bucket list, the options expand
envelopes into the slot at the
quickly.
post office that February night, and said a prayer, my definition
After consulting with a good
of wilderness went far beyond
friend who is very
that of the NPS, the Sierra Club
knowledgeable about the
or John Muir.
various Yosemite trailheads, I settled on six possible entry
March 3, 2015, a day I will never
points, filled out my Wilderness
forget.
Permit Forms for entry on either August 17th or 18th, and
When the day started, very
drove to the Post Office to place early, for I woke up before 5AM, my entry in the NPS lottery. I
I was worried. My strategy of
should add that my JMT journey applying for entry at six was more than a backpacking
different JMT entry points had
trip, it was a self-directed
fallen short the day before, my
retreat, a final step on the
ir st attempt to gain entry to
journey that I had been on for a
the JMT. I had gotten two
year to rebuild my life after
emails yesterday from the NPS
leaving my marriage of thirty-
with the bad news.
one years. God and nature had
"We are sorry to inform you that
something to say to me, I only
your request has been denied
needed to listen. Not merely a
for all choices listed due to lack
physical challenge, it was a
of available space. There is no
spiritual one as well. My
space available for a John Muir
"wilderness adventure"
Trail hike on the dates you
encompassed far more than
requested. Yosemite receives
from which trailhead I would
many more requests for the
start my JMT retreat, of that I
JMT than there is space
was sure. As I placed my four
available. Trailheads for the JMT
