Victoria

Oh. Oh. Oh. I'm at the Fuller Lake Motel, in Chemainus, BC, 45 miles north of Victoria. I'm recovering from car sickness.

The day started with me checking airbnb so I could stay in Victoria where Jeff Freed was tying the knot with Yixi Zhang. Both had invited me up for the wedding in July. I thought she was sincere until she said she couldn't spare 15 square feet on her patio for a hiker (me).   I signed up for an airbnb room in Victoria, but the host responded to my request with neither a confirmation nor denial--she gave the room to another after raising the rate by $20 per day. I foolishly drove 3.5 hours to Port Angeles and got on the ferry thinking I'd get a confirmation. Mild motion sickness, yes--confirmation, no. And I'd stayed too long to get back on the ferry going back to Port Angeles. I'd gone as a friend of Jeff's. I sure hope she's the right one for Jeff.

After a few phone calls to Jeff appealing for help, I had a motel room. All of Vancouver Island was booked with only a few mom and pop motels having vacancies. A taxi driver with a foot tapping disease took me to Chemainus--the foot's varying pressure on the gas pedal blossomed into little jerking motions of the cab--I nearly vomited. $195 Canadian for the cab. Then the motel said I had to pay for two nights or leave. $200 Canadian. I've overstimulated the economy here. A favorable exchange rate made it just a bit less sour.  I considered staying for both days that I was forced to pay for, just to make sure they didn't rent out my room to someone else.

To get back to Victoria, I'd have to either take a cab back or hitchhike--no bus service.

I couldn't wait to get back to the PCT, with  which I could cope.

Comfort

Monday, the 27th First born  Lexi and I departed the Snoqualmie Pass PCT trailhead northbound at 1:15 pm, hiking  to Ridge Lake and Spectacle Lake for 4 days/three nights. Thirty-five miles over thirty-six hours,  averaging just under twelve miles a day.
Here's Lexi getting ready to shake her little tush on the Kendall Katwalk.

We had come on trail just after a weekend of rain & with the fortune of sunny skies for at least the days we'd be out. I knew that hikers who hadn't done any sections of the PCT wouldn't have an appetite for 15-20 mile days. That made me even more of a "comfort" hiker than ever. And I definitely would not have dragged her out if the rain had persisted. 

Too High, Too Fast on the Pacific Crest Trail

On Tuesday May 19, 2015, after waiting out weather for 4 days in Lone Pine California (elevation 3700'), our host drove three of us up to Onion Valley 9,200' from which I hiked with energy to Matlock Lake 10,000' where we camped--my resting heart rate was 90-100 and snow fell for 30 minutes--water in our bottles didn't freeze overnight. My HR is usually in the 50's. The spreader bars on my bridge hammock poked holes in my polycro tarp--after repairs I decided to ground camp for the remainder of this leg of the trip. Wednesday we hiked over Kearsarge Pass 11,200'.  After Glen Pass 12,100', the trail brought us to camp at 9,500'.  I trailed the other two by at least an hour. Thursday we hiked down to the Paradise Valley Trail junction at 8,500. I tired easily as I worked my way toward Pinchot Pass 12,100'. I'd rest after 10-20 steps.  Hiker Patriot, passed me and at a rest stop, he pulled out a bronchodilator and inhaled, then hoisted his pack and soon disappeared on the trail toward Pinchot--because I had a history of asthma, I thought, "maybe I need a bronchodilator."  A mile before the pass, hiker Kinetic, who had started a day later, caught up with me and said that Michael, a mutual friend, had stayed in town to recover from the "flu".  After Pinchot Pass, it took a great effort and much time to hike down a snow covered trail to camp Friday at 10,062 next to the Kings River.  I began to cough that evening. I thought I, too, had the "flu", or bronchitis.  The next morning, someone asked if I had nausea or vomiting like Michael did.  I didn't--that along with seeing my red, orange color sputum made me less confident of my having the flu or bronchitis. Yet, because my sputum wasn't foamy as I'd thought pulmonary edema would look, I didn't yet suspect High Altitude Pulmonary Edema HAPE.  Friday May 22, I stayed in camp for two hours after the rest of the party had left.  I eventually packed my gear, made my way across the Kings River and walked two miles, ascending 600' and stopped, too fatigued to continue.  I entertained returning to the last night's camp, but hadn't the energy to do that.  I made camp on a site with a small amount of moisture in the soil. Two inches of snow fell that night.  I noticed more shortness of breath and a percolating sound while both inhaling and exhaling when I laid down--I coughed and spit more than when sitting up. I sat up and closed my eyes for much of the night.  I thought about hiking the next day to Mather Pass (12,100') and down to 8,000' which would be at least 10 miles. 
I awoke, if I slept.  I filled a water bottle from the stream twenty yards away, returning exhausted. Hikers came by. I said I had bronchitis and/or HAPE.  Hiker Sage offered to walk me out, but cancelled when he saw my poor condition. Both or us knew I'd never get out on my own power. He took my information to relay to Search and Rescue when he got to Bishop. Hiker Stop&Go took my information to relay when he got to Vermilion Valley Resort. I made camp again at the same site. That night Saturday May 23, 4" of snow fell, accumulating on the sides of my shelter, pressing in on the peak and on the walls.  Enough snow melted that water pooled on the ground around me, wetting all but my sleeping bag--only my 2.5" air mattress kept me dry and warm.  In the morning, I wiggled out of the tunnel that my shelter had become and watched as the sun pulled into a clear blue sky, blasting at the snow that had almost sealed the land.  I cleared snow off some rocks in preparation for drying my gear, again exhausting myself. 

