“I am the luckiest guy in the world,” he said. His smile looked like that of a kid who just rode Space Mountain at Disneyland for the first time, though his 6’11’’ frame might be difficult to cram into the Disneyland seats. If Bill Walton is the luckiest man in the world, then I am surely the luckiest woman.
This weekend ESLT hosted Lands and Legacy, our biggest event of the year. On Friday afternoon NBA legend Bill Walton coached high school players on the screeching, sliding court for 1.5 hours, then spent about as long telling stories of passion, persistence and partying with the Grateful Dead for over 852 shows. His tales of lessons learned all harmonize to the beat of the grateful living.
The next destination was a private reception in Mammoth. A couple years ago when I was dog walking in Sherwin Meadows I looked up the bluff and saw a gorgeous house with open windows watching the entire town and valley.
Can you imagine this view from your second home?
A couple seasons ago my friend and I did yoga next to their parking lot. I wondered what it would look like inside that home, and on Friday evening I found out. The years of waiting did not disappoint. When I chatted with wonderful couples from the Eastern Sierra and asked them where they lived they pointed out their home from the picture windows.
One highlight was meeting Meb Keflezighi, one of the American hopefuls who will be heading to the London Olympics in a few days to run the marathon. After years of dinners with my parents’ friends I hardly notice the age difference at these types of events until someone asks how old I am and I realize their kids are 10 years older than I am.
A Bruin Trio, and yes I’m wearing my dorky Outdoor Adventures hat
I called the South Lake Tahoe AmeriCorps members who would be volunteering over the weekend as I walked out of the view house at 8:30pm. “We’re passing Mammoth Airport,” they told me. “Great, pull over at the little Green Church. I’ll be there in 10 minutes” I replied. We drove out to Hilltop hot spring and joined 11 other skinny dippers in the tiny tub under a sea of stars and planets. We laughed and sang and never quite made it through our introductions as our skin shriveled in the hot water.
The next morning they left to volunteer for the bike ride and I led a tour with my co-worker Aaron of the spectacular Green Creek area of Mono County for 14 members and 4 dogs. Everything went smoothly and the 8 year golden retriever Tucker knew exactly where to lean his head so that my hand would pet his head. I couldn’t imagine a softer, more lovable place for my hand to rest.
The group overlooking Bridgeport valley
The tour ended at Mammoth at 3:15pm and we drove to a board member’s home to shower before the gala dinner. I stupidly decided I had time for a quick run and set out along the Rock Trail near the Sherwins. After 10 minutes my brain realized that I had grossly overestimated my leg and lung capacity. I had a 10k run ahead of me with several hundred feet of elevation gain and about 45 minutes to do it before I had to shower and go to the biggest ESLT event of the year. I hadn’t run that fast or that hard since I competed in high school or after a big break up, and 50 minutes later I showed up red faced and practically hyperventilating at their doorstep.
The 4 SNAP (AmeriCorps) members at the groovy Gala dinner
The event went beautifully, tie dye and delicious food blended with good company and a rockin’ band. We sat at an empty table and who should pull up his giant chair but the guest of honor Bill Walton. There were probably people in that room who would have paid to sit at his table, and three of us had never heard of him before the event. One of the live auction items was a dinner for 6 with Bill and Lori Walton at the Convict Lake Restaurant, the nicest restaurant in the Eastern Sierra. One of our board members purchased it for $500. Afterwards he came up to me. “Victoria, I won’t be able to make it to the dinner tomorrow night. Would you like to go? You can bring up to 5 people.” I was shocked and asked David if he wouldn’t rather ask someone who could contribute more financially to ESLT. I told him I couldn’t pay him back, thinking of the 2-week paycheck it would cost. He patted my shoulder and assured me I should have it. “The reservation is at 8pm,” he added.
Stunned I walked towards the Silent Auction table where I ran into one of the recently elected board of supervisors. He reminisced on his college days when people wore tie-dye like it was going out of fashion (though clearly it hasn’t) and asked me what I would do after AmeriCorps. I told him I was hoping to stay in the Eastern Sierra. “Well, we have to figure out a way to keep you here,” he said. He suggested I email someone about potential employment when my service term ends in November – Wow! I asked him if he had plans for the following evening and invited him and his wife to dinner with Bill at Convict Lake.
I walked over towards my friends at the dessert table. “I know you have to head to South Lake tomorrow night, but do you want to have dinner with Bill Walton tomorrow at the best restaurant in the Eastern Sierra?
Sunday morning, after delicious egg sandwiches and chocolate milk we drove towards the ominous clouds hovering over Bishop Pass walked next to South Lake. The rain began 5 minutes into the hike and the thunder was not far behind.
Imagine the sound of thunder clapping in the distance
We sat overlooking the lake in a torrential downpour listening to the tremendous cracks in the sky and watching the bolts light up the nearby ridges. When the lightening was within 5 seconds (about 1 mile) we hurried back onto the trail and towards the car. We skipped down the road holding hands and splashing into puddles, laughing like the maniacal hippies we are, soaked and exhilarated with sublime lights and sounds to accompany us.
We warmed up back in Bishop and pre-gamed for the dinner by making a double batch of chocolate chip cookies, though a large chunk never made it into the oven.
Prom style photo – Tony, Kirsten, Kelly and V
The sunset on the drive up to Convict looked like a white fluffy cloud was covering the entrance to Heaven. Tony Danza walked inside in his suit and tie with 3 beautiful women on his arms and we saw that our intimate group had grown into a party of 20+ people – all the better! We had a delicious dinner of caramelized onion bisque, pistachio crusted salmon, decadent chocolate ganache, all mixed with wine and more hilarious, touching stories from Bill. I flew home 3.5 hours later with dry lightening silently cracking in the distance and an impenetrable smile tacked onto my face. I truly am the luckiest girl in the world.
The Mona Visa 