Once we were inside the park and on our way to drop off the car at the Bright Angel Trailhead, we saw a mule by the side of the road eating a tree. A bit further on, we saw what I believe was a mule deer, also eating a tree.
The first 3-4 miles of descent I saw many squirrels and what I am going to call crows. I don’t know much about ornithology, but these were crows or ravens, or maybe blackbirds – but I am sticking with crows. One group of 3-4 crows were having either a game or a battle, but they stayed close knit, often beaks together rising and falling in turning circles. Further down, I saw birds too distant to identify riding thermals and currents off of the cliff faces. I also had a few encounters with either a hawk or a small eagle right above my head doing the same. It came out of no where and was gone too quickly to identify, but I saw the individual “fingers” at the ends of the wings.
Did not see any fish or otters at the river, but we did hear an awesome chorus of frogs all the way up the Bright Angel. At Indian Garden, crickets, frogs and a few other insects were serenading the night sky and cheering us on our way.
Ascending Bright Angel in the dark, I saw two baby scorpions (my people) a few miles apart. There were 8-10 centipedes over the 5 or so miles up from Indian Garden. The biggest was about the diameter of a McD’s straw for milkshakes and 10 inches long. The smallest about the diameter of the cylinder that holds the ink inside a standard plastic Bic pen and 4 inches long.
There were a ton of tiny-to-1 inch beetles and many small spiders. However, at 3 mile rest-house there was a very big spider. It looked like the same or similar species as the little ones, but it was big and freaky. I know it was not a Black Widow because I researched those bad ladies in 08. Of course its body was smallish compared to its “wingspan” – maybe the size of a walnut – but with those long bendy legs it looked as big as a tennis ball. And its eye glowed! I don’t know if it had two, or one, or one tightly knit cluster, but it looked like one glowing eye. I got up and out of there!! I saw one baby snake I could not identify either.
On the drive back home there was serious deer activity. The most dangerous time there were 5-8 holding court in the middle of the road. Jake saw them in time because they hid the double yellow. Until then we had been scanning the sides of the road not looking for a hootenanny in the middle of the road!
I am trying something new and just putting in links to open to the public photo albums on Facebook. Less pics in this text, but provides access to all the pictures.
Also, there will be links in the next post to one short video from the Colorado River and a short audio of insects at night at Indian Garden.
I may tighten up and get down with Flicker or something later, but seriously, how many things do i have to figure out how to use and keep track of and update?!?
**Disclaimer** Hiking in general and wilderness adventures in particular can be dangerous endeavors. Know your limits and plan accordingly. If you don’t know your limits, start small and work your way up. Consider joining a hiking club! They are easy to find online or through your local backpacking shop. I should probably say something like this before every hiking entry, but really felt it was unavoidably necessary before this description of our recent Grand Canyon Adventure. We are both fine and had a super time. But – we helped a lot of folks during our trip, met a hiker in the midst of severe dehydration despite it being 9 PM, cool and dark, her having experience and being in a group of experienced hikers (they were on a Rim-to-Rim which is one of the most grueling things one can attempt in the canyon). She was so far gone that she could not eat and was barely able to drink. She had vomited several times before we came across her and her friend, and did again during our stay with them. Luckily, this was not far from a campsite and a Ranger Station – but these two had to borrow sleeping gear and remain in the Canyon for at least an overnight instead of following their plan and hiking out that night. Even ole’ Jake noted signs of minor dehydration near the end of our trip. I say that not to poke at Jake but to highlight the seriousness of the issues involved. Jake has several thousand miles ( I think about 4) of distance hiking under his belt and has hiked in the Canyon near thirty times and has done this exact loop at least 5 times. Plan, take breaks, drink loads of fluids, and eat snacks! **Disclaimer Ends**
Monday, 5/21/2012, Jake and I did a fantastic Grand Canyon Adventure! This is one that Jake has done many times, and that I have been a little afraid of since my first adventure into the Canyon, 12/06/2008. It is far too simplistic to say that the Canyon is beautiful, overwhelming, and difficult to internalize even while standing in its grandeur. That said, even amidst that unfathomable beauty, it is still possible to have a bad time. My first trip to the Canyon, while I am glad I went, it was kind of a bad time.
That 2008 hike was about 13 miles – down South Kaibab to the Tonto Trail West to Indian Garden and back out on Bright Angel Trail. I am very glad that I went, but that hike kicked me every place a fella can be kicked.
