My One Successful Trip So Far this Summer

I had big backpacking plans for this summer.  I was going to thru hike the Tahoe Rim Trail and try to get onto any trail as much as possible.  Sadly, I misjudged just how bad my plantar fasciitis is.  So far, I've gone on exactly one backpacking trip and that was back in June.  I tried to go on one other trip but was defeated a mere 4 hours into the trip.  More on  that later.

My one successful trip was on the Tahoe Rim Trail.  I started at the Spooner Summit trailhead and hiked into Marlette Campground.  A very fun trip.  I've day hiked the first part of this section of the Tahoe Rim Trail a few times and thought it was OK.  Kind of blah scenery wise but OK.  I, like so many other day hikers, have always stopped at the North Canyon Campground trail intersection.  It's about 4 miles to that point, making for an 8 mile round trip.  But just 1.5 miles past the intersection, the views really open up and can be quite spectacular.

View of Star Peak.

A typical view in the first 5 miles.  Carson Valley in the distance. The road cuts visible on the hillside are Highway 50.

The first 5 or so miles of this section are a steady climb - although by no means grueling.  On a scale of 5 where 1 is easy and flat and 5 is an uphill death march, I'd give this a 3, maybe a 3.5.  After about mile 5, the views to the west open up and there's a great view of Lake Tahoe and Marlette Lake below.  In June there were tons of pretty little purple wild flowers.  But what surprised me the most were the pieces of petrified wood I saw along this section.

Hillside walk about 5 miles in.  Marlette Lake is just barely visible in the center left of the photo.

Expansive view of Lake Tahoe.

Sagey open walking.

 After about mile 6, the trail flattens out and there is a nice walk through a high meadow that eventually leads to some stunning views of Eagle Valley (Carson City), Reno, and Mt. Rose and Slide Mountains.  As a nearly life-long resident of Northern Nevada and having grown up in Reno, it was a thrill to see Mt. Rose and Slide "at their level."

Big piece of petrified wood. 

Looking north toward Mr. Rose and Slide Mountain.  Marlette Lake below.

My one complaint about this section is that both of my maps - the Tahoe Rim Trail Association's official map and the National Geographic Recreation map for the Tahoe Basin - gave incorrect mileage.  Both said it was about an 8 to 8.5 mile hike to the campground.  In truth, it's about 10 miles. Not a huge deal but I was mentally prepared for 8 miles and had only packed enough water for that distance.  In the end, it was OK and I made it to the campground with plenty of water to spare but I do wish the maps were a bit more accurate.

Oh - I should mention that my dog, Dexter, accompanied me.  He carried his own water and food in his doggie backpack.  He did VERY well!  I was very proud of him for being so stoic.  He was very obedient and walked behind me the entire trip.  He even slept in the tent with me and didn't bark or cause problems, even though he was highly curious about the other campers - especially the hammocks they were sleeping in.  Am I inspired to do more backpacking with him?  Maybe but 1 or 2 day trips only.  His backpack was a nearly constant annoyance to me, having to be adjusted every few minutes.  Even the slightest imbalance in the load would result in it slipping to one side.  At one point, I turned around to find that it had slipped completely under his belly.  I spent A LOT of time adjusting and re-adjusting it and fiddling with his water bottles to make sure his water was evenly distributed.  But more than anything, I'm a little unsure that he had a good time.  He was glued to me for the trip and seemed a little scared occasionally.  It was very windy toward midday and he seemed scared and unsure about it.  He never ran away but he might have run off had he been more scared.  I really don't like the idea of losing my dog in the middle of a backpacking trip.  Maybe more trips will help his confidence.

Anyway, I'd heard not so great things about the Marlette Campground, so I was a little leery about and unsure about what I would find.  I'd heard it described as "creepy" and "weird."  I don't know why others complain about it, I found it to be very nice.  What a luxury to sit at a picnic table to have dinner and to have a well that pumps icy cold potable water!  Not to mention a nice pit toilet and bear boxes.  I guess some people prefer more of a wilderness experience.  I did find a spot where some backpackers had scraped a shallow hole to dispose of their trash.  Gross.  I packed it out for them. Double gross.

