Mount Lassen * do pretty * Mountain Lake * under the Stars
Listening to Marley on the drive up to Lassen NP, ‘twas (again) time to clear the head and shake a leg. Got up there just in time to sneak in a pleasant enough meander out to Kings Creek Falls and just before twilight, which was good to stretch the legs and acclimate a bit to the altitude.
Spent the night at Lake Helen watching darkness fall and then give way to the cavalcade of starlights overhead. And don’t think I saw or heard a car come by all night, as not only was it quiet, ‘twas if eye didn’t know any better, nothing even moved, the night before Mt. Lassen.
Woke the next day with fog shrouding the lake and clearly leaving the hoped for ascent without a view to be had. I scrambled to get my blankets and sleeping bag in order before reparking the car in view of the scantily to be had lakeshore. And to my surprise there was a truck that slowly rambled by, and after a quick breaky I joined them in the parking lot at the base of the peak.
The trailhead was the starting point for a most formidable series of switchbacks, and not knowing if ‘twas just the altitude or my now ascending age, but few (ascents) do I recall the amount of huffin’ and a puffin’, if not the wheezin’ and a geezin’ that I did up that mount.
And as I told myself and the couple that I shared the trail with at times, that if it wasn’t for my ego, I woulda turned around a long time ago. And yet I trudged ahead, albeit taking a respite seemingly every tenth or so mile. It made me think of friends and their “bad luck,” and how I’ve oft wondered if they don’t put themselves (unwittingly) in those situations (partly by choice), and if I now had (once again) put myself in a dire, if not at least unwelcome/uncomfortable spot.
I recalled being out at Tilden Park after hours and knowing only the trail at the top, headed up there at nightfall, only to catch the eye of the local (tiger) mountain lion, who thankfully turned tail after I had looked on the ground below me, and to no avail, for a large rock and/or stick. And ditto after being forewarned not once nor twice, but thrice times not to drive thru the now blizzard above the Eastern Rockies in Canada, and of course which I did, and again thankfully enough crawled to my escape over the ice packed mountain roads. Less than Jake indeed.
The peak came and went without incident, save for enjoying my ration of hickory smoked (Santa Barbara) pistachios, and not knowing that if I had ventured over the toe of the glacier and up another series of switchbacks, that I would have reached the true peak and not the faux one that I had settled in against the snow pack, up in the clouds and under the well layered fog.
On the way down, virtual nirvana ensued as the respite/moment of silence that I had been bestowed by Lassen NP, gave way to the thought that at one ment with nature is a visceral experience, and that may even give way to song and the like (prayer). ‘Twas a feelgood moment and lasted (all the way) ‘til Starbucks (courtesy of gift cards from my Auntie M. and sister Cat) in Red Bluff and the Arco just after that in Orland. Ain’t (postmodern) life grand.
Meanwhile I had put Lulacruza (do pretty!) in the CD player and was well on my way to the return to reality. Thru semi rush hour traffic and then off the fwy back in Oakland, there were the now seemingly inherent homeless shanty towns and a woman walking unevenly in shoes and no socks, and with perhaps her lone possession, a not near warm enough blanket for tonight, and more than likely for many more nights to come, and with nothin’ pretty ‘bout it.
On top of the mtn was fogged in with rain and popcorn snow/hail coming down on the descent, and am sure there will be some of that for the city folks come this winter, with a roof over their heads or not, and as we drive by with our ball & chain, 5 figure automobile and 6 figure homes. Life as we know it, or don’t know of it.
(volcanic) Mountain Lake * under the Stars * Sustain Yourself Cards by James Wanless
Mountain * amass * be a prominent peak, stand out and be visible, become the highest, most elevated you can achieve, collect and gather experience upon experience to build yourself into a massive life that attracts and inspires, defy the valleys and seek the majestic, set your goals high and be ambitious with planning and work, onwards and upwards, keep going, defy gravity and the grave, live large
Lake * self knowing * who are you, the lake is a mirror of all that you are, contain, keep, hold, catch and maintain your original face, the starry skies of your origins and aspirations, and the moonbeams of your feelings and attractions, renew yourself in the basin of reflection and refreshment, accept, receive and see the truth, no denial, meditate and muse on your path, purpose and right livelihood, review to recognize
Stars * inspiration * look to the stars for inspired creation, cosmic in your celestial origin, turn on your natural radiance, born of the light, shine your light, guide, illuminate, reveal, be a way shower, seer of the past, sage of the present, and augur of the future, let wonder and awe transport your imagination to new possibilities and hope, be the star that you are
Darkness * intuition * in the dark, it’s all a mystery, trust your intuitions and feel your way, use blindness to develop other senses and the extra sensory, do not fear or judge the blackness, probe the unenlightened secret parts of yourself that are hidden, meditate, at night, relax, sleep, let go, pay attention to your dreams, the unknown reveals itself in dreams, close your eyes to see
Weather * dynamic equilibrium * you are dynamic, hot and cold, calm and stormy, clear and cloudy, continuously generating energy and inner chi of outer and internal change, balance, temper and moderate to maintain equilibrium of emotions and expressions that power and influence the conditions of the atmosphere within and around you, notice and regulate the subtle energies that circulate up and down and all round from the top of your crown to the base of your spine, weather the changes
Clouds * manifestation * out of nothing comes something, yours is the power to magically materialize, alchemist of airy thoughts with fiery spirit and watery moods, and space to be free, create and change new and different, nothing set and fixed, you are a transitioning verb in motion gently and easily moving with an imagination leading to another until it rains returns, make it up (get up, the mountain, out of bed, off the couch :)
Fire * volcanic * start a fire to purify and cleanse, to transform to catalyze, to heat up, to enlighten, to bring warmth, ignite, burst, erupt and explode with what’s burning in you, get hot and get it out, be spontaneous, sizzle, sear and flash with passion, fervor, anger, desire, express your revolutionary revelations, expose the fire in your belly, turn on, get cooking, you are dynamic and energized, take the heat for the truth, unleash the volcano within
