GRAY'S PACIFIC CREST TRAIL LOG - 2003
Sat Jan 18, 2003
Here it is...
This is the blog that will hold Gray's entries as he hikes the Pacific Crest Trail from April to October. Stay tuned.
Tue Jan 21, 2003
Pacific Crest Trail FAQ Part I
This log is intended to document my upcoming attempt to thru-hike the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail during the spring and summer of 2003. So, let's start by answering some of the most common questions I get about the PCT.
What is the PCT?
The PCT is a national scenic trail that starts near Campo, California, and follows on or near the Sierra and Cascade crests all the way to the Washington/Canada border near Manning Park, B.C.
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Sat Apr 19, 2003
Las Vegas
So, this is my first entry in my PCT journal.
In reality, my trip hasn't *officially* started, but I've left Seattle, so it feels like it has. So, we will treat this as a forward to the real journal. I need to get in the habit of writing every day, so I'm going to try and write a bit while I am here, and hope that makes it easier to stay up to date with it while I am on the trail.
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Sun Apr 20, 2003
Las Vegas
Not much to add today, didn't do much, which was nice. We played cards by the pool, watched Six Feet Under, ordered a pizza, and didn't go to a club we were supposed to go to.
Saw a thunderstorm yesterday, haven't seen one in so long, living in Seattle. It was nice. The weather is nice, warm but not terribly hot, thought the pool still feels cold... cold enough I haven't braved it yet. Sunshine all day today.
I'm starting to miss people from Seattle, and starting to get nervous about my impending start. I suspect we are going to end up staying her for this weekend, and hitting the trail a week from tomorrow, on Monday the 28th of April. It will mean missing the kick off party, which kinda sucks, but means I get to spend a bit more time with Ammy, and I am sure I can get up to date water info from the PCT-L before I leave.
Mon Apr 21, 2003
Las Vegas
Well, so far today has been interesting. Ammy and I dyed my hair purple and black (mostly black) yesterday, so today we spent a couple hours putting in purple and black yarn dreads (mostly purple). Pictures will be availible soon. It looks very cool, right now I am wearing it up, sort of like the aliens in Battlefield Earth... or possibly more like Eddie Grant. I'm gonna rock down to... electric avenue...
We are going over to some friends of Ammys in a little while, having dinner and hanging out. I'll get to see the north side of Las Vegas, which I haven't seen yet.
I think we've decided to wait til Monday or Tuesday to head to San Diego to start my trip. While there, we have to stop by Shannon's grandparent's place, since she is loaning me a 35mm camera and some lenses for my trip. Yeah, it's a lot of weight, but I've just decided that my little digital just isn't as dependable as I want to record this trip. Although I like my Kodak, while it takes excellent indoor/closeup shots, it is a bit hit or miss on landscape shots, and it just chews through batteries. With the 35mm, I can be a little more in control of the pictures I take, though it's going to make it harder to get them on the web. I'm hoping to be able to send back the film when I pick up my resupply packages, and perhaps Leeny can get them scanned and uploaded. So, I definitely have to thank Shannon for her generosity... you rock, and this means a lot to me :)
I want to talk a bit about my journal. I am not quite sure how my journal is going to end up working. At the very least, I want it to be a travelogue. I'd like to get a bit more in depth, time allowing, but I am not sure if I'll be posting about thoughts and feelings or not. This trip is going to give me a lot of time to think, a lot of time by myself. It's possible that this might end up a lot more personal than just an account of my trip. If it does, I think I will just let it evolve on it's own, and not try to structure it too much. So, we will see :)
Ok, Ammy is out of the shower, so time to get ready to go have dinner. More later, perhaps.
Wed Apr 23, 2003
Las Vegas
Well, Tuesday got skipped, partially because we didn't do much of anything, and partially because my snoring drove Ammy to the computer room, so I didn't have a chance to use the computer.
Monday we went over to Ammy's friend's place so Ammy could do another friend's hair. The husband of friend #1 is a piercer, and since I wanted to up guage to the 0 guage eyelets I had, he did it for me. Since my lobes are pierced so low, he decided it was best to scalpel them so they stretch upward and not downward, possibly tearing the ear. So, a quick shot of lidocaine in each ear, a quick cut, and I now have bigger eyelets in.
No pain at all, even today.
Tuesday we just sat around most of the day, watched some TV, played on the computer a bit.
