Backpacking books: Wild vs. I Hike

When I can’t be outdoors, I read about the outdoors. Time spent on the train to work is easily spent reading, especially when the books are about backpacking. I’m no literary know-it-all, but below are some thoughts on two books I’ve recently finished. I recommend them both but for different types of adventurers.

Credit: Cheryl Stayed

In Wild, Cheryl Strayed brings readers into her life long before her first steps on the Pacific Crest Trail. Her experiences before backpacking the PCT, brutally life-changing, set the mood for her jump to becoming a backpacker.

The story is not about the trail itself, but the trail as a metaphor for the mountains she trudges over to find peace with losing her mother, her marriage and in many ways, herself. Deciding she had nothing to loose and everything to gain, she left Minnesota and headed to Southern California and the PCT.

Her mistakes on the trail are unfathomable to most backpackers. Thankfully Cheryl’s struggles with gear, maps, and the brutality of hiking ease simultaneously as her acceptance of what brought her to the PCT clears a way to move forward in life and her hike.

This isn’t a trail guide; it’s about a mental journey that brings each of us into the mountains: to find peace with something. Whether it’s peace in a life that’s fallen apart or peace and quiet in a loud word, hikers can relate and respect her decision to find peace where she did. Hiking the PCT to find her peace reminds us that some life-struggles call for needed trail-struggles to sort through it.

Credit: Lawton Gritner

In contrast, Lawton Grinter, or by his train name, Disco, has hiked every long-distance trail in the US. His trail experience dwarfs that of nearly every other backpacker, yet he continues hiking to find peace and his place in the world.

Through a compilation of short stories, Disco offers readers the perspective of a veteran backpacker who is still humbled by what nature throws his way. In a reminder that no two hikes are the same, he makes mistakes, he makes friends and he makes memories that will last a lifetime.

Where backpackers can struggle with Wild, they will laugh and shudder along with Disco’s tales through some of the country’s most rugged areas. The pouring rain, scorching heat and swarming mosquitos are vividly relatable to backpackers everywhere. Yet, it’s exactly these vivid experiences and his retellings that might loose readers who are either new to backpacking or considering the jump from camping.

Two great books for the coming winter months where, if you’re like me, the backpacking  gear hibernates until the spring thaw melts away the snow, exposing the trails once again.

Curves, twists and Bend, Oregon

Bend, Oregon is one of the few outdoor sports meccas. A town where adventurers and dirtbags can get their fix without venturing too far from civilization and muddy hiking boots are considered fashionable. Locals enjoy daily access to the kinds of outdoor adventures that us tourists merely dream of.

Old Mill District, Bend. Credit: Bend Lodges

Bend’s landscape sets the tone: the pristine Deschutes River twists and curves through town, the Cascade Mountains rim city’s western limits and the high desert landscape to the east offer a seemingly endless horizon of adventure. The river is lined with single-track, streets are painted red with bike lanes and the downtown area boasts copious gear outfitters for all your wildest adventures.

Nearby Smith Rock State Park features miles of hiking and thousands of popular rock climbing routes. During a trip to Bend earlier this month, we took a morning to hike around Smith Rock, taking the formidably named Misery Trail for views of the famous Monkey Face outcropping and the valley below.

The trail maintains a steep climb for the first half mile before cresting the summit for a chance to catch your breath and take in the panoramic views. The trail descends to the Crooked River and around the base of numerous climbing routes. When you’re standing at the base of a climbing route, people watching takes on an all-new meaning; climbers, you are a rad/crazy group.

Beyond the scores of adventure sports, Bend has wholeheartedly embraced the art of craft brewing. In a town of 80,000 people, you’re nearly bewildered choosing between the 22 craft breweries to enjoy a post-hike pint. For fans of craft beer, the Ale Trail is a unique and fun way to see some of the town’s most popular brewers and sample their best work.

Bend finds itself being near everything while also nothing; a balance that could only be fully appreciated by people looking for adventure.

US Half Marathon – San Francisco

One month later, we were back in it; Greg and I tackled another half marathon. We clicked the intensity up a notch and ran the US Half Marathon in San Francisco, known for its out-and-back course that crosses the Golden Gate Bridge with a few unforgiving hills sprinkled in.

The course starts with a moderate hill that leads to a mellow run along the marina. From the beginning, the views do not disappoint and kept us distracted enough to miss the first new mile markers.

The fun really starts after the third mile with the first set of hills. San Francisco did not mess around; runners head up from just above sea level to the top of the Presidio before a final climb to the Golden Gate Bridge.

