Zero Day

Lander and Jill took their first zero day today. This means that they intentionally didn't hike at all today. It is like on survivor when they win a day of luxury and get to eat outback. Here is part of the story of how it came to be a zero day. The weather has been rough. They hiked and slept in the wind and rain. Lander tried to create a poncho cover for her pack and herself but the wind kept blowing it off. After a long day of walking they thought they would get a good nights rest. But the wind was so loud it kept them up all night long. Wednesday they knew they couldn't keep going like this. They hiked 18 miles to get to a motel and pigged out on pizza. They slept in this morning and found a local place to eat apple pie and a big lunch. Afterwards another random guy gave them a ride to the trail and told them a good 'non windy' spot to sleep tonight.
She sounded rested on the phone and well fed :) She was in good spirits. So my question today is, can we take zero days? how many are we allowed to take?

Pray for Lander

Lander's leg is hurting. Maybe it's her IT band? She left a message asking for hiking socks today. I really don't like not hearing from her. but all we can do is pray for her and Jill. She will be in Warner Springs in 3+ days.

4 Blisters and Counting

Lander called yesterday. Her feet are sore. She wasn't sure how far they had hiked- maybe 16 miles? Her phone battery was dying so I am thinking we won't hear from her for a few more days. She is journaling so she doesn't forget to post things.
If you have any questions just comment and she can answer them. Send her some encouraging words.

First Day!!!

Lander finally started the PCT today! She and Jill hiked 20 miles today. Lander has the blisters to prove it. Now to the question everyone is asking, did Lander fall a lot today? Sorry follks, no good Lander falling stories. The 'Stumbler' as she she should be named, used her hiking poles today. They started at the beginning of the PCT and ended at the official kick off (makes no sense, I know). Lander said there are around 500 people at the kick off tonight and there is free grub.
Please post more trail name ideas for lander.

Trail Names

On the trail, all thru-hikers get a trail name. This includes Appalachain trail hikers, Continental Divide hikers, and just avid hikers. The name can come from something really funny the person did, a hobby or interest of the person, something they talk about all the time, or any multitude of places.

I apologize for the names and descriptions not being in order for the picture!


A few I've met: Kiwi and Moa, whose team name is "the flying Kiwis"- two gentlemen from New Zealand who chose their names because the two birds are flightless birds found in New Zealand. Well, the Moa is now extinct, but Moa the hiker still lives (kiwi is at the very end of the table and Moa is fourth on right)





Slim Jim- Zac Finley, the friend I joined for 30 miles received his trail name for eating slim Jims up and down the trail (fourth on left)





The Bag Lady- a woman who hiked the Appalachain trail, where she received this name. She explained to us that the name came from her loving to cycle and saying she could just live off her bike and sleep under bridges like a bag lady (third on left).

Bacon- a man who loves bacon and talks about it all the time (front left).





Jasmine- Her real name, she does not yet have a trail name... what will it be??? (beside Bacon on his left)





Mango- Tennessee man who loves Jimmy Buffet (second on right)





Yellowstone- woman who loves yellowstone and has worked there for years (far right corner in back)





Shroomer- a man who loves mushrooms and could talk about them for hours, as well as eat them (first on right)





Skyward- A woman, hiking with Yellowstone, whose last name is Sky and her partner's name is Ward and she put them together for the lovely name of skyward (far left corner in back)

Li'l Bit- ME! I got the name just sitting on the trail for a little bit and eating for a little bit (third on right)

Mail a Letter

Lander will be checking mail at the post office in Warner Springs in 7-9 days. do you want to write her and jill? here's how:
here is what you write on the envelope:

Hold for PCT Hiker Lander Atkinson
ETA: April 30
Warner Springs, CA 92086

and in the top left corner put your name and address. the stamp goes in the top right corner.