Monday’s trip was a bit more grueling – by design. The 2012 hike followed the same route with one exception. Instead of heading West on the Tonto Trail, we descended to the Colorado River, bringing the mileage up to almost 17 miles. In 08, I was in serious pain about 2 miles into the trip and suffered through every single step the rest of the way. On the final climb out of the Canyon on the well graded and relatively smooth Bright Angel Trail, my muscles were so sore that I walked about 20-30 feet at a time and often had to rest for 5 minutes in between periods of forward motion.
But much has changed from 12/08 to 05/12. I have actual trail footwear that fits and that I like! I have hiking poles! I have a “real” daypack with hydration system instead of a computer backpack crammed full of stuff! I am preparing physically and mentally for a much longer hike and have been training. It is May and not December! We planned the recent hike to do the final ascent in the dark on purpose and had all the appropriate clothing for such as opposed to getting stuck in the dark on accident in 08…
We both prepared well before leaving the house this time making only one mistake. Each of us continually forget how terrible warm-hot gatorade is and still make batches at home that won’t be used for 3-5 hours of travel time in the desert heat. We should have remembered to take powder and only mess with gatorade at water re-supply points where it can be consumed cool and lovely! But we did remember everything else.
The drive to the canyon is nice and we zoom right in with no waiting since we both have Annual National Parks passes. These give you free entry and parking to any National Park and free entry and parking to any State Parks from the issuing State (generally your state of residence). [I got this bit wrong. The passes work in many kinds of parks as listed on the link to said passes, but it seems to be only federally funded parks and not State Parks. Anywho, they are still a great deal if you do spend any time in National Parks!] In the case of the Grand Canyon, there is a dedicated lane for pre-paid/pass holders and it is like having EZPass on the highways back East. – Over 62? $10 for a Lifetime Pass!
I am going to skip the play-by-play level of detail here, but if you are planning a trip to the Canyon, feel free to give me a holler and I can hook you up with more detail.
We started the descent about 12:30 PM. I had about 4 liters of fluid – two of water in my Camelbak and two 32 ounce Gatorades. Jake blew me out on the whole descent, but particularly the first 1.5 miles. From the Rim to Cedar Ridge is probably the most crowded section of the South Kaibab Trail. There are a few lookout points along the way, and while there is no water at any point on the South Kaibab Trail until you hit the Colorado River, many people who want to go below the Rim but do not have the time or the wherewithal for a longer trip do the 3 mile roundtrip to Cedar Ridge.
Jake and I firmly believe in “Hike your own Hike!” and one would have to try very very hard to get lost on the Grand Canyon Corridor trails. He loves to blast through that first 1.5 down to mellower and sparser crowds of more dedicated hikers. On a day of extremes like this one, I try and hit a pace that I feel comfortable about from two angles. 1) Will this be a good pace for me for today? 2) Will I be able to hike and/or even move tomorrow if I maintain this pace today?
It should be said here, even though it is said everywhere, the South Kaibab Trail is gorgeous. It shows you more of the geological changes as you descend than you can see on Bright Angel, and it offers near constant uninterrupted views into the “main canyon” while other trails often meander through side or box canyons that offer much more limited views.
At every waypoint down to the Tipoff, I smiled and sang songs of joy inside. It was a gorgeous day. I was having an absolute blast. And I was in zero pain. No discomfort of any kind. I felt kinda like Jake. I said hello to everyone. I stopped and talked to anyone who wanted to talk. I gave a few folks advice. I gave others encouragement. I stopped each time an ascending hiker approached to take in the view and give them clear trail (which is not just polite, but the actual canyon trails’ right of way protocol). I had a big smile on inside and out.
From the Tipoff down to the River was a special and exciting time and place for me. I have heard so many stories about the Canyon and the River. I wanted to see it in 08 but could not. And being here now and feeling this way – I was happy. Most of the trail below the Tipoff is nicer than the trail above. You continue to see varied colors and different types of rock and sediment layers. The very final descent is as steep and taxing as any other of the difficult sections of the Kaibab, but you can see the river and the two suspension bridges the whole time. I was still doing fine on water supplies, but knowing that there is not only water, but treated water from a spigot waiting for you between those two bridges makes it much easier to endure.
Jake and I climbed Mt Humphreys yesterday and it was quite an adventure. We had a good time and I learned many useful things.
We left much later than either of us wanted, but in the first of a series of twilight zone moments, it was my fault.
