After late Breakfast, almost settled in for a nap, which I did most all day yesterday, except for one fluttering foray to take the Half Dome pic...and almost didn't get that...was on my way to Last Chance for dinner, but looked backed over my shoulder, and saw over the Trees the Clouds turning pink, and hurried back to the Cabin, got the bike, and peddled out to Bobcat Meadow...pic...anyway, today I gathered the gear, and rolled up the hill to Tuolumne....I left at noon--Silver is making before impossibilities possible...had thought yesterday to make a whole day of it hiking out to Glen Aulen, and maybe see the Waterwheels, but I was tired from the work week, and it was hot, and, well, today wasn't going to get away....from the Road, I thought I passed May Lake, and the Gate locked across the access Road, and considered that there were Turn Outs and a Trail Head further along just before Olmstead Point...I've always hiked into May Lake by the Old Road, which starts at the Turn Out past Olmstead...twice friends have driven me to the Parking Lot where the Trail really begins, but I didn't give much attention....so..when I found the Turn Outs, I was surprised to see the Road, which I'd thought I'd passed, and....it was Gated, with warning not to get lost hiking...but the Road looked to have been plowed-- Big Plow parked with Snow still on the Blades, so..I parked Silver across the Road at that Turn Out, and, from experience, knew I had time for day hike to the Lake and back...question was if there was too much Snow, and if I might get too tired--haven't up hiked in awhile....if the Road hadn't been plowed, there would have been too much Snow!...as it was, there was just some troublesome Snow, saw a few Postholes from other hikers, in the Gradual Section on leaving the Parking Lot....and at the Lake, Camping area all Snow covered, and May Lake all frozen!!...and all during the Up Section, I could hear Blue Grouse call, but no luck...at the Lake, took some scenics....checked to see if Marmots about...Marmot's Log mostly covered with Snow...but One Marmot periscoped to see who was about...just me!...pic... two backpack camps set up, and a few other day hikers, whose Snowfootprints were very helpful to follow!....just coming down the Up Section, I heard Grouse nearby....went off trail, and heard Grouse really loud!....and Grouse hidden under Pine just a few feet away....I'd really hoped to see Grouse, and Providence was more than generous....pics and lots of lots of clips, both avi and hd...for sometime...Grouse took up position on a Boulder with view of Cathedral, and Conness in the Background, calling wooop woop woop in answer to another Grouse off in the distance...very cool!!....kinda over cast hot humid, when I walked beside the plowed snow, like winter.....almost rolled all the way to Turolume and beyond for fish tacos, but returned, and just in time at Last Chance for cheeseburger and fries and blueberry pie---cheetos and crangrape for Cabin snack...was hungry, and now sleepy!....hmmph...background noise in clip is from the image stabilizer, I think...sigh...too many things to fiddle with!!...should have shut it off...did have the auto focus off....Grouse was near where I sighted Grouse in June, 2008, second Grouse I think was over where I sighted Grouse last year....oh...a Tall Pine fell, yesterday I think, across the Path at the Creek Footbridge--High Water erosion....and Small Bear report from Sunday near Le Conte Memorial....
Time is a thief, when you are undecided.
--Rod Stewart
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