Backpacking adventures.

It was Friday night, Memorial Day Weekend. My friend Mike and I headed to the Los Angeles National Forest at 1PM. I had a very busy day getting ready for the four day adventure trip.

That morning I had to borrow my neighbor's washer to finish my laundry for the trip. I had no idea that if I have a large load but the machine is set to small, the motor overheats and automatically shuts off. Thinking I had ruined my washer I knocked on my neighbor's door to finish it. Later, on a whim, the machine started again. Lucky! it had cooled down and it was now working, Phew!

After a long drive to the mountains and a quick stop to the market for supplies, Mike drove his large, self contained van toward the mountains. These are his stomping grounds, he knows the area like the back of his hand.

He's also a very persuasive person. Without noticing much, he managed to take me on a backpacking trip to the Pacific Crest Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada. Granted, we only did less than 3 miles but it was my first, and we camped outdoors without a tent no less. It was definitely an adventure. Once, when both our headlights crossed I thought I saw the shadow of a bear walking toward me. I screamed and hid behind Mike who was looking for the horrible animal to fight him off me. I explained it was only a play in the shadows and we both laughed nervously.

We walked through the forest littered with pine cones, dead wood, fragrant bushes, distant lights of some city and scary shadows. Mike even dared me to turn my headlight off and experience the darkness of the woods and its million shadows before everything looked like threatening animals. I quickly turned it back on.

We walked what seemed a long time, eons! and I looked twice at every shadow and kept my light pointed at Mike's shoes, I didn't want to miss one of his steps. My feet went exactly where his stepped and the tension in my shoulders grew.

Occasionally he would turn around and ask me how I was doing. I did my best not to show my fear but in seldom precious moments I noticed the beauty of the mountains, the serene setting of rocks and the absolute silence. It was magical.