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

I wish Dad was here!

Teddy called home today, sounding fantastic. He is 178 miles into his journey, on schedule, and absolutely loving the experience.  He continues to be alone on the trail, which isn't so great all of the time.  He encounters amazing things, and is taking it all in, but has no one to immediately appreciate it with.  He said he is catching up to a hiker who seems to be about 5 days ahead of him, so, good luck with that Teddy...

The kids and I are coping well. All seems to run smoothly until one of them is told no, or doesn't get their way with something, and then the "I wish Dad was here" comment gets thrown into the conversation/argument.  (They still don't realize that wouldn't have changed the outcome).  We take turns sharing our news and events with Ted when he calls - I try to catch him up on all that is going on with us, like the kids' school events, Thomas' health progress, or that I tried to put the air conditioner in Jagger's bedroom window and it plummeted from the second story window onto the deck. The kids usually spend their phone time telling on me for "not being fair", or that it is too hot because mom did not put the air conditioners in the windows.  I guess there is nothing wrong with throwing a little drama Ted's way - he has got nothing going on but walking and more walking, some ramen, and more walking.  The good thing is that Ted is checking in and we do get to keep in touch, and wish him love and success.

So, yes - we wish Dad were here, but until he is, we are surviving, and so is he.  178 miles down, and only 2,472 to go. Keep on trekking, Scarecrow.  We love you...

The Thruhiker's Wife

Scarecrow's Post #1

This was sent by Ted to my phone: ENJOY

~~ June 6 2011. Its about 8:10 pm and I just crawled into my sleeping bag. It was a good day today. The muscles don't hurt anymore. The town stop into Julian definitely rested my body. I was only going to go 13 miles today out of Scissors Crossing - when I hit that point, it was still mid afternoon, so I made my dinner and kept going 4 more miles. I'm at 95 miles. Looking forward to hitting 100 miles tomorrow. I'm going to go. I'll talk to you soon. I might not call you tomorrow, because I think I'm going to go past Warner Springs. Something really cool for tomorrow, I'm going to that eagle rock that I showed you in Yogi's book. That is at 106.6 miles. I'll take a picture with the phone and send it to you. I Love You and please tell the kids I love them and give them hugs and kisses. SCARECROW

Lady Bugs & Trail Magic :)

Teddy checked in on the evening of June 5, and has reported he is doing great.  He has been averaging 20 mile days, give or take a few, eating his ramen noodles and granola just as planned. Today, he was up by 6, and on the trail shortly after, trying to make up some extra miles to maybe run into civilization soon.  He had walked 24 miles and was out of water, and had decisions to make.  He had a choice of getting water out of the creek near by, and using his purifier drops, or he could hitch into a nearby town and stock up on water there.
As he was flipping through his trail guide book, he said a ladybug landed on the map of Julian (the town he was thinking of hitching in to).  He took this as a sign.  He explained to me - being that I love ladybugs (yes I carry a glass one in my pocket at all times), this ladybug made him think of me, and that he needed to go to town and call me to check in, and he could get water while he was there.  He proceeded to walk the trail towards Julian.  Along the route is a place called Scissors Crossing, where the trail meets up with a road that will take you to the town, which is still 14 miles away.  As Ted came through Scissors Crossing, he came upon cases and cases of water, labeled "For Thruhikers".  This is what hikers know as "Trail Magic" made possible by Trail Angels.  Trail Magic can take on many different forms - hidden supplies of water, people handing out candy bars, food, or other necessities to thruhikers along their trip.  What a pleasant surprise for Ted - he would not have to wait until getting into town before re hydrating himself.  He helped himself to the water, and then because of that ladybug, continued into town to check in with me.

As a side note, Teddy has been planning this trip with the help of a book we ordered titled "Yogi's PCT Handbook".  Yogi is a past thruhiker who wrote a book of helpful tips and hints to help future hikers on the trail.  Ted read this book, including the part about hitchhiking into towns for resupply purposes.  Well, never did she mention that some of the people who offer the rides would be as strange as the guy who picked Ted up.  As odd as he was, Ted was grateful for the lift into Julian where he got to call and talk to us, shower, eat, resupply food and water, get a comfy night's rest, eat a huge breakfast, and get a lift back to Scissors Crossing.  It is here, back at Scissors Crossing where he will continue on with the trail, the ladybugs, and hopefully some more Trail Magic.

The Thruhiker's Wife

Departure Day...

