Donnerstag, Juni 01, 2006
day 37, May 30th
Resupply day in Mojave
Again we tried our luck with hitching. At 6.15 a.m. I stood there holding up the PCT bandana which sais "Hiker to town", Carsten poked his thumb out, so it was unmisakebly clear what our intrension was: to get to town! We were surely getting hungry and in our minds the pancake stakes grew in size and number.
After like half and hour I started getting angry, so many big and empty cars passing by, the drivers either ignoring us or driving slower in order to read what the bandana says but not stopping.
It was cold outside and we were hungry so when eventually a two seater pick-up slowed down I couldn't believe that he actually did stop! Our breakfast wasn't to be a phantasy any more :-) We hopped onto the open trunk and there we went - finally!
On the way to the diner we ran into Krispie, The Jannetor and Bams and they told us about how difficult their hitching was. Dr. Tart got really angry, too, and they have it on tape.
After a shower in their room Dr. Bob and his wife showed up and gave us two big bags full of snacks, sweets and other treats! It was like Christmas, we were all foraging through these goodies and picked out items. So Dr. Bob gave away all this stuff because he and his wife had decided to stop their hike. He had done it before
and this time he felt it was too much. He is 69. On the PCT-L he had conducted some interesting interviews and it was so good to again meet someone from the list. Well, he has made some hikers happy with the food.
Oh, Inaki, now named Rainskirt showed up. He changed into his silnylon skirt to do his laundry and for me he looked more like a gladiator.
After that we moved to Motel 6 where we are now, sharing a room. Funnily next door there were Restless Wind's and Twisted Sister's shoes. So soon after there were PCTers in front of the rooms chatting, eating.
We did our food shopping tour, at the post office we met more hikers. To be in a foreign town and to meet people you know, nice.
Carsten lays on the bed next to me but still on his belly. Hope he will be able to sleep in the bed tonight. ¶ 09:59 0 comments
Again we tried our luck with hitching. At 6.15 a.m. I stood there holding up the PCT bandana which sais "Hiker to town", Carsten poked his thumb out, so it was unmisakebly clear what our intrension was: to get to town! We were surely getting hungry and in our minds the pancake stakes grew in size and number.
After like half and hour I started getting angry, so many big and empty cars passing by, the drivers either ignoring us or driving slower in order to read what the bandana says but not stopping.
It was cold outside and we were hungry so when eventually a two seater pick-up slowed down I couldn't believe that he actually did stop! Our breakfast wasn't to be a phantasy any more :-) We hopped onto the open trunk and there we went - finally!
On the way to the diner we ran into Krispie, The Jannetor and Bams and they told us about how difficult their hitching was. Dr. Tart got really angry, too, and they have it on tape.
After a shower in their room Dr. Bob and his wife showed up and gave us two big bags full of snacks, sweets and other treats! It was like Christmas, we were all foraging through these goodies and picked out items. So Dr. Bob gave away all this stuff because he and his wife had decided to stop their hike. He had done it before
and this time he felt it was too much. He is 69. On the PCT-L he had conducted some interesting interviews and it was so good to again meet someone from the list. Well, he has made some hikers happy with the food.
Oh, Inaki, now named Rainskirt showed up. He changed into his silnylon skirt to do his laundry and for me he looked more like a gladiator.
After that we moved to Motel 6 where we are now, sharing a room. Funnily next door there were Restless Wind's and Twisted Sister's shoes. So soon after there were PCTers in front of the rooms chatting, eating.
We did our food shopping tour, at the post office we met more hikers. To be in a foreign town and to meet people you know, nice.
Carsten lays on the bed next to me but still on his belly. Hope he will be able to sleep in the bed tonight. ¶ 09:59 0 comments
Tag 36 - 29.Mai - Meile 558,3
Hallo zusammen,
heute haben wir uns 20 Meilen weit gequaelt, wobei der Trail eigentlich gar nicht so schwer war. Alina war ein bisschen unfit und ich bin total uebernaechtigt, da meine Rueckenschmerzen mich nicht schlafen lassen.