A very wet campsite.

Hikers Indie and Breathless arrived, answering my question, "do you have a satellite phone."  Indie had a Delorme inReach, which permitted texting to an intermediary--after some communication about my condition, a National Park helicopter arrived in about 3 hours. My heart rate improved somewhat to 70/ minute, but my respiratory rate stayed at 35/minute (normal is 20).
The helicopter took me to the Park helipad on the west side of the Sierra.  I was fully alert and enjoyed the scenery.  An ambulance took me to Kaweah Delta Healthcare District hospital in Visalia, CA. The paramedic started a saline lock. At the hospital at much lower elevation, I felt much better.  Techs attacked me with blood draws, ECG and doctors listened to my chest.  I told my story and said I had HAPE. One doctor said I had an abnormal ECG and elevated cardiac tropinin.  I had no chest pain through the entire event and said so. The doctors still put me on schedule for an echocardiogram and a thallium stress test.  A doctor wrote an order, "npo, nothing by mouth," sending me to the cardiac unit.  They shot me up with Bumex and Lasix (diuretics) and gave me a shot of Lovenox (anti coagulant, like heparin, to prevent blood clots) but I refused to take Lipitor, a stool softener and a second dose of aspirin. Monday, I had the echocardiogram and waited for the thallium stress test.  I felt thirsty and hungry and by 10 a.m. I demanded either an intravenous solution or to be allowed to go to breakfast. They ordered a meal tray from food service, which didn't arrive in five minutes, so I went down to the cafeteria and bought my breakfast. I had cereal, fruits, potato patties, sausage, eggs and milk. I bought a chicken Caesar's salad for later.
Following my return, Dr. Harry Lively (his real name!), the cardiologist, cancelled the stress test, saying that my having hiked 813 miles was a successful stress test.  Minutes later, he changed his mind citing the ECG and cardiac troponin levels, saying that I now needed a cardiac catheterization. Confused and frightened, I signed the consent. At 3 p.m. I had the procedure, in which the doctor poked a hole in my right femoral artery, passing a tube through that hole up my aorta to my heart, injecting contrast to view my coronary arteries. You could drive a truck through my clean coronary arteries.  Now I had to lie flat for six hours to let the hole in my femoral artery seal off.  
My wife arrived from Washington with for a vanilla shake and a lengua (beef tongue) burrito, per my request. I ate while on my back, spilling very little, but taking two hours to finish it. A nurse began to re-apply Nitroglycerin paste to my shoulder. I refused it, saying, "I'm not a cardiac patient." I refused another shot of Lovenox, Bumex and all the medications I had refused before.  Curious about the effect of HAPE on one's ECG and cardiac troponin. I googled that on my phone and what I saw told me that I didn't have a very well informed health care team. The ECG will be abnormal and troponin isn't very specific for heart damage. I felt bad for the nurses as they actually had more interest in getting things right for their patients. Those doctors had violated several rules in medicine: The history and physical tells the diagnosis more than any laboratory result or ECG; Don't subject patients to risky procedures; and you'd better have a damn good reason to give a patient more than one diagnosis.
My advice for anyone evacuated for HAPE with more than two working neurons: When you get down to a lower elevation, either demand a teaching hospital like UC Davis or a hospital that treats HAPE frequently. Failing that, just go to the Best Western Motel and enjoy the hell out of life, because you will live long.  If you see Kaweah Delta Healthcare District hospital, PLEASE run away!

April 28

April 28 Leaving Tehachapi. Manuel, our trail angel picked us up--we treated him to coffee and pastries. We were on the trail at 1040, mile 566. We got as far as mile 586, camping on a saddle, which had enough trees to hammock camp.
April 29 Walking to Robin Bird Spring, another Rattlesnake two miles before Hamp Williams Pass. Hot walking until we got past the spring, when the land turned into Sierra Nevada pine forests with trails covered with pine needles, huge boulders and broad spaces. I hammock camped again!
April 30. Back down to the desert, disappointing all. Hot until a thin cloud veil filtered the sun, and hot again when the clouds blew away. Goldilocks moved slower and even stopped to keep from overheating. Epic and Willow went to Willow Spring, "I was told not to trust in the cache." Rattlesnake made its warning on my way over the rolling Sandy trail to the cache.
At least 50 gallons of water remained at Bird Spring Pass. A Mojave Green rattler had made a casual appearance. Six more miles hiking into the night brought us into the forest again. Cowboy camp at 9 p.m. No time to fuss with the hammock.
Hitching into Onyx or Lake Isabella took a long time. After 30 minutes one hiker friendly driver.
After getting three of five packages at Onyx, no rides after 20 minutes.  Kern County Bus came, charged a dollar and took me to Lake Isabella. The bus passed a lot of dying places.
Vons is now also Safeway here. It has everything. Tortoise again appeared, again offering to carry boxes to Kennedy Meadows. We accepted.

