Jae goes to the beach…

I hitched a ride with the Mayeda family to Yosemite National Park this week. Each summer a group of volunteers and amateur plunderers make the trip up to the park to help clean up the river. Each day began by being woken up by the guy with the loudest voice in camp yelling at the top of his lungs, “let the fire faaaall” (A reference to the famed Yosemite Fire Falls of the 60′s when people would push a bonfire of red fir bark over Glacier Point which looked like a waterfall of fire. Now it just means breakfast is ready). After breakfast the intrepid volunteers would pack a lunch, suit up in full wet-suits, booties, hoods, gloves, and mask and snorkels, and head out to a section of the mighty Merced River. They float down stream in search of any sort of plunder – trash, fishing lures, sunglasses, hats, sandals, and the occasional wallet filled with $691 and a Visa Infinity card belonging to Saeed Al Khaoori of Dubai.

Plundering the river is only part of each day, the other parts are filled with hikes up to the various waterfalls or Half Dome, S’more eating, bear hunts, and spending time with all of the great friends and sharing in Christian fellowship.

Here’s some favorite pictures from the week (click on thumbnails at the bottom for more):

Mr. Adams wannabe:

I waded across the river to get really close to “Orange 9″ to get a good picture with my wide lens:

Writing a song about trees:

They didn’t use my awesome lyrics…

Yosemite Falls:

I walked through Venice Beach yesterday looking for interesting people. I need to figure out when more of the crazy people are out.

And lastly for Dros – YES, I found him again, after 5 years of searching, I came across the World’s Greatest Wine-O! I’m still looking for Joseph Miller from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I still believe he’s not dead yet, mama! Maybe he went home?