Irgendwie sind wir dann aber genau an dem Highway gelandet ueber den man nach Mojave reintrampt, um den Mailbox-Resupply fuer die Sierra zu machen. Wir waren total platt, aber trotzdem frueh dran und wollten dann eigentlich reintrampen und zur Erholung ein Zimmer nehmen. Pustekuchen! Von 16-18 Uhr standen wir erfolglos an der Strasse. Wir haben uns jetzt in der Naehe der Strassse ein Paetzchen gesucht und versuchen unser Glueck morgen frueh. Gegen 9 Uhr sind wir naemlich mit anderen Hikern zum Fruehstueck verabredet :-)
Wuestig war es heute mit ordentlichen Steigungen und Navigations-chaos, weil Motocrossfahrer hier in der Gegend kreuz und quer fahren und man manchmal nicht recht wusste, ob man noch auf dem Trail war. Alina hat uns da aber sehr gut durchgelotst.
Wir sind jetzt noch nicht sicher, was wir machen, wenn wir in Mojave sind. Klar muessen wir unseren Kram erledigen, auf der anderen Seite braucht der kleine Carsten vielleicht doch noch einen Ruhetag mehr fuer seinen Ruecken.
Wir halten Euch auf dem Laufenden.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:58 0 comments
heute haben wir uns 20 Meilen weit gequaelt, wobei der Trail eigentlich gar nicht so schwer war. Alina war ein bisschen unfit und ich bin total uebernaechtigt, da meine Rueckenschmerzen mich nicht schlafen lassen.
Irgendwie sind wir dann aber genau an dem Highway gelandet ueber den man nach Mojave reintrampt, um den Mailbox-Resupply fuer die Sierra zu machen. Wir waren total platt, aber trotzdem frueh dran und wollten dann eigentlich reintrampen und zur Erholung ein Zimmer nehmen. Pustekuchen! Von 16-18 Uhr standen wir erfolglos an der Strasse. Wir haben uns jetzt in der Naehe der Strassse ein Paetzchen gesucht und versuchen unser Glueck morgen frueh. Gegen 9 Uhr sind wir naemlich mit anderen Hikern zum Fruehstueck verabredet :-)
Wuestig war es heute mit ordentlichen Steigungen und Navigations-chaos, weil Motocrossfahrer hier in der Gegend kreuz und quer fahren und man manchmal nicht recht wusste, ob man noch auf dem Trail war. Alina hat uns da aber sehr gut durchgelotst.
Wir sind jetzt noch nicht sicher, was wir machen, wenn wir in Mojave sind. Klar muessen wir unseren Kram erledigen, auf der anderen Seite braucht der kleine Carsten vielleicht doch noch einen Ruhetag mehr fuer seinen Ruecken.
Wir halten Euch auf dem Laufenden.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:58 0 comments
day 35, May 28th
Aquaeduct day, 20 miles
Today we started later than usual. But it took a while until we hikers got ready, had breakfast (Bob, the caretaker even cooked coffee and offered us hardboiled eggs from his for sure very happy free living chicken), packed, called home, the audio blogger (so you can hear our voices), took group pictures and then some more with our packs on. It felt so late but it was only 8.40 a.m.
Today's section would have been one of the hottest but we were spared this experience so we carried just a normal amount of water. We were led along the Los Angeles Aqueduct which takes water to this big city. For about 16 miles the trail was flat, broad and we had excellent views. Joshua Trees grow in big amounts in this area, they look like huge cactus with many hairy arms.
This trail section was perect to hike in a group because we could all walk next to each other so Ladybug, Heike, Rolling Thunder and I were almost always engaged in a conversation.
At lunchtime Heike noticed that she had forgotten her alcohol bladder. Oh boy what to do? So Carsten sugested that she simply try to hitch a ride with one of the motor cross bike riders. And guess what she got a ride!
Before she left she was asked to please bring along Coke. And as she returned we all cheered and happily drank the soda.