April 15

From Big Bear Lake to mile 281. GINGER Grouse started w/ me. I hung at an early camp. Some trouble with heel pressure--over-inflated pad.
To Willow Creek, mile 305.7 I slept on a large rock, in camp too late to hang.
To Silverwood Lake, mile 328.5. First the hot springs, mile 307.7 for an hour at 7 am. Then on down the Deep Creek Canyon. Many Jimson weed.@ Met Cut It & Bipolar. Hang poss @ Cleghorn picnic area. Ranger came by to  check--very friendly.
To 357.2.
Great walk to McDonald's--I ate a burger & fries, loaded up on water. Walked with Matt from near Swarthout Canyon Rd. hammock camped with underinflated air pad on top of hammock instead of between layers--nice. POLYCRO tarp set up to effectively block wind.
April 16 Mile 357.2 to Wrightwood, mile 369.7. Late rising. Matt becomes Nominal Toast after a short conver with Mud mouth who gushed about the trail. The  Mountain  Hardware  Store to pick up food box. Bought bars and called Jean Kerry out of their book. Stayed w Jean. Intown: Tortoise, F
To Jimmy Spring Campground. A tough ascent to Mt Baden-Powell for lunch and a pretty hike to the spring and camp. Hammock camped with tarp set up before hammock. Air mattress underinflated  between layers then on top, then normally inflated on top.
To Jimmy Spring Campground. Water at the spring, then to the campground, picnic tables, outhouses, trees for hanging. Hammock camp. Boy scouts arriving about 10:30 p.m. making noises and shouting "bring me the light, awesome campsite!, etc." Noise only abated at midnight.
To mile 404. Broke camp, then to scout camp to discuss noise. Scout master exceptionally rude and threatening, "knock you on your ass." I recorded the conversation--will likely submit to Boy Scouts, CNN, PCTA.
Buckhorn Campground. Trail  Angel Ninja Tank show with beer,root beer, bananas etc.
Burkhardt Trail to Creek to fill water. Group of 15-20 hikes by, some with long knives sheathed, one with a 20" sword! We were too close to L.A.
Cowboy camped.

April 25

Leaving Hikertown.  The shaggy beard came off.  Wind from the west blew hard and cold on the left side while walking toward the L.A. Aqueduct.  I could see the water in the aqueduct until about a mile further when the trail turned north to follow a closed canal. Then moisture from miles west blown from dark clouds,  always threatening to overtake me, but never fulfilling its wet promise. Joshua trees along the trail to the wind farm. Very heavy winds from the wind farm to the area surrounding Tylerhorse Canyon.  Wormy already camped after the rain drenched him. The wild wind came from differing directions making a tarp set up impossible -- forced my return to a camp 1 mile back, where an attempt to set up the tarp resulted in a torn tarp and a decision to hike 17 miles to Tehachapi Willow Springs Rd. After passing Tylerhorse Canyon, I reconsidered and camped using a large juniper bush as a wind break.

April 22, 2015

April 21 Hiking out of Acton, I walked up toward one ravine where a crow flew out and landed on the trail where I could see him. He began to walk the trail looking at  me as he did to make sure I was watching. If he could talk, what would I have heard him say? "Look at me, I'm walking to Canada. What a stupid thing to do." 

Cruise control thought the terrain at mile 462 looked best for camping. 462 was on an exposed ridge with heavy winds from the south. It was impossible to set up the tarp for hammock camping, so I rigged it for a ground camp with two corners pinned low, two corners at waist level. Trekking pole placed under the middle of the tarp.
The window shrink wrap film of the tarp rattled all night in the wild wind and I fretted that the windward stake would fly out, letting the wind sweep away my gear. None of the gear failed.
The next morning, I saw Sidewinder's protected site only 50 yards further along the trail. More gorgeous sites abounded on the leeward side of the mountain. 

We arrived at San Francisquito Canyon Rd mile 478.6 hitched a ride to the Andersons, made taco salads , BS'D a bit then camped in their back yard.

April 19

To helipad at mile 427. Warm wake-up at mile 406--Kinetic (Pete Metcalfe) arrives with a shout. Passed Toast and Copenhagen.
I was running out of food.
Toured the fire station area and saw the monument to the 2 fallen firefighters. We came to the helipad and camped, bedding down well before hikers midnight. A beam of light soon shone on the pad from a security vehicle for an hour, then drove down the  mountain.
April 20. Acton KOA. At 6:45 we started up the old paved road bypassing the smelly poodle dog bush plagued trail. A wrong turn at the top of the hill took me 1/4 mile off the detour route--the guthooks app brought me back. Kinetic got out of camp an hour after us and caught us 10 miles out of Acton --a phenomenal athlete.  On arrival at the KOA,  I found that the pool was closed until May 1--I carried the Tyr & goggles 444 miles--aieeeee!

