We had a great time this past weekend!
Highlights:
Petra Mediterranean Deli in old town Tehachapi - awesome! Definitely worth revisiting.
Murray Family Farms just outside of Bakersfield - gorged ourselves on a variety of fruit, nut, snack, pie, preserve, and fudge samples - we could have skipped lunch. Had the entire field to ourselves as we picked blueberries straight from the bush. Also definitely worth revisiting.
Kern River Inn Bed & Breakfast - Great view of the river from our room. Hearty breakfasts and decadently delicious evening treats.
Kern River Outfitters Lower Kern Big Five Whitewater Rafting - "pool and drop" river, meaning flat stretches between each rapid. A bit boring... but one crazy rapid made up for it. Our guide frantically yelled out commands as we bounced our way through the rapids. Backwards. Someone flew out of the raft right into the person across from him, and both fell into the river. Panic ensued as we (well, not me - I was too busy freaking out) tried to pull them back in. Next time, I want something more continuously exciting. Maybe the Upper Kern?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A tragic ending... ?
Don's physically fine, so stop your worrying right now.
But he just told me that he's planning to call it quits:
Just wanted to let you know that i decided to quit the pct. The hiking was ok, just very boring. No signs of other hikers. Starting today its even more boring hiking. It finally hit me yesterday that i might never be able to get away from work to start again. And it seemed to me that putting our whole summer on hold for a trip that might never come was unfair to you.
I feel i made a big mistsake in not realizing that a thru hike was no longer possible. Had i, i would have started at walker pass. Anyway, i'll be home today or tomorrow. Unless you talk me out of it, i'm going to tell work that i won't go out again. And we can start planning our summer.
I'm so shocked, stunned, sad... witness to a dream being crushed.
Still need to talk this through with him.
Will keep you posted.
But he just told me that he's planning to call it quits:
Just wanted to let you know that i decided to quit the pct. The hiking was ok, just very boring. No signs of other hikers. Starting today its even more boring hiking. It finally hit me yesterday that i might never be able to get away from work to start again. And it seemed to me that putting our whole summer on hold for a trip that might never come was unfair to you.
I feel i made a big mistsake in not realizing that a thru hike was no longer possible. Had i, i would have started at walker pass. Anyway, i'll be home today or tomorrow. Unless you talk me out of it, i'm going to tell work that i won't go out again. And we can start planning our summer.
I'm so shocked, stunned, sad... witness to a dream being crushed.
Still need to talk this through with him.
Will keep you posted.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Upcoming weekend!
This weekend, we'll be heading up to Kernville for some whitewater rafting! It'll be Don's first experience, and aside from some baby rapids back when I was 11, it'll pretty much be my first real experience as well.
On the way, we'll stop by Murray Family Farms for some U-Pick fruit action! (EXCITED!) And we'll also play our fair share of restaurant roulette. (excited?? make that "nervous")
On Sunday, I'll drop off Don (armed with a footlong Subway) for his next week of hiking.
On the way, we'll stop by Murray Family Farms for some U-Pick fruit action! (EXCITED!) And we'll also play our fair share of restaurant roulette. (excited?? make that "nervous")
On Sunday, I'll drop off Don (armed with a footlong Subway) for his next week of hiking.
Hiker Feet
Don had been complaining about an awful callus on the side of his big toe that rubbed against the neighboring toe, thereby causing severe pain. I finally got around to looking at it. (I was supposed to soak his feet, then show him the miraculous uses of a pumice stone. But Don kept threatening to get out his knife and cut it off. AHK!)
The "thing" on his big toe wasn't so much a callus... it was a blister that Don had popped. But he hadn't removed the extra skin, and that skin had simply dried up and hardened. Kind of like a blister version of a scab??
Anyhow, after taking a look, I decided a pumice stone really wasn't the way to go. I just peeled it off. Oh, and by the way, I made sure he had showered before getting anywhere near his feet.
Don then mentioned how the area was still a bit rough, so I whipped out my handy dandy foot file - basically an emory board for feet. Don went to work and soon fell in love, declaring that he'd take it on the trail if it didn't weigh so much!
I noticed Don's feet are looking pretty ragged - very rough, with bits of dead skin hanging from his toes (former blisters). So I'll pack up the pedicure supplies and spend some time fixing his feet this weekend in Kernville...
The "thing" on his big toe wasn't so much a callus... it was a blister that Don had popped. But he hadn't removed the extra skin, and that skin had simply dried up and hardened. Kind of like a blister version of a scab??
Anyhow, after taking a look, I decided a pumice stone really wasn't the way to go. I just peeled it off. Oh, and by the way, I made sure he had showered before getting anywhere near his feet.
Don then mentioned how the area was still a bit rough, so I whipped out my handy dandy foot file - basically an emory board for feet. Don went to work and soon fell in love, declaring that he'd take it on the trail if it didn't weigh so much!
I noticed Don's feet are looking pretty ragged - very rough, with bits of dead skin hanging from his toes (former blisters). So I'll pack up the pedicure supplies and spend some time fixing his feet this weekend in Kernville...
Ahh, the great outdoors...
While out running errands one day, Don had to use the restroom - in other words, we'd have to find a store that had one. Don then mentioned one thing he missed about being on the trail - being able to pee pretty much anywhere as soon as the urge hits.
Hm.
Hm.
New phone, sort of
So a new phone did arrive in the mail, but not a new battery. der!
After a call to customer service, we found out that before we could get a new battery, we'd have to go back to the Verizon store to get the battery tested. Don went over the weekend, but after being told it would be a half hour wait, then waiting for 15 minutes and not seeing any progress in the line, he left.
Oh well, on the bright side, Don says one of the problems he'd been having with the old phone isn't happening anymore. (The old phone wouldn't charge when it was off.)
After a call to customer service, we found out that before we could get a new battery, we'd have to go back to the Verizon store to get the battery tested. Don went over the weekend, but after being told it would be a half hour wait, then waiting for 15 minutes and not seeing any progress in the line, he left.
Oh well, on the bright side, Don says one of the problems he'd been having with the old phone isn't happening anymore. (The old phone wouldn't charge when it was off.)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
OY VEH!
Well now I'm glad I didn't update this sooner!
In a previous post, I said that Don might have to call it quits in early/mid July.
Then, the new plan was that Don would stay at work for a second week, but NOT plan on coming back to work until he finished the hike *unless* his boss contacted me to tell him to come back sooner.
The latest plan is that Don will resume his hike this Sunday (after our whitewater rafting weekend), but just for a week. That way, he can do the segment from Mojave to Kennedy Meadows before it gets too hot. Then he's back to work until things start to "calm down" (i.e., indefinitely). He's hoping that he'll be able to make enough progress at work to start hiking again when my parents visit in early July.
If things go well at work, this might actually be for the best, since the Sierras are currently a bit too snowy. And as he also pointed out, now he'll be around for my birthday! In previous plans, he would have been completely out of contact (no phone reception).
By the way, Don apologized for being such a high maintenance husband. Hah!
In a previous post, I said that Don might have to call it quits in early/mid July.
