New Home New Hens New Roosters

Reuben the Rooster's smiling face. Reuben and 10 of his closest friends (mostly his own children) where left to take care of the farm by the previous owners. The new owners are Jenny and Me.

These birds have a plush coop with heat lamps, heated towel racks, big screen TV and a heated water dish.  But ever since a raccoon invasion they have chosen to roost in a couple of evergreens near the house. Apparently raccoons have also been known to invade the evergreens. So we are going to attempt to retrain the gals (Gallus gallus domesticus) and guys to sleep in the coop. Our other task is to make the coop varmint proof. The latter former to the pryer.

PCT Time Piece and interview

I will probably need this.

And here is another survey answered:

Anything you wish you had at the beginning that you did not take with you?

This is a random answer, but we'd have to say our vitamins.  We took a lot of them and tried to bounce the bulk of them, taking only what was necessary in our packs, but they still ended up being quite heavy and we're not sure that we really needed them.

Can you recommend any publications to help me prepare? I have the Jeffrey Schaffer book and the PCT HIker's Handbook and I am going to order Yogi's book.

We found that the Yogi book was the most helpful in preparation.  Mike also found "Hiking the Triple Crown" by Karen Berger to be helpful.

On trail, the Yogi trail tips and town guide had very useful information that you can't get anywhere else.  We also used the Guide Book (Schaffer et al) and Data Book in conjunction.  The maps in the Guide Book (and compass( helped us out of a sticky situation one foggy morning on Oregon's Mount Jefferson when we couldn't see more than about 20 feet ahead of us.  Having a verbal trail description is also quite helpful on trail.  The Data Book is by far the easiest way to figure your miles each day.  Take Yogi's advice and rip up the books into their sections rather than carrying the whole book.

What was the most challenging part and how did you motivate yourself to keep going?

By far the most difficult challenge right at the beginning was foot pain.  This counts as aches and blisters.  As Kat says, it's hard to walk 12-18 miles a day (as we did at the beginning) when each step hurts.  For Mike, the worst was foot fatigue.  It felt like someone had taken a sledgehammer to the bottom of our feet all day, every day.
To deal with this, first, we were very motivated to keep hiking.  Second, we took time to take care of our feet while hiking (lower miles, breaks to rest).  Third, we tried different things with our footwear, like changing our shoes and adding very padded insoles.  In sum, we were flexible with our plans, whether that was how many miles we expected to walk or what kind of shoes were best.

Did you bring any tech (GPS, Kindle, MP3)?

We brought a Pocketmail device for journaling and a SPOT device to keep our family and friends at ease and in case of an extreme emergency.  We chose not to bring music or cell phones with us and we are mostly glad that we did (other than not having a way to call for a ride when that was an option; Kat HATES hitchhiking).

What food item were you happiest that you brought?

Any item that was not dry was heavenly.  Our main choice was fruit cups.  Yes, they're heavy, but they were VERY awesome when every other food item in your pack was either dehydrated or dry to begin with.  Sidebar: taking a bottle of pop out of town and drinking it cold the next day was also a very special treat.

Stove?
We used our home made penny stove all the way.  It's an alcohol stove.  We still use that stove now.  Write us for more details is you want.

Here is one from my sister:

did you feel like you wanted to motor through or did feel you got to certain places to really experience a place?

Were were not in a really big hurry, but we still felt the pressure to keep up the miles in order to finish.  There were many places in which we wished we could have spent more time to soak them in.

Did you shave or cut your hair?

Not even once :)

What kind of shoes did you wear?

See above; be flexible.  We both ended up using Montrail Hardrocks (though that older model is no longer available) in conjunction with these amazing insoles we found at a running store; we're pretty sure they were Sof Sole brand.  

Anything else you feel like volunteering?

We hope that this is helpful.  Please feel free to ask anything else that comes up as you prepare!

Mike and Kat

Black Widow found in Black Hunger

PCT Interview Two

Thank you Funny Bone for answering some questions.

