19 miles of hiking, 21 miles total.
I got up early, and I knew it would be a hot day.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Long March to Lake Moreno Camp Ground
Thursday, April 28, 2011
19 miles of hiking, 21 miles total.
I got up early, and I knew it would be a hot day.
19 miles of hiking, 21 miles total.
I got up early, and I knew it would be a hot day.
At the Start of the Trail
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Martha and I went to the great Mexican Restaurant on the way to Campo. She had just eaten lunch, but I was very hungry, so I had a nice meal. By the time we got to the start of the trail, it was about 6:30 p.m. Another hiker had just arrived, and he got started before I was ready to leave.
I hiked about 2 miles before it started to get dark. I was hiking with my headlamp, so when I caught up to the spot where the other hiker had set up his camp, I decided to stay there, too.
Martha and I went to the great Mexican Restaurant on the way to Campo. She had just eaten lunch, but I was very hungry, so I had a nice meal. By the time we got to the start of the trail, it was about 6:30 p.m. Another hiker had just arrived, and he got started before I was ready to leave.
I hiked about 2 miles before it started to get dark. I was hiking with my headlamp, so when I caught up to the spot where the other hiker had set up his camp, I decided to stay there, too.
Camped at the Beach
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Diana and I met for a very nice lunch at a buffet in Chino, close to where the truck driver dropped me off. I also did a little shopping, and found a new cell phone case. Then she took me to the train station so I could ride the MetroLink and Amtrak to San Diego, It was a great train ride!
Before heading to start of the trail, I really wanted to spend some time at the beach. I was hoping to camp on the beach, but I couldn't find a camp ground, so I just waited until dark, then put my tent up by the parking lot, several hundred yards from the beach. I got up early the next morning, before anyone else got there, and headed down to the beach.
Later in the day, I took the bus and the trolley out to Adventure 16 to meet Martha. I still had a few things to buy, like a stove and some fuel. Then we mailed my day pack and city clothes back home and we were off to Campo!
Diana and I met for a very nice lunch at a buffet in Chino, close to where the truck driver dropped me off. I also did a little shopping, and found a new cell phone case. Then she took me to the train station so I could ride the MetroLink and Amtrak to San Diego, It was a great train ride!
Before heading to start of the trail, I really wanted to spend some time at the beach. I was hoping to camp on the beach, but I couldn't find a camp ground, so I just waited until dark, then put my tent up by the parking lot, several hundred yards from the beach. I got up early the next morning, before anyone else got there, and headed down to the beach.
Later in the day, I took the bus and the trolley out to Adventure 16 to meet Martha. I still had a few things to buy, like a stove and some fuel. Then we mailed my day pack and city clothes back home and we were off to Campo!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Heading South To Campo, California
The last 24 hours have been very exciting for me.
I really didn't know how I was going to get to the start of the trail. Mostly, I was counting on something from Craig's List, and I had planned to stop and visit a friend in San Francisco on the way. I didn't want to pay a lot of money. Amtrak would have been about $175 or so.
Several different offers came together, but then fell apart. The best was a guy from LA that wanted to pay me to drive a U-haul truck from Eugene to LA. That one fell apart over the weekend.
Then I heard from a guy in Portland that wanted $45 to ride to Oakland. That looked like it would work, so early on Monday, my roommate Jo dropped me off at the Taco Bell near I-5. I heard from the driver that he was tied up in Portland traffic and would be delayed, so I walked over and sat on the edge of I-5 to wait for him.
As I was sitting on the side of the freeway in the rain (for about 1/2 an hour), a large semi-truck pulled up and stopped. I though maybe he wanted directions or something, because semi-truck drivers rarely give rides. The driver asked where I was headed, and I told hime San Diego. He said, "Throw your pack in, I'm headed to Riverside, California" and we were off.
He was a really nice guy. In fact, he bought me dinner.
It was about 8 am the next day when we rolled into L.A. I tired to pay him for the ride, but he wouldn't take anything!
I really didn't know how I was going to get to the start of the trail. Mostly, I was counting on something from Craig's List, and I had planned to stop and visit a friend in San Francisco on the way. I didn't want to pay a lot of money. Amtrak would have been about $175 or so.
Several different offers came together, but then fell apart. The best was a guy from LA that wanted to pay me to drive a U-haul truck from Eugene to LA. That one fell apart over the weekend.
Then I heard from a guy in Portland that wanted $45 to ride to Oakland. That looked like it would work, so early on Monday, my roommate Jo dropped me off at the Taco Bell near I-5. I heard from the driver that he was tied up in Portland traffic and would be delayed, so I walked over and sat on the edge of I-5 to wait for him.
As I was sitting on the side of the freeway in the rain (for about 1/2 an hour), a large semi-truck pulled up and stopped. I though maybe he wanted directions or something, because semi-truck drivers rarely give rides. The driver asked where I was headed, and I told hime San Diego. He said, "Throw your pack in, I'm headed to Riverside, California" and we were off.
He was a really nice guy. In fact, he bought me dinner.
It was about 8 am the next day when we rolled into L.A. I tired to pay him for the ride, but he wouldn't take anything!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
I did some important shopping at REI for some up-graded gear for my hike. There were still a few items that I wanted before I headed to San Deigo: a new, light weight cooking pot, better rain gear, a new pair of wool long johns, and a pair of hiking shorts. While I was in the camping section, I also picked up a new air mattress. It's very light, and can roll up not much larger than a soda can. It will provide some extra comfort as well as warmth.
