JoAnn Saccato

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9/24/2020

Reflections From the John Muir Trail 2020: Part VI - Learning Ourselves Through Nature

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In awe at the base of an ancient Rocky Mountain Juniper. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
On the sixth day of the journey I came across what I thought was an ancient Cedar tree standing alone in all its splendor with an exceptional view of peaks across the way.

I became enamored with aged, dying and dead trees when in my youth I saw my first leaf skeleton. I was so fascinated with it's structure--a delicate outline of the leaf with a grid of once-hidden bones across its body. Since then, I've always been pulled toward the contorted and demised elders in the forest.

This tree, that I guessed was about 3,000 years old, turned out to be a Rocky Mountain Juniper, the uses, of which, to the indigenous peoples of the Americas, are too numerous to list. But my instant reaction was a recognition of its sacredness.

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9/18/2020

Reflections From the John Muir Trail 2020: Part V - More on Appreciation

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Sunset at Ruby Lake. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
Before I settled into camp at Ruby Lake, the night of catastrophizing where I became determined to bring appreciation rather than fearful anxiety to what could have been my last night alive, I sat near the lake and prayed, is this the right spot for me to stay tonight?

The lull of the late afternoon ascended as the sun descended behind the craggy peaks of Ruby Lake. The stillness of water, save the champagne like glistening of sunlight dancing across the small expanse, sedated the day's activities. Birds flitted here and thereto find their last nuggets of seeds and bugs for their evening nourishment. The dragonflies, jokering around in two- and threesomes, swerved in and around me at water's edge, occasionally hovering briefly at eye level, as rainbow glistening wings reflected splashes of sun rays. A chipmunk came next to me, perching on a rock overlooking the lake while munching on a pine cone.

Paying me no never mind, I wondered if it had the same awe I did this time of day? Did it choose this specific spot for the view at sunset? Or was it just a convenient relatively flat place where which to eat dinner?

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9/10/2020

Reflections From the John Muir Trail 2020: Part iV - lost in Bear territory

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I left Iva Bell Hot Springs mid morning with a spring in my step from a nice hot bath to start the day and the knowledge that the trail was an easy downhill for most of the way.

I may be able to push through the eleven miles back to Red's Meadow, I thought, as I oriented toward the northbound section of the Fish Creek trail. That would be a day earlier than planned. I was a week and a half into the trip and had gained my stride.

As I looked at and appreciated the last rock lined hot pool, the thought of loving awareness popped into my mind. That's all life seems to want from us is our loving awareness as it unfolds.

This will be my practice today--bring loving awareness to each moment.


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9/3/2020

Reflections From the John Muir Trail 2020: Part iii - Bear Encounters

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View of cabins at Red's Meadow Resort, a popular resupply stop on the John Muir Trail. Ansel Adams Wilderness, California.
"They really are intimidated by humans," Sally said as we sat around the picnic table at Red's Meadow Resort eating our highly prized Red's burgers. "Just scare them off with loud sounds and act big."

I'd heard this numerous times along the trail. Brown bears--those bears we find in California--aren't interested in humans, but are interested in our food. How many evenings before bed since learning how to backpack three years ago were spent painstakingly going through the ritual of making sure that "everything that goes in or on your body" is safely sealed into a bear-proof canister and stashed some distance from the tent?

So many hours spent fretting about having residual mint fragrance from toothpaste lingering in my mouth or the scent of lotion on my dry cracked hands. Was it enough to be detected? Images of the young camper who awoke to a crunching sound--which turned out to be the sound of his own head being munched by a bear--repeatedly forced their way into my head. I shuddered every time.

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  • Home
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