After three weeks off training (vacation) we did a quick hike to Lone Pine Lake just to see where we were in our fitness. Also, I wanted to see the first part that we will be hiking under natural light not headlamps.
We left Whitney Portal at 10:40am and got to the Lake at 12:20pm. I was a bit surprised by the time as a lot of what I read said it should take longer. My wife lead all the way and didn't set a real fast pace, I thought. But it worked out well. We have learned that I am much faster up hill but that ruins me for the down hill (bad knees..really bad knees) so she leads up and I lead down. While she waits for me to get going on the down hill she has plenty of time to take pictures.
I have yet to see a picture that can fully communicate the beauty of being there. Today was beautiful.
We hiked all the way around the Lake, ate lunch under a pine on the far side and bouldered over the last bit of lake to the trail. From there we went to the pass only zone and stepped across just to be outlaws. Then chatted with Jeff on the way down. He had been to Mirror lake to fish.
We stopped by the Store but they were busy. It looked like Doug was bringing in the groceries.
Funny thing happened on the drive up from Los Angeles. Right as we came up over a hill and got our first glimpse of Whitney we were so busy looking at it I must have eased on the gas a bit too much. CHP guy had us. I immediately pulled over, rolled the window down and had my hands on the wheel in plain sight. The officer was a pleasant guy and when I told him what happened and how excited we were to do a quick run at the mountain, he smiled and asked for the registration, insurance, and divers license. In the end, no ticket. I owe that guy a beer.
