Day 15, Mile 260ish + 3 off trail - First things first last night was an indication that either i shouldn't sleep on concrete or i need a tighter fitting sleeping bag. I chose the Big Agnes "Lost Ranger" because although it is about a pound heavier then others its rated at 15deg and its wide in the shoulders and feet. It is not cut like your typical mummy bag which makes me sleep with my legs and arms crossed. Well guess what, last night i mostly slept as tight and as crossed up as i could get because i was freezing. So i would rather be not comfortable and warm then... wait warm is comfortable, well whatever i think i need a mummy type bag is what I'm saying especially heading into the sierra's. Got a late start this morning at about 830. Arrived at Big Bear Sports Ranch at just about 5. I had decided this morning that i would attempt to go off the trail for what seemed from the map to be about 3miles along Erwin ranch road. What ended up happening was that i took a jeep trail which took me 500ft higher then expected and i basically had to follow wild donkey trails to get back down. I felt like i was back at camp leading a "nature hike". Except i never fell on my face down one of the scree piles during those outings. My first fall of the trip, hopefully my last, falling with a pack on is no fun, probably funny to watch though. I made it to camp just in time. Walked up just as Janice(camp chef) was feeding a camp dog and getting ready to go home. That is what i love so far about the trail, the success of happenstance. Janice said Big Bear is full of hikers and she wondered when i would be coming through. Guess i caught up to the pack:\ Chuck(camp manager) reminded me i was 3 days early according to my schedule; got into Bobs a day early, left Bobs a day early and didn't go all the way into Big Bear proper trail wise cutting off half a day- i guess that's how i did that. Just got back from dinner with Janice, first Mexican food of the trail and it was delicious. OK i think i should end this novel of a post. Oh one more first of sorts. First time seeing a bear on the trail, a grizzly bear in fact, also two Siberian tigers. Not their native habitats i know; we got into it for a minute but i just used some Cesar Milan skills on them and they recognized my dominance. OK actually they were in cages they were too big for, off to the side of the trail in some wild animal training facility. I found out later the grizzly i saw killed a handler a couple weeks ago, you might have heard about it on the news-i didn't. Alright i will not add another chapter i promise. Song of the day "the gambler" by that one guy who owns the casinos with the big chip on the billboard... i think.
JWC on the PCT
Some thoughts before departure...
- I am still not a vet, doctor, lawyer, dog trainer, cia agent, fbi agent or a navy seal so...walk
- I am doing this for the challenge of course, and I hope to gain a confidence that comes with this type of endeavor. But also I hope to gain some new knowledge about the world and the truths that reside in it.
- Am I walking to "find myself"? Or just to take a walk. You decide...and you'll probably be right.
- I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I do have a lot of new great gear so....
- After living with my parents the last 2 years, it makes perfect sense to walk 2650 miles - alone.
- Yes there will be bears, cougars, rattlesnakes and scorpions both imagined and real along the way. I'm definitely more worried about those imagined.
- Am I scared? Not as of yet, more of just a constantly increasing anticipation. But check back with me on the 3rd night in the desert.
- I tried to keep my pack fairly light, but I definitely would not call it ultralight. Somehow when I added up all my ultralight gear and put it in my ultralight pack, I ended up with just slightly heavy.
- My biggest concern for this trip is that I get too hungry somewhere along the way, my brain goes awol as it usually does when I get hungry and subsequently you never hear from me again...I'll try to eat frequently.
- I am not Christopher McCandless. This is not Into the Wild.
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May
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- Finally arrived at Hiker Heaven
- A 30 mile day; holler, at, your boy
- I walked like a woman, for 5.5 miles
- Now this is hiking the PCT
- Live by the gear, die by the gear
- Wrightwood at the right time
- 1,570 calories in 20 minutes
- Hi my name is Jesse, and I am an Aguaholic
- Its Burnin Up, We on Fyyyaaah
- On the trail again...but not
- El Grande Oso
- Back to the back to the BBSRerR
- Coon Creek Creepy Cabin
- The Wind is No Longer My Friend
- The Durka Durka 5
- All's Well That Ends Well
- Back on the Trail
- "Some Pictures"
- The Concrete Jungle
- I like it when I'm fast
- Fast Times at Ridge-top High
- Just the Boost I Needed
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- The longest day
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7 comments:
Great memories you are gathering ,stay strong enjoy the H bergers
Great memories you are creating enjoy b safe
this blog doesn't seem to like me
b/c i couldnt figure out how to get my own account i will use danyeles...the distance you have already covered is impressive. however, you have made feel inferior. I jogged 2 miles at the gym then looked at your milage...and now i feel like i havent done a damn thing. i also feel like a chump for complaining about driving 20 miles to work.
anyway...very impressed
jarell
Jesse...I love reading your journal. I have always loved reading journals, but yours is expecially meaningful. I love your deep thoughts and your not so deep thoughts. You have a wonderful grasp of vocabulary and a very funny sense of humor. Have you considered becoming a photo/journalist and hiking the trails of the world? All of us who wanted to do what you are doing, but were either too chicken or too caught up in careers or children or relationships, love reading your insights and trying to imagine what you are seeing and experiencing. The moment when you cried out to God because of your sudden premonition that your Dad was dying, was so poignant that I cried. So you make us laugh and you make us cry and you expand our horizons! Love forever.....Andrea
Kenny Rogers sang The Gambler and Rooooo- ooby, Don't Take Yer Love To Town.
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