Carrsten's back is doing better but when it comes to lying down and sleeping he is in pain. Not good. ¶ 09:56 0 comments
Today we started later than usual. But it took a while until we hikers got ready, had breakfast (Bob, the caretaker even cooked coffee and offered us hardboiled eggs from his for sure very happy free living chicken), packed, called home, the audio blogger (so you can hear our voices), took group pictures and then some more with our packs on. It felt so late but it was only 8.40 a.m.
Today's section would have been one of the hottest but we were spared this experience so we carried just a normal amount of water. We were led along the Los Angeles Aqueduct which takes water to this big city. For about 16 miles the trail was flat, broad and we had excellent views. Joshua Trees grow in big amounts in this area, they look like huge cactus with many hairy arms.
This trail section was perect to hike in a group because we could all walk next to each other so Ladybug, Heike, Rolling Thunder and I were almost always engaged in a conversation.
At lunchtime Heike noticed that she had forgotten her alcohol bladder. Oh boy what to do? So Carsten sugested that she simply try to hitch a ride with one of the motor cross bike riders. And guess what she got a ride!
Before she left she was asked to please bring along Coke. And as she returned we all cheered and happily drank the soda.
Carrsten's back is doing better but when it comes to lying down and sleeping he is in pain. Not good. ¶ 09:56 0 comments
Tag 34 - 27.5.
Hallo zusammen,
kleines Update aus der Wueste. Mein Ruecken ist immer noch richtig schlecht, aber mit Iboprofen ging es dann doch irgendwann 18 Meilen bis Nach Hikertown. Hier stellt mal wieder jemand sein Haus fuer Hiker zur Verfuegung. Wir waren auch schon frueh da und nutzen die Zeit, um auszuruhen.
Die Wueste bzw. das wuestenahnliche Gebiet praesentierte sich heute zunaechst mit Temperaturen um die 0 Grad (kein Tippfehler) sowie Hagel und hohen Windstaerken.
Gestern haben wir ganz nebenbei die 500 Meilen-Grenze ueberschritten und mussten von Dr.Tart erfahren, dass er einen Puma gesehen hat, was alle Hiker irgendwie nervoes gemacht hat.
Gestern haben wir uns ganz clever ganz exponiert auf einer Ridge breitgemacht und hatten dann mitten in der Nacht (wir hatten mal wieder kein Zelt aufgebaut) ein bisschen Angst, dass uns a)der Wind von der Ridge pustet und es b)am besten zusaetzlich anfaengt zu regnen.
Morgen laufen wir relativ gemuetlich 20 Meilen Richtung Mojave/Tehachipi wo wir auch erst am Dienstag sein muessen, weil Montag wegen Memorial Day geschlossen haben.
Die Bude ist voll mit Hikern und wir schaun einen Film nach dem anderen bevor wir dann irgendwann schlafen gehen.
Anyway, wir sehn uns morgen.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:55 0 comments
kleines Update aus der Wueste. Mein Ruecken ist immer noch richtig schlecht, aber mit Iboprofen ging es dann doch irgendwann 18 Meilen bis Nach Hikertown. Hier stellt mal wieder jemand sein Haus fuer Hiker zur Verfuegung. Wir waren auch schon frueh da und nutzen die Zeit, um auszuruhen.
Die Wueste bzw. das wuestenahnliche Gebiet praesentierte sich heute zunaechst mit Temperaturen um die 0 Grad (kein Tippfehler) sowie Hagel und hohen Windstaerken.
Gestern haben wir ganz nebenbei die 500 Meilen-Grenze ueberschritten und mussten von Dr.Tart erfahren, dass er einen Puma gesehen hat, was alle Hiker irgendwie nervoes gemacht hat.
Gestern haben wir uns ganz clever ganz exponiert auf einer Ridge breitgemacht und hatten dann mitten in der Nacht (wir hatten mal wieder kein Zelt aufgebaut) ein bisschen Angst, dass uns a)der Wind von der Ridge pustet und es b)am besten zusaetzlich anfaengt zu regnen.
Morgen laufen wir relativ gemuetlich 20 Meilen Richtung Mojave/Tehachipi wo wir auch erst am Dienstag sein muessen, weil Montag wegen Memorial Day geschlossen haben.
Die Bude ist voll mit Hikern und wir schaun einen Film nach dem anderen bevor wir dann irgendwann schlafen gehen.
