Realizations #2

Departed Big Bear Thursday, April 26

Detour in Yosemite

Arrived San Diego Sunday, April 29

  

 This last section of hiking has made me realize a few things. I have learned so much more about myself and solo backpacking in the time that I was out on the trail alone. 

   First I will start with my story. I was dropped off on Saturday, April 21. I was on my own for five days four nights, with absolutely no cell reception and no one to talk to but myself. I ran into two people on the trail, but both going the opposite direction so they were quick encounters and they were both at the end of this section. 

    It has taken me 20 days and approximately 300 miles to realize that one of my goals of doing this trail was to do it by myself and it was NOT a good idea. My friends and family know that I am a social person, and I have known this as well, but I believed that I could do this alone. I have come to realize that I cannot do it alone. I got way too lonely and kind of went, for best words, mad. There is only so much that you can talk to yourself about until you start making up characters and then talking to them, and for me, until then I had a melt down on the trail, and then had another melt down when I could finally get service, and got a hold of my family. I just missed people, some people like to call it “home sick,” but I prefer the term, “people sick,” or “social sick,” or just plain lonely. 

  So what I have decided to do is to turn this solo hike into a section hike with whoever would like to join me, so I am calling to my friends and family out there that would like to do any section of the trail so please contact me, and we will make this happen. So, I have decided to take a short break to take care of myself.

   My second reason why I have come home for hopefully not long. In the time I have been on the trail, I have injured my left knee, and it is not just a sore pain, it has gotten progressively worse. There are two different instances where I have taken serious falls on the trail. So tomorrow morning I will be calling the doctor to get it checked out, because one of my biggest fears would be for my knee to go while somewhere on the trail. I don’t want it to be where I do not have cell reception, and I do not want to have to hit the “come get me button” on the Spot. So I am home safe and sound in San Diego and looking forward to getting back on the trail!

-Carl Richardson

Ps. Happy Birthday Dad

Arrived near Fish Creek Trail

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Departed http://fms.ws/7fZyZ/34.0113N/116.67223W 

Arrived near Fish Creek Trail http://fms.ws/7g8fX/34.12526N/116.75812W

On the trail again!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Departed Cabezon

Arrived at http://fms.ws/7fZyZ/34.0113N/116.67223W

Photos credit Diana Richardson

Rest Day in Idyllwild

I made it to Idyllwild.  The original plan was to go straight to the 10 HW, but I ran into too much snow, I made it over the ridge into little Tahquitz valley,  and pushed threw about two miles of snow, following someone else's footsteps, and at a point they disappeared so I had to do a snow camp, I couldn't make it to Little Tahquitz Creek, to get water, but then I had to make water by melting snow with my stove (Jet Boil), I had to make the decision, should I try to push through the snow, and try to find my way into the town, without a trail, with about 4 ft of snow on the trail.  So what I decided the safest thing would be to do, would be to go back.  I did have to go about six miles back to Spitler Trail, then five miles down to the road, and i did fortunately ran into twist and tailgate, on the trail and told them what was happening with me and the snow and convinced them to go to town, because of conditions, so now I'm hangin out in Idyllwild with a bunch of PCT hikers, all super nice.  Whats next, well I am going to get dropped off the 10 tomorrow. I have hiked all these trails before so I don't feel bad trying to not push through the snow.  I expect it will take me somewhere between 4 and 5 days to Big Bear. -Carl Richardson

Rest day for my blistered feet

Day 12

April 18, 2012
Departed Cedar Springs
Arrived at http://fms.ws/7dbiy/33.76365N/116.6553W 

Day 11 "This is the backpacking I like"

April 17, 2012

Departed Table Mountain Truck Trail

Arrived at Cedar Springs

“I am camping at Cedar Springs, its about a mile from trail, they have water and they have a camp ground. I ran into a person on the trail. Its been an awesome day hiking...I mean my feet are killing me. I’ve done about 18 miles again. It was beautiful coming through as soon as I made it over to the 74 Palms to Pine highway, the scenery changed and I can see San Jac and now im up on the ridge and I can see palm springs on one side and Hemit on the other side. I can see to Joshua tree. I can see to Salton Sea. This is the backpacking I like…” Carl Richardson, Voicemail 

