On Foot!

Coming Home

2006-10-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm home. Actually, I'm not exactly sure where "home" is for me right now, but lately I've come to think of the Willamette Valley as my home given I was raised in Salem and then lived in Eugene and Portland. I'm at my folk’s house, about to enjoy hot tub and boob tube. Wait, was that un-PC?

During the last 30 minutes on a train from Bellingham, WA to Portland I scribbled down a few notes to try to capture the powerful thoughts and emotions I’d been having while reflecting on this journey. The following is a write-up of those loopy lines, which trace the gentle sway of the train. For the record, next to feet, rail is my favorite way to travel. BTW- the train was on time, not that it mattered much this time.

**********
With the glorious train ride from B'ham I feel my trip has ended in a very real, physical sense, anyway. It's time to transition back to what I now call, "the grid life." I'm full of confidence, inspiration and excitement. At the same time, I'm a little apprehensive about giving up life in the backcountry. There were so many challenges, so many lessons, so much bliss. It all came at a price, though and with the weather changing up north and the days getting shorter, staying out longer would present great challenges to my comfort and safety. I know mom, the streetlights are on. It's time to come home.

On this trip, I pushed myself and discovered new boundaries and capacities- physical, psychological, and emotional. In many ways, I was strongly reminded life is full of paradox. My body aches and feels vulnerable to injury, but at the same time, I feel stronger than I've ever felt. My mind lavished the seemingly endless time on the trail, exploring new lines of thinking, thinking out thoughts to their end, yet I feel a new ability to focus. How refreshing. My heart is open and feels full of light. I just watched two cheesy movies on the train both of which brought tears to my eyes. I feel both joy at having finished and sadness that it's over. Already, I miss the trail and trail people, yet when I think of the idea of putting on a pack and walking 25 miles, I remember the pain I felt in my back and feet. A smile welcomes my feet on the carpet and my butt on a couch. As I write this, I'm looking at a huge pile of scrap metal- a bizarre juxtaposition with the beautiful wildlands along the mighty Columbia River. While I consider this place my home, I also came to feel at home on the trail. So, I'm both coming home and leaving home.

Life is also full of serendipity or "flow.” My daily travels throughout the last five months were full of what I usually call "co-incidence." Needing something and someone else offering it; just barely catching a ride somewhere with someone really interesting; spending an hour talking with a complete stranger with whom I feel a deep sense of kinship. What are these connections and what do they mean?

Wandering around Vancouver and Bellingham for a few days really drove home the point that the fabric of life is composed of both paradox and flow. I used to hardly ever notice this and rarely held it in my consciousness [Even as I type this, is sounds like a bunch of new age crap]. But these are things I know, in a very subtle and personal way. How wonderful my life would be to sustain this way of thinking as I settle back into "the grid life."

I learned other things on the trail. Being quiet always brings something new. I gained a new appreciation for patience and long term commitment. Hiking over 2,000 miles is simply not something which can be rushed. Rushing would’ve ruined my trip mentally and physically. This nearly happened until I decided to skip some trail and take a break. I experienced deep hunger and desire. A simple piece of fruit could taste exquisite beyond words. My senses became sharper than ever, and I noticed more and more each week. On future trips, I shall go slower, more quietly- letting nature's lessons steep into my very being. There was so much I missed, so little I really know about the natural world. This trip exposed my ignorance and inspired me to learn more. For the first time in my life, I found a desire to learn the names of flora and fauna as a requisite step to deeper understanding of their networked relationships.

I also learned to suspend judgments about other people. Some folks I met on the trail I judged quickly and thought, for one reason or another, "I hope I don't run into that person again." In every single such case, I did run into that person again and I noticed something I really respected or appreciated about them. By the end, I considered everyone else who was on the trail (be they thru hikers, section hikers, tourists or forest workers) a friend. If I can retain even a hint of this way of being in the future it will have a transformative effect on all my relationships.

Now is the time of a transition- re-connecting with those I love, settling in, healing, rolling up my sleeves for the next bit of work. New challenges. I'll trade physical for mental, pain for comfort, freedom for a schedule. It's a strange, liquid state I find myself in. Full of paradox and flow.

This week, I'm figuring out where to live, setting up a work schedule and trying to keep exercising without aggravating my feet or ribs. I've got to start sorting the 2,000 digital images and hours of audio journal. This will undoubtedly be emotionally stirring. Watching half the movies on my list will undoubtedly be emotionally numbing.

This is my last post on this blog. I wish I could offer an appropriate thanks to everyone who helped me along the way on this trip, but it's impossible through this medium. For now, however thank you all, very, very much.

Let me also offer an apology in advance, if you ask me, "How was your trip?" I've been in the wilderness, sharing an awesome experience with amazing people. We just knew how it was. We never had to, nor could we, explain it.

Enough cliché'. I'll let it rest. See you soon.

Be well.

-Chewy

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PS- oh yeah, Chewy- a name, like a definition, has a collective dimension, not easily influenced by one person. My fellow PCT hikers will probably always call me that, and it was like herding cats to try to change my name 'mid-stream.' And it'll be a fun reminder of a different life, a different time...

2006-10-04T20:52:00.000-07:00

2006-09-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

Snoqualmie Pass, WA

2006-09-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

Wahoo-

I'm enjoying a motel stay, sharing a room with 4 other hikers. Plumbing, electricity, beer and TV are a real treat right now.

The last stretch was mostly enjoyable. The first half was excellent, the second half, well, I pulled through without a scratch. On my first full day out of White Pass, I noticed clouds building and a cool breeze. I had heard several different forecasts including that the snow level might lower to 5,000' on Saturday. Well, on Thursday, it was snowing hard at that elevation.

The snow and heavy weather was really a nice treat. Waking up Thursday morning in a couple of inches of snow was a new experience on this trip. I saw another black bear early that day. Fortunately, as I climbed around Sourdough Gap, the weather lifted giving me a beautiful view of the mountains near Crystal Mountain Ski resort. The high, craggy peaks had a light dusting of snow. Soon, however, it continued to get cold and snow harder.

I stayed the night down in a small gully near Norse Peak and woke up to 4" of snow covering my tracks and the trail. Friday morning was much more difficult to get going. I suffered some really cold fingers and felt more like I was snow camping than finishing a summer hike. The novelty of the inclement weather wore off.

Fortunately, I had some more substantial clothing and gear compared to when I hiked in California and Oregon. For instance, I bought a used single person tent, which is much warmer and more weather-proof than I what I was previously using. Good move.

Friday I hiked a very short day and spent the afternoon in the Urich Shelter, drying my clothes and tent by a stove. This too, was a good move, because the next morning I was all rested, dry and ready to put in a big day. I hiked 28 miles down to Lizard Lake where I met a guy named John who was visiting his family at their elk hunting camp. John caught me a fresh brook trout and gave me a Rainier. This made for a really pleasant end to a long day.

