Hiking – Page 15 – wandering chardonnay

ADZPCTKO 2014

Had a great time at ADZPCTKO last weekend. ADZPCTKO 2014 is theAnnual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kickoff held at Lake Morena. A while back I big plans to hike from Campo (the southern terminus) and camp out. Whew glad those plans fell threw. First off I am not 20 mile ready yet and holy moly was it cold. Plus there was a pretty yucky storm Friday night. I went down for the day Saturday, it was still sprinkling, windy and cold.

Even with the chilly weather is was a great experience. There were presentations about trail/water conditions, a women’s group and a great talk about snow travel. I really want to learn more about self arrest and using a ice ax. There were a number of vendors, got some Keen hiking socks and made the decision I am totally going ultra lite ‘ish’.

I really, really, really want/need that ULA backpack, I am so not taking that one I have now, too heavy. My Amazon Wish List is getting longer. Sat through quite a few shakedowns, that is basically when you let someone (an informed someone) assess ALL your stuff. Learned, hiking the PCT is not a time to pack ‘ALL the THINGS’.

I have to say I was jealous when they took the class of 2014 group photo. Man I wish was taking off with them. It was really great though to meet people who’s blogs I’ve read (some how i missed meeting Carrot Quinn, sad face) and talk with prior thru hikers. Got some great tips and advice. Can’t wait to be part of the class of 2015.

Safe hiking class 2014! Remember HYOH!

Take this job and..

Hiking, PCT

A frequent question I get when I tell someone I’m doing the PCT is “What about your job?” I’m quitting. That’s it in a nutshell. First of all I have a job, not a career, and it’s certainly not my passion. When I get back, I’ll get another one that simple. My job is the least of my concerns and to be honest I will be glad to kiss it goodbye. Actually I have been considering a job change anyway. I am really over having a desk job, sitting ALL DAY LONG at a computer has gotten old. What I’m really looking for is a job where I actually move, my body. But then after moving my body for 2000 plus miles maybe a sitting job will sound good. Nah, probably not!

All I really know is that I am leaving my options open. I have a feeling I have a slightly different view of things when I return. I’m open to the possibilities!

In other news……mom was in town for a visit. She is not a fan of camping or hiking for that matter. However, she was not that opposed to my trip! I pretty sure she did not grasp the full concept of what I was explaining about the trip. Her biggest concern was …..me taking 5 months off of work and why I couldn’t take that much time off and come home! Agh geez.

Wilderness Basics

Hiking

Guess who completed a Wilderness Basics Course?! This girl!! I had a number of people who had taken it recommend it and I put off taking it for a whole year. So glad I finally got around to doing it. It was in preparation for this course that I learned about the PCT. The course is 10 weeks of learning so much about camping, hiking, gear, even land navigation. Best of all I met some awesomely fun people that I will surely be hiking/camping with again! My girls Betsy and Liz, you guys rock, thanks for the rides, homemade granola, laughs/chats, tent sharing and so much more! Oh yea there was also these great trips! I squeezed through the slot canyons of Canyon Sin Nombre, scrambled over boulders at Hellhole Canyon and navigated Borrego Mountain’s West Butte.

The last trip was snow camp at Mammoth Mountain.This was a really great experience. With full packs we snowshoed out to our camp site, not before getting a warning from ski patrol that a storm was coming. After setting up tents we built epic snow kitchen and privy. Right after dinner it started to snow and it snowed pretty much all night. (Thanks Sonie for that 10 degree sleeping bag/pad, I was nice and toasty) We woke to avalanche cannons and about 9 inches of snow! What fun, and my Chardonnay stayed chill the entire trip! Check some pics here.

So I passed the course test and the class is over. But my backpacking adventures are only just beginning.

Liz, Betsy and Me!! Great Snow Camp Blizzard of 2014

the longest journey begins with a single step

Hiking, PCT

So I have officially put my intention out there starting in April 2015, I will nouthbound (NOBO) thru hiking the 2,660 mile Pacific Crest Trail.What’s the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) you ask, well it this really long trail that begins/ends at the Mexican and Canadian borders in Campo, CA and Monument 78, WA, respectively. It goes through 9 mountain ranges, 26 national forests, 7 national parks, 5 state parks, and 3 national monuments, as well as 6 of the 7 North American eco-zones (no tundra). Give or take about 300 people set out every spring to hike the trail in one season (“thru hikers”) and about 40% finish. Yep, i’m going there, and I’m so excited.

Why would I want to do the PCT you ask? In the words of Amelia Earhart, “ I want to do it because I want to do it.” That’s basically it. Actually I have been trying to get out more, as in outdoors out. Recently I signed up for a Wilderness Basics Course, so I have been out seriously over appreciating nature for the last ten weeks. Turns out when I am hiking I feel more alive, healthier, more connected, and even happier. When I get to see the sunset, the moon rise and the stars in the sky, I feel all giddy. More than anything it’s time for an adventure that challenges me and gets me out of my comfort zone. I need to feel like I am moving towards something, not just going through the motions.

Concerns, I have them, they are money, gear, training, and maintaining this journal.

I will be mad saving for the next year, probably take on a second job also. This will be a true challenge as I am not good with money and I already have A LOT going on this year. I have to cover all the bases plus be prepared when I return. There is also A LOT of gear I will need because what I have either isn’t suited for this or I just don’t have it. Geez there is so much gear, recommendations, reviews, it all makes my head swim. But I have lists! So I’ll just keep reading, testing, and pricing til I have the right collection. That’s the current plan.

As far as training I need to get out and hike A LOT each weekend from here on out, otherwise I may be in trouble. Honestly I’m not in the best shape. I’m not in horrible shape either. My recent group hikes have not been over 5 miles, even less with a pack. A couple of weeks ago I decided I really needed some miles so I decide to hike El Cajon Mountain. Holy crap! That was the hardest hike I have ever done. About 11 miles of up and down, just as many ups going down as going up! Actually it was pretty terrible around mile 8, my legs were cramping so bad. I could not figure out why I had plenty of water even Gatorade (spoiler alert: I only had a 6 inch sub and peanuts, bad-idea. I had forgotten my pop tart breakfast in the car!) Well, I learned some things, I REALLY need more miles and I REALLY REALLY need to pay attention to my hydration and nutrition. Even though I was not prepared and my legs were sore for 3 days I liked that I completed it, all by myself! (I could have hopped on the golf cart with the Ranger that drove by, but nope I just waved and smiled through the pain)

Everybody seems to have a PCT blog, journal, video,or something. Sure it’s a really great idea, however, I really suck at keeping a consistent journal. I’ve had a couple of blogs that all at some point I abandoned. Even when I was younger I would write in my diary everyday….then not for like months. A writer I am not, but I’ll give it my best go, so don’t expect much and you won’t be let down!

So there, that’s it! It should be a interesting year. There are a whole bunch of hikers hitting the PCT soon(some already out there). I am excited for them and will following like a gazillion blogs! Posting links to some of my favs.

so until next time…..chardonnay everyday!