Mike and Allyn Back at the Cabin!
As I write these final thoughts, we have been off the trail for almost two weeks now. I have been back to work for a week and have slept in a bed for many nights. My feet are somewhat heeled but the scars from the blisters and toes are still there. It was painful putting on shoes the first time, which was almost a week after getting off the trail. Sue and I headed back home on Friday the 11th, and eased back into city life. I jumped back into work and am not sure I eased back into the daily routine. I have made several airline reservations for the weeks to come, so I must be back, thrown into the ring!

I have shared my experiences with those that have asked, and I am sure with those who could care less but were kind enough to at least seem to pay attention. We did not make the entire trip as we had planned, but the trip we did was what we had intended when we planned the trip. We set out to do a hike that took us through first class trout waters to catch many different types of trout. While we did not obtain the grand slam in one trip, each of has now obtained the slam in the course of a year. Between the fish caught on last year's trip through Yosemite and the fish caught on this trip, we got them all; browns, brookies, cutthroats, goldens and rainbows. We also got hybrids of the golden and rainbow variety and who knows, maybe even a hybrid cutt! We fished some of the most interesting water I have ever seen and I cannot remember when I was able to keep pulling fish out of a creek, river or pool as much as we did. They were beautiful fish indeed. I figure we caught over 250 fish between the two of us (not counting Mike's two trailside fish near Muir Pass!). I was often asked about how the fish tasted and were we tired of fish. To many of their surprise, I took great pleasure in saying we kept none. While I will eat an occasional trout each year, these were not intended to be taken for but a moment to look at and take pictures of. Catch and release is a wonderful experience.

In putting together my journals and looking at the pictures, time starts to heal quickly. I now dwell on the beauty of the scenery I saw, instead of the pain I had along the trail. I am not sure I could do this trip solo as I needed the presence of someone else to keep me going at times. I am also not sure I could be gone on the trail for 16 days, as the time away from my wife and best friend was hard. I don't think Sue is up for long hikes, but it will be fun to continue our day hikes and try some gentle overnighters in the next few years. I may be back to some of the spots along the southern section of the trail, but will look forward to exploring new areas and older ones as well. For now, the trips in my immediate future will be destination type trips to enjoy the surroundings for a while. I truly enjoyed the experience of doing the John Muir Trail, and planning the trip. I have hiked the entire trail, but in segments. I am not disappointed we did not finish the trip as planned given the circumstances. I don't think we did too bad for two old grubby looking guys!

My blood condition has subsided and I am now scheduled to undergo tests to make sure nothing wrong is going on inside. I will update this page once the results are found in about a month. One thing I learned about this experience is that you need to prepare for all things. You read this in the books about backpacking and the John Muir Trail, but you focus on the cuts, bruises, and bandage side of things, as well as the twisted ankles and broken limbs. You don't think about the internal things that may be going on as you exert yourself down the trail. It can happen to just about anyone in any condition, so be prepared for all things! (On September 19th I visited the doctor to get the final tests completed and to find out the results of my tests. Everything turned out fine and you can learn more about my condition here: Hematuria).

I will look back on the days of our trip with great pleasure. I will not focus on the need to pull out early, but on the challenges I overcame, the miles I was able to put in, and the passes climbed. I will remember the most wonderful scenes of the High Sierras! The abundant wildflowers, the vibrant colors they produced along the way. They amazed me at how they could grow in such sterile environments. I will remember the water that flowed every where. Both scary and exciting. The water in the Sierras this year will feed the forests and mountains for years to come. I will remember the fish we caught, but did not keep. They too had some of the most vibrant colors I have seen in wild trout before. I will also remember the people we met along the way. From those exuberant with the beauty of the mountains to those dead tired working their way up the next pass or over the next rock step. Each of them has their own story to tell and we shared with them in these along the way. I will also remember how my brother grabbed my pack and lightened my load to help me make it over Trail Crest and Forester Pass. I do not think I could have made it over these without his help. I do not think I could have done the trip without his help and experience. For that I truly thank him for his efforts along the way.

When I look back upon this trip I will remember how my glass is always half full and never half empty!

I hope you find some of the information and insight in these pages helpful and possibly useful in your upcoming trips to the Sierras or wherever they may be. Hike on!