Anyway, wir sehn uns morgen.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:55 0 comments
day 34, May 27th
Hikertown, 18 miles
We woke up this morning to very unwellcoming temperatures considering that we are in the desert. 0'C, and then the still strong wind gusts didn't want us to leave our sleeping bags. Carsten didn't sleep much anyway, couldn't find any position that didn't hurt.
We had hail and we were cold, can you imagine? Now that we are at "Hikertown", another place where hikers can take a refuge, temperatures are still freezing. At least we won't have to cary much water.
Here we are at Hikertown now with many others, watching movies non stop and having a good time.
Carsten could rest a little more. Monday is Memorial Day and all stores will be closed so there was no reason to put in more miles today, especially since Hikertown was so convinientely right on the trail.
Don't know when we can go to bed since everybody is still up and talking and since we are crammed in two small rooms. Oh, Carsten managed to fall asleep in spite of the high volume of the TV.
Good night
Oh, PS:
Dr. Tart had a mountain lion encounter yesterday. We all knew they are there, but to actually see one...they are no little cats who like to play. ¶ 09:54 0 comments
We woke up this morning to very unwellcoming temperatures considering that we are in the desert. 0'C, and then the still strong wind gusts didn't want us to leave our sleeping bags. Carsten didn't sleep much anyway, couldn't find any position that didn't hurt.
We had hail and we were cold, can you imagine? Now that we are at "Hikertown", another place where hikers can take a refuge, temperatures are still freezing. At least we won't have to cary much water.
Here we are at Hikertown now with many others, watching movies non stop and having a good time.
Carsten could rest a little more. Monday is Memorial Day and all stores will be closed so there was no reason to put in more miles today, especially since Hikertown was so convinientely right on the trail.
Don't know when we can go to bed since everybody is still up and talking and since we are crammed in two small rooms. Oh, Carsten managed to fall asleep in spite of the high volume of the TV.
Good night
Oh, PS:
Dr. Tart had a mountain lion encounter yesterday. We all knew they are there, but to actually see one...they are no little cats who like to play. ¶ 09:54 0 comments
day 33, May 26th
Day of the 500st mile
Somehow we managed to leave the Andersons, in fact Terry drove us to the trail head. After like 10 min I noticed I had forgotten my camera at their house...what a bummer! Oh well, my fault. My bad conscience for making Terry come out a second time was cut in half as the Andersons took a couple of hikers out to slackpack.
All in all we started hiking rather late.
We crossed the 500st mile border though. That was something:-) and we hiked until sunset to make up for the late start.
The ridge where we camped proved to be totally exposed to wind (nothing else available), that is, the night was really, really stormy and cold. ¶ 09:53 0 comments
Somehow we managed to leave the Andersons, in fact Terry drove us to the trail head. After like 10 min I noticed I had forgotten my camera at their house...what a bummer! Oh well, my fault. My bad conscience for making Terry come out a second time was cut in half as the Andersons took a couple of hikers out to slackpack.
All in all we started hiking rather late.
We crossed the 500st mile border though. That was something:-) and we hiked until sunset to make up for the late start.
The ridge where we camped proved to be totally exposed to wind (nothing else available), that is, the night was really, really stormy and cold. ¶ 09:53 0 comments
day 32, May 25th
Another day at the Andersons
Carsten's back is still causing him pain but every now and then he actually can sit down. So we hope that maybe tomorrow we can continue.
In the meantime we are having fun with all the other hikers who showed up yesterday and with the Andersons.
3 Gallons (he carried 3 gallons of water the very first day) did something amazing. He drank one gallon of milk and kept it down! Crispie lost 50 $ and it was incredible to watch. He did feel uneasy at the very end and everybody had cleared the projectile way...for just in case.
A couple of hikers prepare to leave, wonder who will arrive today. ¶ 09:52 0 comments
Carsten's back is still causing him pain but every now and then he actually can sit down. So we hope that maybe tomorrow we can continue.
In the meantime we are having fun with all the other hikers who showed up yesterday and with the Andersons.
