bengland8

Trail friends

AKA: Reasons my wife doesn’t like to hike with me in the summer.

Halfmile provides a very extensive set of PCT trail notes, broken down by region. These include mileage markers, landmarks, water supplies, and other useful information. Maps used to be available too, but no longer. This was a great resource for getting addresses and hours of operations for trail town post offices to send resupply boxes.Continue reading “PCT resources”

Light!

Amazon had a Cairn subscription that I ordered for a few months. It was kind of fun getting random camping stuff monthly, sometimes getting things you didn’t know you wanted. One of my favorites was a light weight string of LED lights, which we tested out at City of Rocks at the end of lastContinue reading “Light!”

Training Report (one month to go)

With spring weather finally arriving, I’ve been able to get in more trail time. I’ve started hiking with a full pack load (25 pounds), putting in a couple of 10 mile hikes this week. Hopefully I can work back up to 15 miles with a full load before leaving on April 3rd. Yesterday hit 60’s,Continue reading “Training Report (one month to go)”

Weight training regimen

At the end of January, I incorporated a weight regimen for trail preparation, modified from the Starting Strength workout I’d used previously. This is split into two workouts (A and B), three times a week. Ideally, a two week block would look like this: Monday – Workout A Wednesday – Workout B Friday – WorkoutContinue reading “Weight training regimen”

Only the Essential

This is one of my favorite PCT documentaries, and one that was instrumental in the decision for my own through hike. Well worth 40 minutes if you have the time.

Idaho hiking: Polecat (Boise foothills)

Idaho hiking: Malad gorge

The name was granted after sickening early explorers in the 1800’s. “Mackenzie’s group of trappers became ill after eating beaver meat while camped on the banks of the river that Mackenzie named “Malad” — meaning “sick” in French. In his “Reminiscences of Early Days Volume II,” pioneer author Charles Walgamott claims the beaver in theContinue reading “Idaho hiking: Malad gorge”

Idaho hiking

The Boise River is a wintertime habitat for the Bald Eagle.

Southern California loadout

Backpack: Granite Gear Crown VC60 with REI rain cover Tent: MSR Hubba NX1 Sleeping Bag: Western Mountaineering Versalite Pad: Thermarest NeoAir® XLite™ Food bag: Ursack Major XL Bear Sack – 15 Liters Stove: MSR PocketRocket 2 with titanium cookpot and spork Trekking poles: Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z Shell: Arc’teryx Beta SL Hybrid Jacket Down jacket: North FaceContinue reading “Southern California loadout”