Climbing Whitney – Part 1

by Bob Sparrow

Bobby MacD, Trail Boss, Avalanche, Wheels, The Greeter, Rabbit

It was 12 years ago this month that an intrepid group of erstwhile hikers set out to climb the highest mountain in the contiguous United State – Mt. Whitney.  The idea started at a neighborhood holiday party in 2007, when Patrick Michael mentioned that he and a friend had climbed Mt. Whitney earlier in the year.  Several of us at the party said we’d like to do that, so Patrick said, we’ll have to start training now.  Which we did over the next six months, acquiring hiking skills and nicknames.

The group was made up of the six guys from our ‘hood.  Because he had done this hike before and was doing all the research and getting permits, etc., Patrick was nicknamed ‘Trail Boss’.  The rest of the group was Mark ‘Rabbit’ Johnson, thus named  because of the fast-paced hiking stride; Rick ‘The Greeter’ Sullivan, as he wanted to stop and talk to everyone he met on the trail; Bob ‘Bobby MacD’ Pacelli, since his idea of a good trail meal was a MacDonald’s Big Mac and fries; Larry ‘Wheels’ Affentranger, because he was not going to do the hike, but he wanted to be part of the ‘road trip’ so he committed to drive us home after the hike; I was called ‘Avalanche’ based of the way I went down hills – in a rather speedy and haphazard manner.

“Where’s the guy covered in honey?

We drove out of Orange County connecting to Highway 395 to Lone Pine in June on a Friday morning.  We checked into our motel in time to stretch our legs, have a few beers and go to dinner.  We had some wine with dinner and joked with one another about who we were going to spread honey on during the hike to attract any bears we might encounter.  After dinner we walked to a local saloon and had a few after-dinner drinks . . . maybe more than a few.  We were feeling so good after the drinks that we went arm-in-arm, singing down Highway 395 in the middle of the night.  Not the best of training practices for people who were planning to do the most arduous hike of their lives on Sunday.

Saturday morning we drove the 13 miles from Lone Pine to Whitney Portal – a campground, which sits at about 8,400  feet above seal level, and is at the trail-head to Mt. Whitney.  We would spend the day and night there getting acclimated to the altitude.  We set up two tents, three guys to a tent, and then decided to hike the beginning of the trail to Whitney to get familiar with the ground we would be hiking the next morning in the dark.

Whitney Portal quiet campsite

That trail crossed small streams several times during that first hour, so it was important to make sure we got the lay of the land so we could negotiate it in the dark with just our headlamps on.  Getting your feet wet at the beginning of a hike like this could prove disastrous the rest of the day.  We got a good look at the mountain we were going to attempt to summit the next day and it looked awesome . . . and foreboding.

Although it is the highest peak in the contiguous U.S., it can still be hiked in one day.  The total up and back is 22 miles with gains of approximately 6,000 feet in elevation from Whitney Portal to the summit of 14,505 feet.  From the highest point in the contiguous U.S. you can see the lowest point in the entire U.S., Death Valley, which is only 80 miles away as the crow flies.

We had an early dinner, told some lies around the campfire and thought about the odds given for hiking Whitney in a day – about a one-in-three success rate! Why?

The reasons are numerous, ranging from fitness to weather (too hot, too raining, too much snow, lightening <which would cancel all hikes>), to bears to altitude sickness.  Since we were going to be at altitudes none of us had been before, this was a real concern – the more we learned about it, the more concerned we were.  There are basically 3 kinds of altitude sickness:

1. Acute Mountain Sickness – this is the mildest type, you basically feel like you’re hungover, which is not a way to feel if you’re going to hike 22 miles

2. High Altitude Pulmonary Edema – this is a build up of fluid in the lungs, this can be dangerous, even life-threatening

3. High Altitude Cerebral Edema – this is fluid on the brain and is definitely life-threatening.

We all took Diamox, which is a pill that helps your body adjust to high altitude faster, but it’s no guarantee against altitude sickness.

Well, that gave us plenty to think about, so given our antics the night before, we were in bed early as we had a 3:30 a.m. wake up call.