I carried my full pack with about 35 pounds, and I am pleased to say that I handled the weight well on the most strenuous hike I have done with a full pack since at least Crabtree Falls to the Priest shelter.
But, I have no idea what I was thinking, or perhaps, why I was not thinking – I had absolutely nothing useful in my pack aside from water, Cliff bars, and the iPhone. 35 pounds and nothing I needed. I was hiking in a light t-shirt and running shorts and I brought no other clothes. I actually did not even have enough clothing to be warm in the car on the ride back given that we would not finish the hike until well after dark due to the late start. Speaking of hiking after dark – I did not bring my headlamp or any other flashlight.
Mt Humphreys is the tallest mountain in Arizona and one of the big ones in the country at 12,633 ft. The last leg of the hike is fully exposed above treeline and every trail journal mentions the extreme wind. Did I have my wind/rain jacket with me? No.
In an attempt to prepare for the JMT, I brought both my one click digital camera and the iPhone so that I cold compare shots of large vistas and see if it was worth it to bring the actual camera as well as the phone on the longer trail. Pulled out the camera at a nice vista – dead battery. This was really not my day. I don’t do stuff like this.
I absolutely loved about 90% of the hike. From the parking lot to the saddle where the trail splits to different summit trails for the three main San Francisco Peaks – lovely. The summit however was not my favorite. We summited close together and still almost lost the trail 4 times. Once we got around three false summits and were on the final approach the wind was relentless. I did feel like it was possible to get blown off the mountain top. About 25 yards from the summit, in a series of huge sustained gusts, I sat down. While I was catching my breath, I thought – that’s it! I’m going back down and this summit can kiss my grits! But, I knew that I would regret that choice. Not so much for the missing 25 yards, or the missed view (it was awesome, but it was also a very hazy and smokey day) but for the self confidence. Part of choosing this mountain to climb is that it the closest thing we have to what we will face in the Sierras. I wore my pack to gain the inner knowledge and experience to draw on on difficult days that I can do it because I have done it. Letting my fear control me and keep me from the goal was just not something I was willing to do so I stood up and hiked to the summit.
Jake took the lead on the descent and we agreed that if we got a bit separated, we would meet on the saddle at the trail junction. I was tired, frustrated, cursing the wind, and having a little bit of difficulty seeing. My eyes are very sensitive to wind and water easily. All I wanted to do was get back to the saddle and begin the descent on the nice comparatively easy trail we hiked up on, and get back well below treeline before dark.
I don’t have a good way to judge how fast the wind was blowing. But I have never experienced anything like it. Much faster than anything I ever got skiing or sailing. This may be a little gross for some of you but I include it to complete the picture both of how bad the wind was and to add to the picture of the discomfort I was in at this point. Once we got into that extreme wind I had to blow my nose. I was afraid to pull out my handkerchief though as I imagined it would be ripped from my hands. I had already removed my hat and lashed it to my pack to avoid losing it. A few moments after the first impulse to reach for my handkerchief, that became obsolete as the wind was strong enough that it did the job for me. The wind blew my nose continually for the next hour or so.
Another key factor was whatever brain explosion happened to put me in this position. I was the reason we were later than intended. I was the one who somehow neglected to bring any of the gear that would have given me more comfort. A vast amount of my suffering was self inflicted and that made it worse. So that was my general state as I began to descend from the summit towards the saddle. Given all of that I still kept a few of the key elements of wilderness survival in mind – stay calm, think first, don’t make situations worse.
I wanted to sprint down to that saddle, but I forced myself to be very slow and careful. The last thing I needed was to fall. Even a minor injury at that elevation and time of day would have made things much worse. So I went slowly and carefully – and I still lost the trail twice. But each time I did the right things. I did not panic and I looked carefully in all directions. The first time I could not see the trail anywhere. So I climbed towards the peak of the mountain, figuring that since I can’t see the trail it is probably above me, and if not, I may have a better chance of seeing it from above. About 7 feet above me, I hit the trail and moved on.
The next time I lost the trail it took me a bit longer to even realize I was off trail. But once I did I stopped and looked slowly around. I saw a sign I remembered and rejoined the trail. Soon after I met back up with Jake and it turns out what had felt like hours in my mind had only been about 15 minutes. Good Old Jake had a long sleeve base layer for us both and 2 headlamps in his daypack and we adjusted our gear and descended. We made it well into the trees before dark and a had great time just enjoying being out of the wind and talking about all kinds of stuff. Once we got back to the parking lot about 10 PM, we just sat there and looked at the stars. I have never ever seen so many stars. It was beautiful.
