Thursday, April 29, 2010

Heading South

Today Zac got a ride from a trail angel named David who lives in Idyllwild up to Cabazon. His plan is to leap frog ahead of the trail north and hike south giving the snow some time to melt. The thru hikers who make it over the pass might leave a good tail in the snow as well. Before heading to Interstate 10 he had a little lunch at Burger King. He ate a Whopper Jr., A-1 steak burger, a chicken sandwich and a Dr. Pepper. I guess if he had gotten a full size Whopper it might make him look like a glutton. He began the 4 mile hike to the HWY 10 from Cabazon when he was picked up by a guy named Tim who was going in that direction. Zac said that he was a really nice guy who was on his way to buy a watch for his son’s birthday. The beginning of the trail he said was very flat. He saw many wind turbines and was enjoying the easy grade. His elevation was 1300 feet there. By the time he set up camp for the night he had climbed to 6800 feet.

Last time I talked to him he was getting ready to go to sleep. The wind was so strong he was afraid his tent would get damaged. The temperature was so cold he could not stand to be outside long enough to cook any dinner so he had a few power bars and was crawling into his sleeping bag. Tomorrow he will decide if he is going to try to make Fuller Ridge or not. He said he had spoken to a thru hiker earlier and was told that Fuller Ridge was in bad shape as far as the trail is concerned. I guess we will have to wait and see.

I received a photo card from Zac today that has video and pictures. I will try my best to figure out how to add some of these to the blog. The videos were amazing. He wanted me to mention some of the people he had met along the way. Their names are: Uncle Tom, The Mayor, Psycho, Apricots, Train, and Axilla. There are more, but these are the ones he could remember at the moment.

Warner Springs Chow Down

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Slim Jim Lives!

When we last heard from Zac he was having a hard time finding the trail in the snow. Around 10:30 this morning I finally got a spot from him. He had moved about a quarter of a mile from the last spot but he was moving. It was good to see that he was on his way again. As the day went on I waited for another spot. After five hours with no spot I began to wonder what was going on with him and his GPS device. Another three hours passed and still no spot, 5 hours, 7 hours. 10 hours had passed since his last spot this morning. Checking his bank account on line about 8:30 pm showed that he had just purchased a giant deluxe pizza from the Idyllwild Pizza Company. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ……

Zac’s sister Erin called his cell and surprised him with her physic powers about his dining practices. I still don't think he has figured out how she knew that he was chowing down on a super supreme pizza. He was doing fine and out of the weather eating pizza with old friends and new ones as well. I called him shortly after and got the scoop on his ordeal over the last 24 hours.

The scoop:

Zac hiked up the ridge with little problems for most of the day. The weather was nice and he had met two other hikers along the trail and things were going smoothly. The group hiked most of the day until the two through hikers pace put them ahead of Zac and out of sight. The snow at the higher elevations was patchy and the trail was easy to make out. At 8000 feet, Zac was alone now and the snow was getting deeper. By 5:30 the snow was four foot deep and every step was a chore. The trail was covered and if it were not for the tracks of the hikers ahead of him, it would have been impossible to follow. The tracks of the two hikers split at one point and Zac decided to follow the tracks that were most prominent.

He walked and walked following the one set of tracks for a few hours until he found that he had walked in one big circle. Zac had been following the tracks were of a hiker who was as lost as he was. Luckily for Zac the other hiker whose trail he had been walking was there as well. The two soon found the third member of the party and all three agreed that they had to try to find the trail before the sun went down. After trying to read a map and follow a compass using head lamps, the three decided that a camp should be made. After a night’s sleep the trail might be easier to locate in the morning.

Setting up a tent on top of 5 feet of snow with only one pole for support will not work. Zac had no choice but to lay the tent down and use it as a ground cloth. For dinner he cooked up some Ramen noodles in melted snow and a Snicker bar. Then he brought some more snow to a boil and filled a Nalgene bottle and tossed it into his sleeping bag to warm it up. This is an old trick her learned while working at Yellowstone. His sleeping bag served him well and he stayed warm through the night.