What did you bring that you wish you hadn't? Nothing, really. But there were times I carried too much water, in that I arrived at the next water source with 5-8 pounds of water on me. This was something that had a major effect on my skinny legs, as you CAN be too well prepared, too overburdened, for a thru-hike. It's best to plan accordingly, so that you're carrying the lightest load you can at all times. What did you not bring that you wish you had?  A Sherpa or a pack animal. No, in all honesty, I had honed it down to only the necessities and what I deemed a necessity: the camera, its batteries, a handheld word processor, its batteries, and a book or two. Did you talk to yourself (out loud)? Yes. Conversations were usually quite shallow but sometime quite deep, depending on circumstance and mood. Ice ax. Yes or no? In 2006 an ice axe was pretty much obligatory, because of the record snowfall throughout the spring. I self-arrested a number of times and was thankful I was prepared to do so. Had it not been for my fancy titanium ice-axe, I'd have had to use my nose. Did you think about girls you knew in high school?  Unfortunately, I didn't know any girls in high school. But yes, I still thought of them, and how. Did you bring lotion? Sunscreen had many purposes. Shoes. Yes, no?  Yes, two of them. One on each foot. Favorite food item? Generally I went with anything salty, instead of sweets. Pistachios were especially scrumptious. But who can afford to carry the shells? The truth is, almost every food item was a favorite on the trail. Food item you would not bring? I would not send myself too much of one kind of food in advance. Appetites change and instant oatmeal wasn't even appealing even during the first go-around. Stove. Yes, no? No, but there were times I wish I had, particularly on those frigid mornings. A warm cup of tea would've been nice. MP3 or any other technology (I realize a fork is technology but I mean electronics)? The camera, the PocketMail word processor and, in the desert for a short stint, an MP3 player. I tossed the thing a day or two later, as I felt too detached from my surroundings, the surroundings I sought by being out there in the first place. One function it had, however, was a voice recorder, which allowed me to record my thoughts faster than the word processor did. How did you deal with loneliness? I never really felt alone. Isolated at times, perhaps. But alone, no. I found that the trail keeps you busy enough not to think about being alone. How did you motivate to continue after particularly miserable times? The pull of the goal. I kept plowing forward toward better times and an arbitrary line in the woods they call Canada. That's the very nature of a thru-hike: you keep moving. Thru-hikers like to pretend they're easy-going types but the reality is the ones who complete their hike are all pretty driven to accomplish their goal. What shelter, if any, do you recommend? I changed things throughout but today's modern shelters are all pretty outstanding, that is unless they aren't out there or standing (due to rain or wind or snow). Bug spray. Yes or no? Yes. I'd rather die from cancer than via mosquito bites. Sunscreen? Yes, as I mentioned above, it served numerous purposes. For the most part I dressed from head-to-toe, to avoid more chemical application. Did you make up any songs as you walked? I did and pardon me for boasting, but most of them were absolute masterpieces. Of course, unless I pulled out the small voice recorder I carried for all of two days, I'd forget them the next morning. Fishing pole? No. Fish don't hike the PCT. With what historical figure do you most identify? I read plenty of Muir and Thoreau while hiking, but could not quite fully identify with either. Those gentlemen were kooks! But I could fully identify with Playboy's 1990 Miss February, a toothsome young lady who went on to become Playmate of the Year. She was my playmate throughout many of those long nights along the trail, but alas, eventually the pages got to the point where they stuck together and I could no longer turn them or open that centerfold.

Sabbatical

The good news is that I have a job that offers a thing called a sabbatical. The bad news is that I am not eligible until Fall of 2013. And as you may or may not know I am planning to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This hike is a component of an art exhibition at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.
I have not given up. I am applying for grants and fellowships and hiking scholarships (I made the last one up). Either that or I am going to have to hike faster.

Record

This lp cover was on the wall of Miss Lily's, a dark and lovely Jamaican restaurant in Soho or the West Village or somewhere in New York. 

Trail Names

Training for the PCT by walking all over New York City. Hopefully the trail is not as rough and steep as some of these New York streets. This morning during breakfast with the Hasidim at the Condor Hotel, my associate and I talked about trail names. Of course a nickname of any kind is out of the control of the named, but we talked about attempting to control mine. Associate said I should hand out gumi bears and say things like, "hey guys, have some gumi bears!" and, as a look at my watch,"it's gumi bear thirty!" But I do not eat gumi animals of any species (i do eat dairy and eggs). I guess I could be "Gumi Bear" ironically, like calling a vegetarian Carnivore or The Cannibal. Maybe I'll try to insert my old hobo moniker "Lobo," by howling every morning. We'll see.

