What a difference a few weeks can make...

via google images

Last we heard, Teddy was finishing up the Mojave Desert, hiking through 104+ degree weather, averaging 20-25 miles a day.  He checked in with me today from a town called Independence, which is 791 miles into the trip.  He sounded strong and invigorated while telling me about his latest accomplishments.

After leaving Kennedy Meadows, Teddy was with 7 thruhikers, all heading on the 63 mile journey towards Mt. Whitney.  You can only imagine the dynamics of 7 different people, with their own plans, hiking at their own paces, with their own expectations of this experience.  In the words of "Not Ryan", one of the hikers still with Teddy, "group travel is complicated."

* Hooray *  We finally heard from Teddy today. I was not surprised, as the kids and I just got back from our own little adventure up by Lake George, so we must have been summoning Scarecrow's spirit.  The whole time we were away, we were channeling Scarecrow's energies - from swimming in Trout Lake , to row boating, kayaking and tubing, to sitting around a campfire, to zip lining and swinging in the trees (all thanks to the Kropp family) - everything we did was what Teddy loves.  Finally we get to swap REAL adventure stories with each other...

 He has said his daily mileage has cut down to 15 miles per day, as the snow and elevations have curtailed the high mileage.  One may think, okay, no big deal, I am walking a bit slower, but that affected Teddy's food supply as well.  He resorted to his yogi-ing skills once again, and generous day hikers provided him with various snacks and food to compensate for the shortage.

And then there were 3.  Scarecrow, along with "Not Ryan", and a girl named "Bacon", emerged ahead of the rest and continued on together.  They made it to Crabtree Meadows Ranger Station, at mile 766, and set up camp for the night.  The next day would be their trek to the summit of Mt. Whitney.

I am pleased that Scarecrow caught up with these thruhikers and was able to experience this ascension of Mt. Whitney with them - "Bacon" is on the left behind him and "Not Ryan" is on the right.  I was relieved that Teddy had this company - not only for safety reasons, but to be able to share in the pure intoxication of this achievement.  Way to go thruhikers.  

The warning message in the trail books read: Whitney Trailcrest: Hazardous sections of snow. Depending on the snow conditions, ice axes & crampons may be required to cross safely.

And there you have it... Teddy is sitting at the summit of Mt. Whitney, grizzly beard and all - I am so proud of you Teddy for taking this 16 uncounted mile side trip to climb that mountain.  I am sure every step was worth it when you look out at that exquisiteness around you.




After descending Mt. Whitney, Scarecrow and his two thruhiker companions camped at Crabtree Meadows Ranger Station for another night.  They would begin the next leg of their journey in the morning.

This brings us to Monday, July 25th.  Scarecrow, Not Ryan, and Bacon headed out on the PCT still in Sequoia National Park.  Sequoia is where the John Muir Trail begins, running along the PCT.  At the northern edge of the park, the Trail crosses Forester Pass (13,180 feet), which is the highest pass on not only the John Muir Trail, but the Pacific Crest Trail as well.  I found an updated weather alert for this area:  

Forester pass:  Snow continues for a very long time. North side 100% snow for 2 miles. South side steep snow.

*WOW*  what a complete contrast to what he was hiking in a few weeks ago... first the blistering hot desert and now steep snow.  When asked which he prefers, Teddy said definitely the cold.

At left, Teddy is at the top of Forester Pass, walking stick, grizzly beard, and ice axe in hand.  The elevation will be the highest he will be along the PCT, so hopefully he will pick up his mileage again once he is hiking in more comfortable elevation levels.  

By the 27th of July, Teddy is descending from Forester Pass, hiking another 15 miles before he has to take a side trail into town for resupply.  The side trail included a 4 mile hike up to Kearsarge Pass, over and down another 5 miles before reaching Independence.  He, and his fellow thruhikers, got to eat, do laundry at a local gas station for $5 (that sounds creepy, but whatever gets him through I guess), resupply food for the next 8 to 9 days, and rejuvenate before taking the 5 mile trek back over Kearsarge Pass, and walk another 4 miles just to get back onto the PCT.  Their next destination is Mammoth Lake, which is at the 908 mile mark on the trail.  Anyone following on a map can see that it looks like just about half way through California.  And that's not even the half way mark of the PCT...

on his way down from Forester Pass

With just shy of a third of the trail completed and behind him, he said he is treasuring this experience, and consuming everything he had hoped to... he sounds strong, energized, and confident... yet strongly feels the absence of his family and friends.  I have included below Teddy's next mail drop address for anyone who expressed an interest in mailing Teddy a note of good wishes and encouragement.  He told me the last ones that were sent had a huge, positive impact on his mental state of hiking.  He will be arriving there in a week or two.  