The morning brought new hope and better light and after an hour or two the trail was picked up and Saddle Junction was in sight. Getting there entailed hiking along a snow covered cliff side where just days before a hiker had fallen and had to be rescued by helicopter. The steps had to be dug out and the going was very slow. The group reached Saddle Junction and the town of Idyllwild was only a few miles away. They picked up a dirt road and walked until the town sheriff stopped them and offered them a ride into town. He dropped them off between the pizza joint and the grocery store. Sort of like Rambo but with a less violent ending.

Zac made some new friends at the pizza place and they invited his group to share their cabin with a full kitchen, TV, fireplace, and running water as well and free laundry service. So tonight he is in a safe, warm cabin with 14 other hikers who will share their own stories of the PCT.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Zac had to decide Sunday if he was going to hitch a ride into Idyllwild or take the trail up to the ridge in what could be a snow covered trail. He called before deciding and asked if I could check the internet to see what the weather is going to be for that area. The weather looked like it was going to be clear. Zac stayed on the trail and headed north. He asked if his gloves could be mailed to him by way of the Idyllwild Post office. He is hiking a trail that is between 8000 and 9000 feet in elevation. He is hiking alone right now hoping to catch up with a friend who is about a day ahead of him. He is sending more spots than he had been which makes his progress easier to track. He called around 10:00 pm, saying he thought he may have taken a wrong turn and was not exactly sure where he was. He was in snow and it was getting dark. His feet were wet and he was going to make camp. According to his last spot he was very close to Saddle Junction. This puts him about 178 miles into his hike. He has gone about 70 miles since leaving Warner springs. He might take a well deserved break and rest a day in Idyllwild.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

So a typical day on the trail! Wake up early. Usually before the sun, which usually means its quite chilly, and maybe even a little wet with the morning dew. So, it can be somewhat slow going breaking down the tent, drying the down sleeping bag before stuffing it into the bag, and packing away everything in your pack. Its been critical to chug lots of water, at least 2 liters, and eat something loaded with calories, power bar or snickers bar, before you head out on the trail each morning. And don't forget to filter water and fill your nalgenes and bladders with more water for the day, because there isn't much on the trail, not even rivers or creeks in the desert. Everything is very dry and hot. Once you've strapped into your pack and had something to eat, you get on the trail and hike, hike, hike.

The trail through the desert mountains is gorgeous, with hardly any trees and small brush the views are always open and expansive. The flowers have been in bloom on the different cactus and other desert plants, with lizards running all over the place. Good luck soaking a lot of it all in without stopping in your tracks though. The trail tread itself is rough, and full of loose sand and small rocks from gumball to football size. So its important to constantly watch your step for sure footing to avoid rolling an ankle or worse. Didn't mention that many of the beautiful cactus, are cactus, with thousands of very sharp prickly needles leaning into the trail you got to avoid, along with the rattle snakes lurking between them and boulders.

You want to be on the trail early in the morning to take advantage of the lack of sun and scorching heat. By 10 am, its hot. By noon, its blistering, and stays that way till about 4pm. If you're looking to take a break for water or one of your daily 3 snacks(snickers bar, power bar, peanut butter, or pop tarts), you had better do it in some shade. Sitting and taking a break in direct sunlight is just as bad as walking in it. Without many tall vegetation, shade is just as scarce as the water. So, when you must rest, you are scrambling to find anything that will offer you a shadow. Laying on the trail, under chest high bushes, or under a massive boulder. I;ve found myself even cutting away at small bushes to make shade to crawl into. Each time you break for shade, water, or a snack, your socks and shoes ought come off your feet too so they can breath and lower the risk of blisters, or more blisters.

