Day at Mackenzie Lake
There’s nothing quite so serene as watching the sun rise over the glittering alpine lakes of the Sierras—make a point to get up early at least once on your trip.
—Henry Herrington,Backpacking the Sierras: A Beginner’s Handbook(Fourth Edition)
VIDEOS > FAVORITES > VLOG FOOTAGE
SADIE: It’s Day Four of backpacking the Mackenzie Lake Loop in Valerie Forest National Park—and look where we are, everyone! TheactualMackenzie Lake!
The camera pans from one side of the lake to the other, its water sparkling and clear, before landing on the nonplussed face of a blonde in yoga gear.
SADIE: This is my new friend Zoe, everyone—say hi, Zoe!
Zoe waves, impatient and unsmiling. Her left hand has been doctored up with a smattering of bandages at the base of her ring and pinky fingers.
[Male voice, off-camera]: Your hand okay, Zoe? Should we take a rain check on yoga?
SADIE: What, Thorn? You’re not trying to getoutof this, are you?
THORN: Just making sure Zoe’s not too hurt to teach class, that’s all.
ZOE: Let’s go, people! I’ll be good, Thorn, but thanks. Sadie, can you get that thing to record me as I teach? This would makegreatcontent for my studio. But make it quick, okay? And make sure you get the lake and the mountains, too! And—
SADIE: I’ve got it, Zo, don’t worry. “Great content” is my middle name!
Sadie’s fingers pass in front of the lens as she settles the phone into place, then adjusts its position to frame Zoe and the lake and the mountains. Sadie looks straight into the camera.
SADIE [sotto voce]: Wish me luck, y’all. I’ll report back later.
14SADIE
Sunrise yoga isbrutal.
For starters, I’m terrible at yoga on a good day. My definition of agood day, at the moment, is one in which a) I’ve had more than four hours of sleep, and b) my muscles aren’t already sore from an intense amount of hiking. I feel like I have the hangover from hell.
I dragged myself out of bed mostly because I gave Thorn such a hard time yesterday about going—and also because I’m eager toseeThorn, especially after last night.
Last night…yeah. It was so worth it.
I’m also here because of Zoe. She was so enthusiastic about sharing yoga with us, and I know what it feels like when people don’t match your enthusiasm, so I wanted to show up for her. But, um—if she wants people to come back again? Let’s just say I could make use of a suggestion box.
“I thought yoga was supposed to bepeaceful,” Thorn whispers when Zoe’s out of earshot, adjusting Brittany’s form, all of us inverted in downward dog.
“I never applied for the military for a reason,” I agree. “Well, formany reasons. But mostly because I don’t like the idea of people barking orders at me before I’ve had my coffee.”
Thorn snorts. “As opposed to people barking orders at youafteryou’ve had your coffee?”
“Time for a plank, people!” Zoe calls out. “Keep that back flat or I’ll come andmakeit flat!”
“Sothreatening,” I murmur as I straighten out into my plank. “Better do what she says or she might come climb on top of us.”
I glance over at Thorn, and oh—what a mistake—
His dark green T-shirt strains over his arm muscles, and I can see every sculpted curve of his shoulders, biceps, and triceps as he holds himself perfectly in the pose.
“I thought you said you were bad at this?” I whisper.
“Bad at yoga,” he whispers back. “Not bad at this part. I do push-ups every day.”
