May 3, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: 5 miles above Scissors Crossing
Miles: 19.5

Adrian: Woke up at 5:45 a.m. to get a start on what was a warm, not hot, day. Esoteric Ninja walked by when we were getting ready. A bit later, we saw a guy walking southbound early morning, which was a bit different.

Shortly into the hike we came across Nonstop, who asked me if I had seen her husband. He was the guy hiking southbound. Turns out they were short of water and he thought it would be best to hike south to find some. We wished her well and told her there was water just a couple miles north. It's a tough situation with the water.

We walked a long way east to avoid private property. We descended all the way down to Scissors Crossing and the temps soared. The sand was so hot we could barely hold the soles of our shoes. There was supposed to be a cache of water at the road crossing so we kept our eye out for it.

Speaking of private property, it is one of the biggest issues facing the PCT. Negotiation and purchasing of land/easements is a non-stop activity for the Pacific Crest Trail Association and is the number one expenditure of PCTA funds. Because of this one landowner, we had to detour the true crest for more than 20 scorching miles.

So we found the cache of water, all 50 some gallons of it. We walked over to the road overpass and met Wild Bill and Ninja under it. We imagined ourselves trolls for those 3 hours.

At 4:30 p.m. we walked from the overpass and began our evening walk up the big climb and longest waterless stretch of the trip, 24 miles. Kirsten led us up the hill for 6 miles before we found a nice but windy camp in a wash.

It was a great day. We walked good. I don't expect tomorrow will be as good as today.

Kirsten: I was sitting under a bridge with Wild Bill and his brass knuckle-handled Buck knife and 1-gallon bottle of Skol vodka when I got to thinking about the life of a hobo.
Hobos are nomadic and often sleep under bridges. Crap. I am becoming a hobo. Not that there is anything wrong with being a hobo. It just isn't a career move I'm ready to make at this time.

Adrian talked about the dry, waterless stretches. He didn't talk about walking through rattlesnake country, which is where I come in. We didn't encounter any snakes today. Signs of them, however were everywhere.

When a rattler eats a rodent it digests just about everything except the rodent fur. And can you guess what littered the trail all the way into Scissors Crossing? Yup, coughed up fur. Either there is one or two giant snakes with Las Vegas-all-you-can-eat-buffet-sized appetites or there are thousands of rattlers cruising around those hills. I'm not sure which option is worse.

May 2, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Saddle, 2 miles above Chariot Canyon
Miles: 17

Adrian: Today was a good day. We started at 7:17 a.m. and the weather was perfect. The trail began at an elevation of 5,440 feet and went as low as 3,860 feet and we are camped at 4,200 feet. The temp is a comfortable 55 F.

In camp the night before, we learned from Esoteric Ninja that our next water source was dry. We then heard our second water source had a dead rat floating in it. Because of this, we were now looking at a 10-mile waterless stretch to Sunrise Trailhead. It had great water and we took a long break from 1 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. before setting off for another 6 miles until sunset. A great plan that yielded great mileage and a great campsite. We are dry camping tonight which means we have no water nearby. The next source is only 4 miles away, thankfully.

I'm feeling better each day. The only thing that hurts are my feet. After 10 miles or so, they begin to hurt from the ankles down. It must be from all the abuse and little conditioning. I'm lucky with just that and have taken no Advil other than for a small headache that I'm pretty sure was a symptom of dehydration. I've since corrected that situation.

Tomorrow we descend into and traverse Scissors Crossing. We start with a 4-mile waterless stretch followed by a 13-mile dry section. After that it gets worse, but that's a story for tomorrow.

Kirsten is hiking strong and asserts her opinion when she wants to, most of the time regarding strategy. I'm glad she does because our miles are fine and we are starting to feel stronger. I'm just a bit worried about her blisters. We treat them aggressively so they never get worse, so hopefully her feet will toughen up soon. Until then, walk good.

Kirsten: Before I get started, I have to ask Adrian ... What part of the foot is located above the ankle (see comment from Adrian above)?

Ok, enough razing. Adrian described most of the details of day. The miles came easier for me today and it seems like I may be getting the hang of this after all. Nothing too funny to report today, which means we didn't do anything stupid. There was a coyote skeleton laying in the middle of the trail, which was a little creepy.

Our (aka my) strategy of walking until noon and then breaking until after 3 p.m. seemed to work. We were rested and hiked plenty of miles later in the day. I'm confident Adrian feels the same way and we'll use the same schedule as we hike through the desert. If anything, we will start earlier to avoid the sun and warm temps.

May 1, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Laguna Campground
Miles: 11

Adrian: Kirsten sums it up well. We have employed our plan to lower the miles and build up as the trail and our bodies allow. It feels pretty cheesy slowing down, but I remember my experience with running and how easily you can wear yourself out by going out too fast. Lets hope it works and we don't run out of time.

For some reason I didn't think the trail would be so hard. Tomorrow we descend into the desert again and the weather forecast calls for 77 degrees F. Water becomes very scarce for the next 135 miles.

We slept in today until 7:45 a.m. We are in bed now at 7:56 p.m and it's almost dark. It's getting down to 33 F tonight. The alarm is set at 6 a.m. We are camped at Mt. Laguna National Forest Campground for $17 a night. Luckily, we have split the cost with Kevin and Joe, two thru-hikers from Long Island. They hiked the Appalachian Trail southbound in 2003.

A special thanks to Sheila, Peggy and Bill for signing our Trail Journal guestbook. When someone signs in, we get a special e-mail with the comments made by the author(s). It's always appreciated.
Walk good ...