3 Gallons (he carried 3 gallons of water the very first day) did something amazing. He drank one gallon of milk and kept it down! Crispie lost 50 $ and it was incredible to watch. He did feel uneasy at the very end and everybody had cleared the projectile way...for just in case.
A couple of hikers prepare to leave, wonder who will arrive today. ¶ 09:52 0 comments
Tag 32 - 25.05. - Gesundheitliche Probleme
Hmmhh....
seit gestern haengen wir bei den Andersons fest. Das hat eine gute und eine schlechte Seite. Die gute Seite ist, dass die Andersons Trailangels mit einer ganz besonderen Art Humor sind und wir eine Menge Spass mit Ihnen und anderen Hikern haben.
Die schlechte Seite ist, dass wir gezwungenermassen hier 2 Zero-Days einlegen muessen. Mein Ischias-Nerv ist derart gereizt, dass an normales weiterwandern nicht zu denken war. Es fing vorgestern Abend an weh zu tun und war gestern frueh so schlimm, dass wir uns fuer einen Arztbesuch entschieden haben. Gluecklicherweise waren wir noch in Reichweite der Andersons, sodass Sie wir lediglich 2 Meilen zur naechsten Strasse zuruecklaufen mussten, um aufgesammelt zu werden. Wir wurden sogar zu einem Chiropraktiker gefahren, der mich dann verarztet hat. Heute bleiben wir noch hier und hoffentlich geht es morgen dann weiter.
Spass! Ich war in den letzten Tagen nicht zu fleissig, was das Tagebuch angeht und muss jetzt noch ein paar Sachen nachtragen.
In Aqua Dulce haette Heike aus Berlin um ein Haar die One Gallon Milk Gallon Challenge geschafft. Knapp 4 Liter Milch sind hierbei in 1 Stunde zu trinken und danach muss die Milch weitere 10 Minutem im Koerper bleiben...4 Minuten vor Schluss ist dann leider eine ganze Menge Milch wieder vorne rausgekommen.
Heute hat es aber bei den Andersons tatsaechlich jemand geschafft. 3-Gallons hat eine sehr ueberzeugende Vorstellung abgeliefert und in meinen Augen fast souveraen die 4 Liter hinuntergespuelt.
Heute gab es fuer alle Nichtmilchtrinker ein leckeres Pancake-Breakfast und jetzt ruhen wir uns den ganzen Tag aus in der Hoffnung, dass morgen wieder alles klar ist.
Nachher wieder mehr.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:50 0 comments
seit gestern haengen wir bei den Andersons fest. Das hat eine gute und eine schlechte Seite. Die gute Seite ist, dass die Andersons Trailangels mit einer ganz besonderen Art Humor sind und wir eine Menge Spass mit Ihnen und anderen Hikern haben.
Die schlechte Seite ist, dass wir gezwungenermassen hier 2 Zero-Days einlegen muessen. Mein Ischias-Nerv ist derart gereizt, dass an normales weiterwandern nicht zu denken war. Es fing vorgestern Abend an weh zu tun und war gestern frueh so schlimm, dass wir uns fuer einen Arztbesuch entschieden haben. Gluecklicherweise waren wir noch in Reichweite der Andersons, sodass Sie wir lediglich 2 Meilen zur naechsten Strasse zuruecklaufen mussten, um aufgesammelt zu werden. Wir wurden sogar zu einem Chiropraktiker gefahren, der mich dann verarztet hat. Heute bleiben wir noch hier und hoffentlich geht es morgen dann weiter.
Spass! Ich war in den letzten Tagen nicht zu fleissig, was das Tagebuch angeht und muss jetzt noch ein paar Sachen nachtragen.
In Aqua Dulce haette Heike aus Berlin um ein Haar die One Gallon Milk Gallon Challenge geschafft. Knapp 4 Liter Milch sind hierbei in 1 Stunde zu trinken und danach muss die Milch weitere 10 Minutem im Koerper bleiben...4 Minuten vor Schluss ist dann leider eine ganze Menge Milch wieder vorne rausgekommen.