From Big Bear Lake

From Big Bear Lake to mile 281. GINGER Grouse started w/ me. I hammock  camped at 4 p.m. ~16 mi.in at a pretty knoll. Some trouble with heel pressure--over-inflated pad.
To Willow Creek, mile 305.7 I slept on a large rock, in camp too late to hammock.
To Silverwood Lake, mile 328.5. First the hot springs, mile 307.7 for an hour at 7 am. Then on down the Deep Creek Canyon. Many Jimson weed.@ Met Cut It & Bipolar. Hang poss @ Cleghorn picnic area. Ranger came by to  check--very friendly.
To 357.2.
Great walk to McDonald's--I ate a burger & fries, loaded up on water. Walked with Matt from near Swarthout Canyon Rd. hammock camped with underinflated air pad on top of hammock instead of between layers--nice. POLYCRO tarp set up to effectively block wind.
April 16 Mile 357.2 to Wrightwood, mile 369.7. Late rising. Matt becomes Nominal Toast after a short conver with Mud mouth who gushed about the trail. The  Mountain  Hardware  Store to pick up food box. Bought bars and called Jean Kerry out of their "trail angel" book. Stayed w Jean. Intown: Tortoise, Kinetic, Cruise Control, Camel
To Jimmy Spring Campground. A tough ascent to Mt Baden-Powell for lunch and a pretty hike to the spring and camp. Hammock camped with tarp set up before hammock. Air mattress underinflated  between layers then on top, then normally inflated on top.
To Jimmy Spring Campground. Water at the spring, then to the campground, picnic tables, outhouses, trees for hanging. Hammock camp. Boy scouts arriving about 10:30 p.m. making noises and shouting "bring me the light, awesome campsite!, etc." Noise only abated at midnight.
To mile 404. Broke camp, then to scout camp to discuss noise. Scout master exceptionally rude and threatening, "knock you on your ass." I recorded the conversation--will likely submit to Boy Scouts, CNN, PCTA.
Buckhorn Campground. Trail  Angel Ninja Tank show with beer,root beer, bananas etc.
Burkhardt Trail to Creek to fill water. Group of 15-20 hikes by, some with long knives sheathed, one with a 20" sword! We were too close to L.A.
Cowboy camped After one of the last crossingso of Hwy 2.

April 10

April 10  Unusually nature called twice In 6 hours for me to dig a hole before I was really ready to get out of that warm quilt.  Worse yet, the temp outside was only ~25 deg F at the Coon Creek Campground.

I got on the trail with a new operating system: start with a big meal, walk with a water bottle in hand, snacks in the pocket, hiking pole in active use. Take snacks on the move and lunch big.  I left at 7:50 arriving at Hwy 18 at 15:45. The eight hour interval included a quarter mile detour when I missed a turn, visiting with Smiley at trail side, a stop to fill/treat water, a few minutes to consider the sign/offer Papa Smurf left at mile 251 for a ride into Big Bear Lake and a short lunch break.

Trail angel Shauna/ picked me up at hwy 18. Very nice. I checked in at the hostel $31 per night.

Dinner at Nuevo Vallarta: pork tamale & chile relleno. Amazingly, I  had to "dig another hole" right after dinner. The human digestive system is not efficient.

Almost all the goodies arrived at the hostel: shoes, pack, sleeping bag, phone/case, food.

Now what do I want to re-invent? Pants with roll up legs instead of zip off legs (gets rid of the fuss putting away/retrieving/losing legs). A hiking pole with a t-grip or a palm grip maybe 130 cm, maybe with a forward bent tip, like XC pole tips 

April 9

 April 9 Hike to the Coon Creek Campground 16 mi. Mile #246. Really cold 

April 8

April 8 Leaving ZATB'S @0750, back on the PCT.  Fabulous views on the ridge at miles 22-24(?). Then into the Mission Creek area. Finally a desert trumpet. Following Barefoot and watching him walk.

Hammock camp @ mile 229.6 

April 6

 April 6

Up at 5am. Trail at  550. Dale surged ahead. I hot to mile 206 & the water spigot. Leslie arrived about 25 min later--I said "I've been here five minutes."

She laughed when I suggested "five Minutes" as her trail name. And when I suggested "Cruise control" for Anthony.

Zig 

Airport gave away a lot of her food

April 6

 April 6

Up at 5am. Trail at  5:50. Dale surged ahead. I got to mile 206 & the water spigot. Leslie arrived about 25 min later--I said "I've been here five minutes."

She laughed when I suggested "five Minutes" as her trail name. I suggested "Cruise control" for Anthony.

Five Minutes gave away a lot of her food before leaving. 