Then, the new plan was that Don would stay at work for a second week, but NOT plan on coming back to work until he finished the hike *unless* his boss contacted me to tell him to come back sooner.
The latest plan is that Don will resume his hike this Sunday (after our whitewater rafting weekend), but just for a week. That way, he can do the segment from Mojave to Kennedy Meadows before it gets too hot. Then he's back to work until things start to "calm down" (i.e., indefinitely). He's hoping that he'll be able to make enough progress at work to start hiking again when my parents visit in early July.
If things go well at work, this might actually be for the best, since the Sierras are currently a bit too snowy. And as he also pointed out, now he'll be around for my birthday! In previous plans, he would have been completely out of contact (no phone reception).
By the way, Don apologized for being such a high maintenance husband. Hah!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Greener grass over there
On Wednesday, Don emailed:
I can't believe it's only my third day back at work. It seems SO long ago that I was on the trail. I must admit that work seems so much easier now, though. I get to sit on my butt all day, I stay clean, smell good (at least relatively so) and have as much water as I want. Seems so easy compared to lugging packs up and down mountains and through deserts. And I get paid too!
I replied:
hm. as someone who's been having to sit on my butt all day long for the past 7 years... i think getting to walk all day long sounds pretty nice. altho the smell and lack of showers would drive me nuts.
What do you think?
I can't believe it's only my third day back at work. It seems SO long ago that I was on the trail. I must admit that work seems so much easier now, though. I get to sit on my butt all day, I stay clean, smell good (at least relatively so) and have as much water as I want. Seems so easy compared to lugging packs up and down mountains and through deserts. And I get paid too!
I replied:
hm. as someone who's been having to sit on my butt all day long for the past 7 years... i think getting to walk all day long sounds pretty nice. altho the smell and lack of showers would drive me nuts.
What do you think?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Work Troubles
It's not lookin' good.
Don may have to stay another week, in addition to cutting his trip short. He's trying to get approval to continue the hike at least into the Sierras. If so, he's still be able to meet up with my family on our July roadtrip, but would probably have to head home with us, or maybe even catch a bus/train to get back to work sooner.
Stay tuned for updates... (Don may also post something to his Postholer journal once he figures out what's going on.)
Don may have to stay another week, in addition to cutting his trip short. He's trying to get approval to continue the hike at least into the Sierras. If so, he's still be able to meet up with my family on our July roadtrip, but would probably have to head home with us, or maybe even catch a bus/train to get back to work sooner.
Stay tuned for updates... (Don may also post something to his Postholer journal once he figures out what's going on.)
A Visit to the Verizon Store
We dropped by on Saturday to see if someone could figure out what's wrong with Don's phone. The guy seemed pretty clueless (about everything), but according to him, Verizon if supposedly shipping a replacement phone. Then we'll have to mail the old phone back. And no, we can't just drop it off at the Verizon store. Lame. (I'm still not convinced we'll be receiving anything in the mail.)
And Tan, I don't know if Don tried removing then replacing the battery. Don doesn't exactly have a knack for electronics (scary, since he's an EE, tho admittedly now doing SW), but I try to leave him to his own business. Hmm. Hope I didn't just annoy him by saying that. Oh well.
Edited to add:
I'm probably just a pot calling the kettle black, since I'm also an EE, and I'd rather not have anything to do with the inner workings of a computer.
And Tan, I don't know if Don tried removing then replacing the battery. Don doesn't exactly have a knack for electronics (scary, since he's an EE, tho admittedly now doing SW), but I try to leave him to his own business. Hmm. Hope I didn't just annoy him by saying that. Oh well.
Edited to add:
I'm probably just a pot calling the kettle black, since I'm also an EE, and I'd rather not have anything to do with the inner workings of a computer.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Jersey Guy Cameo!
Just when I had been lamenting Jersey Guy's speediness (thereby leaving Don in the dust), Don found out that Jersey Guy had stopped at the Cajon Pass for a few days to nurse an injury. So Don caught up with him in Agua Dulce. We apparently had just missed him at Mill Creek when I dropped Don off on Sunday.
But alas... we'll soon be losing him again since Don's taking a week off to go back to work. *sigh*
Random side note: They were filming something in a bus at Mill Creek. Jersey Guy said it was a Korean movie (no idea how he knew this), and they had just started serving lunch when he passed by. He was so tempted to beg for an icy cold drink... but couldn't work up the nerve.
But alas... we'll soon be losing him again since Don's taking a week off to go back to work. *sigh*
Random side note: They were filming something in a bus at Mill Creek. Jersey Guy said it was a Korean movie (no idea how he knew this), and they had just started serving lunch when he passed by. He was so tempted to beg for an icy cold drink... but couldn't work up the nerve.
Good news, I guess
Don still has his job - just confirmed with his management that he can go back to work for a week.
Backstory: We had layoffs a few weeks ago, and I thought it would be pretty sneaky if they had decided to lay off the guy on Leave of Absence (especially since they had no way to notify him).
Imagine returning home, expecting everything to be as you left it, then finding out you lost your job... oops.
Backstory: We had layoffs a few weeks ago, and I thought it would be pretty sneaky if they had decided to lay off the guy on Leave of Absence (especially since they had no way to notify him).
Imagine returning home, expecting everything to be as you left it, then finding out you lost your job... oops.
Death of a Cell Phone
Don's run into another cell phone problem. The phone powered off by itself, and he couldn't get it to turn on again. The battery indicated ~50% at the time.
When he plugged the phone in to charge, it powered up by itself.
Any ideas? It's an LG enV 2.
If this persists, we'll have to figure it out (and hopefully fix it) while he's at home next week.
When he plugged the phone in to charge, it powered up by itself.
Any ideas? It's an LG enV 2.
If this persists, we'll have to figure it out (and hopefully fix it) while he's at home next week.
Are pigs flying??
It rained in LA today.
Not sure how the weather was for Don - haven't heard from him since yesterday afternoon at the Andersons. I'm not sure if it's due to lack of reception, or dead phone.
Not sure how the weather was for Don - haven't heard from him since yesterday afternoon at the Andersons. I'm not sure if it's due to lack of reception, or dead phone.
Monday, June 1, 2009
More (unimportant) things
...from the Big Bear weekend.
Big Bear Kmart is awesome! So much cleaner, neater, and less crowded than typical Kmarts. Small town Kmarts appeal to me so much more than city ones, though that could be due to lack of (better) options.
Cocina de Mexico es mui delicioso! A tiny(!!) shop with a walk up counter and salsa bar - new favorite Mexican place in Big Bear!
And finally... the Redlands Sport Chalet sale! While waiting to pay for Don's new hiking shoes, I noticed a sign "Additional 75% off" clearance team logo apparel. It was too good to resist, and we picked up: a women's LA Galaxy jersey for $10 (orig $80), a LA Galaxy tshirt for $4, three USC football tshirts for $1.24 each (Dad & Jon, expect one each), and something else for someone that may read this - you'll probably have to wait til your birthday to find out! I love a good sale!
Big Bear Kmart is awesome! So much cleaner, neater, and less crowded than typical Kmarts. Small town Kmarts appeal to me so much more than city ones, though that could be due to lack of (better) options.
