Wind, Wind and Walker Pass Resupply - Heaven.

Hello Sierra’s, mile 744. 

Up to 9 rattle snakes, 2 were close calls, one made me do a sweet dance and the second Jug and I had to distract him to get by. 

Big Jumpy rattler

 Jug is a 27 year old guitar playing young gun who carries a gallon jug with his water ALL the time, carries it in his left hand, even though he is right handed. He also has his little backpack guitar. He is a cool dude.

JUG

The WIND. The wind blew for 250 miles. It was clocked up to 65 mph. It was constant. You couldn’t do one thing without making sure things wouldn’t blow away (maps, water, stoves, tents) My tent broke, but fixed now. Hikers were literally blown off the trail, hiking sticks broke in half and many of us questioned our sanity. I am so glad to be out of that wind. Poor Wendy crawled into a ball and quit. I have heard she is back on the trail..good job Wendy. 

Never realized how precious water and shade is. My whole strategy for the past 700 miles revolved around water. I think most people know how important water is, but when it is scarce and you have to carry it through wind, heat and 2 desserts, its something. As for shade, walking through burned out areas you really begin to look for any bit of shade. So after our wonderful resupply from “Chief’s wife” (you all know who that is!) at Walker Pass, “Walking Home” (lives in Winthrop, WA) and I did 29 miles. We weren’t planning that many miles that day, but after a big climb out of Walker Pass and still NO water, we just hunkered down and walked until we found water and campsites! AAh, the South fork of the Kern River. Beautiful water. What a plus. Many of the 20 somethings were catching Golden Trout with their hands! It was a Water Party! We were all acting like a bunch of toddlers.

Walker Pass Resupply. Wow. Maureen did it this time. There was a bucket with water to wash our hands, battery operated shower, fresh, cold green salad stuffed with veggies, cold fruit, tri-­‐tip, garlic bread and beans. And then to top it all off, our neighbor, Dan the Postman’s amazing cheese-­‐cake cupcakes. Hikers came in throughout the day. There was Will and Roadrunner from Arizona, Recycle, Chip, Jug, Icebucket (from Finland) and Weeds (who had to get Medivaced out last year!!), Katie Jeans (hikes in bluejeans?), Fashionplate Dan, 5-­‐Star, Walking-­‐Home and Back Up (because he has a back up of EVERYTHING in his pack). Back Up said that Maureen had turned his worst day into his best day EVER. All the group that was at Walker Pass couldn’t stop talking about the Trail Magic that “Chief’s Wife” had left at Cameron Canyon out of the Tehachapi area (cold fruit, candybars, beer, water, soda, chips, and Loy’s amazing cookies!)

Walker Pass Resupply

Thanks DAN!  Cheesecake cupcakes

Then, FINALLY, Kennedy Meadows. A night late for the BIG PARTY (thank God) I’m calling it the Sierra Paloozza! It’s becoming a famous tall tale on the trail. That was the night a 55 year old Librarian got her TRAIL NAME..Canadian Mist. When I arrived at KM at 11am there was still Hiker Trash hanging out at the Breakfast deck hung over from the night before. I walked in and was quite the celebrity because of Maureen’s Trail Magic. I can go through the rest of the PCT without worrying about anything because every hiker is worshipping me after those 2 amazing Trail Magic drops. Then my eating fest began with a breakfast burrito, then double bacon cheeseburger with double fries, vanilla milkshake, and my own PINT of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. I’ve lost a good amount of weight and I’m sure I can share clothes with Shane now! After 5 hours of hanging with my trail trash gang, I started walking towards Horseshoe Meadows. Found a perfect campsite among the conifers and a stream to filter beautiful, clean, cold water. It was my very own Trail Magic.

Maureen picked me up at Horseshoe Meadows and gave Texas Poo (I’m not sure I want to know how he got his name?) and I a ride down to Lone Pine. If you are trying to hitch a ride into a trail town, and you are a man, you have to be alone or hook up with a “ride bride”, single girl hiker. Otherwise, you will never get picked up. So Texas Poo was a lucky man that day. It’s a long rode down into Lone Pine to the Post office for resupply. Then more eating for 2 days and then off again from Cottonwood Pass. The trail buzz is that Forester Pass is still a bit sketchy, but the first hiker out, Ned Tibbits (ski patrol mountaineer form Tahoe) cut the ice chute up to the top of the Pass out. He tries to be the first guy out every year and cut the safety passage over the ice chute. He walked the PCT in 1977 and this is his annual contribution. A welcome one for sure. JOAN, I added this tidbit just for YOU! Oh the memories we had on that ice chute!!!
I’m having a few zero days with Maureen in Lone Pine. My feet are great now. Thanks for all the recommendations from emails that Maureen has passed on. Everyone’s feet are different and what works for some, doesn’t for others. But on Rik’s recommendation, toe socks were the miracle for me. 

