Sardine Lake

Last winter, I struggled finding community and connection in California. I was living in an isolated space and had daily contact with the same 8 people. We worked, lived, ate, and played lots of games together. But there is only so much one can do until the craving for outside contact takes over. And let me tell you, I was CRAVING it.  So around New Years, I invited myself over this girl’s house.

Celeste

She is crazy in the best ways possible, loves to eat, has a ridiculously early bedtime and is up for adventure rain or shine. So, clearly, we would become great friends. And we did! It only took me inviting myself over without giving her an opportunity to say no. Creepy? Too forward? Maybe. But I was desperate y’all. I needed a friend outside my teeny community and I needed that friend NOW.

The outcome of me inviting myself over...

We saw each other rarely yet when we did, the adventures were raw and wild.  This one time, we decided to hike awhile along the Yuba.  A few hours into the hike, clearly delirious, we stripped our clothes off and jumped into the water. It was late January. There was SNOW on the ground. My body’s never felt the same since.

Another time, we hiked 2 miles in a blizzard with a crew of friends to find a “word of mouth” yurt that was supposedly hidden in the middle of the woods. We didn’t have a map, directions, or any sort of concrete proof that this yurt actually existed. But IT WAS THERE! And we had a glorious night drinking ourselves silly while playing the best game on the planet- Bonanza (also known as Bean Trader’s). If there is a single game that you play in your life- let it be Bonanza. I’m telling you, it’s da bomb diggity.

But my favorite adventure is the one that led us to my future sanctuary, an escape from the foothills into the womb of the Sierra’s.  We didn’t really have a plan but we left prepared. We packed sleeping bags “just in case” and enough sardines to feed all of California. (If you didn’t know, I consider sardines to be a food group. So does Celeste. No wonder we became friends.) And then we drove. We didn’t know where we were going but knew that we hadn’t yet “arrived.” Almost an hour into the drive, just as we were discussing turning around, we saw Gold Lake Road. It was clearly going uphill and we were curious what was on top of that hill. So we turned and followed the road to breathtaking views until the snow wouldn’t allow us to go any further. Then we saw it….a sign for SARDINE LAKE. It was a sign without a doubt. I mean, the Universe knew how much we loved sardines and brought us to this place. We giggled with glee, drove as far as the snow would let us, and hiked to this view:

In that moment, I felt a connection I hadn’t felt to a place in a long time. We’d “arrived”.

Sardine Lake became my “go-to” destination. I brought friends, I went alone and I even took my campers there. The magic never disappeared.

Maybe one day, I’ll swim in those waters again.

Maybe not.

But one thing I know for certain, Sardine Lake was a haven in times of unease. I can’t wait to find that haven, here, in Michigan. I know it’s here. I can feel it. And with time, it will reveal itself.

Until then, onward and upward!

Eating sardines at Sardine Lake..doesn't get better than that!