Cocina de Mexico es mui delicioso! A tiny(!!) shop with a walk up counter and salsa bar - new favorite Mexican place in Big Bear!
And finally... the Redlands Sport Chalet sale! While waiting to pay for Don's new hiking shoes, I noticed a sign "Additional 75% off" clearance team logo apparel. It was too good to resist, and we picked up: a women's LA Galaxy jersey for $10 (orig $80), a LA Galaxy tshirt for $4, three USC football tshirts for $1.24 each (Dad & Jon, expect one each), and something else for someone that may read this - you'll probably have to wait til your birthday to find out! I love a good sale!
Weekend Recap: Don's Whirlwind Visit
What a hectic weekend!
Looking back, it seems more than a bit ridiculous that I spent about 6 hours on the road - picked up Don on Saturday, dropped him off on Sunday. No wonder why the weekend seemed so short!
To spare me from further excessive driving, Don plans to catch the bus home from Tehachapi via Bakersfield next weekend. That'll be 5+ hours of bus time to downtown LA, plus who knows how much wait time. Doesn't sound fun. But the hope is that I won't be so tired and grouchy from a lack of sleep next weekend.
Looking back, it seems more than a bit ridiculous that I spent about 6 hours on the road - picked up Don on Saturday, dropped him off on Sunday. No wonder why the weekend seemed so short!
To spare me from further excessive driving, Don plans to catch the bus home from Tehachapi via Bakersfield next weekend. That'll be 5+ hours of bus time to downtown LA, plus who knows how much wait time. Doesn't sound fun. But the hope is that I won't be so tired and grouchy from a lack of sleep next weekend.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Don weigh-in!
First thing back at the house this morning - 160! He was 177 about 3 weeks ago.
Now he's worried he'll waste away to nothing. But I'm not worried. I think he's fine at 160, and certainly is far from emaciated!
Now he's worried he'll waste away to nothing. But I'm not worried. I think he's fine at 160, and certainly is far from emaciated!
Mom said...
that I shouldn't pillage any more hiker boxes, since I could be depriving a literally poor hiker.
Sorry, mom. I did think about that, but Don thought it was OK since he's really at the tail end of the pack.
Mom also said, "I was hoping Don would write poetic sayings like John Muir instead of about his fast food."
to which Don replied, "ok, i'll start writing poetic things. how about, there once was a man from nantucket..."
Sorry, mom. I did think about that, but Don thought it was OK since he's really at the tail end of the pack.
Mom also said, "I was hoping Don would write poetic sayings like John Muir instead of about his fast food."
to which Don replied, "ok, i'll start writing poetic things. how about, there once was a man from nantucket..."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Hiker Box
I first mentioned the hiker box in Don's journal, way back on Day 1 (when I thought about nabbing the Nutella).
Hiker Boxes are basically boxes at common thru-hiker stops where hikers can ditch anything they don't want to lug around anymore - food or gear. And the deserted items are free for anyone to take. They're often at post offices, like the first one I saw in Warner Springs.
Nature's Inn happened to have a set of hiker boxes - one each for food and gear. Rummaging through those boxes was like discovering buried treasure. It also provides a pretty interesting glimpse into other people's lives. The food box contained several cans of escargot (Who hikes with escargot??? Don said there are several French hikers this season...), various bottles of cooking oil, bags of granola and cereal, gummy fruit chews, pasta, nuts, trail mix... I took a box of multi grain crackers, a jar of peanut butter, and two little boxes of chicken broth. Note that all were unopened.
The Ziploc bags of almonds and trail mix also looked particularly tempting, so I tried a nut from each to check for freshness. As I swallowed the last bits, Don said, "You shouldn't trust anything that's been opened - you never know where someone's hands have been, and shared food is a common source of Giardia." He couldn't have said this earlier?! I worried about my stomach for the next few hours, but thankfully suffered no ill effects. (Hmm, did that mean the nuts were safe and I could've taken them after all?)
The gear box had several Nalgene-type bottles with broken lids, many fuel cans, duct tape, a tampon, and all sorts of other junk. I took a Victoria's Secret shopping bag (who was hiking with THAT?) to stash all my loot. Don took a couple fuel cans, a sheet of Tyvec since his ground cloth was all torn up, and some sort of partial sleeping pad. His brand new super duper ultra lightest-weight-available (ie expensive) full length pad sprang a leak a few nights earlier. So much for that.
I hope to see (pillage?) many more hiker boxes as I meet up with Don along the trail!
Hiker Boxes are basically boxes at common thru-hiker stops where hikers can ditch anything they don't want to lug around anymore - food or gear. And the deserted items are free for anyone to take. They're often at post offices, like the first one I saw in Warner Springs.
Nature's Inn happened to have a set of hiker boxes - one each for food and gear. Rummaging through those boxes was like discovering buried treasure. It also provides a pretty interesting glimpse into other people's lives. The food box contained several cans of escargot (Who hikes with escargot??? Don said there are several French hikers this season...), various bottles of cooking oil, bags of granola and cereal, gummy fruit chews, pasta, nuts, trail mix... I took a box of multi grain crackers, a jar of peanut butter, and two little boxes of chicken broth. Note that all were unopened.
The Ziploc bags of almonds and trail mix also looked particularly tempting, so I tried a nut from each to check for freshness. As I swallowed the last bits, Don said, "You shouldn't trust anything that's been opened - you never know where someone's hands have been, and shared food is a common source of Giardia." He couldn't have said this earlier?! I worried about my stomach for the next few hours, but thankfully suffered no ill effects. (Hmm, did that mean the nuts were safe and I could've taken them after all?)
The gear box had several Nalgene-type bottles with broken lids, many fuel cans, duct tape, a tampon, and all sorts of other junk. I took a Victoria's Secret shopping bag (who was hiking with THAT?) to stash all my loot. Don took a couple fuel cans, a sheet of Tyvec since his ground cloth was all torn up, and some sort of partial sleeping pad. His brand new super duper ultra lightest-weight-available (ie expensive) full length pad sprang a leak a few nights earlier. So much for that.
I hope to see (pillage?) many more hiker boxes as I meet up with Don along the trail!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Soccer Results
Lost in sudden death overtime on MY OWN GOAL.
<insert *very* angry expletive here>
Good. Night.
<insert *very* angry expletive here>
Good. Night.
I'm SOOO TIRED!
And I'm not even hiking!
It's just after 8pm, and I've been feeling ready for bed for the last half hour! Unfortunately, I've got a 9pm soccer game (arg!). I dread Wednesday night soccer games; Don asks me why I continue to play every season. I figure it's good cross training, and it prevents me from completely forgetting how to play (although you wouldn't know it by watching me).
Sorry about the sporadic nature of these posts - still have a few more things to say about our Big Bear weekend that I haven't gotten around to yet. Try checking back tomorrow night, PDT.
Just chatted with Don - he succumbed to town suck again, and is now in Wrightwood. Tsk tsk. I can understand though, given that his choice was either to continue up Baden-Powell (steep elevation gain and about a billion switchbacks), or head into town for a hot meal and real bed. Everyone treats him so nicely - he's somewhat amazed that they can tell he's a hiker and not a bum.