The day arrived.  A day of anticipation.  Of happiness.  Of uncertainty.  Of excitement.  Of controlled chaos.  Of sadness.  Of saying goodbye to family and friends and hello to a long awaited adventure.  Ted has now packed and repacked his bag many times, making sure of every last item needed, and adjusting to lessen the 35+ pounds he will now need to carry for this hike.

arriving at the airport

Ted and the kids arrived to pick me up from work around 11:30, so we could make our way to the airport.  It was a bittersweet ride - I am so very proud of him for taking on such a huge challenge and having the confidence and determination to follow his dreams.  I am so excited for this journey to unfold for him.  The other part of me was really beginning to realize that we will not see him for 5 months.  I knew it in my head, but was now feeling it in my heart.  In case anyone was curious, the send off for the PCT (round 2) was no easier than the send off for the AT (round 1) was 10 years ago.  Just as emotional, filled with just as much pride.

Andy, Cathy, Carole, Teddy, Jagger, Dakota & Kenn

My brother Kenn, Ted's mom and her friend Andy met us at the airport to see Ted off.  It was funny to see the reactions of the people who were slowly finding out what Ted was about to do.  Things like Ted having to explain to the TSA why there was a huge knife in his pack, and that his hiking stick was not just a souvenir, but a necessity for the next 5 months, sparked curiosity among some of the staff.  All were supportive and amused.

Everyone who knows me knows I cry over moments like this.  I personally thought I would have a mini breakdown right in the airport watching my children say goodbye to their father.  It was one of the most beautiful, proudest  moments I have ever felt for my family.  Their ability to express their love, support, excitement and sadness all rolled up into one huge hug and kiss amazed me




Yes, there were tears, but mostly happy ones.  Tears of we are sad you are leaving, but we support your dreams. Tears of we won't get to see you or hug you, but we will think about you and pray for you every day.  Tears of we are going to miss you, but we love you so very much. 

The kids were so brave to put on their happiest faces to send Ted off.  They bought him last minute Snickers bars, gave some last big hugs and somehow, we were able to hold it all together and send Scarecrow on his way.

 I appreciate everyone's well-wishes and support over the past few months, as we prepared for this journey.  All of the texts, phone calls, blog comments, visits, hugs, and encouragement is what will make this nothing but a spectacular, positive experience for my family!!






Until next time,

The Thruhiker's Wife

Admiration thru Acrostics :)

H...ave an
A...wesome
P...rosperous
P...acifying
Y...awn-less
T...rip.
R...emember
A...lways
I
L...ove you
S...carecrow

We are down to less than 48 hours before my husband embarks on his journey of 5 months, through 3 states, into Canada, visiting 7 National Parks and covering 2,650 miles.  I just want to tell you, Scarecrow, how very proud I am of you - your ability to dream, the patience to plan, and your determination and perseverance to carry through what you want, are wonderful, strong qualities that you possess and will, in the end, be the reason you are once again successful in accomplishing your goals.
Dakota, Jagger and I are here, cheering you on, anxious for your updates, knowing you are well, and happy for you to have had this opportunity to reach for the stars and be able to touch them.
Olive Juice. 
Happy Trails, my love.

A Really Great Book...

Imagine you have been reading an amazing book for the past few weeks or months.  You are in love with this book - you are so invested in the characters and their journey that you think about them around the clock.  You turn the pages, excitedly anticipating their next move, following their next story, wanting to enjoy each and every piece of the story that unfolds, but excited to see where they are headed next.  You are rapidly approaching the end of this book, sad to see it end, but proud of all that you went through to finish.  Suddenly, you find that you cannot finish the last chapter of this book.  You will have to start this book over and reread it, or never know how it ends.  This has happened to some thruhikers on the PCT.  We thought this might happen to Teddy.

Let me explain.

With 49 days left until departure, Teddy is continually researching and preparing for his trip.  He is planning out each week, with how many days he will hike before going into town for food resupply, to check in with the family, take a bath...  I think he said the longest clip of time he will go with out resupplying food will be 9 days.  Yes, he still considers this "FUN."

To give you a little PCT background, most hikers begin this trail during the "kick-off" weekend which is May 1st.    Teddy did not want to miss a few very important events happening in the month of May - like Jagger's first cello concert, Dakota's music concert, and Dakota's confirmation. He decided to begin his hike a month later, which brings up new challenges to this already rigorous journey.

The later you start, the later you finish. 

Teddy will be finishing the trail in British Columbia, Canada, in October.  We started to wonder... what is the weather like up there around that time?? does the PCT close down the parks for winter?? Will the weather prevent him from heading to the end?  Can you imagine walking 2,650 miles to find out that they have closed Manning Park (the Northern end of the PCT) and you cannot finish the trail??  Your dream of having "thruhiker"status has vanished into thin air right before your eyes.  Not Good.

We decided not to leave that one up to chance.  The weather has been so unpredictable, so with a little research, we found the number of a gentleman named Mike Dawson, who works for the Pacific Crest Trail Association.  He was able to answer some questions and set our minds at ease.  He said Manning Park does not close for the winter.  Teddy is free to walk through the wintry cold terrain to the Northern terminus of the PCT.  We were so relieved and excited about this.  Teddy did not need to worry about not being able to experience the last chapter of the book.

