What would make someone say, “I want to be a thru hiker”. I am not sure since I have never had that
notion. I have and still do feel the
need for immersing myself into nature.
To reconnect with something, a sense, an emotion, a linger of some kind
of calling? But to become a thru hiker,
that is an entirely different undertaking.
In the past year Hollywood has demonstrated an interest in
sharing this concept to the public. First,
the film, “Wild”, about the trail named in this title, and now in theaters is
the film, “A Walk in the Woods”. Does
this mean we as a society are feeling a calling back to nature? Or is this just still a minority and the rest
of us find entertainment in this notion of hardship and challenge while someone
else is engrossed in the great outdoors.
The original idea behind the Appalachian Trail (AT) was not
for someone to hike its entirety. Its
visionary, Benton MacKaye, in 1925 succeeded in convincing other visionaries
that a trail winding through serene forest landscapes near the hustle and
bustle of industrial America would benefit society allowing an escape to many. Then in 1948 following his return from WWII
Earl Shaffer decided to walk off the war and do what folks thought impossible. He walked the entire length of the AT
setting himself up as the first thru hiker…setting a precedent making him very
far from the last!
My intention of this article is not a history lesson. But how I had a recent urge to become a thru
hiker. Why? It was not because I needed to lose weight
(even though I do), it was not because I needed to find myself (impossible feat
anyway), I was not trying to cure myself of a drug or alcohol problem, nor did
I want to escape from life in anyway. I
had the VERY BEST reason of them all, my darling daughter invited me to join
her and her hiking partner on this life goal of theirs to thru hike the 2600+ miles
of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Now I
did not thru hike, but had a brief 136-mile taste of what it may be like? The invite was a few months after she
announced to her mother and I that after she completed graduate school she was
going to hike the PCT. This allowed her
a year to plan and prepare. I then began
to wish for an invite and a few months later it came!
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| Cody and I a few years back |
Now as excited as I was for this wonderful opportunity to
spend quality time with my little girl I was also anxious about several
things: my age, my fitness as compared
to their age, the idea that I will join them after they already seasoned
themselves with 500 + miles, and lastly the biggest related to ALL the above…I
do not want to hold them back. I am no
amateur to spending time immersed in the backcountry, I trekked, camped, and
paddled quite a bit of wildlands including hiking over a 100 miles in one
outing. But most of that was solo not
needing to keep up with anyone but myself.
So, I started some of my own preparation.
I had to turn in a vacation schedule a few months in advance
so off of their estimated itinerary I planned to meet them at Kennedy Meadows in early June, which
is the start of the Sierra section of trail.
Sounded the most pleasant with a mix of mountains and alpine lakes. Once we got a week away from my cross-country
drive to meet up with them it was going to be in Tehachapi instead, which is in
arid California desert. A new experience
for me, but no matter, still quality time with this special lady of my life and
in time to celebrate her birthday prior to setting out!
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| Celebrity Status |
I rolled into a diner on June 4th to pick up Bauman and to meet for the
first time the Bucher of the B & B PCT Team. But of course as I soon learned that there is
a social connection with the thru hiking community and several others needed
rides into town. So accommodations were
made and the shuttle began. After
arriving in Tehachapi I booked the three of us a room at a hotel on the
outskirts of town. This is not a time
for relaxation, oh no, lots to do when arriving into town. Mail check at post office, grocery shopping,
laundry, equipment repairs or replacement, and with access to a shower this
becomes a high priority. All this
civilization travel entails sometimes telling your adventure to folks you meet
that want to live vicariously through you, if only for five minutes. Eating is also a priority and town meals are
always great…why, you do not have to carry it on your back!
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| HAPPY BIRTHDAY WOOBY! |
The following day brought the birthday celebration at a
local eatery with a planned departure to hit the trail that afternoon. I negotiated a place to park my car at the
hotel and the girls using “trail angels” arranged a shuttle back to the trailhead
at 3 pm. So here it is, the planning for
me was over and the months were now only hours/minutes. Pack and re-packed my backpack. Am I too heavy? Girls educated me on the “pack out’
dinner. This is what you want from town
for dinner that night that would not require any cooking, ready to eat! I “packed out” half of my lunch burrito.