Time for soccer....
It's just after 8pm, and I've been feeling ready for bed for the last half hour! Unfortunately, I've got a 9pm soccer game (arg!). I dread Wednesday night soccer games; Don asks me why I continue to play every season. I figure it's good cross training, and it prevents me from completely forgetting how to play (although you wouldn't know it by watching me).
Sorry about the sporadic nature of these posts - still have a few more things to say about our Big Bear weekend that I haven't gotten around to yet. Try checking back tomorrow night, PDT.
Just chatted with Don - he succumbed to town suck again, and is now in Wrightwood. Tsk tsk. I can understand though, given that his choice was either to continue up Baden-Powell (steep elevation gain and about a billion switchbacks), or head into town for a hot meal and real bed. Everyone treats him so nicely - he's somewhat amazed that they can tell he's a hiker and not a bum.
Time for soccer....
Nature's Inn
Nature's Inn is pretty darn awesome! It caters to PCT thru-hikers ~ provides water caches along the trail, has a big PCT welcome sign out front, and has special PCT hiker rates. Our room cost less than the one-person rate at the nearby Motel 6! (Motel 6 is totally overpriced!)
The owner fills the rooms with goodies - Bear Naked granola, Green and Black organic chocolates, Gatorade, Emergen-C, and Airborne packets, instant oatmeal, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, gum... and there's a bowl of apples and oranges in the office. (Can you tell the way to my heart is free food?) There's also a big tub and Epsom salt for tired hiker feet.
Our room had a skylight and rocking chair recliner, both of which I want at my own home! On the porch, there are hanging swing chairs, and leashes and water bowls outside every door (for your pet pooch. or misbehaving spouse?).
There's a rec room with a couch, pool table, computer with Internet, record player, books, TV, DVD player, PCT paraphernalia, and daily water reports. And my all-time favorite - the hiker boxes!
More on hiker boxes in a later post.
The owner fills the rooms with goodies - Bear Naked granola, Green and Black organic chocolates, Gatorade, Emergen-C, and Airborne packets, instant oatmeal, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, gum... and there's a bowl of apples and oranges in the office. (Can you tell the way to my heart is free food?) There's also a big tub and Epsom salt for tired hiker feet.
Our room had a skylight and rocking chair recliner, both of which I want at my own home! On the porch, there are hanging swing chairs, and leashes and water bowls outside every door (for your pet pooch. or misbehaving spouse?).
There's a rec room with a couch, pool table, computer with Internet, record player, books, TV, DVD player, PCT paraphernalia, and daily water reports. And my all-time favorite - the hiker boxes!
More on hiker boxes in a later post.
I met Suspicious Jersey Guy!
As luck would have it, formerly-suspicious Jersey Guy happened to be staying at the same motel in Big Bear - Nature's Inn.
He checked out the morning we arrived, and we dropped him off at the trailhead. I'm pretty bummed that Don won't be running into him anymore (Don's too far behind now). He seemed like good company, and I know Don's been getting bored on the trail.
He checked out the morning we arrived, and we dropped him off at the trailhead. I'm pretty bummed that Don won't be running into him anymore (Don's too far behind now). He seemed like good company, and I know Don's been getting bored on the trail.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Lose Your Belly in Just 2 Weeks!
Eat anything you want and still lose weight!
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- - - - -
Have I seen too many infomercials and weight loss ads? I bet I could get somesuckers buyers.
I met up with Don over the Memorial Day weekend - the first time I've seen him in nearly 2 weeks. And his tummy has disappeared! I could even see the beginnings of 6-pack abs! Pretty crazy... but he's looking great! I told him I should've put him on the thru-hiker exercise/diet plan before the wedding. I don't think he appreciated that sentiment. I didn't haul the scale up to Big Bear, so you'll have to wait until this coming weekend for the official weigh-in. And I think all the eating this weekend probably added a little bit of girth back to his belly.
Shockingly, he didn't smell as horrifying as I expected. Although as Don pointed out, I DID NOT get within 10 feet until he showered.
His face was also a bit fuzzy, and he used up 3 razors getting it all off.
I made Don soak his feet in Epsom salt (provided by Nature's Inn - that place is awesome!), then cleaned and trimmed his toenails. Eww, right? Thankfully the Epsom salt soak killed any smells, and his toes looked pretty spiffy. I'm sure they'll be disgusting again by this weekend, so I'll have to prepare for another Epsom salt soak.
More about the weekend in upcoming posts - stay tuned...
No pills with scary side effects, no crazy gimmicks - Our method is scientifically proven.
Get your weight loss kit for just $19.95 + $4.95 shipping+handling
Order within the next five minutes, and get a second kit FREE!
- - - - -
Have I seen too many infomercials and weight loss ads? I bet I could get some
I met up with Don over the Memorial Day weekend - the first time I've seen him in nearly 2 weeks. And his tummy has disappeared! I could even see the beginnings of 6-pack abs! Pretty crazy... but he's looking great! I told him I should've put him on the thru-hiker exercise/diet plan before the wedding. I don't think he appreciated that sentiment. I didn't haul the scale up to Big Bear, so you'll have to wait until this coming weekend for the official weigh-in. And I think all the eating this weekend probably added a little bit of girth back to his belly.
Shockingly, he didn't smell as horrifying as I expected. Although as Don pointed out, I DID NOT get within 10 feet until he showered.
His face was also a bit fuzzy, and he used up 3 razors getting it all off.
I made Don soak his feet in Epsom salt (provided by Nature's Inn - that place is awesome!), then cleaned and trimmed his toenails. Eww, right? Thankfully the Epsom salt soak killed any smells, and his toes looked pretty spiffy. I'm sure they'll be disgusting again by this weekend, so I'll have to prepare for another Epsom salt soak.
More about the weekend in upcoming posts - stay tuned...
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
De-Stinking Don - How to do it?
I need to figure out how best to deal with Don's, err, odor whenever I meet up with him.
This weekend, I'm thinking of bringing the following:
Or is it a lost cause, and should I just bring a clothespin for my nose?
Or throw him in the truck bed, then find a carwash?
Suggestions appreciated.
This weekend, I'm thinking of bringing the following:
- water + rags for wiping down
- some kind of disposable wipes - baby wipes? would require a trip to the store though
- Lysol - for his backpack, where it rests on his back
Or is it a lost cause, and should I just bring a clothespin for my nose?
Or throw him in the truck bed, then find a carwash?
Suggestions appreciated.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Life Without Don, Week #1: Subtle Changes
- I've started waking up before the alarm goes off. Including waking up at 5:30am on the weekends.
- I've been getting in to work before 6am.
- I've had to pay a lot of bills (I usually only take care of mine).
- When telemarketers call, I can honestly tell them that Don's not available. And so far, none have wanted to leave a message.
- I find myself thinking in terms of blog entries. By the way, Don's computer sucks!