Teddy "Scarecrow" Warren

General Delivery

South Lake Tahoe, California  96151

What a difference a few notes can make...

~The Thruhiker's Wife

Learning How to Climb...

After 5 days of seeing no one, and speaking to only me briefly on the phone, Teddy arrived in Kennedy Meadows, received all of his packages and goodies, and is heading out towards the Sierra Mountains.  It was recommended in "Yogi's PCT Handbook" to leave Kennedy Meadows with an extra day of food to account for one of the most unique experiences on this trip - to summit Mt. Whitney.  The western slope of the mountain lies within Sequoia National Park, one of the two national parks that Teddy will travel through during this next leg of the trip.  He is currently about 40 miles from entering the parks.

via google images

The PCT enters Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park at mile 753 and exits the parks at mile 854.  In reading through Teddy's books for information, I came across this notice:  As of January 2011, thruhikers along the Pacific Crest Trail and the John Muir Trail with a valid wilderness permit must use portable, park approved, bearproof storage containers. 

Lovely.  Teddy might just get another encounter with a bear, but this time, the bear will not be training for any movie.  

I know from talking with Teddy, that climbing Mt. Whitney is one of the biggest highlights of his trip.  I am so happy that he is approaching this triumph - he needed a pick-me-up after his rash ordeal.  I want to share a few facts about this mountain that my husband is about to climb.

Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of 14,505 feet.   The most popular route to the summit is by way of the Mount Whitney Trail which starts at Whitney Portal, 13 miles west of the town of Lone Pine. The hike is about 22 miles round trip with an elevation gain of over 6,100 feet.  The High Sierra, including Mount Whitney, has unpredictable weather patterns.  Common advice is to be off the peak by noon during the summer monsoon season, between June and September.  Lightening is a frequent occurrence at the peak on summer afternoons.  Let's hope Teddy read up on his Wikipedia facts before leaving on this trek...

via google images

Residents of Lone Pine financed the first trail to the summit, engineered by Gustave Marsh, and completed it on July 22, 1904.  Breathtaking photographs of the trails leading up to Mount Whitney, as well as the photo at left, can be found on many sites - I took these from Wikipedia.  Although this is not a picture of Teddy, I hope the experience is just as amazing as it appears in this photo.

via google images

 I also learned that there is a hut at the summit of the mountain, known as the Smithsonian Institution Shelter.  This shelter was constructed back in 1909, after a hiker named Bryd Surby was struck and killed by lightning while eating lunch on the exposed summit.  In response to this event, Gustave Marsh began work on the stone hut that would become the Smithsonian Institution Shelter, and completed it in 1909.  The shelter was built to house scientists who used the 14,505-foot summit to study high-altitude phenomena in the time before sustained high-altitude flight was possible.

So, there you have it.  A bunch of interesting, crazy facts about the next piece of Scarecrow's adventure.  Below is a picture of the plaque that is mounted at the summit of Mt. Whitney.  I am anxiously awaiting for Teddy's photo of this amazing accomplishment.  I am sure that he will climb this mountain, reach the summit, and take a big breath... and then, he will fill up with pride and accomplishment in the realization that he has achieved this extraordinary feat. 

via google images

There are times in  life when you gotta crawl
Lose your grip, trip an' fall
When you can't lean on no one else
That's when you find yourself...
I've been around an' I've  noticed that
Walkin's easier when the road is flat
Them danged ol' heels'll get you every time
Yeah, the good Lord gave us mountains
 So we could learn how to climb...       ~Lonestar

~The Thruhiker's Wife

Adventurous Dad = Adventurous Children

So, this has been the longest stretch of time without a word from Teddy. I don't think he will have much to report, as he is by himself, hiking through the last part of the Mojave Desert.  He is approaching Kennedy Meadows, which will be an exciting stop for Teddy, as once he arrives there, he will pick up a new pair of hiking shoes he had ordered, his ice axe, and a bunch of goodies from the kids and I.  It is our hope that all the Snickers bars and girl scout cookies aren't melted and crushed by the time he receives them.  Once arriving in Kennedy Meadows, Teddy will have walked 703 miles - only 1,947 left to go.  What an adventurer.