After crossing the bridge came, in my opinion, the easiest and hardest parts of the race. A fast and thrilling downhill peeled runners down and under the bridge with world-class views of San Francisco. It’s immediately followed with what felt like the toughest hill all race, bringing us back up to the bridge to start our run back.

Nothing about this race is easy, yet nothing stopped us from having a blast and loving every mile. We felt strong  through the last few miles and over the last hill, a long, steady climb just after mile 12. My legs went full-jello on the unexpectedly steep downhill that leads runners to the final straight; I slowed my pace to keep stable until the bottom and then gave it my all to cross the finish strong.

Considering how much tougher this course was compared to Urban Cow, I was more than pleased with my finish time: 2:00:09. We’ll be back next year and I plan on getting that time under two hours.

For anyone interested in this race next year, the start/finish is close to Ghirardelli Square and countless attractions to make a great weekend trip. The close proximity to food, famous sights and the race itself means once parked, most people have no need to drive again until heading home.

We headed down the night before to make race morning a breeze and check out the expo. Runners got a one-time discount at Sports Basement and we made sure to stock up on Nuun, Clif Bars and other goodies. Shuttles between the race hotel made transportation carefree.

Put this race on your calendar for next year and I’ll see you there. If you’ve never been to San Francisco, this is an amazing way to see a world-class city. And, P.S. – the race shirt is pretty awesome too.

Urban Cow Half Marathon

As the summer of weddings came to a close, it was time to focus on running. I’m happy to say the early morning runs, now entirely before sunrise and becoming cold, paid off. The weekend long runs through rolling hills paid off and then some.

Early in the race, when one has the energy to be goofy.

The Urban Cow course is mostly flat, weaving through a popular Sacramento park, then near the state capitol and into Old Sacramento before sending runners on a painfully long stretch along the bike trail next to the Sacramento River.

It heads back through the city streets to the park where we started, making a few turns before finishing with a great crowd cheering us on. Race operations felt very smooth and professional, the course was well marked and water stations were well-staffed and moved fast.

This race, however, was more than just a half marathon. It was my first half marathon. It was me achieving a goal I set last New Year’s and better yet, I did it in the time I knew possible if I left it all on the road. It was a great day, a great race and an even greater amount of fun. After all, if this isn’t fun, then why bother?

I’m getting better at eating quality pre-race foods, timing the recovery drinks/meals and have learned the importance of foam rolling everyday. But I’ve also learned the joy and pride in training and running a race. It’s becoming addictive; the longing for the finishers medal pulling me in.

I’ve decided to push harder from here instead of taking my foot off the gas. Greg and I are running the US Half in San Francisco, hills galore, in two weeks. I don’t expect to beat my Urban Cow time (1:59:51 chip time) because this course looks significantly more challenging, but I hope to keep it under 2:10.

For those who might be wondering why my wife, Kari, didn’t run with me, there’s a good reason. Though we both registered, she’s 14 weeks pregnant and doctor’s orders said no long distance running. Thankfully I have a best friend who can, with two weeks notice, train and run with me. Greg’s support is a big reason why I crossed the finish with  nine seconds under the two-hour mark, sprinting with jello legs. Thanks dude.

To anyone with a used jogging stroller, I’m in the market. Let’s make a deal!

Be your own underdog

When you’re accustomed to being the underdog, having people expect greatness from you is frightening. Their confidence seems unwarranted, unusual and unnerving. As if having people doubt you would make things easier, help you find your motivation to be awesome and prove them wrong.

There is something about the underdog that gets the energy flowing in just the right way. Underdogs zoom past you on the straightaway when you thought the lead was safe; they hustle up the hill faster than expected or maybe, just maybe, beat you on offense and defense.

Then sometimes, you’re only competing with yourself. You become your own underdog. Confidence is low;  can’t wrap your head around a route, a challenge, a distance. You’ve trained tirelessly in the dark, the cold, the hot, the whatever for the big day. Through it all, you keep your head down and your hopes just high enough. The fight to merely finish soon becomes to the fight to finish fast on race day. You knew you’d trained enough to finish strong, but you keep that sliver of doubt.

Then in the big moment, it all comes together. The nights on the floor stretching and sore, the days chugging chalky protein powder to recover. It all hits home and  you’re showing yourself that yes, you can do this. Yes, you are doing this. And yes, you’re killing it. The last mile marker goes by and you pick up the pace. Faster.