- A LOT FEWER DIRTY DISHES!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
AARRGGGG!!!!!!!! a.k.a. Missed Connections
That's a yell of frustration, not a pirate. Or maybe a frustrated pirate.
Last night, Don called. I was in the middle of trying to get the upstairs DVD player to work, so I mostly just muttered complaints. A few minutes later, the connection cut out. We tried a few more times, but could only connect for a few seconds at best. ARG! What a bonehead! (I guess Don's not the only one.) I totally should have dropped whatever I was doing to talk to Don! I guess I shouldn't be taking connectivity forgranted.
This morning, I got on the computer at around 6am. No text messages from Don, so I didn't send him any either. I tried calling at around 10am, but his phone wasn't on. So I went on with my day. When I got home at 2:45pm, I had missed his call! He had made it to Paradise Corner Cafe, and was using his calling card to call from their land line. How I wish I had been home for that call!
When I got on the computer this evening, I had a ton of text messages from Don received at 6:45am. Agonizing to find out I missed my opportunity to text him this morning!
I guess I got spoiled by the first few days. Will have to get used to maximizing my chances of somehow getting in touch...
Last night, Don called. I was in the middle of trying to get the upstairs DVD player to work, so I mostly just muttered complaints. A few minutes later, the connection cut out. We tried a few more times, but could only connect for a few seconds at best. ARG! What a bonehead! (I guess Don's not the only one.) I totally should have dropped whatever I was doing to talk to Don! I guess I shouldn't be taking connectivity forgranted.
This morning, I got on the computer at around 6am. No text messages from Don, so I didn't send him any either. I tried calling at around 10am, but his phone wasn't on. So I went on with my day. When I got home at 2:45pm, I had missed his call! He had made it to Paradise Corner Cafe, and was using his calling card to call from their land line. How I wish I had been home for that call!
When I got on the computer this evening, I had a ton of text messages from Don received at 6:45am. Agonizing to find out I missed my opportunity to text him this morning!
I guess I got spoiled by the first few days. Will have to get used to maximizing my chances of somehow getting in touch...
Suspicious Guy Update
See original entry here.
I had assumed that Don recognized the suspicious hiker as soon as they bumped into each other again. But it wasn't until their third day of hiking together that they figured it out!
Don started telling him the story of how we saw a really suspicious guy on the trail. And the guy said the same thing happened to him. "I saw this Asian chick going the wrong way, and then I see her coming back with some guy..." At which point Don realized he was talking about us! When Don said "That was my wife!," suspicious guy immediately apologized for calling me a "chick" - hah! (By the way, I take no offense and think it's funny he apologized but can understand why he did.)
Oh, and even though I didn't think he had an accent, Don did. Turns out he's got a New Jersey accent, which Don says pretty much is a foreign country. (Just joking, Jersey guy!)
*Suspicious/Jersey guy name withheld since I haven't asked permission yet.
I hope Don keeps bumping into Jersey guy and other hikers - makes for more interesting stories. Don also said it's really nice to have the company.
I had assumed that Don recognized the suspicious hiker as soon as they bumped into each other again. But it wasn't until their third day of hiking together that they figured it out!
Don started telling him the story of how we saw a really suspicious guy on the trail. And the guy said the same thing happened to him. "I saw this Asian chick going the wrong way, and then I see her coming back with some guy..." At which point Don realized he was talking about us! When Don said "That was my wife!," suspicious guy immediately apologized for calling me a "chick" - hah! (By the way, I take no offense and think it's funny he apologized but can understand why he did.)
Oh, and even though I didn't think he had an accent, Don did. Turns out he's got a New Jersey accent, which Don says pretty much is a foreign country. (Just joking, Jersey guy!)
*Suspicious/Jersey guy name withheld since I haven't asked permission yet.
I hope Don keeps bumping into Jersey guy and other hikers - makes for more interesting stories. Don also said it's really nice to have the company.
Friday, May 15, 2009
May 14 Supplemental Post: Don's Real Time Updates
Day 7: Before departing Warner Springs
I'd normally put this on Don's Postholer Journal, but since he had computer/Internet access at Warner Springs, he posted an entry himself.
7:59 AM
They have free coffee here, but it's awful. Drinking it anyway. I had fish&chips and the salad bar for dinner last night. The salad was b-flat but the fish&chips were awesome. The batter was really crunchy and the fish pieces were huge. We got a $5 off coupon when we checked in, so it was only $16 and that includes tip and an iced tea. Sweet."
9:06 AM
Just posted a journal entry for today. Not sure if I'll have coverage tonight, but I put in where I think I'll get to. It will only be 10 miles or so, so it should be VERY doable. And just a heads up, but i will be surprised if I get any coverage tomorrow. I may not get anything until I get to Paradise Cafe. We'll see.
10:41 AM
checkout is at 12. Will start packing soon, including filling up my camelback with ice. Ice, yum. At 12, I will walk over to the post office to mail a package home, then over to the golf course grill for lunch. They have a nice outdoors seating area in the shade. So I'll just hang out there. I bought another newspaper today, so I'll have something to read. It's awesome here, but I'm actually actually getting antsy to get back on the trail. It is nice not smelling awful, though.
10:49 AM
Getting excited!
1:45 PM
i'm SO bored! been sitting at the cafe for almost 2 hrs. lunch was good,ortega chicken sandwich. leaving soon. weird only cost 6$ to mail packge home when it was 5$ just to hold it. it is a lb less but still odd. i'm raring to go. have drank a lynn amount of iced tea.
I'd normally put this on Don's Postholer Journal, but since he had computer/Internet access at Warner Springs, he posted an entry himself.
7:59 AM
They have free coffee here, but it's awful. Drinking it anyway. I had fish&chips and the salad bar for dinner last night. The salad was b-flat but the fish&chips were awesome. The batter was really crunchy and the fish pieces were huge. We got a $5 off coupon when we checked in, so it was only $16 and that includes tip and an iced tea. Sweet."
9:06 AM
Just posted a journal entry for today. Not sure if I'll have coverage tonight, but I put in where I think I'll get to. It will only be 10 miles or so, so it should be VERY doable. And just a heads up, but i will be surprised if I get any coverage tomorrow. I may not get anything until I get to Paradise Cafe. We'll see.
10:41 AM
checkout is at 12. Will start packing soon, including filling up my camelback with ice. Ice, yum. At 12, I will walk over to the post office to mail a package home, then over to the golf course grill for lunch. They have a nice outdoors seating area in the shade. So I'll just hang out there. I bought another newspaper today, so I'll have something to read. It's awesome here, but I'm actually actually getting antsy to get back on the trail. It is nice not smelling awful, though.
10:49 AM
Getting excited!
1:45 PM
i'm SO bored! been sitting at the cafe for almost 2 hrs. lunch was good,ortega chicken sandwich. leaving soon. weird only cost 6$ to mail packge home when it was 5$ just to hold it. it is a lb less but still odd. i'm raring to go. have drank a lynn amount of iced tea.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mystery Pooper Identified!
I just noticed this in the comment section of the original post!
bgdesign said...
Well, the author would be my son. We are also following all the journals and are really enjoying everyone's photos and adventure stories.