Toe socks!

Apparently my toes cross each other and rubbed...the socks did the trick. I’m eating lots for 2 days and taking multiple baths. Ari (Shane’s best buddy and roommate) is joining me for the walk from Cottonwood Pass to Mammoth. Mile 744 to mile 901. The Sierra’s are the most welcoming site so far. No more Trail Angels and no more Trail Magic, except for the Magic that the Sierra’s already has. The Sierra’s have always held a special bond for me. I’m excited about having campsites and water, and a bit nervous about some of the high passes. I’ve walked this section before and it is most beautiful. This first section was a bitch, but it’s done.

Bestie's Trail Magic

Post Office at Lone Pine - Texas Grit

Thanks to Dana for the last Trail Magic. Cookies are GONE. Gone within about 5 minutes. The Lone Pine Post Office was quite the buzz with your cookies. Many of the hikers were there to collect their boxes. Texas, not to be confused with Texas Poo, ate about 10 cookies in about 30 seconds. A big thanks to Greg and the Phelps who will be my next Trail Angels with resupplies out of VVR and northern California. It’s always nice to see friends and I really appreciate all your help and support.

Hello to my family. I think of you all often. Shane – BE careful. Bad Fire Season. Erin – I’m walking North, your way, would love to see you and Danny.

Maureen will include some pics. I’m not the photographer but will have Ari along side to take some Sierra pics in my next segment. I’ve also included a link to fellow PCT hiker, Craig. He has a great planner guide for the PCT and some nice pics. Included a blog of his from a while back at Warner Springs. Shane was walking at that time. 
Enjoy. http://lunky.com/pct2013/2013/04/25/

A memorable resupply at Walker Pass

Next update at mile 901 – Red’s Meadow out of Mammoth.

Chief

PCT Basics

I have come to find out that not everyone is as educated on the PCT as we have become in the last year ! (imagine that!!) Many of you are asking so many good questions, so I thought I would go over some of the basics.

• The PCT spans 2, 650 miles from Mexico to Canada, walking through California, Oregon and Washington. One travels through the desert, the enormous expanse of the Sierra Nevada, through deep forests and volcanic peaks in the Cascade Range.
  
• Some walk only a few miles, others a specific “section”, and then there are the thru-­‐hikers (Kevin) completing every mile in a single session.
  
• A “community” of volunteers ties this trail together. Without these “trail angels” this trail could not be completed.
  
• The PCT avoids roads and towns, almost entirely...and aims to stay remote and passes through magnificently untamed country.
  
• Sometimes, there are NO campgrounds and the hikers sleep wherever they can, which may be right on the trail due to water, exhaustion, and weather.
  
• Approximately 200 miles of the trail passes through privately owned lands. Wilderness permits are required for designated wilderness lands, national parks and state parks, which the trail passes through. The PCT Association works with the hikers to obtain all the necessary permits for this and Canada.
  
• Sections will close due to fires, damaged bridges and other reasons
  
• The trail crosses over 57 major mountain passes, 3 Natl’ monuments, 5 State
  parks, 7 Natl’ parks, 24 Natl’ forests and 47 Wilderness areas.
  
• It dips into 19 major canyons and past more than 1,000 lakes.
  
• The PCT is divided into 29 sections of “manageable” length. There are 18
  Sections in CALIFORNIA (Sections A – R). Then when you get to Oregon, the
  labeling starts over with Sections A – L, combining Oregon and Washington.
  
• When planning your thru-­‐hike, you take into consideration your section, the
  trail angels available and your resupply opportunities.
  
• When on the trail, you are only referred to by your TRAIL NAME. Someone on
  the trail gives you your trail name and then you must accept or deny. Shane
  was given “BootCamp” at about Day 2. He accepted!
  
• Do you walk alone? Some do, other’s don’t. You never have to walk alone,
  there seems to be a “group” of hikers that are in the same day or two within Kevin. Sometimes he will walk with another for a some time. They may walk within 4 or 5 miles apart, end up sleeping in the same area, you get the idea.
  
