Zog - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2015
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No trail name
State: CA
Country: USA
Begins: Apr 4, 2015
Direction: Northbound
Daily Summary
Date: Thu, Jan 8th, 2015
Start: Living room
End: kitchen
Daily Distance: 0.0001
Trip Distance: 0.0
Journal Stats
Entry Visits: 4,732
Journal Visits: 23,951
Guestbook Views: 1,136
Guestbook Entrys: 18
Strategery
"If at first you don't succeed, try...try again!"This is Take 2! Last year I hiked 342 miles from Mexico to Cajon before coming off trail for a variety of reasons, both physical and mental. This year I will start all over again in my second thru-hike effort. I am better prepared, though some challenges persist. Challenges are pretty much either physical or mental.
Physical: My back is pretty affected by arthritis. Oh well. Last year my pack was too heavy and not perfectly fitted to my body. This years pack will be much lighter. I will carry only as much food as I need to reach the next supply point. (I won't starve...trust me!) (I will carry at least enough water, maybe too much. Water is different. Water, or a lack of it, can kill you). I am carrying less bells and whistles. And probably going stoveless until Big Bear, by which point my weight loss and general conditioning will allow some minor increase in pack weight.
I will probably start doing yoga or pilates to help my back or core. Two or three months of this won't hurt, might help. I go for walks every day, and some hikes. Need to hike more.
I will try to limit my daily mileage to 15-16 miles a day until Big Bear, with the exception of Day 1 where I might get the whole 20.5 to Lake Morena, just to get well off the border. Last year I was doing 22-23 miles a day within the first week. Too fast. Gotta relax and enjoy! I'm thinking I will hike to Cabazon (210-ish), drive back to attend ADZ (ADZPCTKO is Annual Day Zero PCT Kick Off held at Lake Morena on the last weekend of April. Look it up. I skipped it last year, one of my learning mistakes), then drive back to Cabazon and hike north. Think of that first part as a shakedown cruise for the latest gear and pack. (ULA catalyst).
Mental: Last year I went from newly retired to on the trail in 6 weeks. Too fast. Needed to spend some time at home. Now it's been a year, and I am as ready as I will ever be to go out and try again.
See you out there!