In the night, however, I was attacked (yes attacked) by evil-doer mice. They terrorized me and my equipment and prevented me from getting my requisite 10 hours of sleep. [I guess they don't like my freedom, or something] Anyway, at 4am, I'd had enough and decided to get going early, which would put me in Snoqualmie earlier in the day. So I got here last night and split a room with some other hikers- Mike (from SF), Zach and Breathrite. Later, we ran into Crazy Horse and today saw Restless, Twisted Sister and leprechaun.

I hiked solo on this last stretch and that made something like 12 days in the woods without much conversation with other folks. Just me, my MP3 player and my breathing. It was great- very deep and introspective. I stopped frequently, taking pictures and hiked fast, with lots of breaks. It's nice to do things exactly as you feel. I might just hike by myself the rest of the way to Stehekin- we'll see. These other hikers are a lot of fun to hang out. Anyway, I'll hopefully be meeting Bud in Stehekin and hike the last 80 miles to Canada with him. Next weekend I'll see my Cousin Joe and his wife, Kristina.

I got a care package from Susan, Sarah's sister. What a nice treat. Thanks Susan! Everything is now set for the next stretch. I got some more warm clothes and a beefier sleeping pad, which should make things a bit more comfortable. Hike on.

Until next time...

2006-09-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

Washington Schedule

2006-09-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Well- tommorrow morning, I'll finally be getting back on trail.

Here's my schedule for Washington. I'll probably go just a tad bit faster than this, but I wanted to "pad" it to make sure I wasn't being unrealistic. Again, if you want to send me something (that is very lightweight or, perferably, edible) send it Priority Mail to Elliot Shuford- PCT Hiker Expected Arrival date (x/x). Allow 3-4 days lead time before you want it to arrive- you might also check if I'm way ahead of schedule.

Leave Cascade Locks (9/5)

White Pass- Expected Arrival (9/10)
C/O Kracker Barrel
48851 US Highway 12
Naches, WA 98937

Snoqualmie- Expected Arrival (9/15)
C/O General Delivery
Post Office
Snoqualmie Pass, WA 98068

Skykomish- Expected Arrival (9/21)
C/O General Delivery
Post Office
Skykomish, WA 98288

Stehekin- Expected Arrival (9/25)
C/O General Delivery
Post Office
Stehekin, WA 98852

Manning Park, BC (9/31)

Olympic National Park (10/2-10/12)?

Back at Work (10/23)?

The Vortex of Portland

2006-09-05T09:45:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm nearly finshed getting ready for Washington- adding a few more pieces of clothing, loading food into boxes, eating fresh bread and watching movies. It seems Portland must be the last major vortex for me- I don't think there's any more great town stops, save the lodge at Stehekin. Once I start moving, there'll be no long breaks until Manning Park, BC. Even then, since I don't have any money left, I'll not stay long.

In the last month, I had some great visits with friends and family. Matthew spent a week with me in California and Southern Oregon- we climbed a couple of volcanoes, hiked on the PCT and did a tiny bit of trail magic at the border. In Eugene, I saw several friends at the Walnut St Co-op and had breakfast with my friend Tyrone. I got to say hello to my grandmother and niece and nephew in Salem. My friends Ben, Sarah, Kennett and Jill hung out with me just north of Mt. Jefferson in Jefferson Park for a weekend. And, my family visited on Saturday up here in Portland.

Sadly, there were people I did not get to see while I was in Portland, but will as soon as I get back.

I was going to put up a bunch of pictures from August, but the "user-friendly" way macs store photos is confounding me. I can only find some of my pics and can't seem to identify the original files via this program. I'll be putting up a final schedule with mailing addresses before I leave.

I'm excited and inspired to be hiking the rest of this trail, spending one last month living in the woods. Out there, my senses are sharper, I feel more healthy, full, inspired; alive. It'll be hard to leave (unless, of course I get 2 weeks of rain or snow!). The North Cascades, I've been told, are as or more beautiful than the Sierra. I'm really looking forward to another rugged mountain range and all the associated challenges brought by travel in such an environment. North, ho!

Thanks so much to all the people that have given me support so far- meals, care packages, housing, laundry, encouraging words, whatever- it's all been really helpful and I'm grateful.

-see you soon-

The Vortex of Portland

2006-09-05T09:45:00.000-07:00

Elliot's PCT Expedition

2006-08-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Elliot's PCT Expedition

I''m in Brightwood, OR after evacuating Mt Hood in a minor storm yesterday. I was hiking with a German woman named Heike (very fun, free spirited, strong hiker). She mentioned she might have a connection to stay at a bed and breakfast near Mt. Hood. After our requesite pints at Timberline lodge (I heartily reccommend Ice Axe IPA) we were picked up and whisked away from the nasty, cold rain and down into Brightwood to stay at the Brightwood guest house.

The hosts, Jeff and Bonney are amazing- we had dinner and drank beer and whiskey late into the night. Lots of great stories and laughs. Breakfast this morning was great, too. I plan to come back and stay here as an official guest in the future. Thank you Jeff and Bonney!

The past two weeks have been a real whirlwind tour of getting ready for washington and seeing friends and family. I've skipped several big chunks of trail in Oregon- places that I'd hiked or were closed due to fire. Now, I"m back on schedule and had a fantastic time seeing people I love. Letting go of the 'pure thru-hike' was one of the best decisions I've made on this trip. Now, I can do 20 mile days, see the sights, meet new people and not worry so much about being "pure" (and risking personal injury). Washington is going to be great!

After saying goodbye to friends at Brightenbush lake, I realized I had neither the maps for the next section, nor fuel for my stove. Silly mistakes! After I said my final goodbye to Ben (who may move back to Belgium before I return) I met a couple from Portland, Worth and Pilar. Worth happen to have an extra fuel canister, which will work out perfectly for me on this stretch. Thank you for the melon, ice water and fuel, Worth.

Hiking up to Oallalie resort later that day, I was dismayed to find there was no beer in the store. What's a hiker to do?! After talking with staff and some guests, I was stretching and getting ready to head back on trail to find a place to camp before dark. Melinda, a guest at the resort invited me over for a beer and I wound up talking with her and her family for an hour or so, before they helped me find a place to camp for the night- up the road and off trail.

In the morning, I had to wander around a bit to find the trail, based on my memory of the map I saw in the store. After a short bit of bushwacking, I was back on trail and headed North, with too much food. Huckleberries, hot sun and great conversation with Heike marked the day as we hiked over 30 miles to Timothy Lake. Our camp was right on the lake, and I enjoyed a swim and little fire before falling asleep.

