As mentioned in previous post, thanks to Gary at REI, I decided to delay the full blown PCT hike for a year and to spend a year in training. There were 4 training walks that were memorable for one reason or another.
- From Hwy 8 to Mt. Laguna — Mile 30 to Mile 42: This was my first hike that was in full blown gear and I was going to go as far as I could and then camp and then return to where I started the next day. So I drove to where I wanted to start and got there pretty early; about 5 in the morning. It was 40 degrees with about a 20 mile per hour wind and it was raining. I sat in the car and had a long talk with myself. Various conversations about how the weather was not going to be perfect for every day of my walk, probably not even most, and therefore this was something I needed to experience. Thought of my Dad who had endured 3 years in a Japanese POW camp. Thought of Dad and how he always finished what he started. How in California he got the yard of our first house ready to plant lawn by preparing the soil 1 pitchfork at a time, over and over. How in Atlanta he finished our basement and had to put in a drain and broke through the cement floor by swinging a sledge hammer against that cement over and over. There were lots of thoughts of my Dad this day. Finally I got out the car and put on the rain gear (thanks Gary again) and started the hike. About 30 minutes into the hike, the rain turned to snow and then turned to hail. Again thoughts of Dad and just putting one foot in front of the other and keep going. How hard can it be. I was walking along and suddenly a thru hiker caught up to me. A young girl (in her 20’s) and she was soaked and in short pants. We talked a bit and then she bolted on to get to Mt. Laguna so she could get a hotel room for the night. This would have probably been her 2nd day on the trail. I never saw her again but she moved much faster than I was moving. Most people move much faster than I do. I’m a stroller. I was passed by probably 6 other hikers that day. This part of the trail is pretty much up hill all the way. 3000 foot gain in elevation. By the time I made it to Mt. Laguna I was totally exhausted. No way I was going to put up a tent. I went into town, stopped at the first place that looked to offer some place to stay and rented a cabin. Below is a picture of the scene when getting Mt. Laguna and the cabin I ended up renting for the night. I recalled the words of Gary at REI: “The PCT will kick your ass”. At this point it was definitely PCT:1 and Don:0. The next morning I got up early and went back (and gratefully down) to my starting point. I had no issues and felt great getting back to the car. On the way back I crossed the path of 100’s of people who were starting the trail. Turns out it was the 2014 Kick off day. One guy talking to me said “I’ll bet you came out here to get a little isolation. Not today”. I thought that the new boots solved the foot issue because me feet were fine. I thought wrong however and my feet were only fine after this hike because it was cold and swelling was minimized.
- From Mt. Laguna to Hwy 78 just west of Julian — Mile 42 to Mile 78: This was pretty much a full 2 day hike from where I left off at Mt. Laguna to the Hwy 78. A lot of up’s (3500 feet) and downs (7200 feet) and it was hot. I met 2 hikers during these two days as our paths keep crossing each other. We did not hike at the same rate or rest for the same amounts of time but it seemed to turn out that we kept on passing each other. They would walk faster and rest longer. I would walk slower and rest for shorter periods of time and so we just keep seeing each other. One of these guys is from Seattle and is a composer. He was walking the PCT to get recordings for the sounds on the PCT and was (and has now) composed music to go along with those sounds. Go check it out at: http://natevansmusic.com. Being from Seattle, Nat was not really ready for the heat of the desert and the constant need for water. By the end of the 2nd day both he and I were in pretty bad shape. He needed electrolytes and my feet had only one sensation ….. PAIN. Lenora picked us up, we went into Julian for dinner and about 5 gallons of water during the meal and Nat came home with us for some needed rest. The next morning I took him back to the trail and he continued and FINISHED. Nat and I helped each other that day. I think it is the type of thing that happens on the PCT all the time. A little research and I figured out I needed to have at least 1 extra size in the boot. Bought new boots of the right size (11.5) and have not had any issue with my feet since. Even though I was in pretty bad shape because of the feet, I figured it was a draw this time.