Thanks for spreading the humor.
Here is the address to his journal.
www.postholer.com/fignon89
Awesome! Thanks, bgdesign, you totally made my day!
bgdesign said...
Well, the author would be my son. We are also following all the journals and are really enjoying everyone's photos and adventure stories.
Thanks for spreading the humor.
Here is the address to his journal.
www.postholer.com/fignon89
Awesome! Thanks, bgdesign, you totally made my day!
Charting Don's Weight
Don thinks he's going to lose weight over the course of this hike. I think, "Don't count your chickens until they've hatched."
He's mentioned how a pair of his hiking pants fit perfectly now, but he's worried they'll get too lose and fall down. I think, "We'll deal with that problem when it happens."
I don't mean to be such a downer (or as Don calls me, a "buzz-kill"), and I know he'll be burning massive calories walking 20+ miles a day for days on end. But many of his hiking meals will consist of calorically dense (and not necessarily heart-healthy) foods like cheese and sausage. To be fair, he'll also be eating healthier options like rice, pasta, tuna, and homemade beef jerky.
I also know he plans to gorge himself at every possible opportunity. Passing by a small convenience store? Time for soda, Cheez-Itz, chips, and pretzels! On a side note, I wonder if he'll stick to diet soda, or switch to regular at some point for the calories. When he gets to Paradise Corner Cafe near Idyllwild, I wonder how many burgers he'll eat. Their burgers are awfully tasty, especially after a full day of hiking.
And then there's the "Triple Crown" at the Cajon Pass. An I-15 exit near the trail happens to have a McDonalds, Subway, and Del Taco. A hiker accomplishes the Triple Crown by eating something at each of these establishments. I don't think Don is particularly excited about eating something from McDonalds though. Seiad Valley has it's infamous 5 pancake challenge (featured on Food Network and Travel Channel!), where you have to finish 5 one-pound pancakes. Very few hikers manage this feat, but then they've got leftover pancakes for the trail. I think Don's planning to pass on the pancakes and go for something tastier.
At Mt. Laguna Lodge, the owner told of a hiker who came in and asked "What do you have that's vegan?" (The answer was, "Not much.") When asked what she'd eat over the course of the trail with such limited selection, she said "Potato chips!" Living on potato chips can't possibly be good for you.
And if Don does lose weight (even though I'm a buzz-kill, I'm pretty sure he will), the real question is "How long til he gains it back?" After hiking 20 miles a day for 5 months, you get used to eating massive amounts of food when you can get your hands on it. But you don't have quite the same caloric requirements sitting at a desk all day long. So... hopefully he'll be able to scale back his eating when he scales back the exercise.
So let's get to the point. Don's weight.
Start, May 8: 177 lbs in the morning after lots of coffee
I'll post updates whenever he comes across a scale. And I'll let you know if his pants start falling off.
UPDATE
Just talked to Don, and he says he's actually eating a lot less than planned. He's not going through his packed food as quickly as he thought, so he's actually carrying a bunch of extra food. And he only had one burger (plus fries and an iced tea) at the Warner Springs grill, and was completely satisfied. He hasn't developed a crazy always hungry appetite yet. (I say give it time for his body to deplete current reserves. Then he'll reach that stage.)
He also mentioned that he better not let himself get used to drinking full-calorie soda, considering how much soda he goes through! But he really did enjoy the trail magic full-sugar Pepsi.
I wonder if he's eating less because he's busy walking. It's not like he's ever just sitting around on the couch watching TV with a bag of junk food and nothing better to do. And I wonder if his tummy's shrunk.
I should take guesses for how much he'll end up weighing. Winner gets bragging rights. If that's anything worth bragging about?
He's mentioned how a pair of his hiking pants fit perfectly now, but he's worried they'll get too lose and fall down. I think, "We'll deal with that problem when it happens."
I don't mean to be such a downer (or as Don calls me, a "buzz-kill"), and I know he'll be burning massive calories walking 20+ miles a day for days on end. But many of his hiking meals will consist of calorically dense (and not necessarily heart-healthy) foods like cheese and sausage. To be fair, he'll also be eating healthier options like rice, pasta, tuna, and homemade beef jerky.
I also know he plans to gorge himself at every possible opportunity. Passing by a small convenience store? Time for soda, Cheez-Itz, chips, and pretzels! On a side note, I wonder if he'll stick to diet soda, or switch to regular at some point for the calories. When he gets to Paradise Corner Cafe near Idyllwild, I wonder how many burgers he'll eat. Their burgers are awfully tasty, especially after a full day of hiking.
And then there's the "Triple Crown" at the Cajon Pass. An I-15 exit near the trail happens to have a McDonalds, Subway, and Del Taco. A hiker accomplishes the Triple Crown by eating something at each of these establishments. I don't think Don is particularly excited about eating something from McDonalds though. Seiad Valley has it's infamous 5 pancake challenge (featured on Food Network and Travel Channel!), where you have to finish 5 one-pound pancakes. Very few hikers manage this feat, but then they've got leftover pancakes for the trail. I think Don's planning to pass on the pancakes and go for something tastier.
At Mt. Laguna Lodge, the owner told of a hiker who came in and asked "What do you have that's vegan?" (The answer was, "Not much.") When asked what she'd eat over the course of the trail with such limited selection, she said "Potato chips!" Living on potato chips can't possibly be good for you.
And if Don does lose weight (even though I'm a buzz-kill, I'm pretty sure he will), the real question is "How long til he gains it back?" After hiking 20 miles a day for 5 months, you get used to eating massive amounts of food when you can get your hands on it. But you don't have quite the same caloric requirements sitting at a desk all day long. So... hopefully he'll be able to scale back his eating when he scales back the exercise.
So let's get to the point. Don's weight.
Start, May 8: 177 lbs in the morning after lots of coffee
I'll post updates whenever he comes across a scale. And I'll let you know if his pants start falling off.
UPDATE
Just talked to Don, and he says he's actually eating a lot less than planned. He's not going through his packed food as quickly as he thought, so he's actually carrying a bunch of extra food. And he only had one burger (plus fries and an iced tea) at the Warner Springs grill, and was completely satisfied. He hasn't developed a crazy always hungry appetite yet. (I say give it time for his body to deplete current reserves. Then he'll reach that stage.)
He also mentioned that he better not let himself get used to drinking full-calorie soda, considering how much soda he goes through! But he really did enjoy the trail magic full-sugar Pepsi.
I wonder if he's eating less because he's busy walking. It's not like he's ever just sitting around on the couch watching TV with a bag of junk food and nothing better to do. And I wonder if his tummy's shrunk.
I should take guesses for how much he'll end up weighing. Winner gets bragging rights. If that's anything worth bragging about?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Suspicious!
This past Saturday (May 9) was the day I dropped Don off in Campo, then headed over to park the car at Lake Morena.
The plan was that Don would hike North from Campo to Lake Morena, and I would hike South from Lake Morena toward Campo then turn around where ever I met up with Don.
Shortly after crossing a road heavily used by Border Patrol, a thru-hiker sped past me headed North. Besides thinking he was going insanely fast and wondering how you'd keep up that pace for days on end, I didn't think much more of it.