This is a panaramic view of a ridge I was going over just past Lion Peak  

Day 10

Day 10 April 16, 2012

Departed Chihuahua Valley, Lost Valley Road

Arrived at Table Mountain Truck Trail http://fms.ws/7cLsS/33.52837N/116.59126W

Approximately 19 miles

“The miles I did planning were totally off. I have to go farther to get water. I have 5 liters of water. I liter of that will go to breakfast and dinner. Last water stop was 4 miles ago. My next water stop is 14 miles. That’s kind of the problem right now. I am still walking from water to water. Seven miles from here there is a Café called Paradise Café. In the water report it says there’s a faucet that you need pliers to open. I don’t know if it is worth it to walk a mile out of the way to get water and not be sure I can get it. Its uphill desert and hot. I haven’t been drinking a lot of water. My voice is off. I am exhausted. 

I ran into five people today who are hiking down to the kickoff. I ran into a guy that is writing stories from the PCT so I gave him my blog. Its interesting to see the difference between this and the Sierra Nevadas because now I’m going downhill and then I walk 20 feet on a flat ground and then I walk back uphill. This section is hard. But in the Sierra Nevadas there are trail sections you go through a pass and walk over a valley. I am looking forward to that. I was at the water cache and I found a logbook. I saw Em and Lala’s note and they were here this morning, so I am not too far behind. Its not a race, its just people that I know. It is great to do things together, and its good to have companionship.

Last night it got below freezing. The ground was wet because the snow. Everything was frost covered. I laid out everything so the sun could dry it up. I was on a road between two mountains. I put up my tarp and its way too big. It was flapping around and making a bunch of noise…so I was using it as a pillow.”

Carl Richardson, Phone Call

Frustrations and realizations

Day Four April 10, 2012

Departed Sunrise Trailhead @ 8:00am
Arrived Four Miles passed Scissors crossing http://fms.ws/7YnGO/33.11389N/116.48212W @ 6:05pm

“This is really hard. I am having blister frustrations…I forgot the roll of tape. My feet are hurting and have a lot of blisters. Em's feet are hurting too. Yesterday when I got to the spot I wanted to stay at, there was no water so I had to hike six more miles. I think when I get to the Sierras there will be water. I don’t want to give up but right now I am having a miserable time. I would rather be crossing the ocean. I am gunna keep on going…I was thinking I would do push ups to keep my upper body in shape…there is no way I can do pushups I get done with the day and I am so exhausted...This is the hardest part of the trip because there is no water. The water I got yesterday was from a well that someone put there specifically for PCT hikers. The water I am getting today is from a cache that someone fills up two or three times a week for PCT hikers. Tomorrow I will try to do 23 miles which would put me in Warner Springs Thursday and I will take a rest day on Friday.” -Carl Richardson, Phone Call at 11:35am

Day Three

April 9, 2012

Departed Thing Valley Road in the early morning 

Arrived at Sunrise Trailhead http://fms.ws/7YCA3/32.97832N/116.52649W @ 5:04pm

Day Two

April 8, 2012

Departed Lake Morena @ 7:30am 

Arrived at Thing Valley Road @ 4:00pm

Approximately 20 miles

"I am glad I am doing shorter days now (starting tomorrow)...Tonight I am staying at Thing Valley Road. Tomorrow I am planning on going to Pioneer Mill, no actually Pioneer MAIL. It's funny there's a spelling error and my mom caught it. On the elevations it says Pioneer Mill, but on the map and all the other maps say Pioneer Mail. I think after Pioneer Mail I going to attempt to go all the way down to Scissors Crossing. It will be a long day, so I'll pack extra water." - Carl Richardson, Voice Journal 

Photo at Lake Morena before Departure

Departed!

Day One April 7, 2012

Departed US/Mexico Border @ 8:00am

Arrived at Lake Morena @ 5:00pm

"I just wanted to let everybody know how thankful I am for them for how much they help out to make this trip happen for me. Especially Jim Lustig, he is such an inspiration and helped me out so much with knowledge and gear and everything, and my mom and my dad for the support they gave me, for the help they are doing with the food, and everyone else, everybody's support. Kevin and Cameron and Jessica who came and visited me the first night in Lake Morena after we did slack packs…basically, didn't carry a big backpack, but a small backpack…19.5 miles and 22 miles tomorrow to Mt. Laguna...its hard, my feet hurt but its good and it will all get better. Thank you for Krista for letting me go and supporting me even though she misses me like hell. So thank you." - Carl Richardson, Voice Journal