soy un viajero

last night my friend toree and i stayed up late - first, making soy milk and then okara cookies. we tweaked the recipe slightly, but basically followed it as written. fun and tasty is a winning combination in my book.

i leave wednesday afternoon. giddy-up.

hair of the dog

saturday was another beautiful one for hiking in the gorge. had fun climbing dog mountain with adam, jenny, ava, and desmond. we used the augsberger trail on the way up and came down the eastern "easy" trail. the flowers aren't in full bloom yet, but there were plenty of blossoms along the way, in addition to the usual stunning views.

easy money

had fun with the family yesterday. even made an easy five bucks with a couple wagers. anyone else pick el pato in sudden death? a big thanks to: tim "big wish", john "the bluff", todd "the ringer", and "no-odds" norma for contributing to my hiking fund.


also, brian, you still owe me a buck. indeed.



aiden provided entertainment between holes:

anyone else get dizzy if you watch this over and over?

show off

spring is definitely coming to the gorge. what a show off.

limits

i've been hiking more lately. three out of the last four days i've managed to get out on a real trail and let my body begin to feel it's way into preparedness. in the process, i've alternated between being excited for the whole crazy thing to start over again, and then wondering if i'm ready for another 5-6 months of walking.

i am. if for no other reason than to put my body and mind to constant use again - to find my limits. i think that's what i like the most about thru-hiking: tomorrow is taken care of. it's a foregone conclusion really. i will hike, drink, eat, feel the sun/rain/snow/wind and move forward towards a goal. a difficult goal that requires all i have to offer. and that's probably why i pushed myself on the AT. i don't often feel what i'm doing needs, or even can handle, all of what i can put into it. it was exhilarating in some way to know that no matter how hard i worked or stretched or struggled, this thing, this trail, was bigger than me and could take it.

no, it was more than that, it was realizing all my extra effort - those times when i pushed myself to what i thought was my physical limit - actually made a difference. i was able to directly affect the outcome, something i believe in theory but don't always get to experience as a tangible process. of course, even in those moments of extreme physical stress, when i thought i was close to my limit, i never actually reached it. i'm certain it exists, but i'm also becoming more certain that my physical limit will come sooner than my mental limit.

i got a glimpse of this some time ago during one of my first hikes. it was the summer of 2002, i think, and i was doing a training hike up dog mountain with a couple of friends. bursting with swagger and confidence, i was pressing hard up the side of the mountain (there are two routes in this well-known loop hike - encouragingly labeled "more difficult" and "most difficult" on the trail sign. i kid you not.) in the blazing sun. i had a pack full of heavy gear and three gallons of water - it was a training hike after all and i wanted the extra weight. turning to one of my friends, in full stride i began to expound on my theory of hiking: "see, i figure i'll just hike the same speed no matter if it's up, down, or flat, and the work will even itself out." such simple logic.

five minutes later i passed out on the trail.

notice i didn't say i got "light-headed", or "weak." i straight-up passed out. as in cartoon-style, flat-on-my-back, lights out. my body said "i don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but i'm shuttin' 'er down." fortunately i had three gallons of water behind me to break my fall. now, understandably, my hiking companions were a little disconcerted by this turn of events, but i quickly revived and sat down in a shady spot for a rest. they wanted to head back down to the car, but i "dog"gedly >insert groan here< insisted on completing the hike. upon gaining the summit, i smiled sheepishly at my friends and said "well at least now i know why they call it dog mountain - it can be a real bitch!"

looking west off dog mountain 4/5/09. i reached the top in much better shape this time.

shifting gears

as my PCT thru-hike approaches, i've been getting back into that mode of thinking. packing up the familiar gear, putting it in the familiar places, feeling the familiar thoughts come back to me. and it's a nice feeling; thru-hiking was a way of life i greatly enjoyed, and i'm happy i'll be experiencing it again. being around other hikers last weekend was a lot of fun and i look forward to meeting more people once i actually start hiking. unlike on the appalachian trail, i'm planning my start date to purposefully be around other hikers (at a party, no less!), not avoid them. since there are so many fewer people who attempt this one, i'm not as concerned with the big crowds and demands placed on resources along the trail.



got out and enjoyed the sunny day with mom, john, jeff, and brian as we hiked the cape horn trail. everyone seemed to have a good time, which was easy since it's a nice trail packed full of awesome views, varied terrain, a waterfall to walk under/through (depending on the time of year), and great exercise. i used it a lot in my preparations for last summer's trip and hope i get the chance to hike it a few more times before i leave in 19 days. especially since it's likely the last year this trail will exist in its current form. there is a board evaluating potential reroutes or seasonal closures for the trail before it will be officially recognized and incorporated into the columbia river gorge national scenic area (CRGNSA). i attended their public meeting with my friend john, and it's apparent they will be altering the trail's access and/or use in the near future.

walking with a loaded pack felt great, but it also reminded me that i haven't really been doing much of it lately. walking around town and riding a bicycle a little is all fine and dandy, but there's nothing that'll get you ready to hike up and down steep trails like hiking up and down steep trails. on the plus side, i have cautious optimism that the shoes i want to hike in will be up to the challenge. it's still too early to tell, but they felt comfortable all day and don't seem any worse for the wear. if they can do that for 400-500 miles a pop i'll be ecstatic.

good things.