• Zero Days. Just what is sounds like. NO walking. Lots of showers and laundry and lots of FOOD. Kevin has had 2 zero days. First was at mile 178 -­‐ Idyllwild and most recently at mile 266 – Big Bear City.
  
• In every resupply box, I print out the most recent water report and trail angel locations for the specific section Kevin is hiking. http://PCtwater.com
  
• I am currently packing and sending Box #4 to the Best Western Hotel on the Cajon Pass (I-­‐15). They will pick up and drop you off at trail again.
  
• But, most importantly, you must hike your own hike.
  

At mile 109, Warner Springs, I picked up Shane as he had joined Kevin for the first week of hiking from the Mexican border. It was quite an experience for Shane and it was a very emotional day as Kevin was not ready for him to leave. Shane overcome with the magic of the trail and had an amazing week. I am hopeful he will share some of the great stories that he was able to experience first hand. It will surely bring tears of joy when you hear some of the remarkable things people do for the hikers. I will let him share those stories.
Currently, Kevin is at mile 266. Big Bear City. It was a tough week with really hot days and lots of climbing, up and then down and then up and then down again. I zoomed in on the topo map and it was pretty gnarly. Little water. Now the weather has changed. It may snow tonight on them? Crazy. He will walk for 4 days until he reaches Box #4 (Cajon Pass). Then he has 7 days until mile 454 – Aqua Dulce, where I will get to stay at our friends, Jackie and Martin’s Ranch! So excited. Shadow (my horse) is coming along and we will all “walk” together for the day on the PCT.

Jeremy has the URL updating on a periodic basis now, so you should be able to zoom in on the little hiker dude and see where Kevin is. He is feeling good and his feet are coming around. It is just a lot of walking, not just your typical pavement walking. The lack of water has been tough on the feet. The desert is a hot, dry area and you still have to cover those 20 mile days. Got to get to Canada before October!

We are working on a photo map that will give you some pics with certain locations. It’s a work in progress. I will attach some pictures that Kevin has been able to send via his iphone.
The trail is different for everyone. Some hikers are very serious about FINISHING and their daily miles. Some are great at hitchhiking to resupplies and skipping certain parts of the trail. Some just want to have a great time and make the entire experience one big party. Everyone looks out for each other. There is a 21 year old from Washington that Kevin’s little enclave has really taken under their wings. His mom sent 5 dozen cookies to Ziggy and the Bear (81 year old Trail Angels) in Cabazon. Everyone enjoyed Mom’s cookies in the backyard under tarps as Ziggy made them all fresh salad to go with their dinner. At 5am they were off after she fed them all a nice breakfast. Incredible.

It’s a community, for sure.
I feel like Kevin is in good hands.

A friend of ours shared a link from Warner Springs Monty (who I was able to meet at Warner Springs)...I think he does a good job expressing with words what Shane learned about the PCT and what Kevin is surrounded by on a daily basis. http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=12952

Until next week, Maureen

The Traveling VORTEX!

July 10 - Hat Creek Campground
mile 1384

Some new terminology I have learned in the last few days.

• the Vortex - aaaah.  be careful not to get caught in the vortex!  this can be a trail town, trail angel, nice people at campgrounds, etc.  you get the drift?  I, apparently, have the Traveling Vortex (that being the camper!)  by going to trailheads and being at nice campsites, hikers are all welcome to "hang-out" for how ever long they like.  I have a cooler full of cold drinks of various beverages!, cookies, and are always welcome for dinner, breakfast or lunch.  Apparently, you can easily get stuck in this vortex of mine.  Midnight Choc. and Cowgirl have been somewhat stuck, but I love it.  They have been hiking with Chief for the past few days and feel like they may be stuck in the "traveling vortex!"
• SOBO and NOBO - southbound and northbound thru hikers.  The NOBO's (which is the more common path) are always hoping to meet up with a SOBO to get more detailed trail info, for example..."is that water cache really there at Hat Creek Rim?"  If the data book, halfmile, guthook says there is a water cache, one begins to doubt if it really is there.  1 litre weighs a bit over 2 lbs.  to have to carry 3 ltrs over 20+ miles is not the preferred method of travel!  NOBO's are a great source of knowledge for the SOBO's and trail rumor spreads once someone gets to chat it up with them.  
• DNF - the dreaded term of DID NOT FINISH.  
• Yellow-blaze - hitchike or drive a section and not go back and walk it.  This is not in CHIEF's agenda. (In WILD, Cheryl did this in the Sierra section and she was a Section hiker)
• NERO - less than 10, just a few miles that day
• ZERO - no miles, essentially a rest day
• The Log Books - oh so important for the hikers.  Chief has made some really great friends with other thru's, but with some taking Nero's and Zero's for various reasons, you either get ahead or fall behind with previous groups of hikers.  I picked up a couple hithchiking in Chester, IceMan and Kattywompus, that had been with Chief in the 700 mile range.  They all got along, but somehow with a zero in between, they haven't seen each other.  The log books are at the major Trail Angels and trail sections.  You can then check to see who's ahead of you...they knew Chief was 2 days ahead. When I picked them up they pleaded with me to tell him to SLOW down!  
• so many more terms that just escape me now.  When you sit around a table with a bunch of hikers it's almost like listening to a different language sometimes.