I am glad that I have that experience to reflect on in times of need. I am glad that I proved to myself that I can carry 35 pounds (though my JMT pack will likely be 40-45) on a trail that gains 3,500 ft of elevation over 4 miles. I was not really worried about this part, but I was glad that neither Jake nor I showed any signs of altitude sickness or any adverse altitude effects.
And I made two decisions regarding the Grand Canyon river and back trip we have planned for Monday. I will only carry a FULLY STOCKED day pack and not my actual hiking backpack. I doubt we will do a 17 mile day with 10,000 ft of elevation change on the JMT. And we are going to hike in around noon so that we will get to see all those stars in the canyon!! Jake has done this hike many times and often at night. And we hiked out at night together on the same trail a few years back. It isn’t bad.
The JMT preparation is going full swing. I pulled a few full days of research and planning during which I read or re-read the two trail guides I purchased, and a ton of trail journals of other hikers’ JMT trips. I made color copies of our map pages, posted them in Jake’s room, and have begun adding mileage notes to the re-supply points. It is an interesting tool to look at the trip this way.
JMT Maps
We still have several unknowns, some of which may remain unknowns until we get to Yosemite Village and talk with the rangers. I have found some more up-to-date sites for information on facilities and such at some of the potential resupply locations and the news is a mixed bag. This year’s snowfall has been 50% less than usual which is good for us. Some of the more dangerous river crossings should be more manageable than expected. But the storms took out two of the major power transmission lines that feed the first two resupply points and it is unclear as of now whether or not these will be open.
There are four standard resupply points for the JMT; Tuolumne Meadows, Red’s Meadow Resort, Vermillion Resort, and the Muir Trail Ranch. One of the challenges to consider is that between Muir Trail Ranch and the Southern Terminus at Mt Whitney (about 110 miles), there are no resupply options near to the trail. If you are not interested or willing to leave the trail, this means that you have to carry about 10 days worth of food out of Muir Trail Ranch. In addition, Muir Trail Ranch does not have a standard gear/food re-supply available. Mostly it is just a really expensive place to do a mail drop resupply. Because of all that, many JMT thru hikers skip the Muir Trail ranch and carry 12 days of food from Vermillion Resort.
Jake and I like neither of these options. Luckily, neither do many of the PCT thru hikers and the PCT guides have loads of detailed info on the best ways off of the trail to the best points to access towns for resupply runs. Jake and I are going to go that route. I have found one already, but I need one more. Going off trail to do these runs adds a day or two to your total trip length per stop, but that does not really bother us.
I have been splitting my time between planning and conditioning. I am still not in fantastic shape and am working on shedding some pounds – but I have been regular with my stretching routine and floor exercises. The past 10 days or so, I have done all but one of my hikes with my full pack and at least 35 pounds. I did get my own trekking poles and am really pleased with them. In addition to the added stability and taking some the strain off of the knees, I like how they get your upper body and arms more involved in the hiking.
Just yesterday I did my first hike in who knows how long in shorts instead of pants. I can’t really consider this back east because I am ultra sensitive to poison ivy, super prone to contracting it, and despite that – utterly useless at identifying and avoiding it. But that is not really a problem in the Sierras. Much of the time we will be well above tree line anyhow. It felt great to hike in just some thin running shorts. This move will end up helping me out on added pack weight due to clothing as well.
In these last 11 days or so until we leave, I will continue to read and re-read the guides and journals to make note of more campsite locations, stretches of lesser water availability, places of higher bear activity, and when we are likely to approach the more difficult river crossings so that we can hit them early in the day before the day’s snowmelt swells the streams and increases the strength of the current.
I did a nice 9.5 mile loop yesterday, with a 40 pound pack, that has about a 1,200 foot elevation gain over the first 3 miles. Today is writing and planning with a milder walk in the evening. Tomorrow Jake and I will drive up to Flagstaff and summit Mt Humphries – an 8.5 mile round trip with a 3,500 ft elevation gain. Monday or Tuesday we will do one of Jake’s favorite Grand Canyon hikes – 17 miles round trip down the Bright Angel to the Colorado River and back out on the South Kaibab trail. This is a drop about 5,000 ft climb about 5,000 ft trip.
This past month Jake and I have been talking about a summer hike and decided that we are going to do the 211 mile John Muir Trail!
We are both very excited. May is a planning and preparation month and we will begin end of May/beginning of June.