The kids are hanging in there, anxiously awaiting for Teddy to call, ready to catch him up on all that we are doing to keep busy.  They truly channeled their dad's adventurous spirit on Sunday, when they decided to go groundhog hunting in our back yard. Rubi, our dog, was barking at something that was under a piece of fencing.  Instead of bringing the dog inside, Dakota and Jagger decided to lift up the piece of fencing to see what Rubi was barking at.  Rubi anxiously waited in attack mode while the kids lifted lawn chairs, fencing, and planks of wood to uncover what was described as an enormous groundhog.  Jagger told me later it was the size of the gas tank for the barbecue.  Rubi was trying to bite it, it was up on its hind legs hissing at the kids and the dog, while the kids were totally freaking out, now not knowing what to do.  They surprisingly were able to grab the dog, and ran inside.  What they did not anticipate was all of the mud that Rubi brought in with her.  So, while I was out, now they had a muddy house, a dog that was freaking out, and a huge groundhog loose in the back yard.

via google images

I did not receive the call about any of this until after the fact - after the kids cleaned Rubi, after cleaning up all of the mud that got into the house, after all of the fencing had been put back in its place, along with the planks of wood and the lawn furniture.  Now that I know what my adventurous children are TRULY capable of, there should be no problems with the chores I give them - ranging from "empty the dishwasher" to "fold up the clean towels."  Any complaints from them now, and I will just send them back outside to hunt for the groundhog.


We anticipate Teddy calling in the next day or two - as soon as he does, I will be sure to report all that is unfolding in his adventure, and hopefully nothing else on the groundhog hunting going on here.

~The Thruhiker's Wife

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due...

A surprise call from Teddy!! He made it to Tehachapi Pass - 567 miles into the trail.  This latest mileage was the result of a 24 mile day on Saturday, followed by a 16 mile day on Sunday.  WOW.  He said he felt strong after resting those few extra days in Hikertown.  I give him a lot of credit, as the rash is still all over his body, but he is just fighting through it now - in total, this rash only set him back 3 days on his "schedule".  Not too bad... with mile days like Saturday, he will make up his time very quickly, and may even catch up to his friends, Evil Goat and TOG.
Speaking of TOG, and giving credit where credit is due, he had mentioned to us earlier in the month that he was arranging to have certificates sent for Dakota and Jagger in acknowledgement and appreciation for the support they have shown Teddy on this journey.  They were being sent from an organization the U.K. where TOG is from.  This was such a nice gesture - so thoughtful and kind - to have my children recognized for their support by someone who has only heard of them through their father's praise.  I just received them via email yesterday.

Talk about giving credit... these two amazing children truly do deserve so much credit - if it weren't for their strong minds, positive thoughts, loving hearts, and endless support and encouragement for their father, Teddy would not be doing as well as he is.  He would not be experiencing this once in a lifetime opportunity with freedom to walk it, peace of mind to enjoy it, and the determination to finish it.  So, here's to you both: Dakota & Jagger - thank you for all of your continued support, encouragement, generosity and love that you continue to give - you make daddy and I so proud to be your parents.

The Thruhiker's Wife

A cold front came through... it went down to 90!

It's been a couple of days now that Teddy has been laid up in Hikertown.  After his visit to the hospital, he was told to rest for a few days, stay out of the sun, take his medicine, and let the swelling go down.  He had not planned on resting there, his next 15 miles was in direct sun, he almost never takes even Advil for a headache, and the swelling? Well, you saw his feet - that last directive might take him into August. So, he did his best and followed all of the directions, which left him in Hikertown until yesterday - Saturday, July 9th.  I wanted to take a moment to thank the gentlemen who assisted Teddy while there.  Low and Slow, Bob, and especially the owner of Hikertown, Richard Skaggs - I truly appreciate everything you did to help Scarecrow through this itchy, difficult, overheated portion of his journey.  Best wishes to you all.

