Day 213, Aug 26, Pinnacles National Park and Fresno Temple

 Spent a 15-hr day in the truck yesterday making our way from Portland to Pinnacles National Park south of San Jose, CA. But this time without truck problems, hallelujah. In fact, the new truck is so dang comfortable it hardly felt like 15 hrs.

Pinnacles National Park is a newer park having been established in 2013. It’s also quite small and was easily explored in half a day. Good thing, cause that’s all the time we had. With one wee campground and one small district where all the trailheads are located, this compact park was easy to explore. Endangered California condors roost in the tall rock pinnacles, and they circled us all morning gliding effortlessly on the updrafts. 

Heat can be a limiting factor while hiking here, so we got an early start, hitting the 7.5-mile trail at 0800. Glad we did, cause once the sun came over the hills, so did intense unrelenting heat. At least it was dry heat. As well, there were not so many visitors cause it’s the hot off season.

Pinnacles reminded me a great deal of beautiful Custer State Park in South Dakota. The trail brilliantly led us up, into, and through the rock jumbles that comprise the pinnacles, and it just got lovelier and lovelier as we went along and climbed higher. 

Aaron reached a point along the trail called The Narrow and Steep section where he didn’t think he could conquer his acrophobia. But he said a silent prayer (or was that mumbled curse words?) and powered on and up and through. Such a trooper. An unhappy trooper, but one nonetheless.

Speaking of being quite the trooper, we had time to spare at the end of the first hike to add on a detour. I’m ever so glad we did as it led to a small reservoir and a moist cool cave, which was quite a surprising respite in the heat which approached 100 degrees by noon. The oasis section of this trail continued past a small green spring and through much welcome shade. 

Ever been to a national park that boasted a swimming pool? Us neither, and although it was quite cold and kinda dirty and murky, we were too hot, sweaty and parched to care much. Was quite a refreshing dip and was cleaner than some of the pools we enjoyed in Thailand. AND we had the pool to ourselves even. 

Refreshed from the cool plunge, we made our way another 3-hours drive to Fresno where we attended a session at the temple. I have missed temple attendance this past month. Was as spiritually refreshing as the pool plunge was physically. Sweet folks at the temple even allowed us to borrow their lunchroom to heat our dinner. They just want to serve. 

Good deeds: It’s tricky to find something to do for someone everyday, though being mindful and on the prowl for good deeds helps open doors. I thought I’d give some dinner to a homeless gal sitting on the curb outside the temple, but she wasn’t homeless after all and disappeared before I could approach her. Drat, an opportunity foiled.  

Then I remembered Aaron’s sweet kindness to me earlier in the day. After my swim, I wanted to blow dry my hair so as to appear not homeless at the temple. But alas, with no power source anywhere near, I was doomed. Doomed only until Aaron came to my rescue and unhooked Bambi, drug two generators off the truck, and hooked me with with electricity for 5 minutes just so I could feel pretty. He did all of this for me in 100 degree heat and without murmur or complaint as if serving me makes him happy. Such a guy! I’m counting that as one good deed for the day.