Heute hat es aber bei den Andersons tatsaechlich jemand geschafft. 3-Gallons hat eine sehr ueberzeugende Vorstellung abgeliefert und in meinen Augen fast souveraen die 4 Liter hinuntergespuelt.
Heute gab es fuer alle Nichtmilchtrinker ein leckeres Pancake-Breakfast und jetzt ruhen wir uns den ganzen Tag aus in der Hoffnung, dass morgen wieder alles klar ist.
Nachher wieder mehr.
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:50 0 comments
day 31, May 24th
Andersons day
Carsten's back pain this morning was even worse in spite of another Ibuprofen and 2 Aspirin. Still I had to convince him to return and to call the Andersons. Yeah, right, walk in pain I was telling him. He couldn't sit, he still can't. He HAS to see a doctor.
So Joe and Terry picked us up and here we are at Casa de Luna. Terry said we did it the hard way...we could have actually easily stopped at their house but we wanted to do miles. As you see we were meant to come here.
Terry and Joe really are fun and they have three big dogs :-) Terry has many talents, she has just cut Heike's hair who decided to stay one more day.
We'll soon leave for the city, Joe's errands, lunch and the doctor. ¶ 09:49 0 comments
Carsten's back pain this morning was even worse in spite of another Ibuprofen and 2 Aspirin. Still I had to convince him to return and to call the Andersons. Yeah, right, walk in pain I was telling him. He couldn't sit, he still can't. He HAS to see a doctor.
So Joe and Terry picked us up and here we are at Casa de Luna. Terry said we did it the hard way...we could have actually easily stopped at their house but we wanted to do miles. As you see we were meant to come here.
Terry and Joe really are fun and they have three big dogs :-) Terry has many talents, she has just cut Heike's hair who decided to stay one more day.
We'll soon leave for the city, Joe's errands, lunch and the doctor. ¶ 09:49 0 comments
30.Tag - 23. Mai - Meile 488
Hallo zusammen,
24 Meilen sind wir heute gelaufen und hatten dabei etwas Glueck. Eigentlich sind wir schon im heissesten Gebiet des PCT, aber das Wetter war die letzten 2 Tage regnerisch und so waren die Temperaturen moderat.
Wir haetten heute auch schon wieder bei Trail Angeln uebernachten koennen, haben uns diesmal aber fuers Wandern entschieden.
Nichtsdestotrotz sind wir den Andersons sehr dankbar, da sie neben den Annehmlichkeiten in ihrem Haus auch ein grosses Trailareal mit sogenannten Water-Caches bestueckt. Caches sind Wasserlager an Orten wo uns Hikern normalerweise das Wasser ausgeht, wen wir nicht gerade 10 Literschleppen wollen.
Auf der Ridge konnten wir schon einmal einen Blick auf die Mojave-Wueste werfen, die wir in den naechsten Tagen streifen.
Es ist zwar erst 19.30, aber wir sind hundemuede und ich habe so starke Rueckenschmerzen bekommen, dass ich mir etwas Vitamin I, also Ibuprofen, gegoennt habe.
Sollten wir morgen 30 Meilen laufen koennen, dann waeren wir schon wieder in Trailangelschlagweite. Eine Dusche waer mal wieder ganz OK,
bis morgen also
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:48 0 comments
24 Meilen sind wir heute gelaufen und hatten dabei etwas Glueck. Eigentlich sind wir schon im heissesten Gebiet des PCT, aber das Wetter war die letzten 2 Tage regnerisch und so waren die Temperaturen moderat.
Wir haetten heute auch schon wieder bei Trail Angeln uebernachten koennen, haben uns diesmal aber fuers Wandern entschieden.
Nichtsdestotrotz sind wir den Andersons sehr dankbar, da sie neben den Annehmlichkeiten in ihrem Haus auch ein grosses Trailareal mit sogenannten Water-Caches bestueckt. Caches sind Wasserlager an Orten wo uns Hikern normalerweise das Wasser ausgeht, wen wir nicht gerade 10 Literschleppen wollen.
Auf der Ridge konnten wir schon einmal einen Blick auf die Mojave-Wueste werfen, die wir in den naechsten Tagen streifen.
