Hi Jon

Following your training hikes for future summits with interest. Gives me something to shoot for when my thru hike is over!

Completed the 566 mile leg from Mexico to Tehachapi on Friday. First 225 miles NOBO to mission creek past Whitewater at end of April, and the rest SOBO from Tehachapi starting end of May to where I got off trail after a taking off a few weeks back home.

It took two and a half days on public transport to get from Whitewater to Tehachapi. Whew! Staying at Hiker Hut with a Trail Angel. Tomorrow I’m picking up a 7 day dehydrated food resupply from the Post Office and headed toward Kennedy Meadows. I probably won’t make it all the way through the Sierra this time. Looks like many folks are opting to flip from there to Chester via Lone Pine due to dangerous river crossings. Not there yet but that’s what I’ll probably do also. 

Hi Jon

I decided to take a couple weeks off but have bought an Amtrak ticket to Tehachapi to get back on trail, traveling SOBO, to where I got off trail just north of Whitewater. I ran into a problem with the heat, and an energy depletion problem. I also have a couple of daughters with birthdays and a graduation next week, so the timing seems right.

I have also been tinkering with my diet and have added a couple of cold soak smoothies to keep me going. Easier to drink the nutrition I need. I field tested it on a 70 mile section of the Oregon Coast Trail last week. I caught the bus from union station to Warrenton on Monday and road walked over to the Peter Iredale and along the beach to Gearhart by sundown. On Tuesday I hiked over Tillamook Head, tons of blow down and washed out trail in several places, past Indian Point,  Ecola point and crescent beach and into Cannon Beach. Wednesday I followed the beach down to Arch Cape and then inland through Oswald West State Park and past Cape Falcon and Short Sand beach and up to Hwy 101. It was getting late by that time, about 7:30 and I still had 4-5 miles to get to Manzanita so I decided to forgo the pleasure of summiting neahkahnie and road walked to the Nehalem bay campground. Long day, about 24 miles. Finally on Thursday did a beach walk to the jetty at the mouth of Nehalem Bay and was lucky to catch a boat ride from Jetty Fishers, then walked the scenic railroad tracks to Manhattan beach for another stretch on the beach. Ran into a couple of biologists from PSU and Seaside aquarium dissecting a sea lion that had washed ashore overnight. They determined cause of death to be blunt force trauma and broken bones consistent with being rammed by a killer whale. Made it to Garibaldi by noon and caught the bus home.

Felt reinvigorated and rejuvenated!

Birthday and Graduation celebrations this week. Back on the PCT trail next week. If the Sierra are still gnarly in another month I may flip back up to Garibaldi when I get to I-10 and finish the coast before tackling NorCal or Washington in the Fall. 

Update. Arrived Idyllwild safe and sound today, April 19th. Put in a couple of 17 mile days back to back and legs feeling strong. I will take a zero tomorrow while I figure out how to continue without an ice axe and bypass the notorious “no fall” zone. There are some side trails that are being recommended and I plan to talk to the local outfitters about them tomorrow.

I shook paws with the “Mayor“ of idyllwild this evening. Such a sweet dog!

A couple of hikers from the Netherlands and I finished 152 miles at the same time and ate at the paradise valley cafe, best burgers on the PCT! We met a 92 year old self made millionaire there who took an interest in us and gave us a ride into Idyllwild and stopped by his ranch to show it to us on the way into town. All timber framing, s a ll the amenities, breathtaking. Pictures attached.

About 7 miles earlier we stopped for lunch at Mary’s place and I grabbed a video of her filling a 50 gallon drum of water she supplies to hikers in a dry 15 mile section of trail. I told her about KGW and she had no objections to sharing footage. Same with John Jones our ride to town. 

April 13, 2023 - Bob checks in (video update)

April 13, 2023 - Bob looks ahead to his PCT thru hike (interview took place on March 24 prior to his departure)

Jon

Quick update for you

I started from the Southern Terminus on schedule on April 6th and have been plodding along at a stately pace of about 11 miles per day for the past 7 days.

I am now taking a day off at the stagecoach resort by Sissors Crossing. Legs feel great but shoulders are a bit sore.

I have been hiking with a couple of others close to my age all the way so far. We take our time on the rocky ascents and descents to avoid blisters and twisted ankles as our bodies get acclimated to the terrain and the extra weight of water, food and gear.

I got a trail name on my second day at the PCT campsite at Lake Morena. I sauntered over to a group of a dozen or so party goers blasting music and laughing uproariously well past quiet hours. I told them at 12:30 there were PCT through hikers within earshot trying to get some much needed sleep. They broke their promise to tone it down and cranked up the music. So I went back at 1am and let them have it. I could hear clapping coming from some of the tents as I used my powers of persuasion with them. I may even have used some salty language to get them to break up the party! The next day someone characterized my efforts as Conan the Barbarian and recommended my trail name should be Conan.

I have met several trail angels who have made an impression on me. The first was at Lake Morena at the Malt Shop. She advised our group about the conditions down trail. Her trail name is Storm and she is a member of the PCT class of 2022 and several years ago was told she would never walk again.  Her favorite quote which is emblazoned on the back windshield says “They whispered to her, you cannot withstand the storm. She whispered back ‘I am the storm’”

Reached Julian early this afternoon after our longest hike so far of 14 miles, mostly down hill. We got a hitch into Julian with Rangel the Trail Angel who has a unique tattoo of a flying boot superimposed on the PCT logo on his leg. Extremely helpful at getting everyone acquainted with all the landmarks in Julian including mom’s pies and the post office.

I will be taking a day off at the Stagecoach Resort on April 13th before heading back on trail. I will be paying close attention to the snow reports for next week to determine next steps- whether to hike through deep snow or skip ahead.