Anytime there is a chance to fill up on water or filter some, you stop and do so. Because you never know when the next water hole will be. And if you feel like you've hiked enough for that day, or think the next water source for camp is too far to reach before daylight fades, you start looking for a place to camp in the area. There are a few designated campgrounds along the 2667 mile trail, but most nights, yo are just looking for a flat, sheltered area on the desert floor, away from poison oak. Once you've found it, and finally gotten to the trail's end for the day, and your feet, legs, back, and shoulders are sore, you still have a couple hours worth of chores to attend to before laying down for bed. I usually start by unpacking my tent and getting it set up. Hopefully the spot you've picked is flat spot without many uncomfortable rocks to sleep on. With the tent set up and your sleeping pad and bag inside, its time to fetch the evening's water for dinner. That entails walking down to the creek or whatever water source you hopefully camped near by with your water treatment. I use the platypus gravity bags, which i think is described in an earlier post on this blog. Usually sitting on the ground, fending off the ants and spiders, you start cooking dinner with the water. Make sure you position yourself so the wind doesn't blow out your fire from the pocket rocket stove while you're waiting patiently for your water to boil and food to cook. Again, the food you eat for dinner is crucial to how well you do the next day. It should include well over 700 calories at least, some protein, carbs, and maybe some starch or veggies. The smart thing to do immediately after eating is to clean the pots and other dishes used, so they are easier to do so. But sometimes after eating a big meal, usually in the dark by now, it's easier, or tempting to just leave for the morning and get ready for bed. Either way, sleep is still yet to come, with a few more tasks to complete before retiring. I always make sure everything is packed away in my backpack, minus the gear I'm using to sleep, so it's one less thing to pack and organize in the morning when its cold and you just want to get to walking again. usually about this time, I'm thinking about using the little boy's room, which is actually more like a small secluded spot away from camp in the bushes, hopefully with no hiding cactus. Now with your pack packed and inside the tent, you can crawl inside the warmth of a sleeping bag and go over tomorrow's agenda. Know where water will possibly be next. How far will I, or may I, get tomorrow? Get the maps and literature for tomorrow's trail ready. And go ahead and get tomorrow morning's breakfast unpacked, and ready to eat. Then, with the last bit of energy you have left, write a bit about the days adventure and sights in your journal. Goodnight!

Looks like one more night here at Warner Springs resort, thanks to the best trail magic I've encountered yet. Tom, from Vail, Colorado, was giving rides to the kickoff party back at Lake Morena county park, and bought my room for the night. Refusing any payment at all from me, he only gave me a load of oranges, two bundles of firewood for the room, and his information so i could contact him later for any other help. Unbelievable! I was completely humbled and could not thank him enough. The room has three beds so I've been searching for other thru hikers to share the room with so they can have a free warm place to stay the night too. They are calling for more snow tonight again, but I will be leaving rain, snow or shine, first thing in the morning, and will be leaving the blog to the family again after this post. I should be on the computer again later tonight, just to answer any questions any of you all may have for me. Just leave comments and questions by clicking the comments button just below this post. Thanks again for the support and reading up on the trails.
It's your's truely this time! The swanky Warner Hot Springs Resort has two computers for us, thru hikers, to use when availible. But, because there is at least 30 hikers staying here, time is limited so everyone can have chance to stare into a computer screen for a bit. So, I'll due my best give you a good first hand update. Thanks to my folks back home, the blog looks to be updated everyday with some interesting tidbits from the fragments of info I can relay to them. And thanks be to all you for reading and following along. It means worlds to me when I see how many people are interested in my travels and giving me so much support. Your encouragement helps heal the bubbly blisters on my feet, shade the blazing desert sun and level the steepest of climbs. Really, thanks!

So, to say the least, this adventure, just 110 miles in/one week, has been extraordinary. My first night I spent alone along Hauser creek just 16 miles from the border. Honestly, every frog croak, leaf ruffling, and twig popping had me shining my headlamp out into the darkness. It took some time for sleep to come. Each night after that has been a bit easier. I'm currently sharing a nice big room with three beds and lots of floor space with five others at the resort in Warner Springs. Splitting the room six ways makes it very affordable at only 13 dollars a night.