Kirsten: My entries the past two days have been abysmal. I'm pretty sure I used the word "landscape" twice in one sentence and my paragraphs were riddled with spelling errors. I blame all the physical activity my body has undergone these past few days.
Today my feet were not at war with me. The cool air and the oak grove-lined trail certainly helped. With any luck this tentative cease-fire agreement I've negotiated with my toes will become permanent.

This morning we left our camp in Long Canyon and ascended up deeper into the Laguna Mountains. At about mile 5.5 we reached the Mount Laguna campstore. We stocked up on a few more snacks and chatted with other PCT hikers. We finished up about five miles past the campstore and the shorter day was a welcome respite.

In these first few days, I've learned humbleness and humor get you much further than confidence. I've also figured out there is no one "right" way to do this hike or anything else for that matter. I've met hikers who have had to rest two days after the first 20 miles. I've met others who have revamped their entire system - backpack, shoes etc. - because it just wasn't working for them. I've met PCTers who hike 10 miles and others who regularly hit 20 a day.

And that's the comforting part in all of this. Doing it my way may not be right. It's probably not wrong either.

What's with the slogan?

We've had a few inquiries here and there about the name of our blog - We shall continue in style.

Let me clarify. You see, there is this great old Clint Eastwood flick called The Eiger Sanction. Click here to view a fun little trailer of the movie.


This movie is loaded with brilliant dialogue like ...
Jemima Brown: Crap? Jonathan Hemlock: Excuse me? You did just start this conversation off by saying crap didn't you? Jonathan Hemlock: I can't believe that you're a stewardess. Jemima Brown: Actually I'm not, I'm a skyjacker in a drag. Jonathan Hemlock: Oh, that's reassuring, just give your name and I report you to the proper authorities when we land. Jemima Brown: Jemima Jonathan Hemlock: And I'm Uncle Ben... Jemima Brown: I'm serious, that's really my name... Jemima Brown, my mother was hooked on being ethnic.
Jonathan Hemlock: Or else turned on by a pancake. As long as we both agree that it's to much for a black chick to have the name of Jemima.
Jemima Brown: Well I don't know, I mean people don't forget you when you name is Jemima. Jemima Brown: I don't think people would forget you if your name was Alfred.

Or this gem.
Ben Bowman: What got into Jean-Paul? Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: I don't know. A little jumpy, I guess. Ben Bowman: You been jumping his wife? Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: No, why? Ben Bowman: You sure? Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: Well, I think it's something I'd know.

Anyway, you get the picture. In one of the crucial scenes of the movie, where the character Hemlock saves Meier from falling off the mountain, we found our slogan.

Anderl Meier: You're very good. I have really enjoyed climbing with you.
Dr. Jonathan Hemlock: We'll make it.
Anderl Meier: I don't think so. But we shall continue with style.

PCT hike - Section A

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Photobucket Album

April 30, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Long Canyon Creek ford
Miles: 17.5

Adrian: Happy Birthday to Suzy and my Dad!

I woke up at 6 a.m. and was quite stiff and sore. Granola and powdered milk for breakfast and we are off. A quick climb out of Morena Lake and it's out of sight. The trail is full of wild flowers at the moment and we've hit a lusher chaparral. I enjoyed the trail today.

We ran into Roadrunner, who is thru-hiking this year after doing a 500-mile section warm-up last year. He shared some good advice about not pushing the miles in the beginning. I think we might be doing that. We'll have to take it easy for the first 10 days before we get our feet under us.

Kirsten is hiking well. Some blisters showed up today which are never pleasant. We bandaged and duct-taped accordingly.

Kirsten: As Adrian apparently has already informed you all, I have been blessed with two blisters.

In other news ... Today was much better. It was cool and the landscape was always interesting. I love seeing the desert awash in spring flowers. The agave plants - in full bloom - dot the landscape. In the beginning of the day we got a surprise from my parents. What a find! That little note made my day!

Funny moment of the day? Watching Adrian pour denatured alcohol instead of water into his meal. :)

April 29, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Lake Morena
Miles: 20.6

Adrian: Happy Birthday Tanya! Today was exhausting. We were dropped off at the monument at 9 a.m. by Suzy and Bill and took some great pictures. The Minute Men guys have put up their own little barbed wire fence in front of the main huge fence, which made us walk a little ways to actually step into Mexico. Bill recommended we think of this as a vacation and I laughed when he said it but after hiking the miles today I think he was spot on. Positive thinking and reminding ourselves that we are indeed on a "vacation" will be key to this hike.

The first 7 miles flowed easily on a well-graded trail. One hour out we saw our first and only rattlesnake of the day. He was half in a cave and half out, just off the trail. We tried to take a picture but he slithered for cover before we could.

At mile 11, we hit a wall thinking we were much further along than that. A few hard hours later we were at Morena Butte and the start of our toughest climb of the day. It was still hot. I suffered up the 1000' climb and the rest of the hike into camp was over in an hour. We were filthy and tired at 7:30 when we chose a campsite. A quick shower and Tasty Bite meal and we were in bed. Sore but happy, we fell asleep.
Walk good...

Kirsten: Adrenaline kept me going through mile 10. From there it was a rough road for me. For one, I was carrying far too much water and food.

Note: I expected to see snakes. I didn't expect to see a rattler within the first hour. Also, apparently there are McDonald's-scented bushes growing in the desert between Campo and Lake Morena because Adrian kept smelling greasy fries and burgers.