Mobile device

Leaning on my GE stove listening to Fresh Air. These are pictures I took with my handheld device.

Pacific Crest Trail

I am planning to hike the PCT, or Pacific Crest Trail for long (which makes more sense considering how long the trail is). I have started contacting past thru-hikers for interviews. My favorite interviews include answers but no questions. So does this. This is from Todd. Thanks Todd.

If you are planning a PCT thru-hike, I can assure you it will be one of the most challenging and memorable experiences of your life.  I'll also assure you that in the end it probably won't be what you thought it would be.  The trail changes you as a person and your visions of what it will be, those expectations will likely fall short in many ways but also be exceeded, too!

To answer your questions and give you my take on things:

1.  The essential publications are:  yogi's PCT guidebook (google it and buy it online from her).  It has excellent recommendations on gear and past hiker's experience.  For maps, you need to print halfmile's pct maps (google it, they are free except the cost to print) and bring just the sections you are doing, mailing the rest to your drops spots.  I DO NOT recommend Schaffer's PCT guidebooks.  The maps are inferior, the text is not something most people read after a while and not worth the weight or expense.

2.  Carry as little gear as possible and spend the extra money to purchase ultra-light equipment.  Every ounce you place in your pack is an ounce you have to carry.  Things that I did not carry and would not carry in the future:  camp shoes (flip flops, crocs, etc), a stove (I would go stoveless if I had to do it over), ice axe (only needed in the southern Sierras, if at all).  

3.  There was nothing that I wish I had brought, only stuff (like my stove) that I wish I would have gotten rid of sooner

4.  Echo Chalet--don't have an opinion.  In general, I never came across any communities or businesses that weren't hiker friendly.  As usual, if you treat people with consideration and respect, they will tend to return that.  People are incredibly generous along the trail with rides, putting up hikers, etc and that is one of the best things, the serendipity of the trail and its people.

5.  I would not recommend bringing a dog.  I never met a thru-hiker who made it with their dog the entire way.  The desert and the high mountains can be incredibly vicious places to be and I've seen many dogs suffering in the heat of the desert.  I personally don't think dogs should be a part of the trail, and certainly not a thru-hike.  In fact the only dangerous animal encounter I had that caused me any direct physical harm was when a dog belonging to a day hiker bit my hand as I walked past it on the trail.  

6.  Motivation can be a difficult thing.  Most people who set out from the Mexican border do not complete their hikes.  Most drop out before the Sierras, many within the first couple hundred miles.  The trail is incredibly difficult and I sometimes think that suffering is the only constant out there.  People's motivation for doing a thru-hike varies a lot.  Some hikers just seem at ease out there, like it is no big deal.  Others need to force every step and every mile.  Both types can be successful and have a great experience.  Motivation can come through something deep within yourself or the relationships with other hikers may sustain you when you are feeling down.  Having a certain amount of emotional maturity is also helpful; recognizing that things may be bad now but it isn't likely to last.  Sometimes just taking a zero day in town can recharge your batteries enough to remove that doubt that was bothering you.  I will say that most successful thru-hikers have obsessed about this trail and the hike for years.  They have deep seated reasons for wanting to do it and that motivates them to keep moving forward.

7.  What to bring in terms of electronics.  I brought an SanDisk FM radio/MP3 player--awesome piece of equipment, allows you to pick up radio stations which I often listened to more than my MP3 songs.  If you put a AAA lithium battery in it, you'll get 4-5 days use out of it before needing a replacement battery (I usually carried 3-4 batteries with myself between town stops).  I would bring an iphone 4 or other smart phone that has internet and GPS function.  The GPS will rarely be needed except if you find yourself in the Sierras during a heavy snow year.  Finally, I brought a Kindle which was an awesome piece of gear.  I would listen to books during the day.  The kindle has the only text to speech function of the e-book readers, weighs 8 oz, and has a pretty good battery life.  I would usually listen 3-4 hours per day and could use it 3 days or so before it died.  I listened to dozens of books over the summer.  I carried the charger for my iphone and the kindle (2 cords, 1 common wall plug).  Some hikers (actually many) didn't carry any music or electronics beside a cellphone.  The cellphone is important because of emergencies but more because of needing to call for rides and coordinate other things on the trail.