(Part II on Thursday)

THE BLONDE BODY AT BARTLETT LAKE

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

Bartlett Lake

Beautiful Bartlett Lake

Here in the COVID capital of the nation we are hard pressed for something to do.   So last week we packed Dash the Wonder Dog in the car and drove the 30 miles up to Bartlett Lake, a picturesque body of water known for it’s massive display of wildflowers.  Of course, that only happens in March so by June we were left with the stubby remnants.  Still, it beat walking from the living room to the bedroom as an activity.  As we drove into the marina I recalled the death of Margaret Lesher at this spot back in 1997.  I hadn’t thought about her in years, but as I did so, I still marveled at her life.  It was a cross between a Danielle Steel romance and a John Grisham murder mystery.

Margaret

Margaret and Dean Lesher

I first saw Margaret Lesher back in 1995.  I knew who she was, of course, because she had been married to Dean Lesher, publisher of 27 newspapers in California, most notably the Contra Costa Times.  They were prominent members of the community, forming a charitable foundation and sponsoring the performing arts center in Walnut Creek.  In 1993 Dean died at the age of 90.  They had been married for more than 20 years and by all accounts, despite the 31 year age difference, were devoted to one another.  After Dean died, Margaret was at loose ends, seeking solace in endless cosmetic surgeries, designer clothes and religion.  She sold the newspaper chain in 1995, and she was reportedly worth as much as $100 million.

I was seated near her at a charity luncheon that day in 1995 and as she swept into the room you couldn’t help but notice her – Chanel suit, perfectly coiffed blonde hair and sparkly jewelry.  Lots of sparkly jewelry.  It was a Barbie doll look that I would come to know well when I moved to Scottsdale a few years later.  But at the time I looked at her as a mongoose might size up a snake – completely transfixed.  As a teenager she had been crowed “The Peach Queen” in her small Texas town and at age 62 she still had that beauty contestant strut.

Redone Margaret

Margaret,  at her marriage party on Valentine’s Day

I didn’t give Margaret much thought after that until I read about her death in 1997 at Bartlett Lake in Arizona.  Margaret had been a very lonely widow.  No amount of shopping or surgeries could make up for a lack of companionship.  So when she signed up for a high-end trail ride in May 1996, she was vulnerable to the charms of a 39 year old buffalo-taming rodeo cowboy, TC Thorstenson.  A more unlikely pair would be hard to imagine and Margaret’s friends and family thought it a passing fancy.  But as that year wore on, TC worked his charm on Margaret and she lavished him with gifts and affection – she was completely besotted.  That October, on a trip to Hawaii, TC proposed marriage and told her it was a one time only offer.  Margaret accepted the proposal.  What she didn’t know was TC had been married twice before, not once, as he had told her.  Moreover, his second wife had filed three complaints against him with the police for beating her.

Margaret’s friends and family were shocked when they learned of the marriage.  To sooth everyone she threw a lavish wedding party at her Orinda home on Valentine’s Day 1997, complete with TC’s buffalo performing stunts in the foyer.  Not long after that, TC convinced Margaret to buy a small ranch for $1.8M in North Scottsdale.  She moved there with him, redecorating it in a cowboy style that he loved and buying him more toys, including a $6,000 pool table.  TC occupied himself with his buddies and his horses, spending little time with Margaret.  By the end of April when friends from California came to visit, Margaret admitted to them that the marriage had been a mistake.  It was about this same time that Margaret became aware of TC’s second marriage and his history of abuse.

Margaret flew back to California in early May to attend a Lesher Foundation board meeting.  She also took the opportunity to meet with her attorney to pick up a proposed “post-nuptial” agreement that would sharply limit TC’s benefits in a divorce.  He had repeatedly refused to sign it when they had been in California and when she returned to Scottsdale with it in hand he again refused, causing a heated argument between them.

