Tag: hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Idyllwild to Wrightwood
Pacific Crest Trail, Thru Hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Idyllwild to Wrightwood

Mile: 369.5

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The white bronco took another one of the hairpin turns at breakneck speed. The vehicle itself, which may have been held together by duct tape and paranoia, shrieked in protest as the driver gunned the engine and took another turn like he was in a car chase. Maybe he thought he was. No this isn’t OJ- this is D-Wayne. Not Dwayne. Not D. Wayne. D-Wayne.

“Is it Dwayne or Dee Wayne?”

“Yes.”

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D-Wayne was our driver, as he stopped at our extended thumbs and asked, “where yer heded?” We told him Big Bear, and we clambered into the front seat. Finna sat in the middle and could be seen trying to keep his body from flying side to side as D-Wayne floored the car around each corner.

” You know bout dem kim trails?”

As we are both hiking, and could barely understand the words coming out of this guys mouth, we assumed he was talking about some nature trail in the area, despite us telling him we were from across the country.

“No, whats that?”

“The damn white lines in the sky coming off dem planes! They got special aluminum in dem trails, so they can control the weather. Make it snow when it ain’t snow time, and make it hot when is ain’t supposed to be hot. Continue reading “Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Idyllwild to Wrightwood”

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Descent into Madness
Pacific Crest Trail, Thru Hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Descent into Madness

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Darwin passes 200 miles!

Tantalus stands in a pool of clear, sweet, water, in the shade of a fragrant fruit tree. He is racked with an insatiable hunger and is dying of thirst.  But, every time he stretches his boney fingers towards the tree or his cracked lips to the water, it moves just out of reach. As I made my way down the 167th switchback of Fuller Ridge, and I wasn’t halfway down yet, I understood Tantalus’ predicament- temptation without satisfaction. Continue reading “Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Descent into Madness”

Pacific Crest Trail, Thru Hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Bridge People

He sat in the dirt resting his back against a graffiti covered wall. Cleanliness had long since become a secondary thought, and a little dust would not make a difference anyway. Grime is caked upon his legs and face, and found comingling with the dried sweat on his shirt. Someone hands him a small plastic bottle of cheap tequila. He takes a swig without much thought and passes it on in a fog. Next to him, two bearded me in cotton sweat suites eat cold beans out of ziploc bags- with their hands.

It was about this time I contemplated if I was a hiker, or a homeless man lurking under a bridge in the desert. Choice- It is the only difference between a hiker and a bum, and maybe a $200 down jacket. Continue reading “Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Bridge People”

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Mexican Border to Idyllwild
Pacific Crest Trail, Thru Hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Mexican Border to Idyllwild

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On April 17, I began my Pacific Crest Trail thru hike. Traveling north from the Mexican border, I will reach Canada sometime in early September. I’m currently in a small town called Idyllwild, about 175 miles north of Mexico.

Mornings on the PCT begin when the sun rises. After wiping the condensation off my sleeping bag, I chow down on some protein bars, force down a liter of water, and start my day. The cold desert wind is advantageous hiking weather, so 10 miles before noon has become habitual. Continue reading “Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: Mexican Border to Idyllwild”

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: A Beginning to a Long Walk
Pacific Crest Trail, Thru Hiking

Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: A Beginning to a Long Walk

Mileage completed: 179 miles
Miles per day: 17.9 miles

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The journey began on April 17th, 2014. Finna, my hiking comrade, and I found ourselves in the shadow of the southern monument, buzzing with anticipation and excitement. I wanted to cry- or whoop for joy, but I couldn’t decide, so I just stood and smiled. My hand touched the cracked wood of the monument with the inscription “Pacific Crest Trail, Mexico to Canada” and it was finally real. After years of wanderlust and planning, I am where I should be. Its been said that passionate people give all of themselves to their dreams, so i started my 6 million step journey by jumping two feet in. I was all in, literally and metaphorically. So I began to walk and soon  realized that the green tunnels of the east were gone and a new challenge lay ahead. The trail is serpentine and it winds it’s way along the outside of most peaks like a constrictor suffocating it’s  next victim. It is gently graded and is certainly lacking in any real uphill climbs found every few miles on the AT. But, it has not been easy. The desert sun and heat are a formidable duo and I’m pretty sure they killed Shade, because it is not to be found for long tracts of trail. Water must be in the witness protection program because you can only find it in shady places or from a hose behind a general store.  Continue reading “Pacific Crest Trail Thru Hike: A Beginning to a Long Walk”

GEAR REVIEW: Warbonnet Traveler Hammock
Gear

GEAR REVIEW: Warbonnet Traveler Hammock

All you need is two trees!

Hammock Camping is still a relatively new trend in the outdoor world though it has really began to make a name for itself in the past few years. It certainly has its perks; Suspend above the rocky, uneven floor and pretty much camp anywhere (if there are trees of course). This versatility is, in my opinion, a hammocks best advantage. In terms of weight, hammocking MAY add a few ounces to your pack, but may also change the way you sleep outside. Or it might not, with the Warbonnet Traveler Hammock.

Relaxing in the hammock in Little Yosemite Valley
Relaxing in the hammock in Little Yosemite Valley

Continue reading “GEAR REVIEW: Warbonnet Traveler Hammock”

GEAR REVIEW: Montbell EX Light Down Jacket
Gear

GEAR REVIEW: Montbell EX Light Down Jacket

Montbell EX Light Down Jacket

 

OVERVIEW:

Function is Beauty. The phrase is as simply as the motto. It also encapsulates what we believe here at Trail Lives; Less is More. The Montbell EX Light down jacket is a bare bones insulation layer that uses some of the lightest materials in the market. It is the lightest down jacket we have tested and is competitive in price ($200), but a lack of durability and awkward fit are problematic with this jacket. Continue reading “GEAR REVIEW: Montbell EX Light Down Jacket”

Gear

GEAR REVIEW: Ultralight Adventure Equipment Circuit Backpack

OVERVIEW:

Here at Trail Lives, we absolutely love Cottage Gear Shops. Some of the best gear tested has come from these unlikely and relatively small companies, which are usually run by hikers like you and I. Founded in 2001 by a fellow thru hiker and located in Utah, Ultralight Adventure Equipment (ULA) offers some amazing ultralight gear, especially backpacks. Today, many consider ULA as cottage shop royalty, as their packs hold a standard of excellence by many long distance hikers. Within ULA packs, testers and ULA alike, report the Circuit as the most used on trail. I will be taking my ULA Circuit with my on my PCT Thru Hike this April.
Continue reading “GEAR REVIEW: Ultralight Adventure Equipment Circuit Backpack”