Ari...Cowboy and BirdMan say "Hey SeaLevel!" and hope you are well.  Saw them when I was on the trail with bodie at around mile 1370 (outside of Old Station). 

So here I sit in a reststop/overlook area with hikers sleeping under the truck in the shade.  Taking an afternoon siesta getting ready for the long, hot stretch of the Hat Creek Rim trail heading towards Burney Falls State Park.  They already did a 7 mile stretch to get here, now waiting for the right time to start off on the exposed 30 mile rim walk.  They talk about a lot of different strategies, planning, looking and re-looking at maps, possible water cache sites, etc.  It's lots of talking through things together.  Everyone has their own ways to manage these situations, but this group is going for the late afternoon/night hike to Burney.  

I wish them well and hope to see a large group come into Burney Falls State Park tomorrow evening.  They will be hungry, thirsty and tired.  I'm ready.

Chief's Wife

Looks pretty good after a 24 mile day

Kattywompus getting her ride

IceMan and Kattywompus

Cowgirl siesta in shade of truck

Midnight Choc in the shade

it works!  Duct tape for bad hipbelt sores

off in the wee morning hours

SHANE!!!  Dad thinks these are Happy's boots?  Don't you think?  Hope he is still on trail. 

Why does his bag look bigger than everyone else?

Bodie doing the trail

Hey SeaLevel!(Ari)  Check out our beards now! birdman and cowboy

Mt. Shasta .... way over there!

Can't thank you enough Jeanette

Wine tasting the Local wines

Talking with Stagecoach about the next 30 miles

This is for you Dan the Postman.

Slack Packers!

July 8, 2013 (Erin's 28th birthday!!!)
Drakesbad - Lassen National Park mile 1353

I do believe that I just had the most perfect campsite ever.  Drove from Chester on the Warnervalley Road until it ends.  This is Drakesbad.  It's not really a town, it's a resort, located within the boundary of Lassen National Park.  Unfortunately!!!  couldn't really stay at the resort as it's just a bit out of our spending range ($350/per person, per night!), not that we would have wanted to anyway!  There is a National Park campground with 12 sites and the coolest Host, Steve (who stayes in a Teardrop).  Stayed in site #10, directly on top of the PCT.  Literally.  I hope you can tell in my pics. That's my rig right next to the logs which run alongside the trail.  So cool.  Got to see hikers throughout the day and give them fruit, lemonade, beer, whatever they wanted.  Saw about 4 hikers, all one's that I have met along my resupplies.
Wasn't really able to walk Bodie on the trails as we are in the Park, so decided to walk down the road to Drakesbad Resort.  Well, I had read many accounts that the managers were pretty friendly to thruhikers and even offered up the pool and showers.  Not really so nice this time around.  As I was hanging out, Kiddo came down the trail with her little pigtails and sweet disposition.  She tried asking if  she could have lunch and they agreed, if we sat away from the guests.  Well, it all worked out, but really not as friendly right now as they have been in the past.  Flippers (named at Campo because he wore those "funny" shoes)..didn't last long, arrived a few minutes later.  Now that he is in regular shoes and always looking so clean, I was able to give him a new trail name.  "mr. clean".  My first trail naming!  He was a bit shy, but accepted name.  He's a 29 year old, Arabic translator.  Cool guy.  As he was walking through the campground later in the day, he spent 3 hours hanging out with me.  Waiting for the heat to subside before climbing the big mtn ahead of him.  Chief arrived early afternoon. It was a "light" day with only 18 miles under his belt.  I can't believe I'm even saying that?  This group talks about 20's being a light day.  They are all up in the high 20's and low 30 mile/per day group.  Still that gets him into a campsite early/late afternoon.  I will see him tonight after a 22 mile day and then he has the big walk along the dreaded HAT CREEK.  It's a 30 plus mile stretch of nervousness.  Hot, dry and no water.  Rumor has it that there is a water cache alongside a FS road.  I will check it out and add 30 gallons of water if not supplied.  The plan for a few of them is to stay at the "subway cave"(Old Station) during the heat of the day and then leave to do the 30 mile stretch at night.  I can tell they are all a little anxious about this stretch as the heat just has not subsided much.  Water is an issue.

