I'm Loving It

May 31

2 Double Cheeseburgers, 1 McChicken, 1 Sundae (Fudge), and 2 Liters of McDonalds Sweet Tea- Brandon

1 Big Mac, 1 Double Cheeseburger, 1 McChicken, and 2 Liters of half unsweet/sweet tea- Caleb

The caloric race is on, and currently Brandon is ahead of Caleb. However, Caleb is contemplating his next move. McFlurry? McNuggets? McMuffin?

It has been a good 14 miles today. It may end now. It is hot outside and we are ahead of schedule. We have big decisions to make. Mainly, how to get around the Sierras, where a record snow year (most since 1974) has us skipping around. Climbing vertical sheets of ice is one thing, fording creeks up to our necks in snowmelt is another. We would be nothing short of human fishing bobbers.

Packages

If anyone would like to send Caleb or Brandon packages. Their next stop will be in Agua Dulce, but the packages will need to be shipped tomorrow (Tuesday) for them to get there in time.

PCT Hiker: _______

c/o The Saufleys

11861 Darling Road

Agua Dulce, CA 91390

Also let them know if you are sending one by commenting on this post. I will try to post their next stops more often. Send them some good stuff! :)

-Miranda

He Cant Hit My Curve!

May 30

Just when you think you have the trail figured out, it throws you for a loop. After two solid days, we planned a 3rd day of "taking it easy" i.e. 16 miles. We planned to make it to a promising campground at a big recreational lake with all the amenities, sounds great right? Try 101 degree heat and no clouds or trees to block it. 16 miles felt like 30. And what do we find... Memorial Day Hell! I think this is where South-Central comes for vacation. Culture shock! You never know what the PCT will throw at you, but there are bigger issues with that fact upcoming...

We are getting to camp on grass tonight, which is a first, should be nice. And we devoured 10 hot dogs and 8 buns from the small store here with a matter of 15 minutes for dinner tonight. I ate two ice cream sandwiched on the walk back. You can't tell me nothin'!

On deck for tomorrow: 20 miles of the same heat, but we understand there is a Mickey D's a miles off the trail at 14 miles mark. I predict a scene. Fact.

-Caleb

Big Bear and Beyond

May 25th

Greatest day on the trail so far. We traveled a little over 20 miles and we are camped right next to a snow melt creek in a valley outside of Big Bear. It was cool comfortable hiking all day. We ran the numbers and we are still on track so far getting to Mammoth by June 30th. We have finally caught up with the hikers. On one hand it will be nice to socialize, on the other we lose our solitude. By the way, instead of Trail names, Caleb and I are adopting slogans every time we sign an official PCT registry (typically at the post office). I am signing with a Southern saying (my first was "Shall Rise Again") and Caleb is signing AC DC songs (his first was "High Voltage"). At least we stay entertained.

-Brandon

And We're Back in the Game

Keflex has done wonders, and early tomorrow morning we are headed back on the trail. We have a 3-mile walk to get back onto the trail. The swelling has gone down, the pain has all but dissolved, and after nearly a week of recovery, it's time to get back out there.

We anticipate that we will work our way back into the swing of things. The weather is supposed to be good, the grade's soft, and the water plentiful. It's 100 miles to Wrightwood, and we are planning on 5 days. We've been discussing changing our strategy a little bit. Including eating more during the day and less at night. Spread out the calories and energy. We purchased food for the next 5 days at the Von's here in Big Bear, it's amazing how we are getting better at knowing what to buy.

We have more fuel, and both are anticipating packages at Wrightwood. There are plenty of opportunities to pull off the trail if the foot doesn't react as thought.

Over the past week, we've spent time with some of the most caring people. Certainly the folks in Idyllwild at the Silver Pines Lodge. Chris Singer was extremely helpful, and we are both looking forward to staying there again when we revisit the section from Idyllwild to Big Bear. And when we open our Chicken and Waffles restaurant entitled the Crowdy Jerk. We've tried to help Ed at the Nature Inn realize his dream of getting out of California. He says the government out here is too crazy, they are too involved in everything. Does he not sound perfect for Tennessee?

We have two fire detours, road walks, and a trip across the Mojave in the coming two weeks. If you want to send anything, mail it to Agua Dulce before June 1st.

Burning Through $ero Day$

Well... when we budgeted for this trip, one of the things we didn't take into account was that I would somehow become infected. Much like the zombie plague. Fortunately, I'm curable. I think that's very likely accredited to my self motivation, something perhaps Caleb is underestimating.

He tends to forget I have walked every mile he has, even though I've been injured. Well, I take that back, he has been very helpful taking care of me. Running errands, grabbing dinner, cleaning up around the apartment. If I'm his Nancy, he is my Nellie. Ol' Nellie. Grab him a feather duster.

Quack, quack, quack. See y'all in Big Bear City.

Ducks Fly Together

Quack. Quack. Quack...