I ordered the best John Muir Trail guidebook in kindle form for me and a paperback for Jake. The definitive map set should arrive Wednesday.
I have read all of the text and most the appendices, and while it will be a fun trip, the planning is somewhat more difficult than East Coast/AT distance hiking. Unlike the AT guidebooks with distances to each shelter and water source in addition to elevations and route finding, the JMT and PCT guides lack that level of detail. Luckily, unlike many sections of the PCT, water is prevalent on the JMT, and there is enough info about locations of pre-existing campsites and water sources to make decent plans, but it does require more study and note-taking than back East.
We decided to walk the traditional North to South route to help us ease into the elevations, for greater ease of shuttling from the end back to the start, and because of the Northern terminus in Yosemite Valley. Jake and I spent two fantastic days in Yosemite back in 2009 and are excited to return.
The first two weeks of April, I was very down and decided not to fight it but to simply take time with my grief and feel the feelings instead of trying to push them down. The past two weeks I have been more active. I restarted my exercise routine with stretches and abdominal work and have done many local hikes. The past week, I loaded my hiking pack to 35 pounds and have started hiking with that to get used to carrying the weight again.
It is difficult to prepare for hiking in the 12,000-14,000 ft elevations we will soon meet, but we do live about 5,500 ft high and have several local hikes that offer 1,000-2,000 ft elevation swings and peaks up to 7,600 ft. This week I intend to continue working locally with my full pack, and next week Jake and I will do a trek to Flagstaff and climb the San Francisco peaks – 12,600 ft up.
Yesterday I did a fairly level and smooth hike, but 10+ miles with a 35 pound pack is still a good day. The tunnel that takes you under a roadway from a parking area to the trail was flooded from a recent rain and I walked through it knowing that soon, I won’t have a choice. My shoes dried out quickly, but with a huge blister starting to form around mile 6, I knew which socks would not be making the trip. I was a little sore today, but I popped that sucker and we did a nice three-mile loop.
Cows on the Iron King Trail - 4/27/12
I have been using Jake’s trekking poles and quickly decided that I need to get my own. But the poles and a bear canister are the only new pieces of equipment that I need for the journey.
Once we get the maps, and become more familiar with the trail guides, we will get more detailed, but for now we are looking at three weeks. The biggest factor yet to work out is the food resupply. There are lots of options, but we need to tailor them to our trip or vice-versa. Three roughly 70 miles stints between supply stops would be great.
More will be revealed, but for now, I am just excited.
I may actually get back to some more regular posting. Things are beginning to mellow out a bit on Bumblebee so i will have more time to both collect and share my thoughts. And, i will have more time to get into a few projects.
Sunday Morning on Bumblebee 1
Today is the 28th day on the new meds for Lucas and things are really going well. He is drinking a normal amount of water again, he has been doing more running in the park, and he has tried to engage a few dogs in play. He is still an old guy, but he is getting some increased mobility. I don’t know if that is due to getting off of the Phenobarbital, a positive side effect of the new meds, or just the result of feeling better in general. But he is beginning to do some of his old dances and i expect to see him do his happy little skip thing any day now.
Sunday Morning on Bumblebee 2
His appetite is also more normal now. He doesn’t seem to have that extreme craving for food that he has had most of the past year as a result of chemical imbalances due to the Cushings. I just switched him to dry food without yogurt in the mornings, and a bowl of yogurt without dry food in the evenings. His digestion has settled back down and his routine is much more like it was a year ago than the roller coaster ride of the past 4 months or so.
Snowy Dog Park
I will keep the Lucas updates coming, but now for something else – FOOD!
View of Mingus Mountain from the park
I love to cook and have made a ton of food since i came out to AZ, but i have primarily made the same three to four dishes over and over. With some of the hardships behind us – i can focus on some new recipes and varying our menu. So i plan to have some more cooking tales for you. Dovetailed with the cooking tales – shopping tales. My favorite place out here has to be the local Safeway. I always leave that place with a big smile and a story or two. The vegetable section is pretty good, but we did just get our very own Trader Joe’s which should be able to supplement any ingredient holes that Safeway cannot fill.
Jalapeño cheese grits, black beans with veggies and spices, crunchy tortillas and O.J.
Some of these i already have good recipes for and some still need some research:
Sushi – i have some skill with this using Nori, but want to try my hand at going Nori-free.
Egg Drop Soup – good suggestions for adjustments in the comments!