We had Cowgirl and Midnight Choc. stay with us last night as they were coming through right around dinner time.  Made cookies in the camper and a bit of red wine, how could they leave.  They both thought they were in heaven.  Up at 5am, served the 3 of them a big, hearty breakfast and off they went.

I love this trail and I love all the hikers I have met.  What a special community this is.  I have really enjoyed driving through these little mtn towns and roads.  I love that they all have little library's and wonderful hardware stores!  And Dan (my postman)....still some cute litte Postoffices! Happy to see this.

Off to Old Station where I will stay for a couple of days.  The three of them should be arriving this afternoon.  They will fly today as they are SLACKPACKING.  Left their backpacks in the truck and just carrying day packs with water and lunch.  Pretty nice.  They actually felt a bit quilty when they left!  The best was that Chief used my PINK day pack....Just for you Hilly (BreastCancer Awareness walk today).

Until later.
Chief's wife

PCT groupie

my little notes

The door to the Restaurant...not so friendly though?

Drakesbad

Kiddo and Mr. Clean eating at Drakesbad

That's my Golden sign I keep looking for

Kiddo on the trail

Bad Bodie on the Natl' Park Trail

Chief

Chief, Cowgirl, Midnight Choc

Saying goodbye

Site 10 on the PCT!

The Official Hiker picker-upper!

July 7, 2013 Chester, CA

Well, its seems official.  I am the thruhiker pick up mobile.  Yesterday as I was leaving Chester's grocery store, I saw Walking Home with his thumb out. The hitch from Chester back to the PCT is about 8 miles on Hwy 36, not such an easy hitch.   Picked him up and it was so nice chatting with him again.  I hadn't seen him since my big resupply at Walker Pass.  He fondly remembered Bodie and the big salad I made for all the hikers that came through that day.  What a nice guy. He is 2 days ahead of Chief and unless he takes a zero day soon, they will most likely not see each other for a week or so.  He had to come into Chester to pick up his resupply box and was surprised to see that his brother had sent him a Care Package with tons of goodies - just a little trail Magic to share with all the hikers.  The trick is that they can't carry any extra weight, so the goodies have to stay at the trailhead and hopefully, in this part of the country, the bears don't get it before the hikers do!  

After dropping of Walking Home, I found a nice campsite in Child's Meadow, about 8 miles from the PCT.  Bodie and I did a 6 mile hike on a most beautiful FS road into a deep, dense forest with more meadows along the way than I have ever seen. Shasta daisy's, lupine, shooting stars, buttercups, bluebirds and to my surprise, a river otter.  Way cool.  The following day, driving back to pick up Chief at trailhead, I spotted another thruhiker with his thumb out.  Rodger Dodger!  Haven't seen him since Tehachapi!!!  took him into Chester to the grocery store for a 4 day resupply and we picked up burgers, fries and milkshakes.  Came back to the trail just in time for Chief to come walking down.  Nice picnic lunch along side the trailhead before all 3 of us headed back to my campground.  Rodger stayed the evening with us and we had a nice dinner.  Princeton grad currently living in Pittsburg trying to get through his Ph.D. Had done some "sections" of the PCT with his wife for the last couple of years, decided this was the year for him to do the whole stretch. We left at 5:30 from campground back to drop them off at trailhead.  

I'm enjoying this tremendously.  Get to really meet more of the hikers, provide constant Trail Magic, and get to see Chief...atleast every few days.  Bodie was going to hike the trail today with Chief, but at a closer look at the maps, realized that they would be walking through Lassen Natl' Park for a good 5 miles.  bummer.  He is adorned with his official PCT bandana and backpack with PCT patch.  Not today.  It's also been pretty hot, so it may have been for the better.  

Off to Drakesbad Guest Ranch, where the PCT comes through to see my walking man.  I feel so lucky to be able to do this little piece of the PCT with him in this way.  Half way there.......

Chief's wife.