As The Crow Flies

• I'm in a sad motel room in Portland, Or with a messed up computer. #
• First the computer had a virus. Then I spilled a cup of tea on it. #
• Then I replaced the keyboard. Next I reloaded windows and a bunch of Dell drivers. #
• Then a guy came and replaced the mother board. For one brief shining moment my computer worked. #
• Even though I loaded the pay version of my viruses and spyware program, I got another infection. #
• A smart person would toss the laptop in the dumpster and never think about computers again. #
• But I keep trying. #

I found this little book on the Internet.  It’s called  “Pocket PCT— An Elevation Guide it the Pacific Crest Trail.”   It weighs 3.8 oz(108 grams) and covers the entire trail.

I’ve never used it or even seen it but it looks really useful.   I may try it out the next time I hike the PCT.

It cost 19.95 which is 10 dollars more than the Wilderness Press PCT Data Book but I was thinking it might be more accurate.    The Wilderness press data book is missing some important water sources and it doesn’t always show you when you are at the top of a climb.

The Pocket PCT is built around an elevation profile of the entire 2655 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. The mile-by-mile elevation profile is represented in chapters, each beginning and ending at a common resupply location. The detailed profile shows water sources (each rated by reliability), water cache locations, resupply points, and hundreds of other landmarks such as campgrounds, roads, creeks, rivers, and trails. Symbols identify each point of interest and includes that point’s elevation (and directions if off-trail). Commonly used resupply point addresses and other information is included in the back of the guide, including directions to each resupply point from the trail.

It doesn’t have any maps in it, but maps and way points for the entire trail can now be downloaded for free from Halfmile’s Pacific Crest Trail Map Site

This is a story I heard on the PCT.    There is this old guy  in a rest home and he decides it’s too expensive.     So now, he lives in his van, traveling around the trails helping hikers.   I don’t know if it’s true but it’s a good story.

Here is the secret to getting big easy miles when hiking the desert section of the Pacific Crest Trail( PCT).   It’s amazing as you can get a 30 mile day in and still spend most of the day laying in the shade.    Your pack will be light because after about 6:30 at night you don’t need much water.   Your feet will feel great because they get a 5-6 hour rest in the middle of the day.

• Start hiking at 4-5am  and hike until about 10-11am taking breaks as needed.   Get your first 15 miles in.
• Find some shade and sleep.  Be sure to sleep with your feet elevated.
• Get hiking by 4:00-5pm walk until 10-11pm.    Get your next 15 miles in and then call it a night.
• Repeat.

It you only want to do 20 mile days, well then, it will be really easy.

If you hike when it’s hot, you are going to need a ton of water and the trail will be brutal.    If you hike when it is cool, it will be easy and you won’t need to carry much water.

Related posts: Backpacking lights

How to keep your umbrella from blowing away while you take your siesta.

• Twitter just started talking to my blog again. #

• Found a cheap place to rest and regroup–home. #
• It's been cool and lovely here. #
• I saw a bear near my cabin yesterdy. #

• Sitting at the Char Burger in Cascade Locks. #
• Waiting for a ride to Portland. #
• Going to get dry and clean. #
• Swap out some gear and then head out for more. #
• Plans have changed. #
• Time to find a place to rest and regroup. #
• Then stash my truck somewhere and rejoin the trail. #
• It's hard to travel light when you have a truck with you. #

• Drizzly day today. #
• Another drizzly day. #
• Wore my raincoat and trash bag skirt all day #
• It was sort of cold. #
• The Ollalie Lake store is still closed. #
• Lots of huckleberries today #
• Should make Timberline tomorrow #
• That way my feet will feel good in the morning. #
• But good for me the mosquito swarms are behind me. #
• Tomorrow I will be warm, dry and eating hot food. #
• But tonight is a little damp and chilly. #
• But it looks to be a good day. #
• Breakfast buffet and then on to gear drying. #
• Timberline has 25 cent boot dryers #
• I wonder how they work for tent drying #
• Laying down for the night. #
• My tent is wet but I have hopes that it will be dry by morning. #
• I have pitched my tent so my feet are up hill. #
• The zipper on my tent broke. #
• This incline is so severe, it's like standing on my head. #
• Timberline in 15 miles. #
• I'm meeting people there tomrrow #
• So I guess I could lay here for a long while. #
• A hot beverage would be perfect right now. #
• Mornings like this make me wish I had brought my stove. #
• As hoped for, my tent has dried out this morning. #
• Hey from Timberline. #
• It's a madhouse here. #
• I found the pizza place here. It's hidden. #
• got my stuff all laid out, trying to dry it. #
• And they're booked full. Amazing #
• I'm going to stealth it. #
• And be here for breakfast buffet in the morning. #
• A dorm room at Timberline cost 115 dollars! #
• Wet night. #

