A Day in Tuolumne Meadows

I'm 10th in line for the walk up permits and it's only 6:30 am.  Crazy.  The ranger station doesn't open until 8. I'm 8th in line for the JMT though, so no problem as there are 10 walk up permits issued each day for that trailhead.   For future reference the walk up permits work like this.  The ranger walks down the line at 8 asking what trailhead you are entering on.  If there is space available for that day then you are sent inside where they write your permit. If there isn't space available you can ask to be put on a cancellation list and at 10:30 you will be plucked from the line if there is availability.  Their words, not mine.  At 11:00 am a ranger gathers all the rest left in the line for next day permits and gives a ranger talk on trail etiquette.  I got a gold star.  A sticker really.  I have a hard time letting his questions bump up against the faces in the crowd.  I smile, I answer, I get a cool sticker.  I also get a permit for tomorrow. 

The line is actually quite fun.  I met lots of interesting people and had nice conversations.  

I hike out to get a drink at soda springs.  Minerals have to be good, right?  

There is music and a poetry reading at Parsons lodge.  I'm moved.  Tears flow.  Wow.  I didn't expect that.  All the poets were great, but Kay Ryan was fantastic, for me today anyways.  I wander out afterwards listening to the fiddle music drift across the meadows and I meander around.  Looking at the grand stage as well as the tiny things.

All alone.  I soak my feet in the water and some prose pops out.  Not quite done, not really good, but still fun, restorative.

Solitude

I hear the deep knock of the fir tree

Amidst the noise of the cheerful sound 

of water ripples.  

The waters always a stir

Take center stage. 

Pleasant hurry 

But not deep.  

Step back from the noise-

Hear the solitary knock

Of the wood in the wind. 

And...

The Rock

Immobile amidst the flutter

Of winds, rain, clouds and stream.  

Slowly changing shape

The same but different?

Here's the rock I was looking at. 

I wander back to the backpackers camp at peace.  It feels like I just had some satisfying love making and I suppose I did.