And an awesome Thai style peanut butter noodles and veggies fry-up my man Raven turned me on to a few years back
Mung bean sprouts, broccoli, radishes, purple cabbage, cubed and fried tofu, baby bells, green bell pepper, grated ginger, chinese snow peas, carrots, red onion, celery, garlic and spicesAll togetherThe Big Salad
One downside of being in PA instead of VA – longer drives to most of the hikes featured on hiking upward.com. I love this site and wish i had found it decades ago instead of last year, but i am grateful for it nonetheless. I have only done a few of the hikes on here, but i have read about most of them and have a list of at least 15 in the queue. In addition to all the great info from the group/original authors-hikers, every hike also has user reviews that provide great intel. My favorite feature is the solitude rating, but information about water availability is also key. I have found the maps, distances, directions, and elevations to be spot on. There are also more loop trails that are long enough to be done as overnights than i have found in any other place.
I have found some resources for Southeastern PA and the surrounding areas, though none i like as much as hiking upward. This is a similar group, but i have not put their intel to the test yet. The York hiking club has some good intel and led me to a few more established trails i did not know about. I did several hours of research checking out links and trails from these sources. To get a good idea of what the trails would really be like, i had three or four different maps/map sites open at the same time to try and compare and locate topo, route, terrain, road crossings, water, and frequency of city/town/roadway walking. SE PA is a mixed bag for hiking. There are lots of very rocky trails and on any trail, you cannot go more than 10 miles or so without at least a road crossing if not some miles walking on a curvy country road and then through an old town. It can be nice and has its own charm, but the drivers of cars are not expecting you to be walking on the road, and this is not the best way to travel with your dog. But, we all have to make do.
Several weeks ago, i was doing some gear research while also reviewing PA trail maps. Lucas and i loaded up the car for a double duty mission. The closest REI is in Timonium, Maryland. It is more of a haul than i would like, but there are a few very beautiful backroad ways to get there which balances out. It looked like there was a decent day hike possible right by one of the bridge crossings. We hit REI, finished the in-store research and bought 2 pair of REI Adventure pants. And really – how can you not buy ADVENTURE PANTS!!! The reviews were awesome and they felt great. I have been unsatisfied with my North Face zip-off pants since i bought them years ago. They breath OK, they feel OK, but they dry slowly due to the extra fabric that makes up the giant cargo pockets. While it is great to be able to carry lots in your pockets, the downside for hiking is – now you are carrying lots in your pockets! More than all of that it was the size. I bought a 30″ inseam and walked on the cuffs even in my boots. They run long. Jake had the same issue. And they have zippers at the bottom for easy on/off without removing your boots. Nice feature, but how to hem them? Anyway, the ADVENTURE PANTS are great. I have done two day hikes – one easy 7 miler and one moderate 10 miler as well as daily walks in the hood and some normal daily wear. The 30″ inseam is actually 30″ and i can wear the pants with sandals and not walk on them. They were both warm and not too hot while hiking and resistant to dirt when i sat on logs/ground. They dry much quicker than any other pants i have ever had. Out of the washing machine, hung inside, 3 hours. Probably would be 5 after hand-washing in a sink. Lite, pack small, wrinkle free – enough said.
We headed back to the bridge to check out the trails. I took a day pack with just the essentials and cold weather gear. Of course i put the ADVENTURE PANTS on in the parking lot, and we hit a nice trail through the woods, along the river, then up an old logging road through a rhododendron forest beside a beautiful stream with several deep pools and small waterfalls. A little ridge running led back down to the river and a view of the Holtwood Dam. I saw two trail names i recognized and it seemed like at least one of them would hug the river for many miles.
When i got home i had two things to research – decent maps and guides for The Mason Dixon Trail and somewhere to get at least one of my busted cameras repaired. I found the trail’s homepage and this highly detailed map:
Mason Dixon Trail Map
Seriously though, they have some great info on their site and provide updates to the trail map/guide as needed and seem to actively and continually work to keep the trail clear and in decent shape as well as lobbying private landowners to get the trail moved off of dangerous roads. One location to purchase a full set of maps and guides is the local hiking shop Wildernest. The folks in there are nice. One of the part-time employees was in Physics with me and Jake back in the day. And this is actually where i bought my first real pack (my now torturous 7.5 pound pack of death).
I found a local camera repair shop as well and learned that for either camera, it would cost about $120.00 to fix. That is $10-$40 more than either of them cost. I bought a replacement camera for the newer model – so that i would at least end up with two batteries and two chargers.