April 5

 April 5. Oops, I bounced the maps and notes for the segment to Big Bear along w the food. Nonetheless I found my way to the n Fork San jacinto . Beerdra just finished lunch and took off.  Parkay appeared, asked my trail name. Not for the first time, I thought Broccoli but remembered Goldilocks, then I said I probably should change that to Memory.

With 4 liters of water added to my load, I continued down the trail. I was surprised by a sudden pain in my left ankle, unrelated to an injury event. 

I hobbled along--Dale passed me and eventually I caught up to him and camped with him in some manzanita . Tortoise walked by then Leslie arrived & asked if she could camp--we talked-- she was unhappy about how the trail didn't meet her expectations, how she wasn't sleeping, her feet Hurt.

April 3

 April 3. Another early morning start in which we came upon three owls on the trail. The moon set as we walked. We arrived at another boulder camp, where Jamie & Leslie slept. At Mike Herrera's house, Paint had breakfast tacos waiting. Also present, Ryan, spouting the f-word, whether called for or not. We filled our bottles and walked--Ryan didn't follow. 

A warm walk to the 137 mi spring where we recuperated. Fewer wildflowers. 

Conversing with Leslie and Jamie at the 137 mi spring led to a decision not to hike the detour around the fire ravaged area. Both also thought Ryan had a few loose screws. We thought we'd make up things to ask Ryan about. And if he's hiking 35 miles a day, why the F&&$ isn't he lying to a whole new audience?

Leslie hiked to mile 140 with us so she could get an early start  to Paradise Valley Cafe/Idyllwild.

Per Nighthawk, the trails on the detour section suck. All of us cowboy camped.

Met David at PC Cafe, who's so jazzed about the trail he stopped to talk--then discovered his phone missing when he wanted to show vid of trail he took. Drove us to the campground, found his phone(yay!), then drove us to Idyllwild.

Camping avail at St Park, $3/night

Hammock set up but as before I noted heel pressure and knee hyperextension--I reversed ends so feet were at the trekking pole end, then reducing the length of the pole to 30" with significant improvement.

April 4

 April 4.

Awake at 0445. Where was the moon? Broke camp and walked for 20' then A said "eclipse."  First lunar eclipse I've ever seen. 

Easter Bunny left trail magic @145: fresh fruits, snacks, sodas and custom printed post cards! 

Met David (did 10 years for shooting an intruder who'd already left his house) at PC Cafe, who's so jazzed about the trail he stopped to talk--then discovered his phone missing when he wanted to show vid of trail he took. Drove us to the campground, found his phone (yay!), then drove us to Idyllwild. Bushwhack, tortoise, kinetic, Nighthawk,

Camping at St Park, $3/night

Hammock set up but as before I noted heel pressure and knee hyperextension--I reversed ends so feet were at the trekking pole end, then reducing the length of the pole to 30" with significant improvement.

April 2

 April 2. Hiking on, we saw Ysidro Creek running, then came on great prairies marked by islands of Boulders. Bare foot prints appeared.
We came on John camped below Eagle Rock. He said he made the footprints.

Ryan wasn't on our minds when we walked into the Warner Springs Community Center. He saw us first and ran to greet us, saying "How did I pass you guys? I did 70 miles in 2 days." Blah x 3.

I ordered a new sleeping bag and pack to meet me at Big Bear Lake. An Ursack to meet me at Idyllwild.

We bought breakfast@ the WS CC.

We camped at mile 119. On the abandoned road. Charlie and dog Max hiked by our view to the west.

Cowboy camp.

April 1

 April 1 A long haul from the hills above the Warner Springs Rd to Barrel Spring where a group of hikers had arrived. Along the way rattlesnakes. More stories of Ryan: carrying a revolver and ammo, getting permits to carry thru CA OR WA and Canada. a hip belt with throwing knives. Throwing stars stuck in a tree. 

Ryan with his burst of sprints and exhaustion going up hills. Wayne with the booze. 

Hammock camp with a heavy dew fall.

March 31

Mar 31. Short walk (3.5 mi) to Scissors Crossing.  Just before the junction lady jumps of her Prius & shoves raisin cookies "without any sugar" at us. "Are you thr-hiking?  My husband's from Canada." "Me, too I was born in Saskatoon". "So was my husband."

Our thumbs went up. The first car out, a Chrysler 200, picked us up. Roz and Nicole, both Chinese (?) were on their 1.5 hr commute to San Diego. Roz, driving, turned her head away from the road to look at me when I said I was retired. 

Walk thru Julian, to Grannies for breakfast. Mmmmmm. Devices charged, on into town to buy groceries, seeing Carl again.

To the Catholic Church, where Father Cecilio didn't let us use the hose to clean up--he brought us in to use the shower and washed our dirty clothes.

To Mom's where we sat catching up a blog (Anthony) and I looked up zpack's site to replace my quilt with a down quilt weighing 18 oz.

I got the grocer to put out a hiker box, where I left the remainder of the SPF50 I bought.