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| I look anxious in this one, not Bucher |
Departure from town quickly followed by my first view of a
PCT sign. No big deal for the two
veterans of the B & B team but intimidating for me due to the anxiousness mentioned previously. We are off after they sign the register and the landscape then became "real". Not just a drive by out the window. The shift of a sandy loam under foot as the sweat builds, under pack, straps, back, brow, everywhere, it is a desert and I am carrying a 40 pound pack. But when even the slightest of breeze blows you quickly become tuned in, the cool relief when it strikes your moist areas is most delightful. Before reaching camp that evening we scampered up and down elevations seeing MANY hillsides covered with windmills offering power to nearby Los Angeles. In no time we also covered 10 miles by that evenings camp.
I was hiking the PCT with two wonderful ladies who I came to realize over the next few days were two EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN BEINGS! As I had mentioned I was actually the father of one of the B’s and took it upon myself to trail adopt the other B. But, they did not need me looking out for them, tides had turned, they were looking out for me! It was cute. I typically took a place in the middle during the hiking day with one leading and the other bring up the rear. Usually we all hiked within a hundred or so yards of one another. Falling into their typical hiking day meant a 5 am wake up and hiking by 530am with a motto 10 before 10. 10 miles before 10 am. They then call those “free miles” (they didn’t feel free to me). This is followed by an hour break making breakfast and getting feet up and elevated. Then it is continuing on till about 2 pm for a lunch break followed by evening camp around 7 pm or so, covering anywhere from 22 to 26 miles. All the while with them looking out for me so I did not get into too much trouble.
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| Barren with no shade in sight |
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| Trail Angels Rule! |
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| Trekking before dawn |
Water. Well, there
wasn’t any in this wild country so you had to carry what you needed for
drinking and cooking. I could carry up
to three liters, which proved to not be enough in these sections (I only had
three bottles). Back to who was caring
for whom…Cody B carried four liters, not that she needed 4; one was for the old
man. She would keep mentioning, “Dad,
you can drink yours I have another bottle I don’t think I will need”. So that is how the trip went, the two B’s
taking care of me for 130 plus miles of California desert on the famous PCT.
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| Kennedy Meadows General Store |
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| Combined Souls of the PCT |
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| Chef and shuttle driver |
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| One lane of Tent Town |
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| THANK YOU VENUS AND ERIC! |
That Saturday morning it was very hard to say goodbye to
these two remarkable PCT thru hikers.
One I had loved and admired for the past 29 years and the other over
the past 9 days. The extent of emotion
welling up inside at our farewell hugs, well, lets just say it was a good thing
the Gardners were there so I wasn’t a complete pathetic weeping slob (yes, this
can actually happen). The night before we arrived in Kennedy Meadows while I was sewing tears in the girls gators, it hit me, I realized it was going to be over after tomorrow and that there would
not be another day with my B & B team.
The sharing of hardship but even more the sharing of the magic! I got to say, “goodnight” to them for 9
nights straight! A thought actually
passed through me of what if I stay and continue? Become a thru hiker. This thought only passed through and I
realized this was not my quest. But how
fortunate I was to share a very small piece of it. I was going to deeply miss them, and for that
I was sad.
For them, I was elated that their journey continues. I knew they had what it takes to push on to
the North and complete this venture with their own unique style. Making friends and forever memories along the
way that will carry them through into their respective successful futures,
whatever they may hold. They are two
one-of-a-kind ladies both with a tremendous amount of determination and
courage. They have inspired me now and this
experience will for my remaining short paradise existence on this earth. Thank you Cody and Elise for allowing me to
Journey with my Heart along the PCT! CONGRATULATIONS on this awe-inspiring life
goal!!!!
With Much Love and Admiration,
Papa B
P.S. B&B: I now have two
glorious memories that will occupy my mind when I hear the Billy Joel song,
“Captain Jack”.
What have I learned about thru hiking?
1)
When hitching rides always have your trekking
poles collapsed and attached to your pack.
2)
Carry enough water or have someone with you that
will carry enough water for you.
3)
Never conduct a deep squat near a water seep
when wearing hiking shorts while going commando
4)
Never hike with someone more experienced then
you since it means they will only continue schooling you on your behaviors
playing the, “Who’s shit is this game?”
5)
Always hike with folks more experienced then you
since they will keep you out of trouble.
6)
Laugh often, even if it means crying!
