launch backpa Please histori My t wonde arm, I over m faster my bac extend side an Thro hangin hoped middle attemp comra I take barrie
Pillar
REBELS WITHOUT A COMPASS The Pillars hiking group, left to right: “Sleepy” John Sandidge, John Leopold and Richard Stockton with guest hiker John Hanks.
WALK THIS WAY I
You never know what you’re going to learn about life when you hike on the wild side BY RICHARD STOCKTON
t’s 8:30 am Monday and we’re driving up Highway One to Fisherman’s Wharf in The City to begin today’s hike.
When “Sleepy” John Sandidge came up with the idea of hiking in the city of San Francisco it did seem foreign to us. Our group of over-50s has been nature trail hiking for more than a decade seeking natural majesty, but today we intend to walk the City. Maybe our San Francisco trip will be a Magical Mystery Tour. “Sleepy” John is El Jefe, our fearless
6
leader because for a quartet of wandering dreamers it is essential to have a final decision maker. The nimble, buff, French, single and younger Laurence Bedford of the Rio Theatre is our scout, our point man. When Laurence starts brainstorming, I feel like I’m sitting in on a think tank with Jacques Cousteau and Michel Foucault.
An Experiment As for me, I’m strong and I am the group’s clown. I am the mule. I am the
fool. I remember a few years ago we were crossing a stream that flows out of the mountains across the beach to the sea. I was the last one to cross, trying to decide whether to take off my shoes and wade the stream or rock-hop across and hope I didn’t slide off the slippery stones. My backpack was heavy with garbage we had collected on the beach, and with giddy, fool-mode inspiration, I announced to my comrades that I was the director of the Institute of Centrifugal Force Flight. “Gentlemen, I will now swing my backpack so fast in a circular motion that when I
With Pillars becaus claim h structu aging, agains enough agains system give a people is no b will no double song ly “The me/Sig on the was ma OK, to scal limited rules. anythi less be On t we are Fool ra our pr take th “Boys, of my Half M Slee how m monty “El J we hik answe
50 UP 2021
Pages 6, 7, 8 -2021.indd hiking.indd 6 2 50 UP August
8/26/21 12:56 11:06 PM AM 8/27/21
Pages 6, 7,