At 3 p.m., return to the east side of town to hitch a ride back to the trail. Some short trip cars passed, one driver asked but was also a short tripper. Then Patrick, in dreadlocks, swung his car around after passing us and shouted "Fucking hippies!" 

I asked, "does that mean you wanna give us a ride?"

"Yeah, that's why I'm talkin' shit"

The town and environs have dried severely. Past wildfires include one caused by a lost hunter starting a signal fire that spread to the coast. Another began after a DEA chopper struck a power line. Apple orchards, which have burnished the town's reputation have declined. The changing climate had rendered oak trees susceptible to pests. Patrick, whose  work in tree cutting has been steady.

Back at the PCT, a cache of twenty gallons sat under the bridge. The easy graded hike up took us past barrel cacti, more giant asparagus, ocotillo for the first time, beaver tail, fan cacti, yucca & agave of several species and nearly all were in bloom.

Cowbow camped in a dry wash, heavy winds thru the night blew over us, but without taking any of our gear.

March 30

Mar 30. 4:25 am is none too early to answer nature's call when the Milky Way is turned on.

We're not in a big hurry to put on the miles--we're just lucky to tolerate rising at 5:00 a.m. to break camp and start hiking before 6. For all four full days on the trail I've taken 1-4 hour siestas during the heat of the day, before resuming the walk.

The beavertail cacti has started to bloom in line with all the other wildflowers in the Anza Borrego Desert.

A long hike toward a camp overlooking hwy 78 (to Julian). I stopped on the trail and asked A to check our location. We were right at the camp. High winds blew over us off/on thru the night. Cowboy camp.

March 29

Mar 29 About 2 miles past the stream x we walked past a beautiful meadow with trees perfect for any kind of camping. Descending to Mt Laguna I noticed ponderosa Pines, confirmed by the up close smell of butterscotch. Very cold going down--so many microclimates.

I caught Anthony just short of Mt L. We went into a restaurant that served us food in styrofoam cups and plate with plastic dinnerware. Using the men's room, one walks to the door to find that one has to walk back around the bar to flick on the light switch just outside the women's room--the switch controls lights in both bathrooms. The gen store clerk was strangely neither friendly nor hostile--a cold fish.

I spent 30 min trying with Verizon to get my phone to receive text messages--fail. 

Bunch of people in a racing car enthusiast group came, drank coffee, made noise and left.

I found a nice pair of mitts.

We walked on. I pointed out the Ponderosa Pines to Anthony-- the smell delighted him. Temps dropped from th 28th but I still felt hot.

At Mt Laguna Campgrd we took showers and I started soaking my dinner. We returned to the trail.

We got to the trough, where a man said the water was too dirty to dunk my head in and practically forced me into his RV's shower. His wife was there to train for an event called the Zion Ragmar. He also gave us 3 quarts of water, before we began our walk to the boulder camp.

We got to the boulder camp about 30 min before sunset--just long enough to set up camp at shoot some sunset photos. Sweet.

Cowboy camp.

March 28

Mar 28.  I left Lake M at 6 am. Ryan from HI sat on a hilltop with 50 lb pack with $4,600 worth of Black Diamond gear. Said he built several campfires already. Dwayne, from Oklahoma, apologized to Anthony (Uncle Beardy) because he set off an M80 coming into Lake Morena campground. Anthony said Ryan broke a trekking pole within an hour after I passed him.

We took a 4 hour break at Cibbets Flat Campgrd. A trail angel in the site near us gave each of us a beer. Terry arrived after I'd given away the campsite where we took our siesta--I suggested Terry ask the trail angel if he could share her site. Terry came back with a beer.

I hiked out with A to Long Canyon Creek. We found the perfect camp for both a hammock and ground camp about 200 yd down from the stream crossing.

March 27

March 27. At 5am I got up and hit the trail.  The smell of the desert flora arose deliciously until the sun beat unrelenting under a cloudless sky. How do you record a smell for later "reading?" I saw one snake lying across the trail about 8:30. It didn't move as I stepped past--too cold maybe.

I put my fingers to the trail about 11am and guessed about hot tub warm 105 F. Already present at Hauser Canyon: Thelma and Louise, Hunter & Sleeper. Trail angels had left about 40 liters of water--a good thing, as Hauser Creek was dry. I waited in the shade about two hours, prepping myself for the hot 800' climb to Lake Morena. After topping out the trail leveled off but some sections of trail were steeply v shaped--where do you put your feet? 

I got to the campground where Hiker Terry had reserved a site away from that saved for PCT hikers. Hiker Anthony joined us.

Lake M: Cheeseburger! The campground bustled 'til 10pm then turned quiet. 

Campo Creek to Lake Morena was about an 18 mile walk. I cowboy camped (on the ground, no tent or tarp) at Lake Morena Campground.

March 26, 2015

March 26. Days inn seatac. Look for a quieter

Hotel w better  breakfas/swimmingt pool?

Mechanical issues delayed my flight to San Diego 2 hours. Trail angel Rob Roland drove me to the trailhead & weighed my pack before I left-- 26lb which included 1 liter of water and 6 lb of food and my bear can--yay. Rob gave me 4 liters, took some pictures and we parted.

