever the mysterious happenstances between the finite and the infinite that daily shape the course of lives may never be fully known. Some times the least expected and statistically most improbable can happen when we wonder the pathless woods that are seldom traveled. Such was the case yesterday while meandering through enchanted Muir Woods, home of the 2000 year old ancient redwoods that tower well in excess of 100 meters. As I wandered through the majestic woods following the lay of the hills, up from the opposite way emerged the familiar face of a friend with whom I had lost touch with to time. Not so odd, one might think, except that the last time I saw her was in these very same woods three years prior. Given the geographical distance it seemed most improbable. Given that chance had brought us back to a joyful encounter, I told her that we should ponder the meaning of this strange encounter.

We then exchange contact information and parted again.  After a while further hiking through the misty forest, I remembered the moment three years past when she quoted, out of the blue I recited:

Out of this wood do not desire to go:
Thou shalt remain here, whether thou wilt or no.
I am a spirit of no common rate;
The summer still doth tend upon my state;

Indeed, for now such was the pacified mind of one content to wend the paths untrodden and untried. The delight of these too came to pass, and the failing light hastened us along. However, on the way back to San Francisco, on a whim, we veered up the northern outlook over the bay to enjoy the last view of sunset. In a word, sublime.

How does one know a mountain? One can point to a mountain and say “such is a mountain”, which is tantamount to knowing a mountain from the view of a mountain. There is, however, alternatively knowledge of the nature of a mountain by climbing and know by viewing from the mountain. Such glory is all that is divine (not in the Christian sense) and earthly open to the new vista of perception. The climb up to the top of Yosemite Falls – one of the tallest waterfalls in the world – was strenuous to say the least, but well worth the while. It truly is one of the marvels of nature… particularly in mid-autumn when the oak and ash are glowing saffron in the evening sun.

Every path may have its own reward, but still, I can say that some are a bit better than others. I had started on the trail late, and by the time I reached the top, it was well nigh dusk. There were only a sprinkle of people left who had made the climb earlier. Once they all left, I spent the remaining time enjoying the sunset with three others I’d ascended with. In the end I can report that it’s other-worldly to feel the spray of the falls blown back in your face in the evening sun, with the rainbow fading with the dying light. After a bit of rest, we hiked back down in pitch darkness.

For those long pent in to the bustle of urbanity, there is always a desire to escape into nature. California has some of the most unique natural beauty in North America. Having little to occupy my time, I set about with a few friends and drove up to Mono Lake, passing by the snow-capped Sierra Mountains and desert landscapes along the way. There is a certain inescapable allure of sparsely populated areas where human influence is kept at margin, where the sublime quietude of nature is left unto itself – undisturbed. One example being a lone, yellow gingko tree that we spotted in a field, glowing in full autumnal splendor in front of the adjacent snow-capped Sierra mountains – just one speck of brilliant yellow contrasting the white mountains behind it.

We made it to Mono Lake by early afternoon to see one of the most surreal natural wonders. Mono Lake, is one of, if not the oldest lake in North America. As salinity is more than twice that of the ocean, no fish can survive here. The surrounding landscape is largely barren, but the its unique ecology does host numerous species of migratory fowl.  Simply, this massive lake is a strange site to behold with its amorphous calcite tufas protruding from the surface.

Its a pity we couldn’t stay to camp there, as I can imagine its remote location would afford an incredible view of the night sky, possibly even more spectacular if the water surface is calm enough to reflect all the stars.