TC Thorstenson

TC Thorstenson, relaxing in Cave Creek

On Tuesday, May 13th, exactly four years to the day after Dean Lesher’s death, TC and Margaret took off for an impromptu camping trip up to Bartlett Lake.  They hitched the boat to their truck and took off in the late afternoon.  After tying the boat’s mooring line to a rock, they pitched camp away from the water, lit a campfire, and unrolled their sleeping bags.  From here on out, what really happened is open to conjecture.  Thorstenson said he woke at 3:30 a.m. to find that Margaret wasn’t in her sleeping bag. Thinking she might have gone to the truck to sleep, he looked for her there.  Eventually he gathered up their belongings and drove to the nearest sheriff’s station.  Later that day, Margaret’s body was found near the shoreline, clad only in her underwear and submerged in 8 feet of water.  The subsequent inquiry cleared TC and ruled her death an accident.  To this day Margaret’s friends and family are skeptical.

TC still lives in this area and continues to train horses.  He sold the ranch he bought with Margaret several years ago for over $8M.  In 2013 he opened a bar in Cave Creek, Hogs and Horses, which has since closed.   In 2014 two young women visited his bar and TC offered them free margaritas.  The women became separated and when one wanted to go home, TC offered to give her a lift.  Instead, he took her to his home and accosted her.  She was able to get away and later that night he was charged with indecent exposure, assault and varying degrees of DUI.

Some times the more things change, the more things stay the same.

 

 

Jailbreak!

by Bob Sparrow

They say that when one door closes, another one opens.  Well, more than one door has closed on a lot of us lately without anything opening.   But, last week we started to hear the sound of doors opening.  That’s when Linda said, “Let’s go to Vegas”.  I screamed, “Yes!” and then asked, “Is it open?”  “Partially” was the reply.  Enough for me – road trip!

So we headed out on Monday morning for ‘Sin City’

MONDAY: We stopped at Primm Valley Country Club, an old haunt that has an interesting history. The two courses there were designed by noted golf course architect, Tom Fazio.  Prior to building Primm, he was hired by Steve Wynn to build a new golf course for him in Nevada, on the condition that he would not build another golf course in the state.  But Primm is just across the border in California, so Fazio could build the courses there – and did.   We arrived there around noon and got out immediately on this perfect-weather day and played an enjoyable round.

South Point bowling lanes that we never saw

After golf we headed across the street, and the border, into Nevada to the Primm Valley Resort & Casino.  After passing the physical (having our temperature taken) we were allowed in.  Had a cold beer and donated a little money to help them get through these tough times – it was the least we could do.  We headed into Las Vegas to the South Point Hotel, a place that has become our ‘go to’ hotel when playing our annual ‘Cinco de Mayo/Kentucky Derby golf tournament, which was cancelled this year – so we felt we owed them some money.  It has great restaurants, but the biggest attraction for me is the 60 bowling lanes upstairs – Nah, just kidding, I hate bowling.

Baked Potato

We had a fabulous dinner at the Silverado Steak House, which included the best baked potato I’d had in years, and then proceeded to help South Point through the hard times it had been going through (actually donating a little more than I was comfortable with), then spent the night somewhere other than our own home for the first time in over three months.

Empty ‘Downtown’ Las Vegas

TUESDAY:  We decided to check out a number of ‘landmarks’ in Vegas, starting with a drive down ‘The Strip’ – very quiet; some hotels had just opened, some were still closed – traffic was virtually non-existent.   After cruising the strip we headed to Red Rock, a hotel-casino west of town at the foothills of the mountains – a great resort, but a little far off the beaten track – even fewer people here, we managed to continue our contribution to the ‘casino go fund me’ pool.  It was a bit eerie to see such a huge hotel/casino almost empty . . . just like my wallet was getting.

We headed into ‘Downtown’ Vegas, because . . . well, just because it’s there.  Actually. when we get there, there really isn’t much to see, including people.  But we continue to pump some more money into the Nevada economy and then head back to our hotel, down the strip – which is easy to traverse with no traffic.

We made a mandatory stop on the way at Margaritaville, because . . . well, it has Jimmy Buffett videos going all the time, great Cheeseburgers in Paradise, Landshark beer and a blender of margaritas that was about the right size to quench the thirst I’d developed during our philanthropic tour.