I arrived here yesterday, with a surprise waiting for me. My friends, Amy and Jilly, had spent three days waiting for my arrival at Warner Springs with the grill fired and hamburgers, gatorade, chips, salsa, cookies and even a delicious breakfast burrito! When you are on the trail, and walking all day, you are constantly eating, building up your calories for energy. You can always eat. So all that food was amazing! Thanks Amy and Jilly!

After the huge lunch, I was already being invited by other thru hikers to share a room at the resort. Since then, I've been meeting many other friends that are thru hiking the PCT, and catching up with others I had already met along the trail. They are all very friendly and interesting in their own regards. The other thru hikers remind me of the other Yellowstone employees I've met and befriended for so many summers. Last night I sat in the dining room for dinner with 15 other thru hikers all at one massive table. Everyone has a story, and no one really goes by their real name. Each hiker has, what we call, a trail name. Zorro is from Spain, and helped me decide what to order. The three boys from Isreal, Isreali Gear, were talking across the table to Train, from Seattle. Little Bit, from North Carolina, was learing how Long Toe, from Austria, lost and recovered his room keys while soaking in the hot spring pool. And the two Flying Kiwis, from New Zealand, were just leaving. Other names of thru hikers I've met include: Sand Man, Axzilla, JJ, Half Brew, Rosy, Fuzzy Monkey, Why Not, Skyward, Zelda, Moses, Billy Goat, Monty, Yogi, Tarzan, General Lee and more I can't seem to remember at the moment. I've been given the name Slim Jim, I guess because I do get a craving for the beef sticks often and can be seen gnawing one down hiking down the trail frequently.

My time is short now for computer access, but I will be on again tomorrow before I leave for the trail again to give you all some more insight on what its really like on the trail, and what my daily routine has consisted of, so far. Thanks again for reading and all the support. Happy trails!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Zac made it to Warner Springs today around 12:00 his time. His friends greeted him with a meal of pasta and hamburgers. He picked up his mail and did some laundry in town. He is staying in a hotel room with 6 other hikers in Warner Springs tonight. I am sure that the snoring from that room will shake the shingles. He plans to hit the trail again tomorrow. A restful night will do him good. He has hiked some 109 miles as of today. He is hiking with a group and that is good for his moral and security. He was in a good mood and had no complaints. The conversations are short and not very in depth when he calls on a borrowed cell phone. I am trying to piece together information so I can present something on the blog. After tonight he will hopefully have a full charged for his phone. When he has time to talk I will drill him with as many details as he will divulge and I will relay that information here to all are following Zac's trip.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Yesterday I did not really receive enough information to write very much. Only two spots and they were only 8 miles apart. His last spot I received on Sunday was (33.09902 - 116.471558) at a place called Scissors Crossing. I had not heard from him in three days. His mileage after the 25 mile trek on Friday has gone down quite a bit. He traveled about 8 miles on Saturday and 7 miles on Sunday and today he past Barrel Spring. His total distance on the Pacific Crest Trail has passed over 100 miles.

Not knowing his exact whereabouts is nerve racking to say the least. In my mind I saw some mountain lion fighting over his GPS device with a bear and a couple of vultures. I could see Zac sitting on the side of the road holding a WILL WORK FOR FOOD sign hoping to catch a ride to civilization so he could find a half eaten cheeseburger behind a Waffle House dumpster. And then the signal sounds and I have new coordinates and all is right with the world.

Today, his friend Amy called and said that she was waiting for his arrival in Warner Springs with a grill and some hamburgers. She said that as she watched the through hikers passing through the town she was looking for Zac to come waltzing into view. She would ask some of the hikers if they had seen someone named Zac along the way. Quite a few of them had and some told her that they had even camped out a few times with “Slim Jim”, apparently his trail nick name. He must be eating a lot of those things. He was planning to make it Warner Springs on Tuesday. One of the hikers mentioned that Zac’s feet were giving him a little trouble but that he was in good spirits.