My campsite with my Easton Rimrock1 tent.  It's maiden voyage.  I like it very much!

Trash left by other backpackers in a shallow hole.  Gross.

The next day, I hiked back the way I'd come.  I met up with a yellow bellied marmot on the ridge above Marlette Lake.  He was not inclined to be photographed as he scampered away when I got too close to the rocks he calls home.  I took a nice break at that spot and tried to sneak up on him for another photo but he sensed my plan and scuttled away before I could get the camera ready.

I did kind of bad thing on the way out.  With the trail mostly downhill on the return trip, I basically walked the entire 10 miles with only one break.  I tend to do this on downhill sections.  I'm not tired so I forget to get off my feet every few miles.  By the time I made it back to the truck, my plantar fasciitis was flaring up so badly, I could barely put weight on my foot.  I also was not good about giving water to Dexter.  He had hardly drank any water the day before, so I assumed he didn't need much.  But on our one break at the marmot's rock, I gave him some water and he ended up drinking over a liter in one go, which is a lot for a 50 pound dog.  I felt terrible about that!

After our hike, I took Dexter to In 'N' Out Burger in Carson City and ordered a cheeseburger and fries for myself and a plain meat patty for Dexter.  He thought that was a great treat!  All-in-all I really enjoyed my little trip and would highly recommend this section.  And for you day hikers - push on past the North Canyon Campground trail and you will be treated to some beautiful views.

Here are some photos from our return trip:

Stunning.

I love it when trails hug the edge of hills like this.

The marmot's rock.  He's just barely visible on the rock to the left.

Disaster Strikes

So it's been a while since I last posted.  No recent hikes have been taken and my training regime has dwindled to the occasional lap around a nearby park with my dog.  Why?  Two words.  Plantar fasciitis.  Ugh.

I've actually been anticipating this.  My right foot has endured every injury a foot can get.  1988 - broken toe.  1994 - badly sprained ankle with torn ligaments.  2010 - badly sprained ankle.  2011 - Achilles tendon injury.  2012 - inflamed tendon. 2014 - double sprained ankle.  2015 - plantar fasciitis.  Notice how the injuries have piled up since 2010?  I turned 37 in 2010, clearly age and overuse are a factor.  My poor right foot is just a mass of old scars and arthritis, so the plantar fasciitis is not a surprise.  I'm actually amazed that I haven't developed it already.

Back in March, I set a goal for myself - to run and/or walk 50 miles in a single week.  I got close, 46 miles and then during a hike, the bottom of my right foot went "sproing." Pain where my heel and my arch meet.  So I gave walking/running a rest for two weeks.  And then at work, while wearing a not very supportive pair of sandals, I turned suddenly on the ball of my right foot and, huge "sproing."  Super painful sproing.  Limping for weeks after that sproing.

So I did some research and bought a pair of heel cups designed for plantar fasciitis.  They seem to be helping but the pain is still there.  So I did some more research and found a brace to wear at night.  The brace has been helping tremendously.  But - I still can't walk more than 2 miles without my foot starting to hurt again.  Clearly the best remedy is rest.  Sigh.

My plans to hike the Tahoe Rim Trail are rapidly disappearing.  I don't think there's any way I'll be able to backpack in a mere 6 weeks time.  If I can't even walk around the park, there's no way I can carry a backpack and walk 16-18 miles a day.  My cardio is also terrible right now.  Six weeks of near inactivity has taken its toll.

So I've gone to Plan X - as in, I didn't have a Plan B so I made one up when reality set it.  I'm still hoping to do some backpacking this year.  So I'm pushing my trip back to August to allow time for my foot to heal and for me to regain my cardio.  But pushing the trip to August means I probably won't be able to do the Tahoe Rim Trail.  With this year's incredibly low snow pack (15% of normal!) I don't think there will be enough water by August.  I could probably put a bunch of water caches out for myself but I don't like the idea of relying on them and they ruin the sense of wilderness that I look forward to with backpacking.  So instead, I'm considering redoing the section of Oregon I did last year - Callahan's to Highway 138.