8.  Food is a tricky subject.  People's tastes vary a lot.  I personally can't stand trail mix, find Clif bars barely edible.  I resupplied by buying my food along the way and this is a very good strategy but expensive.  The problem with shipping your food is what you think you'll like to eat now is likely not what you'll find appealing 1, 2 or even 3 months into your trip.  Toward the end, tortillas became a staple for me and I would fill them with all sorts of stuff:  tuna, salmon, deli meats, pepperoni, etc.  Also, buying town food and packing it out for a nice meal for a day or two is a great strategy (i.e. buy some burgers at McDonald's and take them with you, left over pizzas, etc.).  If you pack your sleeping bag at the bottom of your pack and then put your cold foods (cheese, meats, etc) on top of that and then place your clothes bag over the food, you create an instant insulated cooler which will keep things (including drinks, water, etc) quite cold even in the heat of the desert.  

9.  Loneliness wasn't a big issue for me.  I did the vast majority of my hike alone.  I made friends with many of the hikers but didn't routinely camp or hike with them.  I found that having the FM radio helped ward off some loneliness for me because I could keep up on the world events if I wanted to and hear another person's voice talking to me which helped a lot.  Some people really need companionship out on the trail and there are plenty of opportunities to find people to hike with that will share your hiking speed/style and likely compliment your personality.

10.  I did shave, but not routinely.  I had to come off the trail for 2-3 days each month to take care of business at home so I would shave when I came home.  I never developed the enormous beard that is the tell-tale sign of a thru-hiker.  I didn't need to cut my hair.  

Please feel free to ask other questions that come to mind.  If I could give you one piece of advise, get Yogi's book, read it carefully and adhere to the recommendations.  Less gear and a lighter pack make for a much more enjoyable experience.  Life on the trail is hard work, especially if your intention is to make it to Canada in a single season, but well worth the effort.

Sincerely,

Todd

Nobel

It sucks to die a couple days before the Nobel committee announces your long awaited award. What is even worse is dying of the problem your research was meant to solve, ei Cancer. The other potential bummer is that the Nobel rules state the recipient must be alive at the time of the announcement.

Poor Steinman was not alive. The good news is that his life was extended because of his immunotherapy. Just not extended enough.

If I ever need immunotherapy the only guarantee I want is that I will live long enough to get my Nobel prize.

Dreamland

When I finally buy land I want there to be a rainbow or two in the background.

Cause and Effect or Prey and Predator

Before 

After

Once Bitten, Twice Bitten

This summer I was bitten on the foot by a mosquito and the mosquito died. Poor thing. Then I started worrying about my blood - it kills bugs dead. But this mosquito did not die right away; she hung in there for hours. Turns out that mosquitoes often die after feeding. The foot swelled to many, many times its normal size. And itched really bad.
Now I am suffering from a black widow bite. Maybe a brown recluse. It was probably both come to think of it. The two deadly spiders obviously teamed up to cripple my right wrist. And don't give me that "There aren't brown recluses in the West" nonsense. Look at my swollen, weeping wrist and tell me it was not a brown recluse /black widow combo that bit me? Or another mosquito.

Techno-less

My computer broke in France. The gentleman at the Genius Bar told me it was my graphics card and that the part costs $900. Then he told me that Apple will cover it. He said it was a known problem. I have been computerless for a few days and will be for a few more. In related news, my phone fell out of my pocket in Luke's car at O'Hare. So I have been phoneless for a few days. Part of me likes being phoneless and computerless. But the part of me that posts things on the Internet finds it frustrating.

Warm and Furry

A few days ago, I hooked up the leash to the animal pictured below, went for a run, played with it for a while and after a few hours of fun I realized, "You are not Diego. You have too many legs." 

But what really happened was, Jenny found this poor deceased spider in her garage. I picked her up and after a few seconds felt her moving. She was alive! But barely. She was soon completely dead. I was considering taking her to a wildlife rescue - we had already taken two birds the day before - but you cannot rescue the dead as the saying goes.