Then, today about 6:30 our time, Zac called from a borrowed satellite phone and said he was doing fine. He said that there were many other hikers on the trail. He has not traveled by himself much at all. He has only camped by himself once so far. His feet had some blisters on them but he was just putting some mole skin bandages on them and moving on. His food is holding up and he has not had a real problem keeping hydrated. In Barrel Spring he was going to get water but the water hole was occupied with several dead mice so he opted to forgo that fill up. The phone call was short because he was borrowing it and didn’t want to run the battery down.

His last spot arrived about 9:50. (33.24595 – 116.60024) He should arrive in Warner Springs in time for lunch and grilled burgers. He plans to do some laundry and collect his mail from the post office. I hope to get a call from him during the day some time tomorrow. I will request more frequent spots to be sent to me. Thank you all for your support and well wishes for Zac. – Brant(father of Slim Jim)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Today Zac sent only three spots with his GPS device. His first spot was sent at 6:50 am his time. He was getting an early start. His spot was (32.97719 - 116.52675). Today it looks like he did a lot of downhill hiking. His starting elevation was 5260 feet. His next spot posting was (32.01261 - 116.5264). This was around 12:20 pm. This location was along the Mason Valley Truck Trail. The elevation here was 4690 feet. The last spot I received today came from near Scissors Crossing where the trial crosses highway 78 at the San Felipe Creek. (32.09822 - 116.47218) The time was 5:45 pm. Elevation is 2252 feet here. A drop of almost 3000 feet from the time he started this morning. Today he completed 25 miles. Walking downhill makes a difference it seems. Still no verbal communication. I did get a message from Julianne. Her group was at Mt. Laguna this morning. They are about a day behind him. I’m sure that seeing some familiar faces would be a great treat for him. Since I have not received another spot from him I can only assume that he is going to camp here for the night. His total mileage so far, as of his last spot, is 77.6 miles. He has 32 miles to go before reaching Warner Springs and his first Post Office delivery of food and notes from well wishers.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Today I did not hear from Zac at all. I am assuming that he is out of cell phone service. I did receive several spots from his GPS device. From the locations I received I can tell he is on the move.

Here is what I know from the information I have received. He left Laguna Mt this morning and sent his first GPS spot (32.86672- 116.42008) around 10:10 our time. That is 7:10 am his time. This location is close to where he stayed last night. The next signal location I received was spot (32.8942- 116.42802). You can see this on Google maps if you zoom in enough. You can even see the trial and follow it to his next spot at (32.92449 - 116.48154) which I received at 3:45 pm our time. The next spot sent to me was around 4:45 pm. The location was (32.93678 - 116.48338). This looks like rocky terrain from the satellite photo on Google maps. That last coordinates received today was (32.97716 - 116.52679). This puts him in Anza-Borrego Desert. http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=638 This link has some pictures of what he is hiking through.8:15 pm was the time of the last communication received today so we can only assume that he is setting up his camp here. This could be the Pioneer Mail Trail Head picnic area. If this is the case, Zac has hiked about 10 more miles today.

