April – Walking in the Deep Dark Woods

Alive. Pantsless. More on that later.

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Walking in the Deep Dark Woods

First thing’s first. If ever you find yourself to be a Canadian, and you have in your possession a device called a “Smart Phone” that is ostensibly not a virgin (not a Virgin), or not perhaps a Verizon phone you bought off Ebay (my phone kept autocorrecting that to Evay), then – and here is the important part – do not spend a week after purchasing a SIM card and a plan at a Verizon retail outlet in San Diego assuming you might be able to actually use that purchase for anything other than hours of frustration with tech support and constant “no service” messages in place of the 5 little dots, only to be told by tech support that “of course you cannot activate a non-Verizon phone on our network kind Sir” and then refused a refund by Daniel (last name Verizon Supervisor) who doesn’t appreciate that you are talking to him via skype because you don’t have a working phone (oblivious to the fact that indeed the phone in question is the one registered to the afforementioned Sim card and plan) from the smallest town (population 52) in all of California. On the other hand, if you do find yourself in that unlikely scenario: Don’t panic. Did you remember your towel? If indeed you did remember your towel (wipe off the dirt first) it would be prudent to first call Keisha at the Verizon National helpdesk and graciously admit what an imbecile you are, then use the towel to wipe the sweat from your by now very moist brow. There you are, all better. It seems Keisha holds no grudges and not surprisingly owns her own last name (as well as the appropriate level of creativity afforded those free of the “of Verizon” so Locutus mantra). The growing though bubble (rage bubble) that was hanging over me like a 4th wall reminder that I probably don’t want or need phone service right now, has now been emptied (mostly to my embarrasement all over Daniel, though it should be noted that he most definitely was not listening anyway). Thankfully, Kathryn did manage to find some licorice twists and peanut butter cups, and even knew better not to buy a large bag of Dutch mints covered in chocolate (because clearly those are only edible twice on Sundays). Crisis averted.

Back to our storey from where we left off. Ignoring the above, our start on the PCT has been wonderful. There are two so called “Trail Angels” who are former PCT hikers who’ve taken to helping would-be PCT hikers get a good start. Scout and Frodo are two of the kindest and most generous people we’ve thus far met.

Scout’s van. Kathryn is in the front seat, and Frodo is driving.

They open up their home to sometimes 30 hikers every single day (avoiding the temptation to insert periods after each of those was won by the attrition of many footsteps), and educate, shake-down, and feed this crew. Every single day. Hiker season is March through July.

We were fortunate to be given a guest bedroom in their house because of marriage* (it’s why we are gathered here today … or rather mawwiage “skip to the end”). *Kathryn said to me yesterday “If you get blown over the edge remeber to yell “as you wish” during your fall”#. #I’m too lazy to write this at the bottom. #Garfield. (Note, the first hashtag was in place of ** because I thought that might get confusing. The second hashtag was to commemorate a trail name we gave to Scott Totty (the former he accepted and the later he refused)).

The majority of single hikers are set up on the astro turf in the backyard. Scout and Frodo are very conscious of our impact on this delicate place, and the 5th year of severe drought in California, so they don’t tend lawns or flush down anything but the brown (which echoes part of the familiar rhyme recited by our hosts or other Angels performing the ‘house and facility tour duty’ if Scout or Frodo are otherwise occupied when new hikers show up. Scout was incredible enough to pick us up at the airport in his van waving the chatacteristic yellow pompom on the passenger window. A few other hikers were already in the van. It felt like the first day of school and Scout was the bus driver.

Eliot (who is a very impressive, kind and gentle soul). Roel who also wishes for a stroopwafel.

The monument looks as you know it, but the area surrounding and bordering the 10foot wall this side of Mexico is a lush and green chaparral.

The monument. The fence behind us. The beautiful southern California.

There was a cohort of about 30 of us that started on the hour (~7:46am). I hooked up my desert umbrella and felt cool under its (proven defunct claim: because convective circulation negates the benefit) reflective covering. The shade provided by any umbrella – reflective or not is however about 10 degrees cooler at mid-day. They are also good for about 10 times the frustration in anything but a mosquito’s fart. Light breeze? Might as well add 50 pounds to your pack. Fifteen miles went by in a hurry, but not quite as fast as the first mile led us to believe.

So fresh.

We camped in a small shaded valley at the base of mount doom with about 10 other hikers.

Doesn’t look like much. On a hot afternoon this is enough to kill an even 5/7.

Garfield and Memphis didn’t mind our 4am waking to hike the hill before sunrise. Pre-dawn hiking is incredibly pleasant when the weather is quiet. Birds and lizards go about their business, and sleep during the heat.

Some plants along the way.

After the climb, We took their cue and ducked out of the sun meeting up with Roel and Stefan in Lake Morena (which is now an idiosyncratic name). Lake Morena is the most remote of all San Diego’s reservoirs. The campsite diagram on the welcome board lists a beach area and a boat dock – neither see much use in the vacancy left by consumption. Kathryn and I carried far more water than we needed.

The trail to Lake Morena in 1 and 2. “Lake” Morena in 3 and 4.

