Chicago

I'm in Chicago right now. Flew to DC, got a free truck from my sister, drove to NYC, saw Times Square with its new pedestrian-friendly stuff, tons of new bike lanes and the new Highline Park, crossed the AT at Delaware Water Gap, went to the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, and now I'm in Chicago. Headed west again soon, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow. Truck has worked well so far, knock on wood.

Gibberish?

For some reason one of my sms posts came out gibberish. What it should have said was "Did 40 today, and I feel great. Must be because I did 3 of them naked. Fun to do the big miles because I want to and not because I have to. 14 to agua dulce and hiker heaven."

I am in Agua Dulce now, and hence the complaining about the lack of copious quantities of chocolate milk for sale. But I am in heaven at Hiker Heaven, so all is well.

Why does no one ever have more than a pint of chocolate milk whenever i am ready to bong at least a quart?

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First day of summer, you know what that means: happy hike naked day everyone!

hey em. i don't have your phone number, but yes i would be interested in buying your truck, assuming it would make it back to cali and pass smog.

Either i'm losing weight or my waistband is stretching. Finally new non.road shoes make 22mile waterless climb from 3k to 8k go great. in a.d. Late monday?

For Now

I'm going to hike out of here and do the 110 miles to Agua Dulce. Then I'm going to hitch to Kennedy Meadows, and then as soon as I think I can start the High Route (i.e., enough snow has melted) I'm going to do that, then the eastern half of the Tahoe Rim Trail, and then I'll probably stop in Truckee.

Is anybody selling a light Toyota 4x4 for under $4000?

Just thought i'd add that i have 11 blisters. They build character.

El Cajon

I'm at El Cajon pass, mile 344 (according to my old 2004 data book, which is where all my data comes from.) I didn't like the hot low (3,000' to 4000') stuff today, but it went fast--I did 35 by 7 and have been in town for a while. I was kind of thinking of hitching to Agua Dulce, because I think there are several sections of trail not worth repeating between here and Kennedy Meadows, but the San Gabes coming up are actually pretty cool (except for the climb to get into them, and then the drop out of them into Agua Dulce). I'm too tired to think straight. I doubt my plan B (walking to Berkeley) will work, because (a)I don't think there's that much room to make stuff up between here and Kennedy Meadows, and (b) I've already done the Western States 100 course, which is a lot of fire road, then Auburn to Sacto and Sacto to the bay would be a lot of pavement, which doesn't seem appealing. Who knows. Maybe I'll end up in New Zealand or Iceland. Maybe I'll do Canada's Great Divide Trail. What's it like in NZ in winter? Anyway, as long as I don't pay rent for June and July, I will have succeed in my mind. I felt for a minute today that I had found a pet stray dog. That would've been cool, but it ran away. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

14 left to i15. 95 degrees at silverwood lake. Would love to swim but shoreline totally gross.

After big bushwhack, back on trail, night at deep creek hot springs, to el cajon tonight. Loved made up route, repeating official route still not my thing.

Just now xing hwy 18. Got pizza, slept in ditch last night. Hiking random fs trails is like a box of chocolates, except you always know it'll be unmantained.

Trail magic from new conservancy that used to be hiker-hating trout farm. Almost out of san gorgonio, back on pct by tonight? Could really use a knee brace.

Water fountain before i10. N on pct for 35, san gorg's, should x hwy 38 @ angelus oaks. Waitress in idyllwild totally cute, got nowhere. Met trailwork master PF

The Record Attempt

If you'd like to follow the speed record attempt that continues without me, look for Krudmeister on trailjournals.com. I wish both of them the absolute best of luck.

The Plan, for Today at Least

I'm in Idyllwild. I climbed San Jacinto this morning. I came down to buy a San Bernardino NF map. I'm headed back up, across the freeway, and then will leave the PCT and do the coolest part of the San Gorgonio Wilderness-something a friend called "9 Peaks." Basically, I've done the PCT before, and my heart wasn't in it for a record attempt. I really like navigation and exploration and seeing new things. I'm kind of thinking about this: keep finding alternates as I head north on/near the PCT to Kennedy Meadows (anybody know of others after San Gorg?), then take the High Sierra Trail down to Cedar Grove, get a permit to do the Sierra High Route to Twin Lakes, take the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail to the Tahoe Rim Trail, go around the east side of Lake Tahoe, briefly get back on the PCT, but then take the Western States/American Discovery Trail west through Foresthill, Auburn, Sacto, and right on back to Berkeley. I don't know if I'll pull that off (I need maps, my larger pack, and my ice axe for the Sierra stuff, and I might be early for when I'd like to do the SHR) but I love making up my own route, and I love flying by the seat of my pants. I do wish I'd brought a radio though.

Well, i only did 30 today, so i guess that means i'm out. But i guess that also means i get to climb san jacinto tomorrow. After that, we'll see.

Pines to palms. Camera broken maybe.

Dude laid down the law today, i just barely held on. Feel good at the end of each day, but during is killer. SHR, trt instead? 152.

128 in 3. The cache is good, big haul from here . Sunny, not nearly as hot as it could be. go-lite: put stronger rods in your umbrella!

Gigantic load, tiny pack. Next stop, del taco.

ipod trail magic baby! Found my second shuffle on the road today. Too bad it's smashed.

Around 90 miles in 48 hours.

Time to make the donuts. Not sure my heart is in this. I've done the pct before, and i miss navigation and exploration.

Would kill for vaseline right about now, otherwise making ok time.

is Circuitous spelled with a q? Probably.

Fast short day. Rattler1. Circuitous.

Again, From My Phone

Testing sending pics. Goodbye Marcus. Maybe I'll come visit you in Siberia in a year.