The finish line is in sight. Sprint. Just like when we were kids. I can beat you there. Now go!

It’s amazing what we can do when you really want something. But for some strange reason, keeping the humility, the doubt that you can’t handle it, makes the accomplishment all the better. It makes you fight harder and the victory sweeter.

So keep running, cycle more, push harder. And when it matters most, be your own underdog. Surprise yourself. You’ve got it. You just don’t believe it yet.

A summer of memories

I’ve been known to get caught up in the moment.

Maybe it’s not just me, but I have a hard time seeing the vast importantness of life’s moments until they’re happening or shortly after. I get so caught up in the exact moment that, presto, the big shindig happens and then later on I realize big-picture awesomeness.

This summer has been action packed and it’s all starting to hit me. So far I’ve been part of five weddings, two bachelor parties, bought a house and celebrated my first wedding anniversary. Big summer, almost too big to see just how big it’s been.

For the most recent wedding, I was privileged to be the minister (yes, I registered online and yes, they’ll let nearly anyone sign up!). I helped my sister-in-law and her groom with the script, edited everything so it had a nice flow and found time to practice it in front of my wife a few times.

Never did I realize the power those words held and the emotion they would bring. I was in charge of the biggest day of two people’s lives, the day their parents dreamed of, the day their friends and family drove hundreds of miles to witness.

Just before I started the ceremony, I was introduced to the groom’s mother. She’s wonderful, thanking me for doing this for her son, who she’s so happy for. Then it hit me like a punch from Mike Tyson. Today means the world to her; she’s flown to Oregon from Nebraska and the guy responsible for pulling it off? Me.

The ceremony went great. I made some funny ad-lib jokes about the Oregon weather and everyone said I did a great job after. But it was the hug from the now-husband’s mom that took me back. She was teary, happy and so proud of the man her son became. Proud that she was able to be there and meet her new in-laws.

I felt out-of-body for a moment and realized whenever she thought of that day, her son and his new wife accepting their rings, she would also see me. She’ll remember me guiding them through their vows, three words at a time, and saying, “I now pronounce you husband and wife!”

I’ve been trying to spend this year in the moment and not being another cellphone-distracted live-life-through-a-digital-screen you-know-what. I’ve made memories to last a lifetime because of it and it turns out, I’m starting to realize how I’m helping make memories for everyone else.

Double win.

Pt. Reyes – 1 Year Anniversary

What do two outdoor junkies do for their first wedding anniversary? Backpacking, of course! We try to head to Point Reyes at some point each season and decided to book this trip long before our wedding-filled crazy summer. What a good idea!

The cool coastal air was a sigh of relief from the brutal heat of Sacramento this summer. We stopped to get our permits and plan our route. We were up for a challenge and decided to take the long way to Glen Camp, a 7.5 mile hike mostly along Sky Trail.

We made good time getting up the steep Meadow Trail to Sky Trail, hung a left and followed it down to Baldy Trail. If you’re reading this, don’t hike Baldy Trail! The name is misleading; the trail has not been maintained in a long time and the Poison Oak is rampant and waist to shoulder high in some areas.

Can you see the trail? Me neither.

The trail continues downhill to Glen Trail and Glen Camp Loop. We wound in and out of thick canopy until we found camp. Point Reyes is great for having steel boxes and benches at each site, but the camp was very exposed to the mid-day sun and fairly warm. Still, better than not backpacking, so we took the time to relax and nap.

Being our anniversary, Kari hiked in a very nice bottle of wine from our wedding venue in a lightweight Platypus wine bag. Classy! We enjoyed some dinner, put the tent fly on in preparation for the morning fog and called it a night.

The hike out was a little different and longer. We decided to avoid Baldy Trail and the Poison Oak and hike from Glen Trail to Coast Trail. Not only did we avoid a bad trail, but we got more ocean views, cool breezes and wildlife.

 

 

We continued up Coast Trail until we met the end of Sky Trail, heading back uphill a for the majority of our hike. We turned off a bit earlier than before to explore a new trail for us; Old Pine Trail. We hiked under the cool canopy through the last few hours of the morning fog and until we found ourselves back at Bear Valley Trail, the main connector and our way to the parking lot. 

Glen Camp is nice, but not our favorite at this park. We still need to explore Sky Camp, but the hike is too short to get us really interested. Next time, we’ll plan a hike here during winter to make the sun exposure to our advantage. Pack weight was 26 lbs for me, carrying the tent on my own, and 23 lbs for Kari.

Get out there and have fun!