“There’s booze in the blender”

We had such a great dinner at the Silverado Steak House the night before, that we decided to do it again, with different entrees, but another great baked potato!

My fortunes turned a bit after dinner, not enough to be labeled a ‘winner’, but enough to buy gas to get home in the morning.

OK, it’s not a cruise in the Baltic, a visit to the Italian countryside or a trek through the Himalayas, but it’s a start.  Hopefully, there are better days ahead for us all.

 

 

STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF

By Suzanne Sparrow Watson

I was incredibly excited as I watched the NASA/SpaceX astronauts speeding into the atmosphere last week.  As a person who grew up during the space age, I never tire of seeing a rocket launch.  The technology behind it all confounds me and I marvel at the bravery of the people who willingly jump into a hunk of metal and hurl into the great unknown.  As the week went on and they successfully met up with the International Space Station I found a new reason to admire them – they were no longer on Earth.  Let’s face it – it’s been a crappy year.  A really crappy year.  The notion of being able to leave Earth for a bit is very tantalizing.  I know I’m not alone.  Last week the financial giant Market Watch reported that anti-anxiety medication prescriptions have soared 34% during the COVID crisis.  Antidepressants and anti-insomnia drugs are also at all time highs.  There was some speculation that the pipeline of those drugs might dry up .  On the assumption that we might all need some coping mechanisms right now I decided to do some research on that topic for this week’s post.  I hope it helps.

Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting.  Okay Captain Obvious, we all KNOW that endless exposure to the news is not healthy.  That said, it’s been hard to turn away from the news as it’s the only source we have for getting up-to-date information about where the virus is and how it is progressing.  Add the protests and looting to the mix and it becomes akin to watching a train wreck – we just can’t look away.  That said, every expert I read advises that while it’s important to stay informed about current events, it’s just as important to take a break from it.  So, read a book, stream a movie, drink a pina colada while lounging in a hammock.

Take care of your body.  Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.  Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals.  I’m including cake as part of that because it keeps me mentally well-balanced.  Exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep (even if it’s drug-induced).  The “experts” also advise to avoid alcohol and drugs.   I may have to draw the line here and, again, I’m not alone.  Liquor sales have soared during the pandemic.  The primary reason given is that because restaurants were shut down people were given no choice but to drink at home.  Okay, I’ll buy that.  But given the aforementioned increase in anti-anxiety drug use, I’m guessing it’s more self-medication.

Connect with others.  Endless articles have been written in the past few weeks about the importance of talking with someone you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.  I have found this piece of advice to be the most important and the most difficult.  Many of us have relied on friends or family to fill the role of listener-in-chief.  But now I’m 6 feet apart from everyone.  I give elbow bumps where I once gave a hug.  I miss that.  And the problem is, as COVID has dragged on, most people don’t have much in reserve to cheer up anyone else.  As May drug into June I hesitated calling my girlfriends because I knew they were feeling as discouraged as I was.  It’s not fair to expect them to lift me up too. So who’s left?  The dog. It’s amazing how well Dash the Wonder Dog listens and then gives a little lick to let me know that I’ve been heard.  I’m not sure what to advise if you own a cat.  As a previous cat owner my guess is that the cat couldn’t give a shit less about your feelings.  All I know is that as we begin to open up a bit I’m looking forward to lunch with my girlfriends and a good hug.

Focus on the positive.  It’s easy to get down about all that’s going on but there are still plenty of things about which to be positive.  I’m convinced that the reason John Kraskinski’s Some Good News channel on YouTube was so wildly successful is that people crave to see all the good things that we do for one another.  If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor and tune in.  It will restore your faith in mankind.  SGN also does daily updates on Facebook and Instagram, which believe me, are the best things about those social media platforms.

