Spring update

For those who've expressed interest in my blog from work, thank you.  I know work is slow and it was while at work that I did most of my planning for the Appalachian Trail.

I will admitt over the winter I slowed down my hiking considerably.  I did get out, just not as often.  My most hiked trail was Dog Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon.  It's quick and easy without a lot of avalanch danger.  Another hiked trail is the upper Millcreek road.  I do like Millcreek however it does get over run by doggie poo bags.  Please when you walk you pup remember to take the waste with you.  There are some things I will pack out, like campfire trash and candy wrappers.

My plans for the up coming hiking season is to thru-hike the Tahoe Rim Trail [TRT].  I'll get back up to Anderson Pass, this time with cool weather gear to finish King's Peak.  There are a few lakes in the Uinta's I want to get back to including Four Lakes Basin (south slope), Naturalist Basin (south slope), and Red Castle (north slope).  I'm not much of a fisherman, though I grew up fishing.  These lakes are remarkably stunning and will be worth the nine plus mile hike in.

The TRT is a quick 2 week hike with 3 resupply points wrapping around the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe CA/NV.  At 165 miles some of it shares tread with the Pacific Crest Trail on the western side.  I first read about the TRT in Backpacker Magazine a few years back.  For it's short length it makes a nice, don't quit the job thru-hike.

I wanted to hike the TRT last year however, the temporary position I took at work made me hang the plans up for a season.  I'll say cyber-hiking isn't like tread on treadway, I managed.  I'll also say the position stretched me in ways of interacting in a training environment pushed this flip flopping intor/extrovert around in good ways.

I'll be digging up some links for the side bar, updating the photo slideshows too.  I may not do a GPS tracker except for a select few for saftey.  My tab pages are also getting a work over too.

As for now, look at the weather, toss on another layer, and hike on.

Skyland

I've hopped up on my old boulder to write this entry.  Yesterday I made big miles to make today short on hiking.  I wanted to trip down memory lane.

The bears nor the weather bothered me last night.  This morning as I stitched up my britches, Ireland made comment about getting breakfast and that it was open 'til 10:30 am.  I made quick on the repair knowing it'd need only to last two days before I could replace 'em.

I dumped a little water, carrying only a litter.  I made good time catching Ireland and another hiker.  Before long familiar territory came to view and the horse stables.  Being a purist, I stuck to the AT instead of taking the maintenance road over.

The view, the lodge, the gift shop, all unchanged.  I dumped my pack next to Bud's, he'd left before 6am, and walked right in not waiting to be seated.  I then grabbed a quick wash.

The server inquired about my hike as she brought me coffee.  I loaded up on the breakfast buffet, 3 plates of french toast went down my way.  Ireland arrived ten minutes later.  We kept the server in good conversation as with other guests.  Our smell awful, our conversations informative.

After breakfast, the other hikers departed.  I headed down the the ampitheater and conference center.  Nothing's changed except some more wear and tear without repair.  Without repair is a common theme I am seeing in all government managed areas, which is sad.  Our Park system is our greatest gift to our future generations and they are falling apart with no hope of the same glory they enjoyed in decades past.

The wind teases the trees.  Employees on break talk just around the bend.  Music pours out of the open kitchen windows.  Who are the kids working this season?  Who are the regular local employees?  Who are the guests today, the week, this season?  Where will they be next?

My thoughts?  This is the last place I stopped before I headed into full time missionary work with YWAM-Mercy Ships.  Walking over to the ampitheater where I did the weekly ACMNP church service, I recalled giving simple messages around the greatness of God, a creator.  I recalled sitting on this rock preparing for those messages.

I'm here making new memories.  I here for a different purpose.  I'm a thru-hiker.  I do desire something greater in my life.  I do desire to be apart of something bigger then my life.

Memory lane, it's not a street to live on.  It's a street to help one remember what great things were done in the past to be a facilitator for greater things for the future.

Hike on.  Hike...