But in the meantime, I'm implementing Plan X.  Plantar fasciitis sucks.  My two favorite modes of exercise are out the window - running and walking.  So I'm going back to my first love - bicycling.  I used to ride my bike everywhere when I was in college.  I really love the sense of speed and movement that a bike gives you.  So I pulled out my old mountain bike (bought in 1997!) and got ready to ride it.  Almost.  It's in bad shape after being stored for too many years.  It needs a thorough tune up and new tires.  Sigh.  And then I got to thinking.  The last time I went for a bike ride, I found it to be an exhausting slog.  Why?  Because mountain bikes aren't the best form of street transportation.  Back in my 20s, I just gutted it out - and got into great shape.  But now that I'm older (and a lot heavier), I'd prefer something a bit more easy to ride.  Something intended for street riding and commuting.

So yesterday, I went into Reno and bought a new bike, the first I've had in 18 years.  I bought a Trek FX 7.3, which is their exercise/commuter bike.  I love it.  It rides like a dream and it's so fast!  Even in the bigger gears, it cruises right along and I'm not huffing and puffing.  Awesome! I'm a little weirded out by the skinny road tires, having ridden a mountain bike for years, but I'm sure that's why the bike is so fast and smooth.

So for now, that's the plan.  Ride my bike for exercise and stay off my foot and maybe come August I'll be ready for a major backpacking trip.

Unsolicited Advice - A Couple More Backpacking Do Nots

"Yeah well, you know, that's just like you're opinion man."  -The Big Lebowski

After writing a previous post about backpacking do nots, I thought up a few more.

1. Do not use long distance backpacking as a means to lose weight and/or get into shape.  You will be sorry.  Yes you will get into great shape backpacking and, yes, you will probably lose some weight but if you don't make an effort toward those two things before you go, the first couple of weeks on the trail will be a misery and the chances of injury and/or emotional meltdown will go up considerably.  If you're new to backpacking, all the months of planning, purchasing gear, buying food, etc. will go straight out the window when you quit after 3 days on the trail.  And unless you're very, very determined, you probably will.  You wouldn't try to run a marathon with no training, right?

2. Do not take your dogs on a trip over one week in length.  I love my dogs.  I hike with my dogs.  I would never backpack with my dogs.  Consider the mental effort it takes to keep going day after day.  To keep going when you're really tired.  To keep going when you're injured.  Dogs don't think that way and they're not privy to your plan.  They keep following you out of loyalty but after a while, when they're tired or hurt, they don't understand why you keep going and they can't say "please stop, this is too much for me."  Aside from those considerations, think about the logistics.  Who carries their food and water?  What will you do if your dog gets sick or injured in the middle of nowhere?  Yes, there are dogs who would gladly go backpacking with their owners but most pets who are used to the comforts of home probably aren't that keen to rough it for weeks on end.

3.  Do not purchase gear with the intention of returning it when you're done. One of the strategies that PCT thru hikers use in able to afford the gear necessary for a thru hike, is to purchase their gear at REI and then return it when they're done even though it's trashed and used up.  Please don't do this.  It's dishonest.  If you have a piece of gear that actually does fail or has a defect, then, yes, by all means, return it.  But don't return gear that you've worn out through use.  A pair of running shoes is not intended to last 2,650 miles over rough terrain.  In response to this issue, REI has changed their return policy so that items have to be returned within the same year they were bought.  It used to be a lifetime guarantee. The bad behavior of a few individuals has had repercussions for the rest of us.  I'm not defending corporations, I'm just saying be a decent human being and do the right thing.  Consider saving money for your trip and going when you're able to afford it instead of abusing the return policy of gear companies.

Getting Those Practice Hikes in, Winter Edition

It's winter.  Well, out West, it's barely winter but it's still winter.  My plan to do the Tahoe Rim Trail this summer means that I'm in full-on physical preparation mode.  I've been running, which feels good. I've endured thee years of near catastrophic injuries - Achilles tendon tear in 2011, tendinitis in 2012 (2 weeks before a half marathon I'd been training for, ugh), and a badly sprained ankle in 2014. Although I didn't have any injuries in 2013, I went through a tough year with three deaths and my parent's house burning down.  It wasn't a good year to feel hopeful about anything.  But I push on.  It's all you can do.  So finally, after a two year hiatus, I'm back to running.  And, of course, I'm walking a ton.  Between the two activities, I'm doing about 35 to 40 miles a week.  I'd like to get up to 50 miles a week but that's not always possible.  But it's a goal.

