Oregon is out.

I must be a popular hiking companion (either that or my photographs are enticing) but now Darlene's asked me to hike the John Muir Trail with her this July. Darlene is an old high school friend, that is, we both went to Kaiserslautern American High School in Germany but at different times. She graduated in 1973, I followed five years later. We befriended each other 12 years ago via a high school reunion internet community and have been exchanging hiking reports ever since.

Last fall she invited me to hike with her up Kilimanjaro. I told her I couldn't make it in August. And besides, the air fare alone would be outside my budget.

I haven't backpacked since my days in New Jersey along the Appalachian Trail (AT), but the JMT is an experience I always wanted to do.

I have to research this trail some more as it comes as a bit of a surprise to me, but I remember years ago telling Darlene that I would love to do the JMT someday with her. Perhaps that day is this July.

It would be a two-week adventure and it's only the southern half, from Yosemite down to Independence. The week after this trip school starts up again.

Oh, this is so tempting. I've always wanted to experience the rugged wilderness of California. I've hiked in the mountains there on day trips, but nothing worth writing Backpacker Magazine about. Now is the time. And although I hadn't planned on this for this summer, if I don't do this trail this summer I may never make it back up there.

I'll have to postpone Oregon for another time, though as it looks like I'll be running out of time for neat stuff to do. I've got Arches National Park for 21 May, Humphrey's Peak over the July 4th holiday and now the JMT.

Decisions, decisions...and I'd have to do this hike without Sadie. She's going to go nucking futs for the few weeks I'm gone.