He should be getting to the post office mentioned in Wednesday’s post around the middle of next week. If you are planning to send him any mail, please keep it light. He might appreciate some folding money.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Zac is in Mt Laguna tonight resting in a lodge. He said it is the only one in town. He sent his spot (32.86672 - 116.42008) at 10:00pm. He is 43 miles into his trip and his legs are feeling a little fatigued. Last night was a chilly one. He woke up to frost on his tent. The trail today was not well maintained. He climbed to an elevation of near 6000 feet. An increase of almost 3000 feet. He will recharge his phone and camera and hopefully his body tonight sleeping a comfortable bed. He met some through hikers today from New Zealand. These fellow hikers began the PCT on the same day as Zac, so he will be seeing them several times along the way. He is meeting interesting people from all over the world it seems. He was calling from a phone booth because he had no cell service there. He is not sure what his goal will be for tomorrow. There is no designated campground for 30 miles or so. He plans to go as far as he can and will set up his camp off the trail somewhere. He is sore but his spirits are high. Our conversation was short but I got the impression he was enjoying himself. You can enter these spots into Google maps and see his last location. If the street view option is available, you can see the terrain at that location.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Zac called this afternoon and said he was done for the day. His feet were blistered and sore. He was going to give himself a rest for the remainder of the day so he can get a good start the next day.

During the night of his first camp at Hauser Creek, he said it was chilly but comfortable. After a Powerbar breakfast he was on his way. He had walked about ten miles on what had for the most part been a washed out trail. He was going to camp at the Boulder Oaks Campground at spot 32.72972 - 116.48411. He was 26.4 miles into the trip. The campground was closed but he would still make it his camp for the night.

He said that today’s hike was very hot and hard to walk but was filled with beautiful scenery. He saw lizards everywhere. Some were the size of squirrels. He saw a few roadrunners as well as several humming birds. The rabbits he saw were fairly large. He had his first water crossing today at Cottonwood Creek. About mid day he stopped under an oak tree and dined on Graham Crackers and peanut butter before moving on. The trail was washed out for most of the day. He said it was hard to find any level ground to stand on. It apparently took a toll on his feet. He decided to stop early so he could rest them some.

He said that another traveler had also decided to camp at Boulder Oaks Campground tonight. His name was Keith and he was bicycling from St. Augustine Fla. to San Diego Calf. His journey that had started in February was almost over.

Zac was hoping for smoother trails tomorrow. He is planning to get as far as Mt. Laguna where he could recharge his phone and get a burger or two or three. He said he might even stay there a couple of nights before continuing. He told me that he is not on anyone’s clock. He is having a fantastic adventure. He wants to be at Warner Springs in 4 or 5 days. He will pick up his first post there.

Zac Finley
General Delivery
Warner Springs, CA 92086
(760)782-3166
September 13, 2010
Zac began his 5000 mile hike today from Campo, California (Mexican/California border) at 10:03 this morning. He hiked 16 miles to this spot 32.66119 - 116.54524 which is Hauser Creek. He has seen thousands of lizards. The weather was hot with a cloudless sky above. He also saw several roadrunners. He will camp tonight at Hauser Creek and replenish his water supply. Along the trail today, Zac met two other hikers. He talked to Brant (Zac's dad) via cell phone a few times today and said that the scenery was beautiful. The beginning of a great journey.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

This will be my last post before I leave my laptop in San Diego and starting the trail. I’ll have written this post while riding a train in route to San Diego, during the night hours when there wasn’t gorgeous scenery to observe and people to talk with. No internet on the train, but power outlets were available. So this blog couldn’t be posted until today with a little copy and paste help from a word document.



The above picture shows every last bit of my gear, food(in the green and orange stuff sacks at my feet), clothes, and bare necessities for the trail, all spread out in my parents deck back home in Georgia. I thought it would be interesting to show you all how much I’ll be carrying on my back for nine months and that it can all be packed away and fit inside the backpack. My full backpack with everything you see in the above picture is shown to the left. With the two nalgenes(very durable/unbreakable water bottles) full of water and seven plus days worth of food the pack weighs in at thirty five pounds. Most of my equipment is brand spanking new or used by yours truly just a few times. I spent a great deal of time researching what pieces would be the best for me. This gear is my life for the next nine months. It will be my home, my bed, my kitchen and my wardrobe. This gear will ensure my safety, keep me comfortable, and may even save my life on the trail. So it was very important to carefully research every bit of it to make sure I was choosing the best. So, I compared different tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, stoves, pants, shoes, water treatment, jackets, and so on. With most items I compared I had to study their weight, durability, cost, size, and then the weight again.