So yeah, it's winter (ish).  It hasn't snowed once in Fallon this year, which is very abnormal.  It's barely snowed in the Sierras.  But "barely snowed" means there's still quite a bit of snow up high and the hiking trails at Lake Tahoe are effectively closed to all but the most determined hikers (as in snowshoers).  I'm not afraid to say that I'm a fair weather hiker.  I have ZERO interest in plowing through the snow to set up a tent and freeze my butt off all night.  So I wait for things to thaw and warm up a bit.

Fallon has very limited hiking opportunities but the one redeeming feature of the area is that you can hike pretty much year round.  I already discussed my one terrain hike here.  But I've barely mentioned my weekly long hike - the Emigrant Trail.  The Carson River route of the Emigrant Trail passes about 5 miles west of Fallon and dates back to the 1830s.  I start near the Amor IX geothermal plant and head north.  It's an easy walk - sandy in places but it's mostly flat with a few very minor hills. The furthest I've made it is about 7.5 miles (keeping in mind that I have to turn around and go back the way I came).  It's monotonous.  The trail has long since become a dirt road driveable by most cars, so it's basically mile after mile of road walking with not much in the way of scenery.  But the benefit of walking the trail is you can go and go and go.  I walk it because it's accessible and even though it's not a strenuous, I can put my pack and get some miles in.  There's something to be said for that - it's still good training for motoring down a trail. As a historian, the trail (and its monotony) also makes me appreciate what the emigrants went through to cross the United States on foot (or wagon).

I've walked the trail so many times, I've memorized the roundtrip distances along the way - the 3 mile point, the 6 mile point, the 8 mile point, the 9 mile point, and the 12 mile point.  It's handy to know so I can set my goal for the day.  This year, the furthest I've made it is to the 9 mile point.  Eventually, I'd like to hike the section to where it dead ends into Highway 95 and back but that would be a 24 mile hike, which would take me all day.  A goal to work towards I guess.

This is pretty much what it looks like.  Miles and miles of this.

Several of these signs were put up near the geothermal plant, probably as mitigation for placing the plant so close to the trail.  I think they're kind of neat looking.  Apparently other people think so too, considering that a few have been stolen.

I Weigh My Summer Gear

One of the things all of the ultralight books and guides say is that you should weigh your gear - all of it, right down to the smallest thing.  I've never done this.  Instead, I've always adopted a "I know what I need and I'm taking it" kind of attitude.  That's not to say that I've been completely cavalier in choosing what gear I use.  I looked for and bought the lightest gear I could find and afford. But I'm no ultralight packer.  I like my comforts and, as they say, I carry my fears.  For me that means fear of contracting water born diseases; fear of running out of water; and fear of hypothermia.  This means that I carry an actual water filter (albeit a small one), the capacity to carry as much as 7L of water (although the most I've actually carried is 5L), and warm layers and rain gear even in the summer.  I also like to have certain luxuries with me like clean(ish) clothes to sleep in, a pad to sit on during breaks, and a pillow.  A good night's sleep is crucial for me.  Without it, I start to feel broke down and discouraged.  I could probably shave off a few more ounces here and there by forgoing some luxuries but I'm pretty satisfied with everything I have.  Peace of mind and a little extra comfort at night are worth the weight.

This is my solo summer gear.  When I backpack with my husband, the total weight actually goes down 2 pounds since we split the weight of the tent.  All weights are in ounces.