The next day was cool and overcast as we wound our way North towards Mt Hood. Near noon, we ran across a group of over 50 horse riders who were moving their horses from one camp to another over an 8 day ride. Pretty neat to meet some real cowboys. They warned us that they had stirred up some hornet's nests on the trail and one rider was bucked from his horse. Mindful of this warning, I was still stung 3 times up the trail- very sore and itchy today.

Over lunch, the Monkeys arrived- a fast hiking couple I've not seen since the middle of the Sierra. They, along with Karma, have passed me (again) probably for the last time, since I'm going to take my time up north. I hope to see some other hikers I know, so I can have some company through Washington.

The afternoon climb up Mt. Hood was windy and frigid. And, I lent my MP3 player to Heike, whose now planning to buy one. I'm not carrying warm enough clothes right now, so today, I've been waiting out some of the nasty weather- tommorrow's supposed to be clearing, but I'm headed back up in an hour or so. I'll probably not hike too far, just 7-8 miles, find a nice campsite, snuggle into my solid little tent and read until sleeping.

I'll be seeing my parents this weekend in Cascade Locks and then back into Portland to finish food and gear preps for Washington, see a movie, see a few more friends and enjoy a roof and electricity before heading into the wilds. I'll post a new schedule with mailing addresses etc before heading out.

Today finds me with the usual sore feet and back, but a big smile and lots of insipriation.

Pictures from the Sierra!

2006-08-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

Wow- going through this picture card was a trip down memory lane. I sure miss my trail friends Magnet, Blackhole and Guac (hope ya'll are doing well) and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. What an amazing place.

Oh yeah- got another sweet (literally) care package from Walnut St. co-op folks. Thanks Tree and gang- you guys rock!

Here's some quick highlight pics:

Blackhole and Guac heading up Glen Pass (I think)

Expirementing with a lense filter on Muir pass

Sunset just north of Muir Pass

The view from my office

Magnet on Silver Pass

Magnet, Eliot and I (I'm the one with the big beard)

Magnet in his element

Coyote reluctently moving away from lunch

Falls near Glen Aulin

It's hard to keep yer feet clean and dry in the Sierra.

Beardless and tired at 1,000 miles

Interesting pod plants near Sonora Pass

Heidi, Jason and I at Lake Tahoe

Sierra Buttes outside of Sierra City, CA

Wish I had time and energy to do more pictures- I'll probably get a few more up when I'm in Portland.

Etna, CA/ Mt. Shasta!

2006-08-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

Wahoo-

Matthew came down a few days ago and we hiked some around Castle Crags (including a huge, scary scramble straight up into the Crags proper). Then we cruised over to Mt Shasta city, rented some gear, and climbed Mt. Shasta. What a great climb- I've wanted to climb that peak for 8 years now and finally realized that dream.

Our climb started at Bunny Flat around 5pm, where we packed up a few things to stay overnight and our climbing gear. We hiked up to the "Horse Camp" which was at about 8,000' and tried to get to sleep early, which wound up being around 10pm or so. At 1am, we awoke, completely refreshed and ready for action. Ok, after milling around drinking coffee for an hour and giving up on the opportunity for me to use a nice composting toilet, we took off in the cool, still evening.

The climbing went fast, and after an hour we hit snow, which was pretty solid and required us to put on crampons which meant faster, safer travel. The weather being clear, we were able to climb up and past Helen lake, mostly without headlamps, enjoying the pale moonlight reflected by the snow. The air became quite frigid the higher we went and I personally wished I had brought mittens. Matthew and I used extra socks instead- hardcore, man, hardcore.

After dawn, we crossed the "Red Banks" climbing through a short, steep gulley. I followed Matthew through this part, waiting for him to stop so we could take a break. This was my favorite part of the climb, despite being hungry and tired- the chute was narrow, about 7-8' across at one point and fairly steep- around 40 degrees or so.

Following that, we climbed 'misery hill', through a stiff, freezing breeze. I had some pretty serious nasuea from the altitude, but this seemed to pass fairly quickly. Around 8am we summitted, with the total climb time being just over 6 hours- not bad for 6k of elevation gain. After a few hours on the summit (which we had completely to ourselves), we decided the massive buildup of clouds on the North side warranted a quick descent.

Red Banks was tricky downclimbing and after I had stumbled 3 times above it, I took my time working down through that part. A huge, fast and somewhat scary glissade brought us to Helen Lake (in about 10 minutes). I ended the climb with a fast jog down to the composting toilet. Hey- it's better than packing it out!

Anyway, we're in Etna right now, and are scheming with how to hike section R- Seiad Valley to Ashland, Oregon. Oregon- a whole different state-I can't wait to make it out of California! The Marble Mountain Wilderness section of the PCT just opened (it's been closed because of fires), but it's so smokey here, I don't want to hike there, and skipping it (for now) will keep me closer to on schedule.

Ok, ready to climb another peak, oh yeah, hiking the PCT....

2006-08-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Old Station- The Heitman's

2006-08-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I just arrived in at the Heitmans- showered and doing laundry. The past few days have been really pretty good, save being a bit tired...

Friday August 4th- Hiked 10 miles
I met Dr. Jay in Chester- a retired Chiropractor who gave me a free adjustment! Thanks again Bill. He and his partner Mary Anne gave me a ride to the trailhead and even hiked with me for a while. Apparently they had put up a few hikers recently and seem like they're about to become Chester's trail angels. Very nice folks, they're also interested in hiking the trail so I offered to help them if they want some help planning, etc.

Hiking quickly in the fading light, I made it about 10 miles to flat area just before the North Fork of the Feather River. It was an OK camp, but the mosquitoes really swarmed in this area- not so much fun.

Saturday August 5th- hiked 25 miles
This day started out great- I hiked fast and felt like I was making good time. Checked out the Terminal geyser and Boiling Springs Lake in Lassen National Park. At the lake I met Jim and Marcia from Redding, CA- nice and generous folks interested in my trip.

Kept on truckin' past Drakesbad Resort (can't believe I passed it up) and then my energy took a real nosedive at Warner Valley camp. There I just laid out my mat and fell asleep. I awoke to find some National Park Service volunteer group setting up camp around me. An awkward group, I couldn't seem to figure out who they were or what they were doing. They might have known these things, but I saw no indication of such.

Once I could, I got going again up and out of the valley toward King's creek. There I saw a small bear, who didn't seem to notice me. The bear was small, black with a grey/brown shaggy coat. I watched it for awhile, amazed at how it moved- so different than other animals I see in the wild.