Es ist zwar erst 19.30, aber wir sind hundemuede und ich habe so starke Rueckenschmerzen bekommen, dass ich mir etwas Vitamin I, also Ibuprofen, gegoennt habe.
Sollten wir morgen 30 Meilen laufen koennen, dann waeren wir schon wieder in Trailangelschlagweite. Eine Dusche waer mal wieder ganz OK,
bis morgen also
Carsten und Alina ¶ 09:48 0 comments
day 30, May 23rd
Ridge to close to road 7N01, 24 miles
One full month!
As I started the mail I realized that we completed our first month on the trail! Wow, time flies.
The trail lead us today around many green hills . One highlight was the Anderson's Oasis cache where they have a cooler with beer and soda, a couple of comfortable chairs, a pink flamingo (you've made it to the oasis) and a skeletton (sorry, you're out of luck). (my interpretations)
Carsten's back is hurting him pretty bad. He'll take one Vit. I (= Ibuprofen), ours have a high dosis and I hope the muscles will relax until tomorrow.
I had a very strange pain in my operated knee today, only for a short stretch and only when walking downhill, it felt as when the hoses are being pulled out after the operation. I'm so happy it went away after a break.
Oh, this morning we ran into Giddy-up again, who had left yeastrday about 2 hours ahead of us. It is already the third time that he gets out of a car right when we show up at the road, it was funny.
While I write our journal we lay on a soft layer of pine needles obviously under pine trees and the sun sets slowly. I think today we won't have any problems with condensation (this morning the tarp and the sleeping bags were soaked). ¶ 09:46 0 comments
One full month!
As I started the mail I realized that we completed our first month on the trail! Wow, time flies.
The trail lead us today around many green hills . One highlight was the Anderson's Oasis cache where they have a cooler with beer and soda, a couple of comfortable chairs, a pink flamingo (you've made it to the oasis) and a skeletton (sorry, you're out of luck). (my interpretations)
Carsten's back is hurting him pretty bad. He'll take one Vit. I (= Ibuprofen), ours have a high dosis and I hope the muscles will relax until tomorrow.
I had a very strange pain in my operated knee today, only for a short stretch and only when walking downhill, it felt as when the hoses are being pulled out after the operation. I'm so happy it went away after a break.
Oh, this morning we ran into Giddy-up again, who had left yeastrday about 2 hours ahead of us. It is already the third time that he gets out of a car right when we show up at the road, it was funny.
While I write our journal we lay on a soft layer of pine needles obviously under pine trees and the sun sets slowly. I think today we won't have any problems with condensation (this morning the tarp and the sleeping bags were soaked). ¶ 09:46 0 comments
day 29, May 22nd
The Saufleys to close to road 6N05, about 10 miles
Rain or no rain or the Milk Gallon Challange
Today we almost stayed another day at Hiker Heaven. It rained the whole morning, so who wants to start in wet weather anyway? Nobody. So basically the whole gang hung out.
Thor and Heike took care of the morning entertainment. Both of them competed against each other in the Milk Gallon Challange. Is this the beginning of a new trail tradition? We will see. At 9a.m. they filled their glasses. Everyone else was around to watch. The rules were that they had to down almost 4 liters of milk in one hour and to at least keep it down for 10 more minutes. Sounds easy? Well, the first half hour went by, both were brave although Thor, who can eat a lot (last night he ate a two pounds steak and a big potato with cream cheese), showed signs of uneasyness. For the second half hour the complete hiker gang moved outside where there were two buckets prepared for just in case. Soon after Thor gave up and no encouraging from the croud helped.
Heike took the lead, emptied the last drop of milk into her glass, drank a third of it only 7 minutes before the hour. Everybody watched fascinated, took numerous pictures and filmed. ...and then she did the mistake to sit down...her stomach was squeezed and she couldn't keep it down any more. Some had waited to see just that.
Well, the dogs cleared up the mess. I had hoped that she would make it, she would have won 200 $ and besides it would have been a woman to win a food contest. But hey, she had actually almost drunk the whole thing so she is some sort of winner nevertheless. It's probably that mainly hikers do come up with this sort of ideas
because after a certain stage you start to only think about food. Carsten says that he eats more now, I do so, too, but my mind doesn't circle only around food yet.