Be grateful.  Yes, there are a lot of people hurting right now for a lot of different reasons. But most people have something for which to be grateful.  Admittedly, sometimes that “something” is quite small, but focusing on the positive can bring an attitude change that leads to a more hopeful perspective.  Sometimes when I’m feeling down I chide myself because I know deep down that I’m really quite fortunate in many, if not most, ways.  Still, it helps when I remember that old mantra, “I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.”  There is always someone worse off than you and often that person has a better attitude about it so…get over yourself and be grateful for what you have.

These five pieces of advice pretty much sum up every article I read.  I guess if all else fails we could train to be astronauts and get the heck off Earth.  In the mean time, be safe and be well, everyone!

Twilight Zone: The Accidental Sea

by Bob Sparrow

Twilight Zone’s Rod Serling

You are in a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. A world where your imagination is the only ticket required for passage.  Next stop: The Twilight Zone of Travel.

You’re on a dark, desert highway, cool wind in your hair, warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air.  Up ahead in the distance, you see a shimmering light.  Your head grows heavy and your sight grows dim.  You had to stop . . . but not for the night.

That shimmering light is 50 miles south of Palm Desert in a place that rivals Palm Springs in popularity and draws more visitors than Yosemite.  You are on the desert floor at 223 feet below sea level.

You have arrived at the wonderfully, bazaar Salton Sea.

Salton Sea in the 50s

You are just in time to witness one of boating’s 21 world speed records, as the high salinity makes boats more buoyant and, at more than 200 feet below sea level, barometric pressure improves performance.  Speed boats, water-skiers and fishermen populate this body of water that is larger than Lake Tahoe.  Its shorelines are dotted with beach-front motels, yacht clubs and fancy restaurants.  It is a place that caters to over one million visitors a year, looking to get away and relax in the sun and possibly to invest in what is called the ‘California Riviera’.

You’re at the North Shore Beach & Yacht Club, which just opened the largest marina in southern California, where celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, the Marx Brothers, Jerry Lewis and Desi Arnaz gather at this Salton Sea beachfront motel.  Your plan is to have some cocktails, a nice dinner and take in a performance by the Beach Boys, who were appearing live that evening.  The only problem . . .

You are 60 years too late!

Shoreline of the Salton Sea today

The North Shore Beach & Yacht Club today

The North Shore Beach & Yacht Club no longer exists.  In fact much of what was built to lure visitors and investors to this area has been ravaged by 120-degree heat, 75 mile per hour winds but mostly by a body of water that was created when the Colorado River breached a dike in 1905, releasing water that became the Salton Sea, an ecological disaster dubbed the ‘Accidental Sea’.

1,000s of dead fish on Salton Sea’s shore

Over the years, due to the heavy alkalinity which causes a lack of oxygen in the water, the sea has become uninhabitable – in fact over 1.7 million fish died in one day . . . yes, in one day.  And if things weren’t bad enough, the Salton Sea sits directly over the San Andreas fault.

Salvation Mountain

If you continued your journey along the east shoreline of the sea, you’ll hit the not-so-bustling town of Niland, population of less than 1,000 – fewer during the summer.  From there, since you’ve already come this far, it’s just a short distance to a must-see attraction – Salvation Mountain.  Constructed by Leonard Knight, who started building the 50 foot mountain in 1984; this masterpiece is resplendent with not only biblical and religious scripture such as the Lord’s Prayer, John 3:16, and the Sinner’s Prayer, but also includes flowers, trees, waterfalls, suns, bluebirds, and many other fascinating and colorful objects.

And just when you thought that things couldn’t get any weirder, you continue east on the road another mile or two and find Slab City, ‘the last lawless place in the United States’.  And you ask yourself, can this ‘last lawless place’ really be that unsafe?  Here’s a quote from one of the residence of ‘The Slab’.

Entrance to Slab City

Slab City Library

“There are definitely some murderers in Slab City, but they would be stupid to do anything here. They might have killed people in the past but they surely won’t do it here, they are hiding. So you could say, this is one of the safest places on earth!”

OK, it’s time to get out of the sun and this Twilight Zone episode.  Thanks for joining my virtual tour; can’t wait to actually go there . . . or NOT!