Andy Richter is fat in person

Its Tuesday! What a week, what a weekend. So much has happened lets catch up. My void in updates was due to a backpacking trip in the Sierra's for five days. Also Michigan lost this weekend and UCLA wow way to go. First off backpacking. I anticipated this trip before my move in both positive and negative ways. I was very excited for the chance to hike along side my sister. It has been years since the last time we enjoyed the outdoors in this fashion. I must say though I was very disappointed in the structure of the trip. Where do I begin. OK so I joined in on a backpacking group my sister is a part of called LA Backpackers. It was founded by a woman who moved to LA and decided she wanted to get into backpacking, the goop has been around a little over two years. OK now a brief update on my outdoor experience. I have been involved in nature for about seventeen years of my life, as well I am an Eagle scout, and somewhat a down to earth person who has learned from their many experiences in nature. Now onto the weekend. It was a beautiful hike, full of sounds, sights, weather, and then some. Wednesday we departed LA around 5 and headed off to the trail head located outside of Mammoth Lakes, CA. Geographically located about parallel to Sacramento, so mid state about a 5 1/2 hour drive. Always fun! We found our way through the woods to our camp for the evening around eleven in the evening. From here I met the three of the other six hikers I would be exercising the soul with for the weekend (I love playing the name game in the dark) and set up the tent and hit the sack. The next morning was an early awakening and start to the trail. I also met the rest of the group by this point. The hike was an easy 6.5 miles in with the excepting of about 1300 feet of elevation gain most of which was in the span of three miles. Must say me knees and thighs felt the burn. Most of all this was happening at 9000 feet above sea level. So easy to say my lungs felt it too. We arrived one by one into camp around four in the afternoon. OK so my first critique on hiking strategy. I have always been one when leading a hiking group to set the pace at the pace of the slowest hiker. This was not the case this weekend. Seven of us arrived into camp and one was missing. Granted this was the slowest hiker and did not have a buddy. About 2-3 hours as the sun was preparing to depart for the evening he strolled into camp exhausted and out of breath from elevation. Wow I thought to my self no one waited for him. Oh the contrary was to soon be discovered. Remember our fearless 2 year experienced leader and event organizer. She decided about 2 miles outside of camp to wait for the last hiker (smart choice), however after waiting for a bit with no sign of our caboose she opted to continue to camp (bad choice). Its a good thing he made it, unless you like it when people get hurt all alone in the wilderness (he was already suffering form a swollen knee). Any who enough negative on with the positive. Don't worry I have some more bitching to do.The second day was awesome! I went on a day hike to a duo of high alpine lakes with my sister and another woman from the group. The day was warm but cut by a refreshing breeze, perfect to rejuvenate the body and mind. The first lake was stunning. The blues of the water were remarkable. You could see to a depth of about 15 feet or so. Granted the lake was nestled below some very impressive peeks the towered over head like stone guardians of a nest of glass reflecting the sights of above. The next lake was about three hundred feet above where the only path was a spotty at best traverse through a very steep boulder field. For some reason I felt 100% compelled to continue up to the next lake. The girls opted to wait for me at the lower lake. I set off to climb up the second lake and I must say what a bitch of a climb. The trail often disappeared through wave after wave of Granite, Iron, and other forms of Ingenious rocks. It was fun but at the same time freaky. This was a steep pile of rocks with the random Volkswagen size rock that would wiggle when I stepped on it. My mind raced from calm to doomsday events every minute. What if this rock was the one to roll and I was to be rocked and rolled. Oh how I would enjoy breaking my femur or getting trapped. I continued on and the path just got worse and worse. Faced with the situations mom would scream over it made the boulder scramble worth it. The final 30 feet to the top was technical. Small loose rocks and the steepest grade yet. The summit could not have been any better. An immediate view and pulchritudinous to say the least. Windy, high, and alone. Nothing better to arrive to. I took in my joy for a half an hour or so and waited for two other hikers who appeared from another pass opposite side of the lake. I accompanied the gentlemen back down the traverse (good choice). We scrambled back down to the lower lake and I joined the girls for the hike back to camp. The second day was the beginning of difficulty. Weather decided to join us. Wind, wind, and more wind. One of the tent poles broke and oh what the fuck lets throw in some more wind. My patience was tested through multiple situations. The days at the lake were refreshing but at the same time were very hard. My mind had time to think of very many things. Home, friends, family, and the life I am trying to create for my self. I found myself depressed in the mornings happy during the days and depressed once again in the evening. I miss so much and I am trying to be comfortable with that notion. Every day is a reminder of what love is all about. My ducts are dry and my heart is full I enjoyed my time through the thick and thin but its time to bitch again and boy-o-boy the shit hit the fan the last morning. I awoke to my sister telling me that the hiking group had departed. They left us... Apparently we would be fine to hike out without the group. No map, No breakfast, and No smile on my face we departed. Better yet when we arrived at the trail head no one from the group was there. They packed up their cars and left. WOW! That is dangerous my friends. Leave people behind, who cares if they get lost or hurt, out of sight out of mind. I will oh so enjoy leaving a comment on the LA Backpackers blog page. I put this glorious leadership decision out of my head for I knew I had a 5 1/2 hour drive ahead and to fixate on the negative would certainly not make a shitty situation any better. Well the lets find something else to mentally obsess over. We ate lunch in Mammoth which was were I received some bum bum news. I found out that my first visitor was no longer able to make it down to LA to visit the weekend of September 12th due to schedule conflict. I had been building this visit up in my head, probably a little too much, but life works in odd ways. My mind quickly moved into depression and loneliness. I was looking forward to a visit so much but it is a no go. It pissed me off for a good six hours or 400 miles whichever way you want to put it. I took it out on the interstate to say the least. Arrival at apartment # 2516 was refreshing. A filling non freeze dried meal and a long shower, and I am back at full strength. I was exhausted but I laid awake until 3:30 am thinking and distracting myself with the movie Heat that was playing on TNT. That movie sucks on TV. Not so much the editing of violence and language, its the commercials! good Lord I swear I stayed up all for the heist and shoot out to conclude the movie however I had to wade through 27 commercial breaks (I counted). I passed out to awake to an empty house and stomach. My dad showed up around eleven from a bike ride and we were of to world famous Philippe's. Everything was true. Food was cheep, delicious, and at the same table you could find a business man and a bum eating in harmony. Or in our case today Mr. Andy Richter. What a delightfull and a beautiful family he has. The rest of the day was spent in front of the boob tube watching college football, oh how I have missed you so. Great games and a half rack of PBR is a wonderful close to a Labor day weekend, considering I am unemployed. I am off to school tomorrow to scout filming locations for the first of two films I will be working on other than my own. My fingers hurt and my brain is fried. Its good to be loved and great to smile. The weeks will fly and no memories will fade. A new chapter has begun and I am excited to do and be the best I can in it. The last sentence has a double meaning and you know who you are. :)