The rain didn't stop and Carsten preferred to stay at the Saufleys' for one more day which is easy to understand. It is not easy to leave. I would have preferred to go on (and spare the time for a day off some other time, although I truely enjoyed Hiker Heaven) but I'm like a cat, I don't like to get wet so I accepted (gladly) and went to take a nap.
But then the weather changed and Carsten woke me up excitedely if I'd like to go. So that's why we camp on a ridge around 10 miles away from the Saufleys. By the way the weather this afternoon has been very hilkerfriendly, very cool. This strech is otherwise very hot according to the guidebook. If there are misspellings it's because my fingers are icecold by now.
By the way we bounced the dawnjackets to Kennedy Meadows and sent some stuff home so our packs are again lighter. We also put some items into the hiker box. Again and again we try to lighten up the load.
One more thing, last night Donna and Jeff told us the story how they began to host hikers. We all gathered in the trailer-it was too cold outside-and they said they had never had a better prepared group. It was a such funny story and I laughed teares, everybody was laughing hard. Carsten filmed it.
The highest number of hikers they hosted at the same time was 55! And they've already had over 2000 hikers.
My fingers are too stiff by now. ¶ 09:40 0 comments
Rain or no rain or the Milk Gallon Challange
Today we almost stayed another day at Hiker Heaven. It rained the whole morning, so who wants to start in wet weather anyway? Nobody. So basically the whole gang hung out.
Thor and Heike took care of the morning entertainment. Both of them competed against each other in the Milk Gallon Challange. Is this the beginning of a new trail tradition? We will see. At 9a.m. they filled their glasses. Everyone else was around to watch. The rules were that they had to down almost 4 liters of milk in one hour and to at least keep it down for 10 more minutes. Sounds easy? Well, the first half hour went by, both were brave although Thor, who can eat a lot (last night he ate a two pounds steak and a big potato with cream cheese), showed signs of uneasyness. For the second half hour the complete hiker gang moved outside where there were two buckets prepared for just in case. Soon after Thor gave up and no encouraging from the croud helped.
Heike took the lead, emptied the last drop of milk into her glass, drank a third of it only 7 minutes before the hour. Everybody watched fascinated, took numerous pictures and filmed. ...and then she did the mistake to sit down...her stomach was squeezed and she couldn't keep it down any more. Some had waited to see just that.
Well, the dogs cleared up the mess. I had hoped that she would make it, she would have won 200 $ and besides it would have been a woman to win a food contest. But hey, she had actually almost drunk the whole thing so she is some sort of winner nevertheless. It's probably that mainly hikers do come up with this sort of ideas
because after a certain stage you start to only think about food. Carsten says that he eats more now, I do so, too, but my mind doesn't circle only around food yet.
The rain didn't stop and Carsten preferred to stay at the Saufleys' for one more day which is easy to understand. It is not easy to leave. I would have preferred to go on (and spare the time for a day off some other time, although I truely enjoyed Hiker Heaven) but I'm like a cat, I don't like to get wet so I accepted (gladly) and went to take a nap.
But then the weather changed and Carsten woke me up excitedely if I'd like to go. So that's why we camp on a ridge around 10 miles away from the Saufleys. By the way the weather this afternoon has been very hilkerfriendly, very cool. This strech is otherwise very hot according to the guidebook. If there are misspellings it's because my fingers are icecold by now.
By the way we bounced the dawnjackets to Kennedy Meadows and sent some stuff home so our packs are again lighter. We also put some items into the hiker box. Again and again we try to lighten up the load.
One more thing, last night Donna and Jeff told us the story how they began to host hikers. We all gathered in the trailer-it was too cold outside-and they said they had never had a better prepared group. It was a such funny story and I laughed teares, everybody was laughing hard. Carsten filmed it.
The highest number of hikers they hosted at the same time was 55! And they've already had over 2000 hikers.
My fingers are too stiff by now. ¶ 09:40 0 comments