Backpack - Granite Gear Nimbus Trace	70.4
Sleeping bag - Sierra Designs CLO 25	18.1
Tent - Sierra Designs Flashlight 1	33.12
poles/stakes	16
Sleeping pad - Thermarest ProLite Small	11
Sitting pad - Thermarest Zseat	2
Pillow - Sea to Summit Aeros UL	2
3L Platypus	3.7
2 Aquafina 1L bottles	2.8
Water filter - Sawyer Squeeze	5.8
2L Platypus collapsible bottle	1.2
Ursak	7.8
JetBoil Flash	14.7
Plastic bowl w/lid	3
Light My Fire titanium spork	0.7
Rain coat - North Face HyVent 2.5	11
Rain skirt (homemade)	3
REI 60L rain cover	3.7
Patagonia Nanopuff pullover	10
Marmot fleece cap	0.9
Cotton stretch gloves	1.15
Patagonia Capilene thermal top	5.3
Polypro t-shirt	6.3
Columbia river shorts	5.9
2 pair Thorlo light hiking socks	3
2 pair Patagonia Active Briefs	2.3
microfiber towel	2
2 hankies	2
toothbrush	1.9
toothpaste	1
hair brush	1.1
Lighter	0.7
Brunton sighting compass	2.8
wallet	0.6
Samsung Galaxy 3	6.7
trowel	2
SPOT	4.8
Swiss Army Knife, "Tinker"	3
Nikon Coolpix camera	4
journal and pencil	2.8
Total Ounces	280.3
Total Pounds	17.5

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Aside from the backpack,sleeping bag, sleeping pad, sitting pad, and pillow, I carried all of this gear with me last year on the PCT and I used all of it thoroughly and was glad to have it.  I've cut out a few things I didn't think were necessary (camp shoes and a book to read) and added a few comfort items (pillow and Zseat).  I'd prefer that my base weight be closer to 15 pounds but 17.5 is not too bad.  Fully loaded with 5 days of food and 5L of water, I'm looking at about 35 pounds total, which is about 4 pounds lighter than my max last year.

Edit 3/15/15 - I realized a couple of days after weighing my backpack that I'd left my first aid kit and some batteries in one of the pockets.  Hehe, oops.  So my pack actually weighs 63.5 ounces, which drops my base weight to 17.08 pounds.

Practice Makes Perfect

For me, probably one of the best things about doing a "short" trail next summer, is that I will be able to experiment with some changes I'd like to make regarding gear, food, and, honestly myself.

Gear
I liked the gear I had with me on the PCT.  I had minor quibbles with some of it but, hey, nothing's perfect.  Gear is actually the one thing I got really, really right during my hike in Oregon.  But there's always room for improvement, right?  To start with, my stuff was way too heavy.  Fully loaded with water and food, my pack was sometimes as much as 42 pounds.  Oof.  My goal for the TRT next summer is to get my max pack weight down to 38.  The easy way to do this is to shed extraneous items.  I didn't have many but they included camp shoes and a book. Those two items alone drop my pack weight by nearly 1.5 pounds.

The other way to dump weight is to use stuff that is lighter than my old stuff.  As much as I love my old North Face backpack, I'm retiring it in favor of my Granite Gear Nimbus Trace backpack.  The GG pack weighs nearly 2 pounds less than the NF bag.  It's also smaller and has a lower weight capacity, so I'll be forced to take less stuff.  I've also invested in a lighter down sleeping bag.  My old bag was rated at 15 degrees - far too warm for summer hiking. My new bag is rated at 25 degrees and weighs 1 pound less than my old one.

So there, a few minor changes in my gear and I've dropped 4.5 pounds from my gear weight!  However . . .  I'm also going to experiment with a new tent that is a few ounces heavier than my old tent (but not single walled, thank heaven) and I will probably be carrying a bear box, which is considerably heavier than my Ursak.  I've also decided to go back to using an air mattress because the Z Lite just isn't working for me.  And, because I like my comfort, I'm going to add a Z Seat so I have something to sit on for breaks.  But those two additions only increase my pack weight by 4 oz.  But still, it's more weight.  Sigh.  Obviously I'll need to do more thinking about gear weight but I figure I'm still saving about 2.5 pounds in weight with the changes I've made.  I'm considering going stoveless to save even more weight but the jury's out on that one (see next topic).