Semi-racist Yard Sale

The third or fourth yard sale of the morning made the first two or three crappy yard sales almost disappear from memory. Of course these things never completely go away. They stay somewhere in our subconscious only to resurface as sweaty nightmares, "Oh no, more homemade potholders - and look! Another unused Nordic Track..."

Number four was the mother lode. We headed straight for the backyard where a sign out front had instructed us to go if we were interested in tools. The first thing that caught my eye was a bench grinder with a homemade, heavy duty stand. "How much do you want for that?" I asked trying to sound uninterested. Dan, son of the deceased, seemed surprised by the question. "Uh, I don't know... how about ten dollars?" Sold. Then a red tool cart struck Jenny's fancy. "I don't know, how much will you give me?" asked Dan."Five dollars," I offered hopefully. "Its yours. And you can have everything on it." We only wanted some of what was on it but we did take everything that was in it. He also said we could have whatever else we could fit on it. 

Jenny noticed a hand-carved, wooden Buddha in the toolshed rafters. Then she saw a Buddha cookie jar. Then we both started seeing Buddhas everywhere. I bought the cookie jar. Mamma (that's what Dan called her) showed us a 4 foot high, smiley buddha wearing a cap and sunglasses. She bought it for her husband for $426 in the 70s. I went out to search for more treasure and Dan went in to warn his mother about potential thieves. Even though he was practically giving everything away. He said, "Mamma, we need to have a conference.  I'm not racist but - well, not very racist - but there are a lot of Mexicans wandering around here and you know how they can be. So you need to be out there making sure people aren't leaving without paying." 

The daughter showed up riding a Lark scooter. She was the only one who seemed at all concerned as she watched her dad's stuff walking away. Her mother said to us, "Dan didn't want her to come. He said she'd scare everybody away." 

We weren't scared but we did feel like we left without paying. Maybe Dan and Mamma gave us the white people discount. 

Dolly: $5

Tool Cart: $5

Tools included

Oster blender was from a thrift store but I thought you would like to see it. 

Grinder $10

Buddha cookie jar: .25 cents

Photography: Not For the Faint of Heart

The dangers of bunny photography.

The bunny.

I am kind of like this guy but with bunnies and without the dramatic music. 

House (wren) Music

Singing in the wrain

House Wren crashed into the House window

This little house wren flew into the window and landed on its back. He looked like a goner lying on his back. He slowly started to snap out of it after sitting in my hand for a few minutes. He flew away after I took this picture.

Don't Stand so Close to Me

While I was reading a magazine at a bookstore a middle aged (70ish) woman walked up and stood with her considerable bottom a few inches from my considerable nose. A conversation that I would not actually start went through my head. It started with, "Please don't fart, please don't fart, please don't fart." Then, in this silly fantasy, granny gave me a withering look. To which I replied, "Sorry, I just know it can be hard to hold your farts at your age." It was at about that time when the fantasy turned to reality. She farted. I thought I was mistaken until she farted again. She farted a third time and took her leave. I suppose the words, "be careful what you wish for or you might just get it," apply to this situation. Or maybe what my dad used to say would be even more applicable: "Be careful what you make up about a strange lady in a bookstore or she just might fart in your face."

Free Bacon in Chicago

Today I was at the Whole Foods in Chicago - the big, new one behind Dick Blick near North Ave. I was buying ingredients for coq a vin. I asked the butcher for his most ethically produced bacon. He wrapped it up and asked, "Have you tried this?" "No," said I. "It's on the house." Later I was buying paper towels from a local paper towel vendor to dry the chicken with. He said, "It's a Memorial Day present." Maybe I should have test driven a car.

Car

I've been following this car (the one with the green door) and taking its picture every minute or two.

Lunatic

Driving South on Highway 101 a few miles south of the Oregon border my associates and I passed a jogger, also heading South. The jogger was dressed in white from head to toe. As a small black car attempted to pass us, the jogger jumped in front of the car and danced about making "funny" faces. The passing car could not swerve to avoid him without either hitting us or hitting him. At the last second the demented jogger jumped out of the way. I watched him continue to dance and bob and weave as he shrunk in the rear view mirror. The small black car pulled over and a gentleman of about 55 or older exited the driver's side. He was going to confront the maniac. For the next few miles I worried about the safety of the gentleman and his wife that he left in the car. By the way, the jogger was big and fit looking. The gentleman was neither.