I am really anxious to see how it ends... aren't you??

An ice axe? Really?

So, we are 62 days away from Ted's send off... He is actively planning out his journey, supplies, and when he will stop off and replenish his gourmet meals (dry packed tuna and ramen noodles - YUMMY) He has described how he will trek though the Mojave Desert and through many National parks, and climb several mountain ranges, including the highest mountain in the lower 48 states - Mt. Whitney.

He then throws into the coversation that he will need an ice axe.  An ice axe. I just got done imagining the torture of walking through the desert, and he throws in an ice axe.  So I visited my new best friend named Wikipedia and decided to dive in and really investigate just what the hell is going on here.

A cool fact that I am excited to share: Ted will hike to the top of a 14,505 foot mountain.  If it even remotely sounds exhausting, just wait til you see this video I found via google video.




A not so cool fact I am not excited to share: this is what came up when I asked if an ice axe was necessary on the PCT:

"Be prepared. Take your time. Plan for less miles and more calories in the snow.
Beware of sun exposure, hypo/hyperthermia, dehydration, snow blindness, and sunburn."

The more I research this journey my husband is about to embark on, the fun and excitement levels of "this sounds great, amazing and enjoyable" are creeping downward, and the exhausting and challenging thoughts of "he is out of his mind and crazy for wanting to take on this trek" are creeping upward.  But through it all, my pride and admiration is growing at an exponential rate for my husband.  I don't believe there are too many people that I know, or will ever meet in my lifetime that will consider this something fun to do.

But Teddy does.  Teddy thinks that this is fun, exciting, great, amazing, and everything in between.  I am truly happy for him.  Really.  And I am truly happy for me too.

After all, it isn't me that needs an ice axe.

Why or Why Not??

So, of course, now that Teddy's plan is in motion to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, we are excited about it, and talk often about the adventure that is about to unfold.  We have even hung a map of the trail in our dining room, so we can easily track him while he is away.  I am trying to figure out how to attach a GPS chip to him, so I know he is not really in Fiji lounging with a Corona... LOL

Over the weekend, I was talking to a friend while I was getting my hair cut, and said, "Yeah, Teddy is leaving to walk from Mexico to Canada."  A complete stranger whips her head around and blurts, "Why?"  I explained to her that he likes to hike and this is a goal of his, so now is his time.  She looked just as confused as she did when I first announced it, so I just let it go and went back to chatting with my friend.

Later that day, I began to think of all the reasons why this was a good idea for Ted. He likes to hike.  He is fulfilling a dream.  He has the support of his family and friends. 

I then began to think of all the reasons why this was a good idea for me and the kids.  He likes to hike.  He is fulfilling a dream.  He has the support of his family and friends.  What better way to teach my children about reaching their goals, and fulfilling their dreams, then to lead by example. 

My children will see the excitement and determination in their father as he accomplishes this amazing feat.  They will see the support, love and respect in their mother for walking beside their father (not literally thank god!) as he accomplishes this amazing feat.  They will experience the trust, confidence, and pride as they see their father complete this journey, knowing they were a part of his success.  They will then be able to draw from that when they set out to achieve their own goals and dreams.

Instead of asking WHY, I would ask WHY NOT?

I love you Scarecrow

About the Pacific Crest Trail...


Thank you to all who have read our announcement and offered your support.  So many have questions (and comments) which are welcomed and appreciated.  I thought I might offer a map of this amazing journey so you can really see just how crazy this all sounds...

Pacific Crest Trail via google images

Teddy will begin at the southern most part of this map which is in Mexico, and walk up the red line which marks the trail, walking through the entire state of California, Oregon, Washington and will finish in Canada.  Sounds like loads and loads of fun, right?? Anyone who knows me can just hear the sarcasm pouring out of me!!  But all joking aside, I am so proud of Ted's decision to take on this amazing challenge!  He has assured me he will take lots of pictures so I can post them for everyone to see as well.  Until next time...

Carole

The Beginning...

Hello to our family and friends...

As we all know, as one door closes, another one opens... Well, as most of you know, a door for Teddy has closed recently, so in the spirit of positive thinking, we knew the door that was about to open would be an exciting, worth writing about one... and we were indeed correct!!

In 79 days, Teddy is going to leave on yet another hiking journey that will take him from Mexico to Canada... no, I am not joking... He is going to walk 2,650 miles, through the mountains, the desert, and everywhere between... I will keep you posted on his location, mileage, and all of the stories he shares with us along the way.

The kids and I are excited about this adventure he is about to begin... we hope you enjoy our story...

Carole