• Sitting in the grocery store in Sisters #
• There are too many choices. #
• So, I got a beverage and am thinking. #
• I notice the Best Western has a Vacancy. Hmmm #
• My feet are campaigning for a rest. #
• The rest of me is too. #
• The hardest part of the trail is getting out of town. #
• Heading back to the trail. #
• Back on the trail! #
• Laying in a meadow, eating smoked salmon candy. #
• There were Snickers and Pepsi in a cooler on the trail. #
• Good day. I'm happy to be lying in this meadow instead of a motel. #
• It's a chilly morning. #
• So lying here in my sleeping bag feels nicer then usual. #
• Nice day but lots of blow downs. #
• Probably won't be bothered by horses and mountain bikes. #
• That's why they should leave some of blow downs. #

• Hey from Big Lake Youth Camp #
• They let me have a shower and wash my clothes. #
• Next I eat lunch here #
• Then on to Santiam Pass for resupply and dinner. #
• The trail has been beautiful #
• Lots of meadows full of wild flowers #
• And the mosquitos are mostly gone. #

• Food at Elk Lake. #
• Time to hit the trail, again. #
• I wore my headnet and mittens most of the day. #
• Tomorrow will be a better day. I'm creating it now. #
• Looks like a smoldering lighting stike in Three Sisters Wilderness. #
• By Wiickiup Plain and Le Conte Crater #
• Looks like it doesn't have much to burn. #
• But maybe someone should notify the fire watch. #
• I'm only able to text here. #

• Worst day ever for mosquitos. #
• They win. But now I am safe inside my tent. #
• Along with about 20 mosquitos #
• The water is right outside my tent. But no way am I going out there. #
• I have done over 200 miles so far.:) #
• Met southbounder Soxs today but too many sketters to talk. #
• Everyday since Crater Lake I see "Burning Daylight" and a French guy. #
• Tomorrow I should make Elk Lake Resort. #
• Brave me left my tent and got water. #
• Now I have a tent full of mosquitos again. #
• Everytime I unzip my tent the zipper breaks. #
• But so far I'm able to fix it each time. #
• No zipper would be a big challenge tonight. #
• I need a new tent. #
• Laying in my tent envisioning a lovely day of painfree hilking without mosquitos #
• To the tune of a million mosquitos buzzing outside my tent. #

• Worst day ever for mosquitos. #
• They win. But now I am safe inside my tent. #
• Along with about 20 mosquitos #
• The water is right outside my tent. But no way am I going out there. #
• I have done over 200 miles so far.:) #
• Met southbounder Soxs today but too many sketters to talk. #
• Everyday since Crater Lake I see "Burning Daylight" and a French guy. #
• Tomorrow I should make Elk Lake Resort. #
• Brave me left my tent and got water. #
• Now I have a tent full of mosquitos again. #
• Everytime I unzip my tent the zipper breaks. #
• But so far I'm able to fix it each time. #
• No zipper would be a big challenge tonight. #
• I need a new tent. #
• Laying in my tent envisioning a lovely day of painfree hilking without mosquitos #
• To the tune of a million mosquitos buzzing outside my tent. #

• Sitting on the porch of Shelter Cove. #
• I'm showered and my clothes are washed. #
• I have resupplied but I'm still sitting here because it's raining. #
• Really hard. #
• The pizza parlor at Willamette Pass is no longer open on Fridays. #
• #
• Sat and Sun 9am -8pm only. Take note. #
• Camped at a lake. #
• I'm so happy to be out here. #
• I met a thru-hiker who isn't happy to be out here. #
• I think he just doesn't realize how happy he is. #
• It's morning. #
• The mosquitos are up and buzzing. #
• It's hard to get up. #
• My bliss is in this tent this morning. #
• I should lay here for awhile more. #