I began hiking at 5:30, camped at Campo Creek near some bunches of white storage boxes. I could hear traffic, but I preferred it to the hotel. Small fixed loops made hanging the hammock possible. One end of hammock on trunk--other end on branch. Dog at a house nearby barked for five min. Wish I'd brought the 2nd spreader bar, b/c I hadn't the time to properly adapt the trekking pole. Definitely need to make camp before dark by at least an hour--ESP the first night to ensure hammock is hung right.  My hookup led to the setup dropping a notch an hour after I'd settled in. I got out to correct. 

I hadn't walked three miles today and laid awake hearing all the noises the night re-invents nightly. All night long the ranch dogs barked boundaries in three quadrants. Coyotes began a chorus and faded in minutes. traffic noises perseverated late. I could hear tires bouncing off the "wake up,asshole!" bumps.

Hammock camp.

Sun dried tomatoes

Well, if I had a half brain, I'd have recalled that I could have made something like sun dried tomatoes.
From my freezer, some zip lock baggies with tomato paste dried  in my dehydrator--quite yummy at last taste in August 2013.

Found at the Marketplace, organic dried Mango $12.35/lb.  yum.  And Black Bean mix $5.69/lb--To Olympia Food Co-Op, I say, go study economics, please.  I'm not coming back.

Also in the freezer, so many bags of dried apple!  mmm.

A better way of filling supply boxes

I felt like I took too much time making up the first food box for mailing.  I made some meals and threw in about 50 trailbars and snacks along with a jar of nut butter and had filled it to about 7 pounds.  I had no idea where I was sending this nor whether I should add or remove food.

A better way:

1. Figure out my supply locations and the distance between them
2. Decide how many days I'll need to travel from one to the next.
3. For each day make up a bag with food**, snacks, six sheets of double ply toilet paper, 2-4 ibuprofen tabs (I hope to have many of these to drop in hiker boxes), dental flosser,and weigh each bag until its weight reaches my estimated limit.
4. The nut butter stays in its container.  It's 16 oz may cover 4 to 8 days.
5. 8 oz of oil covers 4-8 days also.
6. New shoes go in at 400 miles.

Great tip from Chris Cookiemonster Pirrello:  USPS has regional flat rate boxes, same service as Priority flat rate, but cheaper by 10% or so.  You have to order boxes online--when online pay attention to the number of boxes you order--you can order one batch of 10 boxes and one batch of 25 boxes in each size.  For me size B worked well for 4-6 days of food (1.3-1.5 lb of food/day).  You must print the labels yourself--no one at the p.o. can help you get the better rates.

**A day's worth of food.
2 oz of rice plus 2 oz of Fantastic Foods refried bean or black bean mix for the mid afternoon meal.
2 oz of potato flakes with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt, onion powder and garlic powder mixture.
trail mix bags.
bags with gummy bear like treats.

Things to buy along the way:

1. sun screen and bug juice.  These things you don't want to mail to yourself b/c if they spill, you might not want to eat your food.
2. maybe tortillas to go with the nut butters, 
3. oil to go with the mid afternoon meal and ease its passage--buy it along the way and leave the rest of the bottle in the hiker box.
4. replacement shoes, if you're wearing sneakers.  Grandma Gates wore sneakers to hike the Appalachian Trail--I am trying to justify boots even as I myself plan to hike in non waterproof trail shoes in southern Cal.
5. Other food for a change.  Of course, you can just trade with other hikers and with the hiker boxes at each outpost.

Northbound

I thought briefly about a southbound trek, but I have my northbound permit.  I'm ready for a desert hike now rather than waiting for another three months to take my chances in the snow, even if this winter's poor snowpack may make for an easier journey.  Add to that the prospect of meeting all the northbounders while going south--one would feel crowded meeting 60-80 hikers going the other way on any given day.  Instead, northbounders may be going as a mass movement with some leapfrogging along the way, but will see mostly familiar faces, which contribute more to the building of community on the trail, even for solo hikers.

Cold Food

My comment on this webpage: https://just2hikers.wordpress.com/2014/05/01/cookless-backpacking-food/
Thanks. I just soaked and ate a cup (water plus mix) of an Idahoan brand potatoes package, flavor:  Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Baby Reds.  It tasted good and I was stuffed!  It'll taste great on the trail!  Bookmarking this page!  More last minute trials to come as I'm leaving for the PCT in two weeks.  Just now packing food!  Just in case I get the miseries and crave my stove, I'll pack it in a box with my shipper, but I think this experiment will go well.

Yay, I may have liberated myself from hot cooking for at least southern Cal.

The future is mine to see.