I spent a few days going over my new maps and planning what to try next. It is getting better now, but two weeks ago it was still colder outside at night than i generally like, so i was looking at a day hike instead of an overnight. Also, it is not easy to determine where it is legal to camp along this trail. I imagine that most places it would be OK if you were quiet and respectful and used a stove instead of an open fire, but the trail is on private land, state game land (no camping), and city and county streets. As a solo hiker, i have to look for good out-and-backs or loops.
Holtwood Dam to 425 and back
Lucas and i both liked the area near Holtwood Dam, and i found a reasonable hike to try out using that as a launching point. I loaded my daypack to about 20 pounds to get some practice with the weight. We started at the dam, the turn around point from the last hike, and headed further up river (north). The first mile or so was right along the river bank and through some folks’ backyards. Then it turned uphill hugging another nice creek and rhododendron forest.
Still a little chillyFlora and Fauna
There was some more nice ridge running then up and down the rolling hills this part of PA is known for – largely following other streams.
Luc in the poolAnother pool
At about 3.5 miles, we hit an old forest road that was covered in grass. It was like a smooth highway in the woods.
Highway to the Bamboo
The next part of the trail was on gravel then paved roads. These had very little traffic, but like most roads with very little traffic, the cars were going about 50 over the blind hills. I decided to walk the rest of the road section to at least see what the next part of the trail looked like. Lucas had been doing great in the woods, but he seemed bored once we hit the road. Once we were in the open, the wind was intense and the effective temperature dropped. I had on many layers, a rain jacket that is great in the wind, a hat and gloves, and i was still cold.
Ridges and FarmsRidges and Farms 2Ridges and Farms 3Ridges and Farms 4Ridges and Farms 5
As we approached the last road crossing before heading back into the woods, i saw an Amish farmer mucking his fields. This is stinky, but kinda cool to watch. Back in the barn, they load a flatbed wagon with poo. A team of horses pull the rig into the fields and the driver throws a lever and a simple gear using the motion of the axles turns a mechanism like an old paddle boat wheel that flings poo off of the wagon and onto the field.
Amish Farm 1Amish Farm 2The poo wagon heading for the fields
After watching and taking some photos, i pulled out the map and saw that just across the road, the trail went along the edge of a field for about 70 yards before hitting the woods again. This section of the trail had minutes ago been coated in fresh poo. Lucas and i decided that this would be a fine place to turn around for the day.
Cross the road, walk abreast of the treeline, in the yummy new brown trail!The next phase of the trail, along the power lines then back into the woods
We had a nice walk back to the car and Lucas slept very well after our 10 mile day.
I am still studying these maps to select the next sections to attack, but my next hike will be in good old VA at the beginning of May…
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I still have not set-up my self-hosted blog, so i can’t post video yet, but if you like video of dogs and water there is a good one of Lucas from this trip that i will post on Facebook (Mason Dixon Trail Stream Crossing), along with the full album of pics.
Veggie Vitamins – 45 Days. Feel good. Don’t notice a change i can attribute to the difference in veggie vitamins versus the “standard” vitamins i used to take, but i do think the glucosamine is helping – in addition to the core exercises. I have not had any knee or leg pain like pre-winter running.
The glucosamine i ordered for Lucas arrived today. I hope that it will help that champion as well. As with me, time will tell. And similar to my scenario, i don’t expect him to necessarily notice and jump and run differently – i am not expecting him to be able to do more. I just hope that what he does will feel better and that he will be able to do it longer.
We had another decent spot of weather this afternoon and i took in another run. This one is probably the best i have felt so far. In part, i think i am getting into shape and getting used to running, but i also think that the iPod is helping. In particular, i pulled off the music and put on the audio book series i am listening to. I was not sure how running while listing to stories would work out, and i am here to tell you that it was super.
I am re-listening to Stephen King’sDark Tower Series, and just started Wolves of Calla this afternoon. I reverted to the old run and had no troubles at all. The dreaded hill around 1.4 miles was no problem. The next hill into the neighborhood was easy-peasy.
2.11 miles – 8’38” Pace
I set three new goals today as well. In the next four weeks:
14 runs
30 miles
10 runs at or under 8’45”
If i stick with it and run at least every other day (on average), this should be easy. Last time i set similar (though easier) goals, but fell off track on all but the pace goal. Now it is time to meet new goals…
I still owe some (probably goofy) pictures of running and hiking gear, and a wrap up of the hiking info i found about good local PA hiking as well as reports and pictures of the latest hikes. I hope to get to that in the next two days. For now –
Lucas on the Mason Dixon Trail - March 29, 2011Mason Dixon Trail - March 29, 2011
Not too bad after such a long break. My back has been killing me the past three days, but it felt a little better this morning and it is too gorgeous outside today to not take advantage!