A few moments later, I met up with Don. I turned around, and we continued North toward Lake Morena. Back on the Border Patrol road, the aforementioned thru-hiker sped by again, going in the wrong direction! I briefly thought he might be confused about where the trail branched from the road, but then he didn't stop to ask us for directions. And the trail was pretty well-signed. I did notice, however, that his about-face coincided with a parked Border Patrol truck. Don had also mentioned that he saw 3 illegal immigrants earlier that morning just ahead of him, and this supposed thru-hiker was also just ahead of him.
So I thought, "Is this guy helping out the illegals and posing as a thru-hiker??" The other option was that he was segment hiking, and doing an impressive 24-mile day (12 miles in and back). But I was very suspicious...
Fast forward to today. Don came across the same guy, and apparently he was just LOST. It turns out he really is a thru-hiker. And it gets even better - He was suspicious of us too!!! I can't imagine why! But then again, he was just a youngish white guy without an accent, so I really had no reason to suspect him either. I guess the overwhelming Border Patrol presence and seeing all the signs of illegals (discarded foot coverings used to avoid leaving shoe-prints) starts to mess with your head...
**********************************
Just heard back from Don about why the guy suspected us: "the guy said. so i see this asian woman walking the wrong way, then she somes back with a dude. suspicous, to him."
H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! But then, even the Border Patrol stopped me a few times!
There's a check-point on Hwy-8 between the Campo exit and the Laguna exit (where the lodge is). So we passed by this several times.
On one occasion, the guard noticed me in the passenger seat and motioned for us to stop.
BP Agent: "Are you US citizens?"
Don: "Yes."
BP Agent: "What about you?" (looking at me)...
And the morning I headed home, the guard was motioning everyone through without stopping them. When he saw me, he did a double-take and made me stop.
BP Agent: "Are you a US citizen?"
Me: "Yes."
BP Agent: (waving me thru) "Have a good day."
Me: "You too." (enunciating to emphasize my lack of accent and doing a mental eye-roll)
I'm very curious to know exactly what they're looking for. Anyone non-white??
The plan was that Don would hike North from Campo to Lake Morena, and I would hike South from Lake Morena toward Campo then turn around where ever I met up with Don.
Shortly after crossing a road heavily used by Border Patrol, a thru-hiker sped past me headed North. Besides thinking he was going insanely fast and wondering how you'd keep up that pace for days on end, I didn't think much more of it.
A few moments later, I met up with Don. I turned around, and we continued North toward Lake Morena. Back on the Border Patrol road, the aforementioned thru-hiker sped by again, going in the wrong direction! I briefly thought he might be confused about where the trail branched from the road, but then he didn't stop to ask us for directions. And the trail was pretty well-signed. I did notice, however, that his about-face coincided with a parked Border Patrol truck. Don had also mentioned that he saw 3 illegal immigrants earlier that morning just ahead of him, and this supposed thru-hiker was also just ahead of him.
So I thought, "Is this guy helping out the illegals and posing as a thru-hiker??" The other option was that he was segment hiking, and doing an impressive 24-mile day (12 miles in and back). But I was very suspicious...
Fast forward to today. Don came across the same guy, and apparently he was just LOST. It turns out he really is a thru-hiker. And it gets even better - He was suspicious of us too!!! I can't imagine why! But then again, he was just a youngish white guy without an accent, so I really had no reason to suspect him either. I guess the overwhelming Border Patrol presence and seeing all the signs of illegals (discarded foot coverings used to avoid leaving shoe-prints) starts to mess with your head...
**********************************
Just heard back from Don about why the guy suspected us: "the guy said. so i see this asian woman walking the wrong way, then she somes back with a dude. suspicous, to him."
H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! But then, even the Border Patrol stopped me a few times!
There's a check-point on Hwy-8 between the Campo exit and the Laguna exit (where the lodge is). So we passed by this several times.
On one occasion, the guard noticed me in the passenger seat and motioned for us to stop.
BP Agent: "Are you US citizens?"
Don: "Yes."
BP Agent: "What about you?" (looking at me)...
And the morning I headed home, the guard was motioning everyone through without stopping them. When he saw me, he did a double-take and made me stop.
BP Agent: "Are you a US citizen?"
Me: "Yes."
BP Agent: (waving me thru) "Have a good day."
Me: "You too." (enunciating to emphasize my lack of accent and doing a mental eye-roll)
I'm very curious to know exactly what they're looking for. Anyone non-white??
Resolution... (I hope)
Thank goodness Don had cell phone reception this morning! He called customer service and added the 1500 text message bundle (for some reason, I feel compelled to abbreviate that as "txt msg," perhaps in the spirit of the 160-character cap). I think we should be fine with an average allowance of 50 messages a day.
He also added me as an account manager. I attempted to set up his online account, but couldn't figure out the correct username/password combo and got permanently locked out. Oops.
So hopefully this solves the phone issues. For now, anyway.
I should also note that we're now paying $70/month! YEEEOOUUUCCHH!!!!!!
An update of the previous calculations:
$50 phone + 24 months @ $70 = $1730
$280 phone + 5 months @ $70 = $630
I wonder if we should cancel the data package to get back to $55/month, but it's probably better to leave Don with the option of getting on the Internet to check his email.
Monday, May 11, 2009
I Hate Wireless Providers
Add this to the list of the many things to hate about cell phone providers.
Today, I received the first bill in the mail. Looking it over, I noticed that we were charged for text messaging. Odd, since I thought the $15 additional/month covered this.
So I called up customer service and discovered the following:
-The $15 extra/month covers unlimited data only (V CAST Vpak). So Don can watch TV and surf the net from his phone, but apparently txt msgs aren't data. Go figure.
-We'll need to sign up for an additional "text bundle," options as follows:
$5 for 250 msgs
$10 for 500 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
$15 for 1500 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
$20 for 5000 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
Unfortunately, the unlimited Verizon to Verizon messaging is utterly useless for us. And at the rate we're going, we'll use A TON of messages.
-I can't manage his account via phone until he calls up to add me as an account manager.
-I tried setting up his online account, but apparently it already exists?? But I'm pretty sure he didn't set it up yet... And the temporary reset password will be sent to his cell. D'oh! Foiled yet again.
-Oh, and as for Tan's idea of sending a photo of Don's hand-written journal entry, well, in order to do that, we'd probably need to sign up for an additional bundle that includes photo messages. SHEESH!
I hate to say it, but this is a total "I told you so" situation, except I'm the one that suffers for it. I had mentioned to Don that he better set up his online account before he started his hike to check if he was being charged for anything unexpectedly. But of course he didn't because he's not a paranoid worry-wort like me. *sigh*
Today, I received the first bill in the mail. Looking it over, I noticed that we were charged for text messaging. Odd, since I thought the $15 additional/month covered this.
So I called up customer service and discovered the following:
-The $15 extra/month covers unlimited data only (V CAST Vpak). So Don can watch TV and surf the net from his phone, but apparently txt msgs aren't data. Go figure.