Food
Food is something I got really, really wrong on the PCT.  When I was planning for the trip, I focused too much on calories and not enough on nutrition.  I indulged in all the tasty junk food I love but failed to think about how empty those calories were.  The whole trip I hated just about everything I brought to eat. So next summer I intend to bring more whole foods like jerky, tuna, sausage, tortillas, cheese, dried fruit, and nuts.  The one thing that surprised me on the PCT was how I could happily eat a Clif bar every single day.  I thought for sure I'd get sick of Clif bars but I never did.  Bonus that they're actually full of good stuff.  I also really liked my raisin bran and dried milk breakfasts, so I'll definitely be bringing that again.

I've also considered going stoveless.  On the PCT, I didn't use my stove nearly as much as I thought I would.  At the end of the day, all I wanted to do was unwrap a Clif bar and shove it in my face.  I had little desire to dig out my stove and wait for something to cook.  Next year, for the TRT, I especially don't want to bring any food that requires a lot of effort to make.  If I bring a stove, it will be used to rehydrate or warm up food - and that is it.

I'll also be bringing supplements, especially electrolytes.  On the PCT, my body just ached constantly from the lack of nutrients and electrolytes and I am SO not going through that again.

Most of this junk is not coming with me again.

Me
I actually worked really hard on my improving my physical state before attempting Oregon last year. I lost about 20 pounds and walked 30-40 miles a week for months before going.  But I could have done better.  About 8 weeks before my trip, I got stressed out and resorted to bad behaviors to deal with it - eating too much and not exercising enough. I need to not do that this time.  My weight really held me back on the trail.  Never mind my pack weight - my personal weight was way too high and I paid the price in sore feet, aching muscles, and a bad attitude.  This year, I vow to do better.

I also want to use my TRT hike to work on my attitude.  Prior to hiking the PCT, I read too many blogs written by 20 year olds who talk about nothing but the miles they were doing every day and how fast they were walking.  I got way too caught up in proving that I could walk a lot of miles day after day.  So my days on the trail were a constant rush to get the miles in.  I rarely allowed myself to take a proper break because I was so concerned with getting down the trail.  But in hindsight, I could have done the same miles in a more leisurely manner - if you walk all day, you're pretty much guaranteed to do 16-18 miles.  You just will.  So next summer, I'm going to take longer breaks, eat more, drink more, and go at a pace that is comfortable for me.  More than anything, I'm going to practice patience with myself knowing that the miles will come no matter what.

My poor tired, mistreated dogs.  I'll be better to them next time.

My Next Big Adventure

If I had my druthers, I'd reattempt Oregon next summer.  Unfortunately, there's this little thing called reality that is getting in the way.  The reality that I have a really good job that I enjoy and worked hard to get.  The simple fact is, I won't be able to bank enough leave to take a month off from work next summer.  It was also incredibly generous of my employer to allow me to leave for four weeks and I don't want to push my luck by asking for a month off two years in a row.  I'm also taking a year to lick my financial wounds from a pretty expensive year - not just my trip to Oregon but all kinds of other things. This stuff is why you don't see many 40-year-olds on the PCT. We have all these gosh-darned responsibilities that keep us from doing the fun stuff we want to do. It sucks being a grown up.

So in the meantime, I'm pondering what to do with myself next summer.  I don't want to take a lot of time off for backpacking, so I can ensure that I have enough leave to do Oregon in 2016.  So, as the kids say, the obvious answer is obvious.  I'm going to do the Tahoe Rim Trail.  Lake Tahoe is only about an hour and a half from where I live.  It's also one of my favorite places on Earth
.  It's also not terribly long - only 165 miles, so I can do it in a leisurely week and a half.

Probably the best thing about doing the TRT is that it's my hood.  I grew up in Reno, so as a kid I was up at Tahoe at least once a week in the summer.  It's absolutely my favorite environment.  I love going up there when it's hot and dry and the pines and sagebrush smell so good with the combination of decomposed granite and pine needles crunching under foot.  I just love Tahoe in the summer time.

The TRT itself isn't ideal.  It's busy with hikers and mountain bikers - at times you feel more like you're in Disneyland than in the woods.  The mountain bikers especially make it less than ideal.  They chew up the trail and you're constantly stepping aside for them (even though they're supposed to yield to hikers).  But you know what?  Whatevs.  A big chunk of my hike will be in the middle of the week and I doubt I'll see much of anyone.

TRT here I come!  Meanwhile I have a long winter to get through.