I had one or two bad back moments in the run, but was able to find a decent posture and stride.
I ditched the old course today and started out towards the prettier areas. I did not get to the ridge lines and vistas with a 1.1 out and .7 back, but it was nice to go somewhere different.
It makes sense, but it is nice to experience how maintaining my floor ‘core’ exercises is paying off. I have kept to the twice a day inside exercise schedule and my legs and body (aside from back) felt great. My breath was good until about 1.7. That is an area where sticking to the schedule is going to be the only thing for improvement i believe.
I am going to have a little fashion show with my camera and the mirror soon to showcase the new hiking/running gear and you will see how i owed it to the clothes alone to get out there and rock !m/!
In the meantime, here’s Lucas on Saturday, killing a groundhog …
Lucas 876,945 - Groundhogs 0Lucas 876,945 - Groundhogs 0He is a silent killer, until the breaking of bones...
I did a decent amount of day-hiking (outside PA), but i did not do another overnight trip for the rest of Guthrey’s life. Some of it was circumstance and some of it was (deep seated, hard to access) fear.
As time passed, Jake surpassed me in many areas of hiking. Through his passion for hiking on the AT, and doing distance hiking, he learned much more about modern gear and its benefits. By 2006, he had hundreds of hiking miles under his belt and had hiked all of the AT in PA twice.
Jake, Nick, Lucas - Shrewsberry, PA, 2005
We decided to finally knock out the pesky little bit of trail that had been haunting me. We opted to take two cars and slack pack it as a long day hike instead of an out-and-back with an overnight. It was mostly a pretty walk through the woods. Lucas had a ball. I could remember the general area where i lost the trail the first time. We found the spring and the area where i pitched my tent on that first trip. And we walked on.
I learned that the AT through hikers don’t call it Rocksylvania for nothin’. The majority of the trail was rocks. Boulders would have been OK – something big where you could leap from one to the other. But these are a different sort. They range from grapefruit to basketball to suitcase sized with highly irregular shapes and many many pointy edges and spines. I think some folks call this ‘technical hiking’. You have to look down the whole time and there is no opportunity to develop a stride or a rhythm.
But, we enjoyed it all the same. And Jake is definitely the kind of guy you want to have around in these types of circumstances. He keeps a positive attitude through almost anything and helps me look around obstacles to the sunny side of things. I tend to hike a little faster than Jake, so Lucas spent much of his day in the middle. He would sniff my heels and pass me, then run back to check on Jake and walk with him for a while, then run back up to me.
Jake and Lucas - Best Buds
He did not understand switchbacks. He stood on the mountain side watching us go down in these zigzags and was confused. He ran up and down in a straight line. Check on Nick. Check on Jake. That was not his finest ‘Leave No Trace’ moment, but it was cute. (Spoiler alert – now, 5(ish) years later, Lucas has come to appreciate the switchback.)
Aside from having a good day of hiking, and spending time with two of my buddies in the woods, it was great to finally hike that trail. A part of me felt like i broke a magic spell. Not mystical like counteracting a curse or casting out a demon or anything so dramatic. Conquering a fear is probably better. It can be difficult to admit and talk about our fears, but i definitely carried some fear about hiking and about this trail for a long time. Mixed in with the fear was a hefty portion of guilt. Maybe i should have, but i did not know any better. I was not driving crazy, or as Jules would say, “the car didn’t hit no motherf$&*in’ bump!” But i did put my dog in the back of that truck and i was driving it when he almost died. That does not leave you – ever. I am still learning to make peace with that. I don’t think i will ever be “finished”.
Lucas at Springer - GA, 2009
Trying to take good care of Lucas, trying to be and stay more aware, and not letting fear keep me from things that i enjoy – these are steps i take to live with the fears and pain and guilt.
Me and Luc - Springer - 2009 (day hike to Termius, we did not finish the AT)Springer Mountain, GA - Southern Terminus of the AT
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Next Up – that is hard to nail down, but the Preamble is ‘over’ and we are working on leaving depresso boy in the dust and jumping forward to ‘now’ to talk about the hikes from two weeks ago and last week, some new maps, and some online resources. You still need to hear about my fancy new hikin’ pants.