I got caught in a big thunder shower- which was actually a nice change from the dusty heat of late. My umbrella was out for the second time that day and kept me and my pack nice and dry without a rain jacket- nice! Camping, without a tent or tarp, was another matter. Toward dark, I began looking for a camp at "A former horse camp near the park boundary." Well, I didn't find it- this camp is likely located along the trail heading left AT the park boundary. The trail heading left .3 miles (which seems near to me) was an old logging road leading down into a creepy little area full of slash. This made a nasty and damp little camp for me, but at least the mosquitoes where less than on the trail.

Sunday August 6th- hiked 9 miles
After waking up and feeling a bit damp, I realized it had rained on me last night. If I can sleep through rain on my bag and face, I'm sleeping pretty heavy these days. Draping my bag on me like a cape, I was off by 7am hiking "downhill" towards Old Station. After a couple of hours I started hiking next to Hat Creek where I ran into the McBroom's camp. Their camp straddled the trail, immediately adjacent to the creek, complete with a full bar, tables, chairs, lanterns, antler decorations, a rug and tons of food. They offered me apple pie, cookies and a triple shot of tequila- nice hosts. They've been giving hikers trail magic for a week or so, I gather from their sign-in sheet.

After stumbling down the trail I saw another bear- a beautiful big sow with two cubs. They hurried away after seeing me, the cubs scrambling up a tree momentarily until mama kept going. Fun to see them.

Then I cruised into Old Station and helped Georgi and Twisted Sister stock 44 water cache. Off now to make some calls and hopefully take a nap.

Chester, CA mile 1335.8

2006-08-04T12:27:00.000-07:00

Warning- this is a long post-

I got care packages!!!

I got love from Bud, Sarah and John Abbe at Walnut St. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Great munchies and some slightly late fishing gear for the Sierras. Bud, that Golden Trout is going to have to wait for another season. Everyone sent letters, too, which were great to read. What a boost- thanks ya'll.

I'll try to get pictures up when I get to Ashland.

Notes from South lake Tahoe- I had a nice visit with Jason and Heidi- thanks again for the "mountain man" breakfast. The culture shock in Stateline, NV was intense- lots of people, big advertising, high-rise buildings, casinos, lights, noise. Wow- what a shocking and interesting experience after so little of such things living in the woods.

Oh yeah- I need new music- badly. I've been scanning for radio in Northern California, which means Christian 'rock,' Christian talk,"classic" rock, classical and bad advertising, if I'm lucky. Actually, I have heard some NPR lately which has been a godsend (no pun intended). Send your positive thoughts, prayers or intentions to the conflict-ridden middle east.

So, if you find the time and will- send MP3 laiden CD's to Ashland for me, will ya? I'll get my usb cable and try to switch up what's on my MP3 player. Anything will do- Indie rock, Metal, Bluegrass, the Dead, electronic, weird stuff, whatever. Up-tempo, driving stuff is really helpful for big climbs, acoustic is nice for being in the woods. Keep the soft rock to yourself and please note- sad songs, especially sad love songs might make weepy.

I'm halfway!
As such, I've been reflecting on my experience and here's a quick brain dump of some things that I've noticed over the past 3 months on the trail:

Myth #1
I'll be able to create a schedule where I'm not under a lot of pressure to make trail miles each day. Ha! Ya right- I've had to get downright militant to keep making progress north. In fact, the past several days, I've been hiking 30 miles or more each day. This has precipitated an internal discussion about "why am I doing this?" Well, originally, I wanted to spend a bunch of time in the wilderness hiking hard and I considered the PCT as a convenient structure with which to do this. I was not into the "extreme sport" athletic/physical challenge of thru hiking, per se.

However, in order to make miles, I've had to get into such a mindset and this has led me to neglect my photography, journaling, and has generally been a block to having what I call "wilderness experiences." I did not visit Yosemite Valley because of the need to make miles- sorry Alan. I too, would like to visit this place.

For the next week and for a bunch of Southern Oregon, I'm going to get into this ultralight, high mileage backpacking thing, but then I'm going to enjoy some quality time with friends and family dammit! Even if that means skipping a few days worth of "official" trail. For instance, section "O" is clearcut, full of poison oak, logging roads etc. and I'm thinking there's a few miles I might not walk through there.

So, I'm not an official thru-hiker. But, it would mean I could go backpacking with my friend Matthew for a few days and still stay on schedule to meet folks near Three Finger Jack. That's a good trade in my mind. Besides, who wants to walk through a place like that just to say they did it? I guess lots of hikers get discouraged there and some dropout. Given that everyday many of us consider quitting the trail (to enjoy such trivial things as electricity and plumbing) I'll not take the risk of treading in such territory.

I suppose I should steep myself in the reality of Northern California land management -which by the way, has been characterized by the first substantial logging -both past and present we've seen so far on the trail. The areas not protected by wilderness designation, "Research Natural Areas" or some kind of park are left open to exploitative extraction and have a very different feel.

Anyway, I've succumbed to schedule pressure (you were right, Bud) and am now hiking Jardine style (he was right about everything but germs in restaurants, Bud). My baseweight is less than 11lbs and doing 30 in a day isn't a terrible burden.

Myth #2
I'll learn a ton about photography and landforms and plants and animals. Not as a true "thru" hiker. You learn how to hike through pain-sometimes a lot of it. Admittedly, though, I've learned a lot about these things. Hiking with Magnet, I learned a bunch of new tricks and got to see someone else's eye for photography. Hiking through so many "eco-zones" (sometimes several in one day) has given me a heightened sense of ecology and a new-found desire to learn about plants- something I've never really had. All that has been pretty inspiring.

Myth #3
I'll hike alone most of the trip and be self sufficient.
Wow- there's a big herd of 24 hikers about a day ahead of me. I've really enjoyed hiking with people. Big Cat, Nokey, PB, Ponch and the Section "A" gang, Guac and Blackhole, Magnet, Girlscout, Eagleye and Jackalope, just to name a few. I've made a bunch of new friends, which is something I sort of expected, but have come to really cherish.

And I'm anything but self-sufficient. I've really missed friends and family. My immediate family just moved my grandmother out of a home she's been in for over 60 years and into a retirement home- something I wanted to help out with. I wonder how my nephew Kyler (AKA Max) and niece Lauryn are doing. I miss friends. I've had to ask for various sorts of help from my parents and several friends.

Without having the network of support offered by other hikers and trail angels, this trail would be so much more difficult. I really underestimated how critical the social aspects of the trail experience are. The PCT community rocks!

Myth #3
The trail will have some measure of gender balance.
Nope- there's about 25 men for every single woman. Most of the few women I've had the chance to hike with have been in couples. They've been super cool and have given some balance to the male-dominated feel of the trail. I have a ton of respect for the few other women on the trail who have to put up with all the guys and the scene that can sometimes be created. Maybe I'll catch up with a few of them...