Food and cooking; boxes to ship

Some thoughts:

From Chris Pirrello, Patagonia Boston, re: alcohol stoves.  Too slow, too scary for southern Cal and doomed for prohibition.  Chris swears by his JetBoil with the heat sinks welded/soldered onto the saucepan bottom.  I saw a similar Primus ETA lite stove at REI sale priced at $70.  I almost bought one, but thought the Snow Peak needed a good workout.  Presently my outfit weighs about 11.5 oz (stove, cup, Evernew titanium saucepan, pot cozy, and diy windscreen) and will burn about 6 gm to bring 2 cups or water to a rolling boil in 3:30.   I don't know how the 12.5 oz Primus performs.

IF authorities nix stoves for southern Cal, I'd eat either re-hydrated cold or go to snack bars, nut butters/jelly wraps and sandwiches--and the re-hydrating water will require treatment, too.  Why even bother with possibly carrying a stove and food intended for cooking.  I could forsake the stove until Kennedy Meadows.  Hot meals at asphalt trail stops will taste that much better.  The elevation exceeds 7,000' for 22 miles in section B, 44 miles in section C and 37 miles in section D.  It barely exceeds 5,000' in section E, 6,000' in F and consistently stays high only after Kennedy Meadows (section G).  Two to three days without hot food/drink at cooler altitudes--bearable as it's probably only mornings and nights.

Also from Chris:  use a bear can for the whole trail to protect from all critters, and for general convenience.

Boxes to pack for sending:

cold food boxes, nut butters, tortillas, bread, dried fruit, trail snacks, maps, trail notes, vitamins, toilet paper, dental floss, sunscreen, bug dope.

stove box with hot food, fuel, trail snacks, hot chocolate, maps, trail notes, vitamins, toilet paper, dental floss, sunscreen, bug dope, bug head net, shampoo

Kennedy Meadows box.  Ice ax and ice trekkers.  bug head net, shampoo

Hot Food boxes, fuel, chili, par boiled rice, dried bean soups, black bean, hummus? thin noodles to mix with bean mix,dried fruit,  olive oil, maps, trail notes, vitamins, toilet paper, dental floss.  curry spices, sunscreen, bug dope.

Hot food:  Fantastic foods mixes, rice, thin noodles,

Cold food:  trail snacks, dried fruit, tortillas, nut butters, bread,

every 400 miles: shampoo.
Every drop, toilet paper, floss, sunscreen until Washington. vitamins.

Slow cooking a hike

I hike a little here and there.  In the 1970's I camped in the desert and the mountains with other hiking nerds, who also couldn't make or even bother to try out for sports teams in high school.  I don't know how I found them.  Maybe they found me or maybe they just couldn't get away from me.  I sewed all my gear from Frostline kits.  Some of that Frostline stuff, I still have.

My backpacking gear went to college with me (Palo Alto). I went to Yosemite, got rained on and just got cold.  I transferred to U of Nevada Las Vegas and went hiking with classmate Mark Hodgkins, a hippie who actually completed his master degree after passing a class we took together.  In that ancient age camping gear weighed only less than the anchor of an oil tanker.  (Mark got a job with the government--Fish and Wildlife, not politics and has since retired.  He now travels and takes selfies with his iPhone)

My backpacking gear went to med school with me.  Once again, Mark joined me for a 7 day, 45 mile loop through Yosemite National Park's northeastern country--Bridgeport, Twin Lakes etc.  Bears had no Yogi Bear skills then, so we stayed fed by hanging our food.

My gear went to upstate NY where I did my residency.  Just a few overnight hikes.

We lived in Texas after residency for four years.  Nowhere to hike.  Lydia's childbearing years.

We moved to Las Vegas.  A few hikes with camera gear in Utah, Arizona.  A day hike to Mt Whitney.  I returned to Yosemite for 4 day trip.

We moved to Washington state.  Work kept getting in the way of life.  I finally quit/got kicked out of work in 2009.

I got rid of my heavy Dana Astralplane pack (7 lb 12 oz).  The replacement weighed 3 lb.

I sold a puny Bibler Tripod Bivy, replacing it with a palatial Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo that happily weighed less.

One day in 2012 I woke up and said I'm gonna hike the Wonderland Trail.  The next day I drove to Longmire, got my permit and seven days later, I had finished the 93 mile trail with its 21,000 feet of up and down.

I still didn't see myself hiking the PCT.

Last year Chris Pirrello walked the trail.

Two years ago, my brother Tom gave me Cheryl Strayed's book, "Wild."  I read it and saw the movie this year.

Then one day two weeks ago while visiting my mom, brother, and sister in Vegas, I just decided, that I wanted to walk part or all of the PCT.

I got some maps (the PCTA maps) & a trail data book.  I downloaded a California fire permit which required viewing a short video about fire safety and take a short quiz--they said to denude a ten foot circle putting the fire pit in the center and then said to put out the fire with water and cover with dirt using a big shovel.  I now must decide which day of the last week of March I'll fly out and which day I'll start hiking, and apply for the permit.

I have boxes to pack with food.  Boxes to pack with gear for snow, etc.  Boxes to pack with replacement equipment (shoes, socks, dental floss)

resources: http://asthecrowflies.org/pctpacific-crest-trail-town-guide/