I tried to find the lightest weight gear that could compact to very small sizes. On the trail, less is more. But at the same time, I needed to make sure this lightweight gear would be strong enough and durable enough to withstand the beating I’d be putting it through everyday for 5000 miles. And along with all that, would the gear be easy and comfortable to use. So after reading many reviews and asking around, and even trying out a few items in stores(not many stores with the gear I needed in Yellowstone National Park, where I had to do most of this planning) I feel confident in all my tools.



Looking at the picture above with my gear spread out, and going left to right, top to bottom, I’ll try to give you an idea what everything is. My sleeping bag is a Montbell ultra light super stretch down hugger. It weighs only 31 ounces, is rated to 25 degrees Fahrenheit and stuffs down into the size of a football. I had the opportunity to get inside one of these very comfortable bags in a Bozeman, Montana shop before purchasing it online. Pricy, but I feel like it is well worth it for how important it will be to me every night.The yellow egg crate design sleeping pad is the Thermorest Z-Lite. Very soft, light and affordable. A black bandana is resting on top of my sleeping pad in the photo, and will be used to keep the sun off the back of my neck, and sand out of my mouth in the case of an unlikely sand storm. Next to the sleeping pad are my Patagonia thermal underpants and long sleeve shirt, good for layering and keeping out the cold on those very chilly nights. Below that are my two Mountain Hardware, lighter than air, t-shirts. I love these. Moving over the other couch are a pair of Columbia convertible pants that are so light and thin, they fold into the size of a softball. They also unzip at the thighs to make shorts. Next to the pants is my very water resistant Stoic jacket. No bulk to it, but thick enough to keep out the cold, wind and most rains. Another plus was it has no seams, meaning it was welded completely together, giving it more strength and durability. Sitting in between the pants and jacket are three pairs of undies and a mesh Budweiser ball cap I found half buried in the orange sands of Arches National Park backcountry. Spread out, but not erected, is my single pole tent. It is the Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo weighing in at 26.5 ounces and packs down to the size of a large bunch of bananas. It is a non free standing tent, meaning it must be staked down in order for it to stand. It requires only the one pole you see leaning against my sleeping pad, or a trekking pole, and six half ounce stakes found in the blue sack leaning against my sleeping bag. I bought this tent online last Spring, and was very pleased with it all summer backpacking in Yellowstone. Beside the tent are another pair of convertible pants(Mountain Hardware) that unzip as shown at the thigh, but are slightly thicker and heavier than the Columbia’s.



All the smaller items on the floor starting from the left include my cookware(blue shammy towel, MSR pocket rocket, Giga power fuel, pot, bowl, spork, 1/3 measuring cup, food scraper, and lighter, all in which fits inside the pot), stick of deodorant, homemade first aid kit in zip lock baggie, two nalgenes( one of which I have carried since my very first summer in Yellowstone), and my first pair of shoes. I say first pair, because I will go through at least six pairs in 5000 miles of trail walking. So, I have already purchased four pairs to be sent to post offices close to the trail when I need some new kicks. All my shoes will be light hiking or trail running shoes. NO BOOTS! Behind the shoes is my journal, sections I’ve torn out of a PCT guide book, trail data book, the new testament, PCT visitor permit, fire permit, and a special picture, all of which is sealed up in a zip lock baggie. Then I have a small jar of peanut butter(great calorie source) and my Duck pack. The Duck pack is a rain cover for my entire backpack while I’m hiking. A few different sized waterproof stuff sacks for storing my tent, sleeping bag, and clothes lay next on the floor.