Myth #4
I'll be attacked by a bear in the Sierras.
Unfortunately, I'm done with the Sierras and didn't see a single bear there. I saw one a few days ago, ironically, after telling people I was looking for bears and thought I might have to start baiting them to see one. This smallish, brown colored black bear, like the bear I saw by Deep Creek in Southern CA, ran like hell from me before I could really get a good look.

I've also seen a number of does with fawns in the past few weeks. The fawns are always terrified. What? I shower (every week or so) my beard is cropped and my voice is soft. Who could be afraid?

Myth#5
I'll get a trailname that will really stick and I'll want to use it all the time.
I want a new name- Chewy (or Chewie, Chewwie, Cheui, or however you spell it) doesn't do it for me anymore. Don't call me Chewie.

Ok, I've really got to get back on trail- too much time online- too many other things to get to....
including buying some fruits and veggies.

until next time,
happy trails to you (until we meet again)

2006-08-02T12:40:00.000-07:00

2006-07-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

2006-07-29T14:22:00.000-07:00

2006-07-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

2006-07-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

2006-07-14T16:29:00.000-07:00

2006-07-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

2006-07-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

2006-06-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

2006-06-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who've read or posted comments on the blog. It was totally inspiring to read your notes and encouraging words. I've been in Lone Pine today and am planning to head back onto the trail tonight or in the morning. The Southern Sierras totally kicked my butt and I needed to duck out here to buy another day's worth of food, mail some gear home and rest my aching feet.

Here's some notes from the last few days after Kennedy Meadows:

6/19
Hurried to finish my packing and mailing and hurried off to the memorial service for "No-Way" Ray. He was a well-liked and well known hiker who perished while hiking the trail this year. The ceremony was brief, but very special. Meadow Ed read something he had written about Ray, someone else read some of Ray's own writing about his experience on the trail. Everyone wrote a note to Ray, which we later burned. I felt very privelaged to be part of this ceremony. Ray's passing has shown many of us the depth, caring and unique character of this hiking community. May you rest in peace, Ray.

Later that day, I shared another meal from Meadow Ed's camp and celebrated his birthday with him. I had felt sick and very tired for most of the day and after a quick dip in the South Kern, I pushed myself to head off on the trail.

I hiked along, by myself for the first time in days and just listed to the wind in the trees, all of the birds and the river. I paused for 30 minutes on the bridge of the South Kern and reflected on the past 700+ miles- dry mountains, desert, snakes, wind, fatigue. Now I was at a tranisiton into a different place- big granite mountains, lakes, streams, snow, bears- a different kind of fatigue. The water rushing underfoot was such a different and powerful sound- very profound moment for me.

Late that night I found a small camp tucked away in the bushes as another hiker passed quietly, hiking by headlight.

6/20 Hiked 15 miles?
Woke late- enjoying a long night's sleep. I took off at a quick pace and found my way into the huge and beautiful Monache Meadow. The meadow was lined by trees and granite peaks- green beyone belief. I saw Trowler at my breakfast break and later hung out with him at the second bridge over the Kern River. Beautiful, tiny purple flowers made the hillsides after that look pink. Other wild flowers lined the rocks and path as I climbed higher into the Sierra foothills that day.

I continued climbing to 10,000 feet and took a long break at the ridge above Gomez Meadow. There I tried to sleep- I was still feeling very tired. Green Tea and Sweatbox caught up with me there. I later descended a few hundred feet to set an early camp and eat a big dinner.

6/21 Hiked 20 miles (+5-7 off trail miles).

Interesting day-

I slept in late and made coffee this morning and took time to stretch and do some yoga in the morning sun. Once the mosquitoes woke up, though, I was off at a quick clip down into Gomez Meadow. This meadow was smaller, but lined by steeper granite cliffs. Big trees and stunning wildflowers made an appearance and with my music going from my MP3 player, I smiled deeply as though from the center of my belly.

Working my way over to the creek at the bottom of Death Canyon, I ran into Nokey, who had camped just above me the night before with several other folks. I watered up and climbed up the dry canyone toting a heavy 4 liters of water (along with my extra Sierra gear). I made it to the saddle to be rewarded with fantastic views and a nice lunch of tortillas, cheese and pepperoni with Green Tea, Sweatbox, Mama & Chia, and later Nokey.

I left lunch early and hiked hard, for I knew I needed to make miles before dark. At Kennedy Meadows, I had asked Mike from Gossamer gear to stash my skis at Horseshoe Meadow, which I would reach via Trail Pass. Climbing, as always seems to be the norm in the Sierras, I finally arrived at the saddle at what I thought was Trail Pass. Here, I had planned to camp with Mama and Chia and Nokey. They pointed out the there was a trail to the east to Horseshoe Meadow, but also a trail up the PCT to trail pass. I quickly made a camp for me to return after retrieving my skis and took off down a steep, poorly marked trail.

At dusk, I found myself at a trail junction at another huge, beautiful meadow, formed by ancient floods and surrounded by granite peaks. The sign pointed to Trail pass to the North, and Mulkey pass to the south. I had left PCT early and hiked down from Mulkey pass. After wandering around down in the meadow for 30 minutes, and walking a road for a few miles I found Mike's van with instructions to find my skis. I searched for a while, found my skis and took off up Trail pass (which conveniently offered a bridge instead of a complicated stream crossing). Climbing back up this trail in the dark and then finally reaching the PCT, I made my way back SOUTH on the PCT to my camp. I made big pasta dinner and ate quietly, not wanting to wake my camp mates and finally sacked out, exhausted at 10pm.

6/22 Hiked 24 big sierra miles
I woke early following the ever-disciplined Mama & Chia's schedule. I took my time packing up, though and offered Chia a small dose of coffee as I ate breakfast. I caught up with Nokey, Mama and Chia at Cottonwood and hiked with them up (of course) to Chicken Spring lake.

At the lake, Mama stripped to her underwear and proceeded to jump into this beautiful lake. At 10,000 feet, a snow-fed lake, surrounded by snow and rock is bound to be quite cold. Chia's high-pitched account of his experience wading in this lake supported this assumption, but after some coaxing, he too, dove in. Given the heat and that this was our first Sierra lake and all- I had to get in. After sort of pacing around the lake for a while, I took off my shirt and shoes and got int. The pain subsided quickly and I too could call the experience "refreshing."

Later, I got water and started hiking fast- Crabtree meadow was the goal for the night, putting me in position to climb Mt Whitney the next day. But, my feet and back really started to hurt from the extra weight in my pack and my paced slowed. Preparing for my last 1,600 foot climb, I rested during a late lunch and took a big dose of anti-inflammatories.