Pacific Crest Trail Information

There's a lot to learn about the Pacific Crest Trail if you are interested. The PCT Data Book totals the mileage of the trail at 2,663.5 miles. The trail runs from Mexico to Canada, winding through three states: California, Oregon, and Washington. The trail covers terrain fron the desert in Southern California, to the mountains of the High Sierra in Central California, to the Cascades in far Northern California, and continuing through Oregon and Washington (data book).

The PCT was authorized by Congress in 1968 and thousands of hikers enjoy the trail each year. You can read some fun facts on the official website as well. One fun fact is that fewer people have thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail than climbed Mt. Everest!

I am planning to thru-hike the trail, but tons of things can get in the way of this happening. Some trail-stoppers would be weather, physical pains, family emergencies, or running out of money.

At this point in time there is already about a 60 mile stretch of the trail that is closed because of fire damage from 2008. The stretch is the beginning of the Northern California section known as section N in the data book. They are not planning to open up this section until mid September. It takes time and money to travel back to that one spot and hike the section. When things like this happen, usually, the pcta re-routes the trail for hikers, but this has yet to happen. We'll just see if it happens before I get to that section.

NOTE: The Pacific Crest Trail was not officially completed until 1993 (cited). The Appalachain Trail was completed in 1938. This means that a lot less work has been done on the trail and extremely few, perhaps six, shelters on the trail overall. The Appalachain Trail has over 250 shelters.

Food- Vegetarian backpacking

I have been a vegetarian for two years and hope to maintain my diet on the trail. I do eat eggs and fish, so I am an octo-ovo vegetarian.

At first, I packed lots of trail mix, dried fruit, crackers, and oatmeal. However, these first 30 trial miles I realized how heavy trail mix truly is and have decided to widen my horizen. I will be carrying Ramen noodles and either buying the shrimp flavoring or just seasoning the noodles with my own little mixture.

I definitely recommend any hiker to bring an array of spices. There are several ways to save little packets or store different ones in tackle box compartments. A little salt and red pepper can go a long long way.

There are all sorts of $1 to $2 pasta packets of broccoli cheddar, teriyaki noodles, and vegetarian flavors galore if you have the right eye. Protein can be found in peanut butter (aka a hiker's cocaine) and protein bars. I like to carry a bag of nutella as well.

Basically, for the Pacific Crest Trail, there are two ways to get food: you can mail it to yourself along the trail; or you can buy it at grocery stores in the towns along the way. There are two stops that I will mail food to and the rest I will be buying from stores. You can crunch numbers to see which is cheaper for yourself, but convenience beat "cheap" out for Jill and I. One guy did the math and said mailing was just a bit cheaper, but it can be a lot of leg work.

In the towns, depending on the amount of money I have at the time, you can eat whatever you want. Since hikers burn so many calories per day, you really cannot eat enough food so candy bars and fattening goodies are a plus.

What I Carry

I carry my:
Osprey pack
six moons design tent
two underwear
two socks
two running shorts
two nike sports bras
leggings
One short sleeve running shirt
One longsleeve breath easy shirt
poncho
first aid kit (motrin, band-aids, moleskin, the whole she-bang)
compass
sleeping pad (thermorest zlite)
iodine
journal
trekking poles
camel back(3 liters), Julia Marie Hartsell water bottle (1 liter)
REI lightweight down sleeping bag, 20 degrees
North Face trail shoes
Nifty Outdoor Research hat with sun block bandana like coverage (mary mac loves it)
Chapstick, toilet paper, deodorant, tuthbrush with mini toothpaste
Book- first book is Madame Bovary
50 spf sun block
Cell phone - at&t right now and service has been fairly consistent
glasses/contacts
sunglasses (bright blue with peace signs on the side)
Jet boil stove- really neat so far
REI lightweight down jacket
And of course, food and water

Slight Delay and Tom the Grace Guy

Jill called me today and told me she wouldn't be able to get to the kickoff until Saturday, a day later than planned. I immidiately switched into frustrated "bia" mode. I'm ready to start the trail and where her reasons are good ones, I had a pity party for myself. I was about to hitch a ride to the kickoff and camp out when we heard four guys had a room they were not going to use. The weather is terrible, so Zac and I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask about it. He told us to meet him in the office in ten minutes. We met him, he gave us the room for FREE and some firewood. What?!