He was itching to get back on the trail (no pun intended), and did just that early Saturday morning.  He is feeling strong, and ready to go... swollen feet and all.  I asked him about the conditions, and he said "A cold front came through... it's only 90 degrees."  He was for real, as he was hiking the week prior in heat as high as 104-106 degrees.  We always hear with those temperatures, "but it's a dry heat"... I think the only difference is that you cannot actually feel yourself dehydrating at that point.

Teddy is now trekking along the LA aqueduct, and onward to the Sierra Mountains.  His spirits are up, and he is looking forward to the change of scenery, possibly catching up with his buddies, Evil Goat and TOG, and no more rash.  He sent this picture of him with the flags of the starting and finishing points.  Looking great Scarecrow... Happy Trails to you.

On the road again...

Until next time,

The Thruhiker's Wife

From Hikertown to the Hospital...

So, Teddy had only intended to spend 1 day resting and replenishing in Hikertown, and it ended up more like 3+ days with a trip to the hospital included.  As I type, Teddy was taken to a hospital about an hour from where he was staying to have his rash looked at, as his feet swelled to a grotesquely large size, while the rash traveled to almost every part of his body   :(  As of right now, he sounded more frustrated than anything else, as his schedule has been extremely interrupted by this poodle dog rash and poison oak.

 As you can see at left, his feet have swollen to club-like, gross things... (anyone who knows me, knows this post was extremely painful for me to look at, talk about, and acknowledge - I HATE FEET)

Over to the right, you can see how bad his legs were covered with this rash - it got much worse as the day went on.  He had planned to shower, eat, and move on to hike past the LA aqueduct.  He sat, watching his feet swell, and the itching intensify, before a fellow thruhiker named "Low and Slow" suggested they go to the hospital.  He was awesome - he drove Teddy an hour to the hospital, waited for him to be seen, drove him to the local CVS for his prescriptions, and then back to Hikertown for a few more days rest.  Initially, the stop in Hikertown was not supposed to be this long, but Teddy is in surprisingly high spirits, accepting this latest hiccup as just another part of his PCT adventure.  Way to stay strong, Scarecrow... now heal those feet...PLEASE.

Hikertown, USA

Rashes & Record Temperatures = Really Rough Ramble

via google images

Ok, so Teddy is a month into his trip - every time he calls, he sounds so strong, energetic and speaks in such a positive way.  Enter poodle-dog bush.  Pictured at left, this plant is covering many parts of the trail in Southern California.  Teddy has unfortunately been introduced to this beautiful, yet harmful plant along the way.  According to Wikipedia, poodle-dog bush causes severe irritation if touched, akin to poison oak or stinging nettle.  It can raise blisters lasting as long as two weeks.  Even worse, Teddy also came into contact with poison oak, so between the two, he is sporting a nasty, itchy, uncomfortable rash.  It appears on his skin as if he was burned - he said it is really gross and extremely uncomfortable.  Hopefully it will go away before its two week span is up. To make matters worse, there have been record heat waves in the area where he is hiking.  He said yesterday, it registered at 104 degrees, and I am sure, with hiking through the Mojave desert, his situation cannot be too comfortable. The photo below was taken by Teddy on his cell phone as he began the Mojave Desert -  in all the days he has been walking, there has not been a day of rain.

Mojave Desert via google images

I have tried to find other hikers' photos to post, so you have an idea of the terrain that Teddy is hiking through.  The photos are from the PCT website, taken by other hikers along their journey.

 

    Photo by Tim Gallagher

Photo by Nick Legg

Hang in there, Scarecrow - before you know it your rash will be healed, your body rehydrated, and you will be calling me about record snowfalls in the Sierra Mountains, where you will be using your mighty ice axe and subzero tolerant sleeping bag.  Brrrrrrr....

The Thruhiker's Wife