My pace slowed to 1 mile an hour as I struggled up and over to Guyot Flat and then down to Crabtree meadow. Nokey and I hiked together for a while, as he too was tired and hurting. At 9pm, I stumbled into camp at Crabtree to the relief of my fellow hikers. I had decided that day to rest the next day, instead of climb and to ditch my extra gear as soon as possible.

6/23 0-day
This was my first, and very delightful, on-trail 0-day. I slept 12 hours, ate day's worth of food, caught up on my journal, and sorted out my gear. Nokey, sadly decided today to leave the trail for good. He and I formulated an "exit strategy" for the Sierra's and to climb Mt. Whitney.

6/24 Hiked 18+ miles (0 PCT miles)
Woke at 4:15 and packed up most of my gear (leaving my bear bag, stove and fuel in the bear canister at Crabtree). Nokey and I crossed the creek carefully, only to wet my feet in the swampy meadow on the other side. The hike up toward Guitar lake was stunning- we saw three dear, new wildflowers and had generally excellent conversation as we approached that popular high camp.

At Guitar lake, we caught up with Guac and Blackhole, with whom we shared the remaining 2,500' of climbing up Whitney. We reached Trail pass without incident, telling stories and entertaining eachother in a state of oxygen deprevation. Trail pass is where climbers from the east meet the other approach at 13,000'.

We finished the last several miles and finished to share the large open summit with 30 other hikers or so. At the top, the boys from Team Calabama led us in in whiskey toast, while others enjoyed their summit rituals. The views along this hike and at the top are stunning and must wait until pictures accompany this account.

Nokey, Blackhole and Guac and I all climbed down together and we worked to convince Nokey to stay on the trail. A sad goodbye at Trail pass and Nokey and I prepared ourselves for an exciting descent of the East side of Whitney.

I gave Nokey the 10 minute lesson on how to use and ice axe and glidssade and we took off down the slope. Nokey took to it well, despite his trepidation, working down the slope slowly and carefully. I finally put on my skis towards the bottom and made 10 tele turns and as many falls in the deeply sun-cupped and runneled snow.

Our hike brought us down 5,000' feet through several eco-zones and into a much warmer climate below at Portal Camp. A quick and effortless hitch with the hikers in front of us, brought us the rest of the way down in the desert heat of Lone Pine. Here we started a late day search for a motel (the cheap hiker favorite was full as were many others). We could only find very expensive rooms in town and I was afraid I was going to need to sleep in a park or hitch back out to a campground in the dark.

We sat down to pizza and beer (then Nokey continued to look around for a room) and I struck up a conversation with a cool couple from Souther California. Originally from Northern Washington these well-traveled and well-educated folks were quite interested in the hike and thru-hiker community. They were full of questions and were quite impressed and intrigued by our journey. We talked over pizza for an hour or so and upon leaving, they slide some money under my plate and explained it was to help with our motel room.

The kindness and delightful conversation offered by these strangers will never be forgotten. Thank you Ed (and Marlene?). Please email me so I can keep up correspondance.

A hot shower, cool motel room, TV and bed were a welcome and rewarding end to an amazing day.

6/25 0 day in Lone Pine
Checking my blog, eating, and trying not spend money in Lone Pine. Lots of correspondance with family and Jeff B- very inspiring- thanks all.

2006-06-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

2006-06-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

2006-06-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

Pictures and Updates

2006-05-31T14:16:00.000-07:00

< Trail Magic at Chiuahua Valley Road

Below- Left to right: Backfire, Magnet, Starman. Magnet surprised us with cold beer from town- total hero.

My socks stand on their own. These socks are now dead.

Below: large white desert flower. I've been told this is Jimson Weed.

Chainsaw, Ponch and Papa Bear- great folks I hiked with through Section A:

Barney Mann (whom I stayed with in San Diego- Thanks Sandy and Barney!), Sunset and Junker (on right).

This is the snake that Sunset and Junker teased to get it more picture worthy- hilarious antics from those two within the first hour of the trip. I hear Junker is off the trail - I hope that's not true, though.

Me at first solo camp on Spitler peak- very happy dude.

At Whitewater creek camp- Magnet and Redtail (in sleeping bag).

At David Null's house. Me, David, Mama, Chia, Greg, Girlscout.

Under the bridge at I-15 (I think) -After "the fountain" anyway. Avoiding the heat (and humidity) from left, Stomp, Beans, White Lightning, Magnet.

The Saufly's

2006-05-31T06:20:00.000-07:00

Well, apparently my last post in Wrightwood did not "take" on the blog. Also, I failed to push the right buttons on the phone in Big Bear City and Cajon Pass, so two audio blogs did not make it on either.

So, I got up early to put up a good post-internet is a hot commodity with hikers and I've got technology to post pictures!

I got in yesterday and lounged around with 30 hikers or so- very amazing place- these people are incredibly generous- 6 huge tents with cots inside, 3 BBQ's a couple of RV's - all for hikers to use. I'll be here all day today (my 3rd official zero) and may stay tommorrow as well.

I'm doing well- I've got some slightly sore heels and feet, but no significant injuries or blisters. A couple of days of real rest and I'll be good as new. The first 454 miles of this journey went really well for me- between Big Bear City and Wrightwood, I hiked 65 miles in the main 3 day stretch. In this last section (between Wrightwood and Agua Dulce) I hiked 71 miles in 3 days. Wahoo- my mileage is starting to increase.

Wrightwood has been called a "blackhole" by Ray Jardine and others- apparently a mysterous place that many hikers leave the trail for no reason. I stayed with a trail angel there, David Null, along with Mama & Chia, Girlscout, and Speshul & Steel Magnolia. Wrightwood was the first stop that actually felt relaxing and healing. David put us all up, gave us a great dinner and breakfast, shower and laundry. All he asked in return was a postcard at the finish of our journey. David's generousity made my Wrightwood stop memorable and very helpful.- Thanks David!

Between Wrightwood and here I started with the folks I spent a lot of timing hiking with in the previous section: Magnet, Blackholed & Guac, Speshul & Steel Magnolia, Girlscout and Whiptail.

After a cold, misty and windy night, I took off early and climbed Baden Powell. My pace felt great and I cruised on quickly, mostly alone for the next few days. I met up with Patio Bench and we hiked for an afternoon and camped together at Cooper Canyon (22 mile day).

The next day I struck off on my own and didn't see many other hikers all day - lots of weekenders- it was memorial day weekend. I passed Buttercup and met Zoner (from Ashland) before hiking up to my 2nd solo camp atop a ridge.
Ridgetop camp:

Surges of Sadness and Joy

On my second day hiking solo, I was cruising along listening to some slightly sad music when a surge of unknown sadness struck me. It was the first significant negative emotion I've experienced on the trail- I think it was a combination of sadness from the loss of a relationship last fall- still grieving, I think- and other things unknown. It sort of just "welled up" suddenly and I went with, shedding the sadness. It was really a truly cathartic feeling.