When we offered to pay he asked if we knew the meaning of grace. Hence the name, Tom the Grace Guy.

Sigh.
Humbled.
Moments like that give you a real good wake up call. A lesson in grace will take you a long way.

First PCT Experience

On April 18, 2010 I met up with my friend Zac Finley at Scissor's Crossing, which is 77.6 miles into the trail. I meet up with Jill on Friday, April 22 and thought it wouldn't hurt to warm my legs up a bit by hiking with a Yellowstone buddy.

Zac started on April 13 from the very beginning of the trail in Campo, CA. He walked about 17 miles in the heat to meet me at Scissor's Crossing so we hiked about .2 miles to a bridge and camped under it.

While waiting for Zac at the Crossing I hung out at the water cache with Axzilla and Sandman (not Stan Man, woops). An older couple in red truck driving on S2 pulled over for just enough time to wish us look and hand us a few beers. I saved my beer for Zac who, I believe, much appreciated the brewski.

So, it's my first night on the trail and I have to confess, my tent was brand spanking new and I'd never set it up. Zac has the same tent and showed me a few tricks of the trade. I snuggled in with my pack so dew wouldn't get my stuff wet and said good night to my neighbor.

All the sudden I feel something wet under me. The camel back "straw" tube had snuck in between my body and the sleeping pad and leaked everywhere. I had made a nice little waterbed for my self.

Thankfully, I did not get my trail name from that experience.

I'm getting kicked of the computer at Warner Springs. Don't worry, there will be more fun stories to come.

Introduction- Why and How I got into this

Summer 2009 I worked in Yellowstone National Park as a cook/hostess and decided I wanted to see a lot more of the West! My friend Jill Osborne, who talked me into working that summer, introduced me to the idea of the Pacific Crest Trail. We both decided to make it happen in the summer 2010. I graduated from UNC-CH in December 2009, worked in St. Louis until April, spent some time with family, and now I'm hitting the trail.

I have to send a shout out to the Staples family and the Balogh's family in St. Louis who were so welcoming and really made me feel at home in a big city! I did not see half the stuff in St. Louis as I could or should have while I was there. There was so much to see and I must say, lots of good food. I worked as a server at Bar Louie in the Central West End and had a blast (I recommend the nachos). Also, if you are in St. Louis, stop by Bar Italia and meet the owners who are all brothers from Ethiopia. The food and company in that restaurant are superb.

So, after St. Louis I spent a week in Birmingham with my cousin Mary Laslie and her family, a week in Texas with my sister Mary Mac and her family, and then a few days in St. Louis with my friend Amy.

Spending time with family was AMAZING. I left feeling so refreshed and encouraged for my adventure... and then I got on a greyhound bus.

Honestly, it was not so bad. I rode on the bus for a total of 34 hours. The first bus I was on had a leak near the emergency exit on the roof which, of course, I was lucky enough to sit beside. We found out about the leak when it started raining 4 hours into the ride. Thankfully, the seat beside me was soaking wet and I stayed dry. This same bus broke down in the beautiful state of Arizona and we hiked to the nearest TA travel center to party from 8 am until 11:30am. I arrived safe and sound in San Diego at 12:45am. What a blast.

I really cannot complain. The next day I ate tons of pizza for lunch, chilled on the beach, and ate a wonderful Mexican meal for dinner (shout out to Amy and her bf for such a wonderful night). I also dyed my hair for the first time. Yes, I ruined the shirt I was wearing and a little hand towel. That stuff is smelly and messy, but my hair is back to dark brown. Just the way I like it.

By the way, I watched Fantastic Mr Fox while I was in San Diego and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I'll be blogging and I'll put pictures up as soon as I can!