-We'll need to sign up for an additional "text bundle," options as follows:
$5 for 250 msgs
$10 for 500 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
$15 for 1500 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
$20 for 5000 msgs, unlimited Verizon to Verizon
Unfortunately, the unlimited Verizon to Verizon messaging is utterly useless for us. And at the rate we're going, we'll use A TON of messages.
-I can't manage his account via phone until he calls up to add me as an account manager.
-I tried setting up his online account, but apparently it already exists?? But I'm pretty sure he didn't set it up yet... And the temporary reset password will be sent to his cell. D'oh! Foiled yet again.
-Oh, and as for Tan's idea of sending a photo of Don's hand-written journal entry, well, in order to do that, we'd probably need to sign up for an additional bundle that includes photo messages. SHEESH!
I hate to say it, but this is a total "I told you so" situation, except I'm the one that suffers for it. I had mentioned to Don that he better set up his online account before he started his hike to check if he was being charged for anything unexpectedly. But of course he didn't because he's not a paranoid worry-wort like me. *sigh*
Journal Update Suggestion
Tan suggested that Don write out his journal entry, use the camera built into his cell phone to take a photo of the piece of paper, then send the photo to me.
Sounds like a good idea, if the camera resolution is high enough.
Unfortunately, Don doesn't have a pen. He said maybe he could scratch it into the dirt.
Sounds like a good idea, if the camera resolution is high enough.
Unfortunately, Don doesn't have a pen. He said maybe he could scratch it into the dirt.
"Bathroom of the Glider Incident"
Don came across the following story while perusing the Postholer forums/journals. I wish I could find exactly where this came from so I could give proper credit to the author!
"The red alert came in while I was avoiding the worst of the afternoon sun under a tree. I dug my TP and fluorescent orange plastic trowel out of my pack and quickly headed perpendicular to the trail. It was obvious that I would need to cover some distance so as not to be visible from the trail. After trotting deep into the bush and digging a hole I was feeling pretty good about my trail defecation expertise.
I couldn't place the whooshing noise at first. It sounded like it was coming from the sky, but didn't sound like a plane. If it was a bird it would have to be huge. Plastic shovel in hand, I searched the sky for the intruder.
I can't be sure if the glider plane pilot saw me or not, but if he did, the scene was something like this: To the left, a guy shitting on the ground while waving a bright orange plastic shovel in the air - to the right, less than 100 yards away (but out of sight for the shitter), a porta-potty, the first civilized place to take a dump in over 110 miles of trail."
"The red alert came in while I was avoiding the worst of the afternoon sun under a tree. I dug my TP and fluorescent orange plastic trowel out of my pack and quickly headed perpendicular to the trail. It was obvious that I would need to cover some distance so as not to be visible from the trail. After trotting deep into the bush and digging a hole I was feeling pretty good about my trail defecation expertise.
I couldn't place the whooshing noise at first. It sounded like it was coming from the sky, but didn't sound like a plane. If it was a bird it would have to be huge. Plastic shovel in hand, I searched the sky for the intruder.
I can't be sure if the glider plane pilot saw me or not, but if he did, the scene was something like this: To the left, a guy shitting on the ground while waving a bright orange plastic shovel in the air - to the right, less than 100 yards away (but out of sight for the shitter), a porta-potty, the first civilized place to take a dump in over 110 miles of trail."
Cell Phone Issues
We got Don a fancy (and expensive!*) cell phone just for his PCT thru-hike - the LG enV 2 in Maroon (so pretty!). It has a QWERTY keyboard and email, so we thought he could use it to update his journal.
The plan: The Postholer journal is updateable via email, so Don would write his journal entry each day and save it as an email draft to be sent whenever he got Internet connectivity.
The reality: It seems like you can only access the email program when you have Internet connectivity. We haven't found a way to save a draft without Internet access! So Don's been condensing his thoughts into 160-character-limited text messages, and I have to attempt to reassemble them into journal entries. PITA! Especially if a text message gets lost, like it did the other day...
Another possibility that we haven't tried yet is for Don to write and save a note to his phone, then attach that note to an email for me to post. Ideas for more efficient work-arounds are more than welcome!
On the bright side, I've really been enjoying getting unexpected text messages from him! He just sent me a few, and I plan to post the pertinent info to his journal. The only drawback to all this texting is that I'm now finding myself thinking in terms of 160-character limits. Now I know why those stupid acronyms and abbreviations are so widely used.
*If you choose to inflict a 2-year contract upon yourself, the phone is $50 after rebate. However, if you choose contractual freedom, then you get to pay a whopping $280 before tax. Ouch. But when you consider the monthly plan cost of $55, it works out something like this:
$50 phone + 24 months @ $55 = $1370
$280 phone + 5 months @ $55 = $555
I don't know which you'd choose, but month-to-month made more sense for us.
The plan: The Postholer journal is updateable via email, so Don would write his journal entry each day and save it as an email draft to be sent whenever he got Internet connectivity.
The reality: It seems like you can only access the email program when you have Internet connectivity. We haven't found a way to save a draft without Internet access! So Don's been condensing his thoughts into 160-character-limited text messages, and I have to attempt to reassemble them into journal entries. PITA! Especially if a text message gets lost, like it did the other day...
Another possibility that we haven't tried yet is for Don to write and save a note to his phone, then attach that note to an email for me to post. Ideas for more efficient work-arounds are more than welcome!
On the bright side, I've really been enjoying getting unexpected text messages from him! He just sent me a few, and I plan to post the pertinent info to his journal. The only drawback to all this texting is that I'm now finding myself thinking in terms of 160-character limits. Now I know why those stupid acronyms and abbreviations are so widely used.
*If you choose to inflict a 2-year contract upon yourself, the phone is $50 after rebate. However, if you choose contractual freedom, then you get to pay a whopping $280 before tax. Ouch. But when you consider the monthly plan cost of $55, it works out something like this:
$50 phone + 24 months @ $55 = $1370
$280 phone + 5 months @ $55 = $555
I don't know which you'd choose, but month-to-month made more sense for us.
An Intro to the Blog
A friend (Tan!) suggested that I keep a blog while Don hikes the PCT. The posts would mirror his posts and provide a counterpoint to his entries. (<-- Totally plagiarizing Tan at this point; I'm not capable of so elegantly conveying my thoughts.)
I don't know how well this will work, since I'm currently translating Don's text messages into journal entries and adding any other information I know. So I'm not sure when some things might be more appropriate for this blog or his journal.
Feel free to leave comments, suggestions, well-wishes, or questions for both this blog as well as Don's journal.
And I'll try to pass along any messages to Don as well.
So far (all 4 days!) he's been able to get cell phone reception, but I'm guessing that'll come to an end at some point.
I don't know how well this will work, since I'm currently translating Don's text messages into journal entries and adding any other information I know. So I'm not sure when some things might be more appropriate for this blog or his journal.
Feel free to leave comments, suggestions, well-wishes, or questions for both this blog as well as Don's journal.
And I'll try to pass along any messages to Don as well.
So far (all 4 days!) he's been able to get cell phone reception, but I'm guessing that'll come to an end at some point.
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