Down the trail, about an hour later, once I had been hiking non-stop at a fast 3.5 miles for a couple of hours, I had an equally unexpected surge of joy- I actually jumped up on my poles and then pretended to use them like giant drum sticks. Shivers of ecstatic joy ran up and down my body. This feeling was also, brief, but a wonderful feeling of deep happiness. I rarely experience such joy, and can't remember the last time I felt it ( been months). When I was growing up, I often had this feeling after a day of running around the woods at the cabin. Of course now I realize the immense importance of these childhood experiences and feel immensly privelaged to have had such experiences. The cabin has become a symbol of much of my personal development.

I should post this and get off the net for other hikers. I'll try to get some more pictures posted- I might try to set up a public photo album on photo buckets. Jeff B- how'd you do that?

Ok- if I don't right again, I'll call the blog (and post correctly) in Mojave.

Wrightwood

2006-05-26T14:11:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess my last two audio posts did not get recorded. Undoubtedly, I forgot to press #. Whoops.

Here's a very fast update on my status:

Feeling good, in Wrightwood, be leaving soon I should.

That was Yoda's writing. Actually, I must apologize for the poor ( and scant) writing on this blog. When I'm in town, I'm either really hungry, tired or in a food coma. Additionally, after hiking a long day, I'm only able to scrawl three word sentences on my personal journal, so there's not a lot I can build on when I get a few minutes on the internet...

Highlights:

I hiked 65 miles in 3 days in this last section and had a damned good time doing it.

A group of hikers and I spent 6 hours at the famed Cajon pass McDonald's (it's .4 miles off the trail). As a hiker having walked 342 miles you have to go there. It was hilarious, filling, cheap and trashy and I've no desire to go there for a long, long time.

I saw a small black bear and a big horned sheep. Other critters I've seen: 9 rattle snakes, 8 other snakes, countless lizards, small squirrels, chipmunks and little birds.

There's been a group of about 10 hikers I've been rolling with including Chia and (Ghetto) Mamma, Magnet, Stomp, Guac and Blackhole, Eagleye and Jackalope. Great people and good times. I'm glad I got caught up.

Speaking of schedules: I'm behind and will probably remain 3-5 days behind until the Sierras. I'll know more when I get to the Saufly's house in Agua Dulce in 5 days.

Tonight, a group of us are hiking in about 5 miles and pretend it was a "zero day." Actually, when you hike only a few miles like that, people call it a "Nero."

No pictures yet, but I will get some up at the Saufly's. My rides gonna leave soon....gotta go.

Cheers, Chewy

2006-05-12T17:59:00.000-07:00

Idylwild, CA

2006-05-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

Section B rocks- literally. There's been amazing rocks- granite, marble, and schist and I've been rocking out to my MP3 player through some difficult and long climbs. I arrived here in Idylwild on the evening of the 10th and am planning to leave tommorrow morning. I've been running errands around town since I got here- dealing with food, mailing packages, making calls etc- really putting on a few walking miles for a "zero day." My cousin is visiting later today and we'll probably bum arond town and do some hiking.

Within 10 minutes of arriving here in town some other hikers had offered their motel room for a shower and a cold beer. Talk about a nice arrival. A couple of hours later there was a gaggle of 30 hikers chatting and BBQing at the Taquitz Inn- the hiker hang out. This beautiful mountain town lives up to it's name- we hikers have been both idle and wild here.

The past two hiking days were amazing- lots of miles and lots of climbing (18 miles and 4000' of elevation gain). I've felt strong, healthy and inspired- the alpine scenery here is just amazing. I hope to get some photos up soon, but not sure if I can. Thanks for all the concern about the ankle- it seems to be fine, but I wanted to rest a bunch here before pushing on to Fuller Ridge- an apparently challenging section.

I had my first solo camp on this section- I found a little meadow on the west side of one of these peaks that overlooked Palm Springs. It was a very nice and quiet evening- lots of birds chirping in the morning, beautiful big trees and a deer in camp in the morning. It was the first time I've had a real "wilderness" feel on this trip so far. Up until that point, it largely felt like a logistical/athletic challenge of sorts. I think I'm starting to find a "hiking groove" - a rhythm or a dance that moves me through the landscape. Of course, escaping the desert heat at these elevations has meant for a more comfortable life for me. The desert sections ahead will undoubtedly become a "grind" again, though. Oh yeah- fyi the metallic umbrella rocks in the heat.

People have given me the trail name "Chewy." This is from doing an imitation of Chewbaca over a cold can of Miller a week or so ago. Desite my new name, however, I'm still missing R2D2 and need a data processor to handle the trail guide (and shitty maps contained therein), Yogi's notes, my printed maps (not much better), the water report, the data book and other hiker's rumors... lost of information to deal with for a hike!

Until Big Bear City-

Chewy

Spirit of the Trail

2006-05-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

Wow- I'm sort of in shock with how I've bonded with several hikers over the last week. Complete strangers a week ago- I've reached a depth of connection in a short time with a few folks- Ponch, Chainsaw, Papa Bear, Andrejs, Weed. Great folks. Very generous. Papa Bear shuttled his car along a couple of our stops, providing cold beer and water at key junctions- Ponch and PB brought lots of hikers pizza, beer and pie at Scissors Crossing- amazing. Ponch was also very generous and sprang for a room for a bunch of us- she and PB totally rock.

Each camp is a different mix of hikers. Some I've met already, and some new folks. A kind of generous mutuality, support and camaraderie fills each camp. I expected a more competitive feel to this endeavor, but instead have found lots of sharing and support. I think each camp creates a temporary social space that is special beyond it's natural beauty.

I'm feeling a little sore still, after rolling my ankle between Chariot Canyon and Rodriguez water tank.

Here's a day by day up till this point. Look for new photos when I get to Idylwild:

4/30 Hiked out of the kick off with several folks- Backfire and Nokey- a father and son team. Hiked on with Heather, Donny Veto, Andrejs, Skeeter (ponch) and Redneck. We camped at beautiful Lower Morris meadow. Hiked somewhere around 15 miles, I think. I nearly stepped on a baby rattle snake today- very freaky.

5/1 May day- hiked 14 miles down into Mt Laguna and then up to Pioneer mail. Viewed the beautiful Anza-Borrego desert from a great vantage point. Met up with PB, Chainsaw, the 3 sisters (Jesse, Hot Sister and Krista) for beer and dinner at Pioneer Mail.