Migration Frustration

It has recently been brought to my attention that my habit of moving out of my humble home every summer is noticed by people other than me. I do like the part about migrating to the Sierra Nevada via Chicago in the summer but I admit, moving all of my worldly possessions into storage every May and out of storage every August is inconvenient. Next year I am going to try to keep my home and offer it for a summer sublet. So next year when you are considering a home away from home, consider Boise.

More buried cabins

 View of the cabin from the lake. 

The shovel to dig to the cabin is on that tree somewhere under the snow.

Flagpole Peak Today

Flagpole Peak

One of my top ten favorite mountains. 

Great Horned Owl Pellet

Walking the dog

Diego at the cross roads. Or cross walk. In case you are wondering, yes, my neighborhood is off kilter, or at least it has felt that way lately.

Starling

Sharp-shinned hawks are good at this - severing the heads of birds.

Yes

I've been talking lately, with friends, colleagues, and even associates, about how it is more interesting to define one's taste by what one likes, loves, and appreciates as opposed to by what one does not like, love or appreciate. After a while it becomes tiresome to listen to your friend recount his trip to New York or Paris and talk about how all the art sucked. Or upon his return from Kenya he simply said, "Worst safari ever." I think this idea resonates with me because I have been guilty and am still guilty of doing this. Recently, I even considered making a top ten list of things that I do not like. It would have been easier than picking, for example, my favorite ten movies, artists or religions. Use "restaurants" if "religions" is too much.

With that in mind, I would like to declare that I love the word flabbergasted, past tense of flabbergast.

Fishing Book

New edition (1939) of the Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton. Originally published in 1653, this book includes everything one needs to know about fishing. Maybe. I have not ready it yet. Thank you Jenny for this beautiful little book.

Reel to reel for real reggae music.

Travel

I left my Jashua Slocum book in the seat pocket of one of the six planes that I occupied over the weekend.

My copy did not have this lovely picture on the cover. I am not immune to forgetting things but I think my recently developed dislike of airplane travel contributed to the book loss. I had my eye on it. I kept telling myself not to forget it. But when the seatbelt light went off I was out of my seat and into the aisle instantly. And Sailing Alone around the World remained sitting alone in the seat pocket. Who knows, maybe it will travel around the world.

Yesterday I was attempting to leave New York for Boise (via Washington D.C. and Denver). I succeeded in part one. I made it to Washington DC. I had to run to the shuttle bus to get to my connecting flight. The shuttle was not operating because of the weather. So I had to exit the terminal and run to the United ticket counter (the kiosk would not print my boarding pass). I barely made it onto my flight. But that turned out not to matter because that plane did not leave until 6:15 the next morning. Meanwhile, I spent 3 hours on that plane while mechanics attempted to fix the "skid." Another reason given for the stationary plane was that the "runway is too short for a plane this large." I'm not sure if the plane grew or the runway shrunk. Eventually we were let off the plane and given hotel vouchers. I was re-routed through Chicago because all Monday flights from Denver to Boise were full. This morning's first flight was held up while a mechanic fixed some broken seats (not to be confused with the punk jug band of the same name). And finally, the flight from Chicago to Boise had to stop in Idaho Falls for gas.

Schweins Haxn

$26 for schweins haxn? Who are they trying to kid?

The Handbook

Birds I saw today on the way to work

Wood duck, Belted kingfisher, Bald eagle, Widgeon, Mallard, Canada goose, Common merganser, Common golden-eye, Lesser goldfinch, Norther flicker

Captain Kirk, Boise

I was watching disk 10 of season 1 of Star Trek. The captain character (played by none other than Canadian actor and horse enthusiast William Shatner) mentioned Boise. I was surprised that, with the entire universe of places to mention, he mentioned Boise. He also mentioned Honolulu, San Diego and outer Mongolia.

Broken Iron Skillet

My cast Iron Griswold skillet cracked while I was cooking a grilled-cheese sandwich. Luckily I just found one on eBay for $234.99. Also luckily, I finished cooking the sandwich.

Winter Cabins

At last, one we could enter. After hours (maybe 8) of stoking the fire it was warm - inside the wood stove. The fire eventually went out and in the morning the fire building and stoking resumed apace.

I say "apace" all the time.