Any other hikers, backpackers, campers out there?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

With the spread of food you put out, I am surprised you didn't have locals coming by thinking it was a new restaurant! Well done!

 

 

Was a great time, and I also learned some things. Next time more fresh fruit, more first aid supplies to treat nagging injury type things like sore muscles (KT Tape) aleve, blister pads etc.

[Querro]

Hi guys, I will be heading to Monaco for Monaco International Luxury Property Expo 2019 on May 15. I'd like to ask if are there any good climbing locations? I heard there are good climbing areas in Monte Carlo but I don't know the region pretty much so I could use any suggestion.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Broke down and bought a 15 degree bag with my rei dividend. Last 3-4 trips I have woken up to temps of 21-31 and the 35 degree bag just was not cutting it to get a comfortable nights sleep even wearing layers and a liner.

 

Enter the Mountain Hardwear Phantom Flame 15. At 2lbs 5 oz it is 4 oz heavier than my 35 and a hell of a lot warmer

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Havent really been around wrx much after the changes to the website. Picked up a couple other pieces of gear. PT is going good, might start resuming some short easy hikes 1-2 miles crushed granite or smooth forest type trails here soon.

 

New kicks broke down and went goretex to keep the feet dry in rain/snow.

New day bag ended up returning the Opsrey just was not a fan of it on long hikes.



 

Couple recent camping/trail magic trips





 

 

[GHIN n Juice]

Just finished a six hour day hike of the Arenal volcano in Costa Rica. Celebrating with a local micro brew!!

 

[wagsgt]

What is the etiquette for dogs on hikes in your area? I live on Appalachian Trail so plenty of areas to hike. I have 90lb Lab and it’s greater exercise for him but a lot of trails are rocky and he loves to swim. So it’s easier to leave off leash since he’s so strong. Usually don’t see a lot of people but just curious what other do.

[scotee]

Great thread! I have been lurking and reliving my glory days. Grew up in So Cal and hiked with my dad there and Yosemite. Our toughest hike was day hiking Mt. Whitney. That is the closest I have been to a marathon. 23 mile round trip. We were gassed and it was dark when we got back to the car. I just found some old slide pics that I copied. Raised 4 daughters in the PNW and we did lots of backpacking then goat packing and now ATV quad packing. 67 in May so most of my hiking days are past except in some National and State Parks and the golf course.

 

Anyway I love hearing about your adventures and the good pics. Carry on.

 

 

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

@scotee whitney via the mountaineers route is very very high on my list after I finish AZ Trail. Will do some winter climbs here up to 12,500 then Rainer finally whitney the following spring.

 

@wagsgt most parks and preserves here are dogs allowed on leash. Some wilderness areas are no dogs. Most BLM or NFS land is leash suggested but not necessarily required. My pups are not trustworthy off leash so they're always leashed. My hiking buddies dog is amazing off leash so that's how he always goes.

 

My only thing is people need to pick up after their dog. Leaving a bag on the side of a trail to be picked up later is not acceptable. Double bag it and tie off to the outside of your pack.

[scotee]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> @scotee whitney via the mountaineers route is very very high on my list after I finish AZ Trail. Will do some winter climbs here up to 12,500 then Rainer finally whitney the following spring.

>

> @wagsgt most parks and preserves here are dogs allowed on leash. Some wilderness areas are no dogs. Most BLM or NFS land is leash suggested but not necessarily required. My pups are not trustworthy off leash so they're always leashed. My hiking buddies dog is amazing off leash so that's how he always goes.

>

> My only thing is people need to pick up after their dog. Leaving a bag on the side of a trail to be picked up later is not acceptable. Double bag it and tie off to the outside of your pack.

 

Here are a few pics of our goat packing days. These are stills from video so not very good quality. We had a farmhouse out in the country and four acres, a barn and room for animals. We considered llamas as they were in vogue in the early 90’s but decided to try goats as they were inexpensive and easy to keep. We got four bottle fed kids and they were pets very much like dogs. We had some great trips and my girls enjoyed them a lot.

 

This trip was into Heart Lake in the Mallard Larkin wilderness in North Idaho. We saw an amazing amount of wildlife including a herd of Mountain Goats that came right up to our camp. We also had elk and deer walk right into camp with almost no fear. I have some great video of this. Sorry, I am sounding like an old fart……..”back in nineteen hundred and ninety five”……….. We did some trips into the Wallowa Wilderness in NE Oregon that has some amazing hikes as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

No worries most of my Sierra experience was late 80s early 90s as a kid

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Weekend up in Northern AZ Near the Blue Ridge Reservoir. Knocked out my first real hike since the ankle injury. 2.5 miles RT on the AZT at 7500 feet. Endurance felt surprisingly good for a long layoff even though only 200 feet elevation gain. Foot felt solid the days after a little swelling. The toughest part is the slight pain and discomfort stepping on walks and walking on uneven terrain. Still have a long way to go.

 






 

Weather was pretty much perfect and zero bugs out so just slept in the bed of my truck and never did set up my tent.