5/2 Hiked 15.7 miles
Woke up with coffee and a nice recharge- left camp at a leisurely 8am and hiked up and then down into Charriot Canyon. Here, I rolled my ankle and broke my Leki trekking poles (again). I was certainly glad to have broken the fall and lessened the sprain,but frustrated to have had an injury so early. My hiking "team" was very supportive and offered all sorts of help, but we just ended up hiking along to the Rodriguez Cistern and sleeping out on top. Amazing stars- great sleep. At the cistern, we caught up to 3 sisters (who I may never catch again) and Chia and Mama- a very cool couple from Coos Bay. We chatted with Pending, who was taking the second of several "0 days (no hiking)."

5/3 hiked 10 miles
An early start to avoid the building desert heat brought us to the dusty, windy, dirty Scissor's Crossing. I intended to sleep most of this day and rest my ankle and newly forming blisters. Lots of trail magic at this spot- Pizza, beer, pie, water, fruit- and a glorious nap in the shade. I decided to stay the night down here with several folks and did battle with the intense wind and dust.

5/4 Hiked 23.8 Miles!
A new personal record for hiking. A 6am start brought me from Scissors (along with Weed and Circle Boy) up into the San Felipe Mtns. Big climb,but I hiked fast. I took off my shoes and found a new blood filled blister, to which I laughed (instead of crying). I covered it up and seemed to stop any further development of this evil little thing. Continued hiking along and eventually caught up with Ponch and Chainsaw and then PB, Andrejs and Special at the "Sandy wash." Those crazy folks had night hiked out of Scissors into intense winds the night before while I slept peacfully on the desert floor. This long day ended at a crowded, but happy camp at Barrel Springs.

5/5 Hiked 9 miles
Ended section A by visiting Eagle rock and doing some funny group photos with 5-6 other hikers. We spent the night at Warner Springs- soaking in hot springs listening to new age music and drinking cold beer. I can see why hikers call this place a vortex.

5/6 said goodbye to folks this morning and am trying to figure out how I'm going to approach the San Jacinto Mtns and the San Bernadino's with all this snow- Ice Axe and Crampons or hike around? hmmmm.....

2006-05-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

Landing

2006-04-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I made to San Diego!

Whew- the weeks leading up to this have been hectic. I've learned I'm not terribly accomplished at long term planning! Talk about waiting until the last minute- I was literally running around yesterday packing up my apartment, getting temporary health insurance, etc, etc, etc.

Now I'm staying the night with a sort of trail "host family." Great people. Super generous- they picked me up from the airport and offering dinner, a place to crash and a ride in the morning. It's curious to me about how people are always suspect about this sort of giving- "how'd you meet them?" people asked.

I just finished my last slice of pizza for while. It was leftover from last night's send off dinner. (Thanks to all for coming and the cards and what-not. It was great to see you all. )

Anyway, the flight offered great views of Mt Hood and OK views of the Sierras.
check out hood:
http://s65.photobucket.com/albums/h230/eshuford/

I'm going to take a nap or see if I can make myself useful around here.

Tommorrow's the big day! Wow- I'm still in disbelief about this whole thing- is this really happening?

until Mt. Laguna in a few days....see ya

2006-04-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

What's a Blog?

2006-03-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

In The Bloggining

This is my first test post blog entry on my weblog. (what a silly mouthful- it's a friggin journal). Clearly it's important to start any electronic-literary endeavor with a pun and then some self indulgent, tangential blather. We'll see if this medium is one that I am able to keep up with.

Actually, I mostly created this so I can post on my friend Jeff's blog:

Eric and I are pointing to Jeff here.

(The following link points to Jeff's blog)
http://jeffs-wandering-mind.blogspot.com/

I've been interested in blogging before, but I've never tried it. (how many times have I said something similar to that statement?) When I saw Jeff's posts and photos, I was quite inspired and knew immediately that I was actually going to start a blog. So here it is, exploring and mapping the thoughts I care to share publicly.

Provided I stay with it, this will also help document my preparation, thinking and progress in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. See the amazing Wikipedia for an entry about the trail: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Crest_Trail

PCT Progress

-I sort of turned a corner this week- I went from being fairly depressed and a little doubtful about the feasibility of this endeavor to feeling inspired and hopeful. My tax return will provide enough $$ (I hope and hope) to make a go of it. Also, my knee which has been mildly irritated (and diagnosed with tendonitis in 10 seconds by a Kaiser Permanente "doctor") seems to be a bit better with rest. Tele-skiing tomorrow will be a test. -This week also marked the time when I started to dump food into the 25 yawning boxes that dominate my living room. They're still really f*ing empty, though and that's not fun. They seem to have teeth and alternate teasing me or whining every time I walk by. I pretend they're all screaming babies and that if don't attend to them, they'll shit all over my living room. That doesn't hasten my attention to fill them, however- it just makes me feel like I'm living a psychedelic novel- I feeling I often enjoy.

Beef
- Wow. I just dehydrated 14lbs of well-cooked, spiced ground beef from Costco. The whole experience of visiting Costco, buying, cooking and then dehydrating that flesh is another factor pushing back toward vegetarianism. It's interesting for me to reconnect with this visceral feeling of empathy toward animals after several years of increasingly consuming their flesh. On the trail, however, I think the advantage afforded by eating meat is something I want. I guess I'll take any psychological or physiological comfort or nourishment that doesn't detract from my goal of walking from Mexico to Canada.

Other Life Stuff
I googled myself yesterday in a truly narcissistic indulgence. It's kind of voyeuristic to do this, but I recommend you google everyone you know and see what comes up. They'll likely share the name of some high school javelin thrower, but you can often learn interesting tid-bits for people who are linked to the net. Anyway, some cool things came up in the search, which 4 years ago yielded only embarrassing crap. It felt nice to think that people are actually looking at some of the work I did in grad school.

Tonight, I'm headed to Portland for a whiskey-tasting party and hopefully to see March Forth, Portland's Samba Band. It'll be interesting to compare Samba-Ja, Eugene's Samba Band, to these folks. My friend Steven White, SJ player said, "well, they're bigger and might be better, but we have more fun." Certainly my feet were happily moving as the band led us into the Eugene streets after their official show endedto dance among fire-jugglers. Technically, I guess we were blocking the streets, but we easily let cars full of smiling and waving people through and many people stopped to join us. I think Samba Ja players wanted to give the public a free show -I heard many people did not come to the show because of the $10 cover. Perhaps two dozen cops with bean bag shotguns and riot batons pushed us back dispersing us, spending thousands of city $$ to break up the fun. We could not get one cop to dance with us. Ah, Eugene, I miss you so.

ciao
-el