Intro

Welcome to a story, or stories I should say. A compilation of adventure tales. An ongoing itch to see, smell, and touch the world, or at least the deserted roads and rarely trampled mountains of America. Characters within the descriptive paragraphs of these stories carve out the coming and going companions in life; vital life people and pieces that parallel a universe for moments, days, years. And then spear off, leaving granules of magnificent memories of magical places. They leave a lasting trace, a gained sense of courage to stand tall on oxygen deprived mountains and shout absurdities like: I love you Ralph! Ralph is a teenage reindeer stuffed of the finest synthetic polyester fiber poof; he says made in Indonesia but really tells me he is from the North Pole. Delivered through a chimney one December night 20 years ago, we instantly became cuddle buddies upon that morning's sunrise. He is the instigator. The inspiration. And the imagination. He breathes creativity. Laughter. His is a dear companion. And yes, at 4lbs he tags along atop a pack or strapped to a rack. In delirium of 107 degree heat, the small possession of material belongings gain a persona. Innate objects become friends of the road and trails. And as for the humans who accompany, their presence reads priceless. Without O'Reilly, a 29 year old New Hampshirian with superior taste buds, the mathematical six foot four inch tall German, or handful of organic peanut butter and 99 cent jam eating munchkins, there would be a lot less excitement. The encounters we make with our specie, encapsulating the world with their awkward ways and over consumerist love, somehow we have managed to become overly adored creatures. Their generous hearts restore a faith that goodness prevails in the upheaval of a sometimes lost humanity. As for myself, I'm just the navigator, paddling up the stream of life munching on Clif Bars, with an iPhone documenting the frailties and goodies underneath all the simplified complexities in the world we reside. So again, I welcome you to get lost and dream a little through this typed text and your imagination. My name is Kristen Gentilucci. I live in Berkeley California and I love dogs.


Friday, September 6, 2013

Day 15

Miles: 20.5
Elevation gain: 4,500ft
Elevation loss: 3,500ft
Altitude: 14,496 ft Mt Whitney 

The experience of bumping into such friendly people while for all we know the US could be bombing Syria right now. We are living in a strange bubble, with lack of technology or even a weather forecast, protected from sad worldly affairs. Waking up to frosted laundry only shows how exposed to the elements we were. Arrays of messages and discouragement about Whitney came from left and right as we encroached upon the others summiting Whitney's peak sharing these trails with us. Tales of thunderstorms rolling in, frost bitten temperatures at the summit, and hikers questioning our ambitions to make it to the top before sunset was fuel to push our mileage and reach the finally. 

Ignoring it all we pushed on deciding sunset on the top of the world would be grander than a 3am frozen night walk to sunrise with the ants of others on a same mission. And like that suddenly nearly 2 weeks in the back country, through hail, tears, and echoes of joy, blisters, sunburned lips, and stinky tents, it was complete. Dazed from lack of food, water, exhaustion, and oxygen, we were there on top of the USA staring 10,000ft down into the city of Lone Pine with the whole mountain to ourselves. 

The magical celebration started on the decent as the sun set over all the mountains north west of us that we had climbed. Those moments when you thank your physical body for getting your being to where you are. Mountains turned to purple and the painted pink horizon for once in a lifetime stood below us. Its vibrancy glowed as the last bits of warm light dimmed on the peak on the mountain. It is in those moments that realizing, if you have a dream, live it. Life only happens once, so let your heart sing on top of mountains or in city streets. 

The long decent started with 100 switchbacks and as night fell, or 99 to be percice according to our newly friended Astonia youngesters. Scaling sides of cliffs 14,000ft high with headlamps of an unnatural light, was not the most exciting ending, but being told that Granola bars are America's best invention by an 18 year old foreigner gives a good laugh. But then finally falling asleep to shooting stars, the Milky Way, a galaxy so vast the importance of human existence ceases, suddenly the last night with a tent of the dirty socks, sore legs, and one very happy lucky reindeer becomes completely magical.