 

 

[scotee]

> @One_Putt_Blunder said:

> Weekend up in Northern AZ Near the Blue Ridge Reservoir. Knocked out my first real hike since the ankle injury. 2.5 miles RT on the AZT at 7500 feet. Endurance felt surprisingly good for a long layoff even though only 200 feet elevation gain. Foot felt solid the days after a little swelling. The toughest part is the slight pain and discomfort stepping on walks and walking on uneven terrain. Still have a long way to go.

>

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

>

> Weather was pretty much perfect and zero bugs out so just slept in the bed of my truck and never did set up my tent.

> 

>

>

Good that you are getting out again.

 

We love sleeping out when the weather and bugs allow. I remember one night high in the Wallowa mountains in North East Oregon. We went to bed and it was dark and the stars were amazing. We watched meteorites and satellites until we fell asleep. Later in the middle of the night or early morning we were awakened by the bright light of a nearly full moon directly overhead. It was so bright that I joked we might get moon burn. It was impossible to ignore and went right through our eyelids.

 

Hope your ankle heals completely.

 

[teejaywhy]

Matt, that YouTube Darwin guy is hiking the AZT now.

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @teejaywhy said:

> Matt, that YouTube Darwin guy is hiking the AZT now.

>

 

He finished a couple weeks ago. I missed him by less than 24 hours at each of our camps before last weekend.

[slocagolfer]

I just did the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu last month. Four days, three nights. Great experience though difficult, especially day 2 up and over Dead Woman's Pass. The thin air and steep, uneven terrain made it a challenge for this 68 year old. Wonderful though.

[scotee]

> @slocagolfer said:

> I just did the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu last month. Four days, three nights. Great experience though difficult, especially day 2 up and over Dead Woman's Pass. The thin air and steep, uneven terrain made it a challenge for this 68 year old. Wonderful though.

 

This 67 yr. old salutes you!

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Bit of bad news, about 4 days after returning from the last camping trip I posted my ankle has looked like this.


 

We have tried everything in PT ice, stem, heat, compression bags. isolation, and movement. Nothing has dropped the swelling. I am starting to get the feeling that the surgery failed somehow and am going back to see the doc Tues.

 

[dmac4g]

That sucks. So sorry. Hopefully it won’t lead back to surgery.

[scratchswinger]

That sucks man. Hang in there

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Saw the doc Tues. Waiting on a MRI to get scheduled. Personally I think I tore something new in there or re tore the same tendon. That is what it is acting, feeling, and looking like. Doc thinks it could possibly be a nerve issue. I am not getting any of the nerve symptoms though. Just gotta play wait and see for a bit now. In all honesty if something else is torn I am not sure I can cover a 2nd surgery in 12 months and will probably have to put it off until next year. In addition to the cost of the surgery I ran out of PTO from the 1st one so any time out of work would not be paid and that would be 5-7 days of no pay. Well technically I can cover it, but I dont want to drain the rainy day fund to do so.

 

 

[dmac4g]

Sorry man. Hopefully they can find something short of surgery to find you some relief.

[scratchswinger]

That’s a bummer. Keep your head up and hope for the best.

 

This is when Aflac is worth paying into.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @scratchswinger said:

> That’s a bummer. Keep your head up and hope for the best.

>

> This is when Aflac is worth paying into.

 

Lol I have a accidental injury policy similar to aflac but higher rated carrier and one I represent. They denied my claim multiple times. The head of claims told the broker they denied saying wasn't accidental then it got paid it with no explanation. Short term disability is crazy expensive and there's usually an exclusion period of 7-14+ days meaning I wouldn't be out long enough to collect benefits of the policy.

 

I'm hoping for the best right now. Heading out to go wheeling and camping this weekend.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Ugh this heartbreaking. Looks like we're going to have almost an entire wilderness area burn. Fires around 40k acres right now 0% contained. Looking like it will burn into July or August. 1-2 passages of the AZ Trail are about to burn including the historic reavis ranch and apple orchard. Hundreds of miles of trails impacted.

 

[dmac4g]

So sad. Hate to see that.

[teejaywhy]

Humphreys Peak Saturday. Highest point in Arizona. Was a grueling 12 hour day. Lots of snow still down in the trees made for slow going. Above treeline the trail was clear. The descent was particularly brutal.

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

> @teejaywhy said:

> Humphreys Peak Saturday. Highest point in Arizona. Was a grueling 12 hour day. Lots of snow still down in the trees made for slow going. Above treeline the trail was clear. The descent was particularly brutal.

>

>

 

You should come with me when I do a winter ascent.

 

Good job though you made it up before I did.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

30+ miles of AZT now scorched earth. AZT= purple line.


 

[teejaywhy]

Mt. Elbert Saturday July 6. At 14,440 ft. above sea level, highest point in Colorado, 2nd highest in the lower 48 just behind Whitney. Good hike, 10.3 mile round trip, 4442' elevation gain.

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Knocked out 6 miles and 1300 feet of gain a couple weekends ago even though I probably shouldnt have. Just got sick of sitting around doing nothing

Flagstaff AZ







 

Seeing neurologist Tuesday to hopefully sort out this nerve issue messing with my ankle. My PT did some more testing with me after getting some lower back traction last week. Pretty much confirmed something serious going on there causing my muscles not to fire properly/at all