1. Tired yet?
2. What works and what doesn't so far? What is your most indispensible item? What have you discarded?
3. Is the hiking easier or more difficult than you imagined?
4. On a day to day basis, what do you think about most often? Burritos?
5. Rate the most danger you have experienced on a scale from 1 to 10...what was it?
6. Favorite part of the trail so far? Most disappointing?
7. What song is being replayed on your mental playlist as you hike?
8. If you had the choice between a hot shower, clean clothes or a bowl of ice cream, which would it be?
9. Have your goals changed since you started?
10. Best trail angel experience so far?
Great questions!
ReplyDeleteSome to add (for my curiosity, anyway)
11. what are you hearing about the snow crossings on the Sierra passes?
12. How are the water crossings so far?
13. Are you seeing any non-PCT'ers out there?
14. Mosquitoes?
In Colorado a few years back, Mark and I discovered that when hiking on a steep incline in gasp-inducing thin air, mosquitoes are a great motivator to keep moving, oxygen or no.
ReplyDeleteMichael, here's anwers to your questions.
ReplyDelete1. Yes
2. What works for me personally:
a. waking up early (5:00 a.m.)
b. "masochistic hiking" (hiking 2-3 hours without a break.
c. taking off socks and drying feet and socks whenever possible.
What does not work for me personally:
a. night hiking is a challenge for me
b. sleeping in
c. not taking time to have fun
3. It's easier now to do 20 miles a day. Before it seemed impossible.
4. Family,food,the future
5. Snow storm on Jacinto is still the most dangerous moment. I would rate it a 7.
6. Favorite part of the trail is still the descent off Jacinto into the desert windfarm area. I was still on a nature high at that point. Most dissapointing was probably having to hike on miles of dirt roads in the Mojave. I was hoping it would be more of a trail.
7. None, I have an MP3 player to play music
8. ice cream
9. Goal has slowly shifted from having to hike 18 miles a day to 22 miles a day in order to finish on time.
10. Best trail angel experience was when a man and women stopped and gave us sodas and an ice cold towel to wipe our faces. I was really craving soda at the time and it was really hot out. Unexpected trail magic is the best kind.
Robin,
11. From what I've read in some trail journals, hikers are relying on map and compass skills, aiming for the snow covered passes and trudging through snow and up and over.
12. So far, water has been scarce and no problem crossing streams. I heard it's impossible to cross the stream to the Muir Ranch hot springs at the moment.
13. We've seen day and section hikers from time to time although not very often.
14. Mosquitos, not so much. Biting flys and horseflys, lots.