Backpacking Penner Lake

It was late June, perfect weather and a chance to teach the next generation about the joys of backpacking. We headed to Tahoe National Forest to hike from the Carr/Feeley Lakes trailhead, accessible with moderate ground clearance on any 4×4, to hike to Penner Lake. It’s a short 3.5 (approximately) miles and could make for a great day hike, too.

The trail starts off fairly level, crossing over the damn behind Feeley Lake and heading around a handful of other gorgeous lakes. At the Y on the southern end of Island Lake, keep right and hike around the left side of the lake. The views are amazing.

The trail climbs steadily up a ridge that ends just as Penner Lake comes into view. We continued along the trail to get around to the far side before setting up camp. We found a flat spot with some fallen logs about 50 yards uphill from the trail.

That night glowed with the light of a super moon, some kind of rare occurrence we’re told. It was bright all night long, making headlamps near un-needed.

 

We packed up the following morning as the clouds came in. We got a little rain during a lunch break, but the tree canopy did a great job keeping us dry as we trotted our way back to the trailhead.

Pack weight for this overnighter was 28 pounds, a little heavy for such a short trail and trip. Greg and I carried extra supplies to lighten the loads of our young campers. This is a popular area with limited trailhead parking, so get up early and make it happen.

Have fun!

Five Lakes Trail – Day hike in Tahoe

Five pristine lakes on a 2.5 mile trail? Count me in. The bang-for-your-buck on the Five Lakes Tail makes it well worth the heavy trail traffic.

The trailhead is on Alpine Meadows Road just under three miles after the turn-off from Highway 89. Look for the Granite Chief Wilderness signage on the right side of the road, about 10 feet back, and let the fun begin.

It’s a pretty steady climb for he first mile or so but when the time comes for a breather, turn around and enjoy the view. Soon enough the trail levels out at and abandoned chair lift poles pop up as you meander through a mix of private land, Tahoe National Forest and eventually Granite Chief Wilderness.

Once the trail crests, you’re in Granite Chief and start heading through nice meadows, shaded areas and yes, the five lakes. No false advertising here, boys & girls.

The closest lake to the trail also looked like the nicest to take a swim. Being mid-June at the time, it was still bitter cold.

After passing the lakes we kept heading with the trail. It ends about a half mile past the last lake at a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. Call me a hiking nerd, but  being on the PCT for a even few steps felt majestic. No through hikers today, but maybe next time we can hand out some trail magic.

From here, head back and make sure to be careful on the downhill sections. The trail is not terribly stable and slips will happen.

Have fun! It’s a small price to pay for such views.

Missing canadian found, I’m back!

Where oh where have I been, you ask? Or maybe you didn’t and I’ll tell you anyway. It’s been a long time since my last post and I have some explaining to do. This summer has been a little more than cramped. Busy doesn’t do it justice. I’ll spare the details and bring you up to speed real quick.

Ready? Let’s go.

First, we traveled to Coos Bay for my sister-in-law’s wedding. Welcome to the family, J! We stayed in yurts at Sunset Bay State Park. Swank camping.

The area is beautiful and yurt camping rocks if you haven’t done it.

Flying stand-by to Las Vegas earned me a day in Portland roaming the town and Deschutes Brewery. Bottoms up!

Kevin, in the middle, didn’t let dialysis tame the bachelor’s party. Vegas, baby!

We headed to McMinnville, Oregon to visit wineries around our wedding venue last year with my parents.

Who says Oregon is rainy all the time?

Next, I headed to Tahoe for Greg’s bachelor’s party. Seeing the wedding theme yet? More to come on this hike later, I promise.

We celebrated Joe’s 45th birthday with bash and some kickin’ cake.

We got keys to our house and Kari started painting, and painting, and painting. And yes, we were closing escrow this whole time…

Then time for wedding #2, groomsman duty with some classy dudes.

It was an honor to dance and party all too hard in celebration of this amazing couple.

Greg and I took some youngsters out backpacking at Penner Lake the night of the super moon. Trail review to come soon.

To celebrate our first year of marriage, Kari and I headed out with the new tent to Point Reyes. Another trail review to come soon.

Any lastly, wedding #3 for the year. Best friend got married and yours truly was the best man. Best-ish, I guess. I invented a dance move for all you Crossfitters. It’s called the WOD.

Things are slowing down and life is returning to a more normal speed. Thanks for staying with me. There is plenty of fun ahead. Let’s make memories and enjoy every step of the way.

Keep your stick on the ice!