Gary,

Great TR and pics!

In looking at the pics posted here, after identifying who you were in those pics, I'm 99% certain you and I said a passing "hi" to each other just outside the Portal Store by the first picnic table, and may have done the same another time during the first day or so. Unbelievable!

I can't believe I was up there at the same time as so many of you, and not knowing who any of you were by sight (except the Moose, who I had the pleasure of FINALLY meeting in person, and for Richard P., who I hiked with in ~2003), I probably walked right by you without knowing who I was walking by. Also, Gary, I forgot to mention in our e-mails today, that I was also staying at the Hostel for the entire 6 nights I was there. The first night, Sat, 7/23, I was in Room 11 with 3 other guys. I converted to a private room for the remaining 5 nights, and had Room 10 those nights.

Gotta do those Zoner shirts!!

Joe, if you summitted on Thursday, 7/28 (I think I read that), congrats! That was to have been my summit attempt day, but I bowed out of it late the evening before (having intended to begin at midnight to avoid the heat), because the smoke from the fire appeared to be significantly impacting not only the valley, but more so, the mountains, and having mild controlled asthma, I didn't really need to aggravate my lungs with all that bad stuff. By the way, Joe, when I summitted in 2007, there were only 4 of us on the summit also -- 2 rock climbers who were getting their gear organized, a very sleepy looking guy, and me. The other guy left shortly after I arrived, which left me and the climbers, who I talked into taking my picture (Steve C. - yeah, that's "the picture" displayed on your laptop in our lost camera story).

Congrats to all for a wonderful hike!

Bri, I know very well what it's like to get within a mile of this summit and have to turn around, which is what I had to do in either 2005 or 2006. I came back in 2007 and finally did made the summit for the first time. It felt really good! Well worth the wait. If you were emotional at having to quit that close, wait until you try it again, but this time, you're finally on that final approach on the summit plateau, and the realization spills over you that you KNOW you're going to make it this time!! Quite a magical moment when that happens.

By the way, I'm sure I not only saw Bri in the store, but probably also talked to her, since she was helping out, again without having a clue who she was. D'oh!!

SoCalGirl - Can't believe I missed you also. Ditto for wazzu, Doc Rod, akichow, and I probably missed someone else that Gary mentioned. Did I say ... D'OH?!!!

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)