DUSY ERSHIM RUN

Mike and Tami, Eric and Will, Don and Nancy, and I meet for breakfast in Salida.  After a filling breakfast we “hit the road” for Prather.  Stopping only for gas and permits, we drove to Shaver Lake, were we meet up with So Cal Eric. He and Don left the tow rigs at the Marina.  We got some lunch and proceeded to the Trail Head.  Most of the start was on par with Deer Valley trail, but became more like the Rubicon as we went along. The First night we camped near Voyager Rock. The next morning Chicken Rock was a piece of cake with great views at the top.  Onward and upward we went until we finally got to “Thompson Hill,” and lot of winching and rock pilling went on.  Mike said, “I have used my wench times more times today than all other times combined!!  He was the lead Jeep, and with a trailer as a anchor. He HAD to keep going or the rest of us would be blocked.  As luck would have it, only 2 Jeeps had caught up with us, so we had let them go by.  Guess who were “stuck on Thompson Hill.”  We waited a while, than started up another route to get around them.  With all of us working together (except me) we passed them at the ½ way point and, after getting to the top, would not see the them again until camping that night.  We had arrived at Thompson Lake about 4 PM, and they arrived about 11 PM.  The following day was a short day, arriving at East Lake at 1PM. That day my right leg was hurting very bad and would not bear any weight.  I could sit upright, but could not lie down or walk without pain.  This made for not much sleep, but was made up for by everyone else doing almost everything for me.  The next day we traveled all the way to Lakecamp Lake arriving at 3PM. The following morning we made it to asphalt at Kaiser pass around noon. I think that everyone, except So Cal Eric, got some damage to their rig.  I found mine when we got to pavement, a bent front drive shaft.  Because we wanted to get to the hospital first, Mike and I separated from the rest and made a beeline for Madera at 40 miles per hour.  While the doctor worked on me, Mike removed my front shaft, and changed a tire on his rig because he picked up a piece of metal in it. We then drove me to his house.  After a bath, dinner, and a little (sitting up) sleep.  After breakfast, I was able to drive, at a normal speed, home.  The next day I was back at Kaiser for more tests, different pills, and a new diagnose.  Still in pain, but less, and still “about 3 to 5 weeks” without much moving around and lots of pills.  Am I glad I did it?  You bet!  With friends like this and a good Jeep in my hands, I could go any were.   Would I do it again?  Probably not.  Will limit myself to something with shorter days, and take better camping equipment next time.  There is a lot more that I could write about this trip, but right now Wes is picking me to take me to the meeting.  GARY