Stefan’s feet were decimated by the previous day. The balls of his feet were blister, and he walked like his ankles were broken. He quite smoking the morning we left but there is no evidence in his upbeat smile (not that his teeth are yellow,they are quite beautiful, really. He is just a great hiker with a good attitude. I’m Im not sure I needed to spell that out, but I’d hate for him to read that and miss that I was inferring that he held no self pitty in his smile. Language barriers. No hashtags )

We all chose to push on in the ealier morning to Fred Canyon. A very beautiful day with so many surprises in the scenery and flora. I had expected dust in my sun tan lotion. Didn’t get either.

A secret now that only fire can tell.

Posted on April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 by Walking in the Deep Dark Woods

Some people say I get distracted easily. Kathryn and I have been thinking about the PCT for a while, and not just because someone wrote a book (which was a good read btw). My eyes tend towards rolling when someone mentions the book, or supposes loudly that Kathryn and I are doing this hike in answer to a call made by the author (which demonstrates who has read the book – a little like “Hey have you read the hitchhiker’s trilogy? … all five?”) tldr: there was no call.

In any case – my distraction of late has an office somewhere near the department of acquisitions and reclamations. Kathryn thinks I have a problem. She’s said to me on many occasions “is this your last [duplicated and rarely improved item NYD]?”. To which my answer is of course always “every puffy jacket has a different purpose”. My boss has taken to comparing me to lady who always has a shipment in the mail room. He thinks I’m too fancy.

For my part, I’m guilty. But I have ended up with a rather extensive document which details my progress.

Gear List. Sheet 1 Ev. 2 Kathryn. 3 Randoms.

Google sheets is pretty handy. This was actually the first time I used a cross platform application (other than the obvious use of iTunes / etc.) which is likely surprising to the weirdos born after the world was supposed to end. It was handy to have a spreadsheet I could update from multiple locations depending on the scenario. For example: I was weighing items on my coffee scale (more evidence pro go outside) and inputing data to the spreadsheet on the computer, and then had to quickly ran out to the store to pick up a few different items – I could see the data via the spreadsheet updated real time on my phone while I was comparison shopping in person. There are more than just a few companies that routinely misplace the actual weights of their ultralight gear.

Kathryn made an amazing dinner today. I didn’t take a picture of it – because thats not what I do. But she deserves more credit. Here is her gear sorted out on an expensive carpet. Hopefully they won’t get used to it:

I’m not sure if those are my feet there… I should edit this photo sometime. Yikes. I think her base pack weight before food, water, consumables, temporary gear, and worn or carried items is about 15 or 16 pounds. Higher than most who wear threadbare onesies, but a whole lot lighter than we’ve gone in the past. She sleeps pretty cold, so some of the tradeoffs came at the expense of weight. There are few other luxury items which might find their way home before we do – however this is mostly gear that makes life a little easier. The unfortunate reality is that when you carry more – you go slower, and your body hurts more. Conversely if you carry less, you can probably go faster, and you hurt less – so you need less to be comfortable… I’m not entirely sold myself, and I have a few more reservations about ultralight hiking. Give me time – I’m a bit of a newb. Don’t h4x0r my website please. I’m sorry for implying an insult to you little whipper snappers earlier. Google the search term ” Y2K” to find out what I was on about.

My gear doesn’t look nearly as cute.

Many thanks to Robyn Cooper at Minipi Outfitters. He’s been a great help along the way to sorting this mess out. Altra shoes don’t come in colours that we don’t possess. *Missing from this photo obviously is the camera I used to take the picture.

Our basement looks more and more like the gear shop every day. Compare:

Awaiting an early plane ride.

Posted on April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 by Walking in the Deep Dark Woods

“Now it comes to it. I don’t feel like parting with it. I found it, it’s mine, it came to me”. Bilbo stood defiantly in the warm glow of the fireplace, staring down at the ring in his palm, compelled to fight the inevitability of change. I don’t profess any grandiose expectations or imply anything more profound than a (hopefully) humble nod to the privilege that must envelope this entire venture, but sitting here – in the unseasonal evening warmth of an early west coast heat wave, I feel the contrast between my rather large feet – already blistered by a minor sortie into the city. They don’t have anywhere the earthen callous that must underlie the soles of a true Adventurer.

In spite of the obvious similarities in the way we run, I’m not much like Bilbo. Except I really like a comfy bed, good food, a warm fire, and the quiet that comes with a long peace. I’m exactly like Bilbo. When a group of Dwarves show up at the door – I just let em in. They can eat all my dinner, borrow my truck, and make off with a case of beer. Handsome Greg did this to me once – and when he left I was stuck sitting at my dinner table wondering what just happened. Jordan calls this phenomenon “the Handsome Bubble”. An ephemeral force surrounding those so blessed, much like gaining +5 to Luck. Must be all the trinkets they carry.

All of this talk of Hobbits and Dwarves actually serves a purpose I think. Kathryn ran across a little diagram of the distance the Fellowship covered on their quest to avoid the Eagles which might have saved King Theodin (among others who should have made the All-Middle-Earth team this year, bud didn’t – so aren’t worth mentioning – though I guess in the time I spent thinking about that, I could have named a few others). And give me a break Mr. Curry – 402!! 73!! Gives me hope that there is a secret to be learned (if you know who to ask ((***Norm)) this might just be the start of a new era.

More to the point: How far did Sam and Frodo Walk?

Turns out – those hobos only walked 1350 miles.