Wednesday, April 26 Start: Lake Morena Stop: Lower Meadow Morris Spring 20 miles The first miles are cool and after I get up on a ridge top I message Lil’ Buddha. Bear update is that the bear outsmarted the culvert trap probably due to the wet soggy soil and unstable footing of the trap. At … More Day 2: The Drag
Tuesday, April 25 Start: Southern Terminus Stop: Lake Morena 20.6 miles Multiple alarms go off at 430am, followed by the rustle of backpacks being loaded with gear. The Scout and Frodo breakfast promptly starts at 530am and hikers gobble down fritatta, fresh fruit, muffins and coffee. I decide to call Lil’ Buddha for a bear … More Day 1: Bear Business
Week Total: 0 Back when I started all this training business, I made the goal to hike 25 miles every week and 100 miles before I left. As the sun rose on Monday, I had a total of 84 miles completed and only 16 miles left to reach my 100 mile goal. There was no … More Training: April 17 – 23
Week Total: 20.1 April 10 ~ 2 miles I push out in a sad stupor, kinda bleary from a tramatic day at the dentist. $1700 of unexpected work hits the budget HARD. I do my loops around the reservoir which don’t really register as all my focus is on sending Cherub a WhatsApp message. I’m … More Training: April 10 – 16
Week Total: 8 For pics and stories about why I didn’t get hikes in everyday, visit my Instagram. April 3 ~ 1.8 miles I sit down on the front deck recliner and it’s just so nice out. I just want to keep sitting here, so I do. What would make this view even better? How about a … More Training: April 3 – 9
Week Total: 25.7 miles March 20 ~ 2.1 miles The rain can not deter me. Can. Not. Deter. There is no waiting for the good weather. It’s crunch time so I suit up in my rain skirt and umbrella and brave the muddy path of enlightenment. Things are beautiful and drippy. My phone jingles and … More Training: March 20 – 26
After you’ve launched enough thru-hikes, friends and family stop asking for the scoop. No biggie! I appreciate that they’re all in the know and have confidence in my Pacific Crest Trail 2017 preparations. So perhaps more as a record and accountability for myself, here’s what’s been going on in my world. As always, I dream … More Where In The Prep?
Not a whole lot has changed with this new gear list. I wanted to get an Arc pack with the heavier duty 4.2 oz/sqyd Gridstop fabric. Unfortunately, you can only get an Arc Haul in that fabric and ZPacks no longer offers custom orders. The 62L Arc Haul is just way too big and so … More PCT 2017 Gear List II
PCT 2017 oz. lb. zpacks 62L arc haul with hip belt pockets 25.5 zpacks 0F wide long bag with draft tube 27.1 big agnes platinum fly creek UL1 + GG polycryo sheet, 30 oz. zpacks solplex, 19 oz. (first 700 miles) 19 71.6 4.5 thermarest prolite small 11 gossamer gear 1/8″ pad 3.2 msr pack … More PCT 2017 Gear List I
Wednesday, June 29 Independence I sleep 12 hours and it’s not enough. I drag myself to Mt. Williamson Motel’s lovely breakfast at 8am. Owner Jim fixes a scrumptious yet simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, AYCE english muffins, homemade jam and coffee. I haven’t had coffee in weeks and it’s not long before I’m jittery … More Public Transportation Becomes My New Best Friend
Journey Return 