- From Warner Springs to Chihuahua Road — Mile 111 to Mile 127: If you remember from an earlier post, I had walked part of this before but without a full pack. This time I was actually going to go MUCH further than I ended up going but it turns out I was overly optimistic about the number of miles I could do. I realized I was not going to reach my destination and so stopped at Chihuahua road where Lenora could pick me up. So I walked for 1 day, camped out, and then started walking towards civilization along the road where Lenora could get me. Sounds easy enough doesn’t it. Turns out however that for some reason the maps have this location all wrong and the roads don’t go where they say they are going and are not named what they say they are named. At some point walking along the road I was in a valley and looking up way on the ridge I could see my car. I knew Lenora was trying to figure out where to go. I was jumping up and down and waving my hands but I was really too far way. I saw her pull out from the parking space and turn the other way. So I kept walking and about an hour and 2 miles later, I see Lenora coming back up the road. The really nice thing about this road, is at the civilization end of this road is a wonderful winery called Hawk Watch. A must go for anyone who likes wine. It was at this time however we realized we needed some way of communicating. There was NO telephone service in this area. Decision was sort-of kind-of made to get a satellite phone. Note: In February of 2015 a young man started walking the PCT Trail at Anza heading south towards the border. He was just out for a training walk as I had been. Something happened and he has not to this day been found. They found all his equipment at Chihuahua road but no other sign. They think he may have removed equipment and then tried to get elevation to get a phone signal. There is just nothing there as I mentioned. Pray for this young man: http://www.cbs8.com/story/28247958/search-terminated-for-missing-hiker
- From Kennedy Meadows North into High Sierra — Mile 702 to Mile 720: I had intended to go much further on this training hike. This was going to be a 5 day and 4 night hike from Kennedy Meadows to Lone Pine. However, I was way too optimistic at how many miles I could do at elevation. What a difference 7000 feet make. Going uphill constantly at elevation was something I did not do well at all. The first day I only made 9 miles and the next day about 11. There were two points when I called on God for some guidance. I had heard from Nat and others that Kennedy Meadows is the point where water is no longer an issue. There is water EVERYWHERE. I suspect that is true in June when Nat was hiking this area but in August in one of the driest years in California in the middle of a drought, there is NOT water everywhere. I packed as if there would be. I passed a stream early on and thought nothing of it and just kept walking to the next water point. It was dry, so on to the next water point, it was dry. Ok…. God, if you would like me to continue with this hike today could you please help me with the water situation. Not 200 yards further along the trail, 2 birds few right in front of my face and went down the valley into some bushes. I looked down and saw other birds there and realized they were probably after water as well. So I unloaded and climbed down to the bushes and on the other side of the brush was a pool of water and just above that another pool of water that was dripping into the lower one. There was no water above the upper pool and no water below the lower pool. Climbed back up to my pack, go all my water containers, and filled them with water. Thanks God. Towards the end of the second day, I am thinking that I am not making good enough progress to reach the goal where Lenora could pick me up. Ok… God, I’m not sure I can make it where I need to be in time. Wondering if you can give a sign about turning around. Not much further there is a giant tree that has fallen across the trail. I can’t get under it or go around it on either side. So off with the pack and I’m able to slide it under the tree and I can get over the tree and when I try to put the pack back on I just have a lot of trouble. Keeps getting caught on something. I start laughing and say OK, I guess this is sign enough. Slide the pack back under the tree, climb over, put pack on without issue, and start back towards Kennedy Meadows. Now we have an issue. Lenora does not expect to pick me up at Kennedy Meadows and of course there is no service and there is also no service at Kennedy Meadows and that satellite phone I talked about getting has not been gotten yet. I did and do have a Delorme InReach device which can send text messages but because of various issues those were not getting through either. Of dozens of messages I sent, Lenora got one which was “I’m turning around”. Of the multiple dozens of messages Lenora sent I got about five from five different devices and they all said “Are you getting my messages”. It is now hilarious but was maddening at the time. I got back to Kennedy Meadows the next day very late in the day and Lenora had decided she might as well see if I had meant turning back completely and so drove to Kennedy Meadows. As I was walking towards town (which isn’t much) on the main road (which isn’t much) and the sun was setting I see the car come over the hill. We hugged, we laughed, I now have a satellite phone.