Back below my cookware on the floor I have my Turtle Fur skull cap, that I proudly wore driving Bombardier snow coaches in Yellowstone. Next is a bright Petzel headlamp, mini camera tripod, four carabineers, GPS, compass, SPOT, eye glasses case, and a toothbrush. For easy packing and slightly lighter toothbrush, I will be using just the replaceable heads for electric toothbrushes. Below that are four pairs of North Face water wicking socks, iodine tablets for water treatment, insect repellent, multitool, and cell phone and camera chargers. Next to them are my Yak Traks. They are basically very simple lightweight crampons for better stability and traction when walking over slick snow and ice. Below those on the floor is my Platypus water filtration system. Lighter, faster, easier, and more water than a pump filtration system. It uses gravity to send water out of a “dirty” bag through a tube and filter, and then into the “clean” bag. Very cool! Next is my small Sony Handy Cam video recorder, that I’ll be using for still pictures as well. Used it all winter after receiving it as a Christmas gift from my family, and have been thrilled with its’ video quality and satisfied with the still photograph quality. It’s case is to the right in the photo above, as well as my monocular. This is the same as binoculars, but obviously with only one lens to peer through. Below that lies my two Leki trekking poles that will soften the blow to my knees, give me more stability in snow and river fords, and possible assist me in warding off any rattlesnakes I’ll encounter. Last, and certainly not least amongst all my gear is my backpack, in which everything I described above, will carry. It is the Granite Gear Vapor Trail weighing only an ounce more than my sleeping bag, but with the strength to carry forty pounds and keep me very comfortable.



All my food for seven plus days is included in the top photo as well, but is just contained in the orange and green stuff sacks at my feet. All that food was described in my previous post. So there is all is! My life’s necessities for 5000 miles of backpacking in 35 pounds on my back in the photo to the right!

I have now arrived in Sacramento, California from Denver, via Amtrak train. The station here, where I'll be for the next hour before taking another train to Bakersfield, has internet. So, maybe I'll have time to get another post in at the next station while I'll have to wait again. The train ride through the Colorado Rockies and the Sierra Nevada was amazing. Gorgeous views and friendly people, with their own excting stories, from a returning Iraq soldier to a family from little town of Big Piney, Wyoming.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Haven't been on here to post in about a week, due to busy preparations, planning, visiting family and friends, and just being lazy. Within the next hour I'll be leaving Lilburn, and heading for the Atlanta airport. There, I'll be leaving my family and meeting up with my first trail angels, Andrew and Jennifer. Andrew is flying back to the states from Paris after spending the past 24 days traveling Europe. I'm looking forward to his stories. Jennifer lives in Atlanta during in between season time from the park. They are both returning to Yellowstone by April 11th. So Jen has kindly offered to give me a lift as far as Denver on their way to Yellowstone. The three of us will drive through the night tonight, and arrive in Denver by tomorrow evening. Saturday morning Jennifer and Andrew will drop me off in Denver and head to the park for their respected summer jobs. I'll be catching a train in Denver, Colorado that will be taking me to Sacramento, California. I'll jump on another train there to Bakersfield, California. I'll finally arrive in San Diego, California after a bus ride from Bakersfield. Friends in San Diego will pick me up at the station there with some time to relax, grab one last meal from society, and drop me off at the border and the start of the Pacific Crest Trail.




Today I tied up all the lose ends with my final plans and backpack preparation. I'm leaving home with over seven days worth of trail food and supplies. The picture on the right is what seven plus days worth of food looks like. Oatmeal, cereal, pop-tarts and powdered milk for breakfast. Ramen noodles, mac & cheese, tuna, and one Mountain House freeze dried meal for dinner. I think it was Jamaican style chicken and rice. And about 22 snacks for walking lunches consisting of Snickers bars, Power Bars, Cliff Bars, granola bars, beef jerky, dried fruit, and peanut butter. All this food, minus the peanut butter jar, fit into two stuff sacks, seen below. All the food is very high calorie and easy to prepare and pack.




Got to run to the airport now for my first leg across the country. More to come on the rest of my gear and some final photos of preparation by tomorrow night while I'm in Denver. Happy Trails!