Today we went over to the same friends house, and Ammy got black and red chenille yarn put in, it looks really good. About ready to go eat some tacos, then I think we are going out to a club call "Hell," apparently a goth night. Tomorrow is Thursday, and we have plans to meet up with some of my friends from another mailing list, as well as some Seattle peeps (Roger, Mel, and Mel's boi.. who for some reason I cannot recall his name.) So, journal entries for the next few days may be sporadic, depending on what we end up doing.
Thu Apr 24, 2003
Las Vegas and Convergence,.
We ended up having a pretty good time last night. After tacos, we went to the "Offical Unofficial C9 Party" at a club called Ikon. While there, I saw Gwen and Brian Lovely, as well as my friend Dave, aka Penguin. Penguin is the guy who was responsible for the "Freedom Quarter" thing :) We got to talk for a while, saw lots of people in town for Convergence, but eventually left cause we were broke, and not drunk enough to keep hanging out.
We went to a casino with our last 3$ and some change, then played penny slots. Ammy won $5. The we hit the quarter slots, and I won another $12. So, gambling bought our breakfast :)
Today we've just sat around, doing housework and watching TV. In a couple hours we are going to Quark's, the Star Trek theme bar, to meet up with a bunch of friends from the Inner Circle list, which should be fun. We think Roger is arriving tonight, and is supposed to meet us at the bar, as are Mel and company. Should be fun, the guy that runs the Inner Circle list is
Dragon, which some of you may know from alt.gothic and other sources. No, it's not *that* Dragon. Dragon makes the best (homemade) absinthe I've had, as good as some professionally-made absinthe, and I am sure there will be some "taste-testing" going on durning the next couple days.
We were invited to Penguin's room party Friday night, so I think we are going to go to that, after running around being tourists on the Strip.
So far the weather has been great down here, warm but not too hot, an occasional spat of rain, and some lightning every few days. Today is really warm, almost cloudless.
I'm going to cut this entry short, since we have to hit Quark's fairly early.
Thu May 01, 2003
Las Vegas - Greyhound Terminal (pt 1)
Well, it's started. I've thought that a lot recently... leaving Seattle, getting to Las Vegas... but now it really is getting close. I have my ticket, + in about 45 mins. I will be on a bus for San Diego.
Christ my pack is heavy. I keep thinking over + over about what I can jettison... and running short on things I'm willing to give up. Today one of my MSR cooking pots was eliminated, as was a fleece top, my cutting board, some clothes, and finally my Audobon Field Guide To Wildflowers. I'll miss the book.
I think I need to re-arrange my pack... feels a little top-heavy. About the only thing that marks me as a Granola*goth* is my Spooky squeak toy I have dangling from my pack. Ammy also gave me a tiny cat figurine, the one she got for luck on her move to Las Vegas. Hopefully it will bring me luck as well.
Leaving was hard. I had a good time in Vegas, and it was nice spending time with Ammy... as hard as I tried, I couldn't make it a tearless departure.
note: this entry was posted by Apostle for Gray while LeeNy is away on vacation. Apologies if I mess anything up.
Fri May 02, 2003
Just Outside Campo
Here it is... the first journal entry from the trail! Dropped off the previous letter at the post office, then trudged uphill past the Border Patrol Station and some sort of boys' home, cached my pack when I found my first trail marker, and walked about 2 miles up to the monument and official start of the PCT.
Took a couple of pics there, marked it on my GPS, then headed back to my pack. The trail got a bit confusing and I lost it in a maze of jeep roads. Followed the road around and met back up with it just outside Campo. Chatted with a Border Patrol guy, then struggled to find a campsite as it quickly got dark. I finally ended up camped right next to the trail on a slope with lots of crinkly, noisy glass under me. For those playing at home, I am camped on map A1, about 1/2 mile after it crosses Highway 94 near Campo Creek, but before the railroad. (Editor's note: will have to scan the map from the book.)
My MSR Simmerlite worked great, fairly quiet, though the "simmer" is still a low boil. Dinner tonight was Lipton teriyaki noodles with dried mushrooms, and a can of chunk chicken. Yummy! Washed it down with lemonade and polished off another smoke.
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I'm writing this in my sleeping bag. Headlamp doesn't fit well with dreads. Weather is nice, cool, partly cloudy, goo sunset, though I was in too much of a hurry to find a campsite to admire it, or take a picture.
The only wildlife today were beetles - big black ones. Heard something crashing around down by the "creek." May have been a deer... or an illegal alien.
It's only 9pm, but I am bushed. Nite nite.
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