My head lamp was having some issues, so I also got a new light.
I think I've got all the gear I need now.
On Monday, I'll be headed South to San Diego. I'm not exactly sure how I'll be getting there, as I have a couple of options. Someone from Portland contacted me and offered to pay me to drive a car to LA. That would be awesome if it comes together. I have also posted to Craig's List that I need a ride, but it's still a bit too early. It seems that people don't think to check Craig's List Rideshare until the last minute, so I'll be re-posting later this week.
If all goes well, I might try and stop in San Francisco on the way South.
Tomorrow, I'll be finishing up the packing and renting a U-Haul truck to take all my stuff to my storage unit. That will be a big job!
My head lamp was having some issues, so I also got a new light.
I think I've got all the gear I need now.
On Monday, I'll be headed South to San Diego. I'm not exactly sure how I'll be getting there, as I have a couple of options. Someone from Portland contacted me and offered to pay me to drive a car to LA. That would be awesome if it comes together. I have also posted to Craig's List that I need a ride, but it's still a bit too early. It seems that people don't think to check Craig's List Rideshare until the last minute, so I'll be re-posting later this week.
If all goes well, I might try and stop in San Francisco on the way South.
Tomorrow, I'll be finishing up the packing and renting a U-Haul truck to take all my stuff to my storage unit. That will be a big job!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
It's official! On Monday, April 25, 2011, I'll be headed to San Diego so I can start my hike of the Pacific Crest Trail ... all 2,650 miles this time.
When I tried to hike the trail in 2008, I didn't make it all the way to Canada, but I did learn a lot, took some great photos, and lost about 50 pounds. I'm really looking forward to loosing that weight again!
Here are some important rules that I set for myself to help me make it all the way to Canada this time:
#1. Don't go home ... for ANY reason! If I want to make it to Canada in a single season, it has to be my #1 priority. Everything else will be priority #2, #3 and so on. If something really important comes up, it will just have to wait until I get home in September.
#2. Take a zero day now and then. It's important to take a day of rest. If I don't, it will affect my body and my spirit. In 2008, I don't think I took enough zero days where I found a nice place and just sat there, relaxing and enjoying myself. I plan to do that about every week or two this time.
#3. Hike one more mile. In 2008, there were plenty of times when I would come to a great place to camp in the late afternoon, and I'd say "You better camp here ... there might not be a better place" only to hike about a mile the next morning and find an equally if not better place to camp. So, this time around, I plan to hike "ONE MORE MILE" at the end of the day. Now, don't get me wrong. I might stop at a great camping spot, take off my pack, cook my dinner and relax for a while. But after I've taken a break, I want to get going again and hike "one more mile" before I end for the day. If I do that often enough, it will boost my total mileage and help me get to Hope, BC Canada by September 15, 2011.
So, sit back, book-mark this site, check in once in a while, send me a text to 541-549-1339 (Yes, I'm taking my cell phone, but I won't have service very often), drop me a word of encouragement every once in a while, come visit me on the trail when I'm passing by your neck of the woods, and look forward to seeing me again in September, 2011!
When I tried to hike the trail in 2008, I didn't make it all the way to Canada, but I did learn a lot, took some great photos, and lost about 50 pounds. I'm really looking forward to loosing that weight again!
Here are some important rules that I set for myself to help me make it all the way to Canada this time:
#1. Don't go home ... for ANY reason! If I want to make it to Canada in a single season, it has to be my #1 priority. Everything else will be priority #2, #3 and so on. If something really important comes up, it will just have to wait until I get home in September.
#2. Take a zero day now and then. It's important to take a day of rest. If I don't, it will affect my body and my spirit. In 2008, I don't think I took enough zero days where I found a nice place and just sat there, relaxing and enjoying myself. I plan to do that about every week or two this time.
#3. Hike one more mile. In 2008, there were plenty of times when I would come to a great place to camp in the late afternoon, and I'd say "You better camp here ... there might not be a better place" only to hike about a mile the next morning and find an equally if not better place to camp. So, this time around, I plan to hike "ONE MORE MILE" at the end of the day. Now, don't get me wrong. I might stop at a great camping spot, take off my pack, cook my dinner and relax for a while. But after I've taken a break, I want to get going again and hike "one more mile" before I end for the day. If I do that often enough, it will boost my total mileage and help me get to Hope, BC Canada by September 15, 2011.
So, sit back, book-mark this site, check in once in a while, send me a text to 541-549-1339 (Yes, I'm taking my cell phone, but I won't have service very often), drop me a word of encouragement every once in a while, come visit me on the trail when I'm passing by your neck of the woods, and look forward to seeing me again in September, 2011!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
I just returned home from an exciting trip to Willow Creek, Idaho to attend a wonderful campout with Boy Scout Troop 728 from Beaverton, Oregon. We had 3 full days of scouting activities near Emmett, Idaho.
Troop 728 has posted photos on their website, so I won't be posting any photos ... actually, I didn't take any. So, chech out their photo gallery here.
Stay tuned for more exciting news ...
I just returned home from an exciting trip to Willow Creek, Idaho to attend a wonderful campout with Boy Scout Troop 728 from Beaverton, Oregon. We had 3 full days of scouting activities near Emmett, Idaho.
Troop 728 has posted photos on their website, so I won't be posting any photos ... actually, I didn't take any. So, chech out their photo gallery here.
Stay tuned for more exciting news ...
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