After looking over many options for myself and weighing the constant opinions of the women in my life I have decided that sticking with brandon this week is my "best" option.  I'd like to hike into Big Bear City (or Spencer City as we call it) from Idyllwild but the logistics around getting through the fresh snow up on the trail by myself and without "proper" gear is sort of a headache. If we didn't have a schedule to keep, we'd likely just hang out here until Nancy's leg healed. However this is a solid excuse to come back here at a later point and time and hike this 100 mile leg.  So we will be in BBC for the next three days

If feels like cheating on the trail, taking this 5-6 days off, but these are the unexpected obstacles we'd knew we'd have to overcome during our trek. Anyhow, we're about to catch a ride out so we should have cell service if anyone wants to give us a shout over the next few days.

BTW, Brandon's trail name is 'Nancy' until he gets back out on the trail and starts acting like a man. HA.

Cellulitis it is. Brandon has ten days of medicine and four days of rest. Headed to big bear. idyllwild to big bear will have to revisited. Marching on.

The Situation

Here's the situation on the situation. Tomorrow (Monday) at 8:30 am I (Brandon) am going to the Idyllwild Health Clinic to figure out what is going on with my right hoof. We've come 178 miles in 8 days, obviously, progress is on our side. With that said, I need a diagnosis. We are hoping for a staph infection called cellulitis, which is treatable by penecillian. If so, it takes a week to kill. There is a pharmacy right here in Idyllwild that I can get my meds from, and then hitch a ride to Big Bear City and wait for Caleb to hike the 100 miles there.

I do hate that I am going to have to revisit this 100 mile stretch, which is supposed to be some of the most scenic on the entire trail. I also worry for Caleb, granted, he is much more accomplished than I. But, it's a 7,000 ft lose in elevation followed by a 7,000 foot gain in elevation. Hopefully he finds some hiking partners out there. He's been very helpful over the past 48 hours. A regular ol' pal.

As Caleb noted, worst case is a stress fracture. We aren't discussing this option. It would be a frustrating tragedy.

Today is snowed in Idyllwild, which by the way, is a beautiful little mountain town in So. Cal. Caleb and I are semi-joking about starting a restaurant here. I'm suggesting we theme it around Chicken and Waffles. Yes, Chicken and Waffles. It would be a huge hit. Hot Sauce, Fried Chicken, and Waffles. Hello.

The people at the Silver Pines Lodge are amazing. Giving rides, helping with laundry, providing discounts. It's the first home away from home.

I'll add a couple of pictures here for viewing (dis)pleasure. It's not really my ankle as much as it is my lower tibia. I feel like a hobbled ol' cow. We are patiently waiting, surviving on Pizza, mexican food, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Friends re-runs, Iron Chef America, TV movies, and a warm room. It's not half bad, except, after moving for so many days in a row, you get ancy. Ready to move, ready to continue. Our Mammoth date of June 30th isn't changing, and we aren't slowing down.

- Brandon

But if I need to wait until monday that's cool too because its literally freezing on the trail ahead. Here is overcoming the next obstacle on the trail. -Brandn

idyllwild. I glad to see you today. I've been hobbling around on a sour hoove and I need a fix. Firefighters say I need a xray or penecillian. Can I get ride?

Anklewild

Good News;We made it into Idllywild, and what a lovely little mountain town it is.

Bad News; Brandon has been having ankle issues for the last 4 or 5 days, its been swollen and painful for him, especially on downhills and flat ground. We have just been to the Fire Dept. here and they believe it to be a bacterial infection. We're trying to figure logistics to get to the hosipital 40 miles away, where they can do blood test and and an xray. We have our fingers crossed that it isnt a stress fracture, that would be disasterous. The FD said with antibiotics that it could clear out in 7 days, but might be useable earlier. At least we've made it to a town and we're not out in the middle of nowhere where it could get worse. There will be more info to come later today, but for right now keep him in your prayers and knock on wood, this will only be a temporary setback for us

-Caleb

Moving onto Idyllwild

Leaving Warner Springs, we were told, “it’s cool now, but when it gets hot the snake tails come out.” Good to know. Each post office we stop at has a hiker box, which is a conglomerate of random gear, food, etc that a hiker either leaves or doesn’t need because he/she found it excessive or is no longer hiking. I picked up some olive oil and fingernail clippers and a lunchtime snack.

Today was a change of scenery, we hiked up hill to Agua Caliente Creek, which had plenty of water and switched back into some high desert canyons. For me personally, up hill is much less painful that downhill, which I have grown to hate. Tomorrow starts downhill.

2 days to Idyllwild, advertised as the first true hiker town.

Have I learned?

Trip Awards thus far:

Greatest Meal: Chili Mac and Beef - Todd Blevins
Greatest Snack: Everything from Michael's Happy Trail party
Worst Meal: Spanish Rice and tuna, fail.
Worst Snack: None
Greatest Friend: Water Caches
Greatest Foe: The Wind
Greatest Lesson from Caleb: Keep Feet Dry
Worst Lesson from Caleb: He doesn't claim to be from Tennessee.
Most Looking forward to: Grass
Least Looking forward to: Anymore water caches that are labeled "Contaminated by Dead Mice."

Song in my head: "Zombie" by the Cranberries - thanks Murdoch.

Oh You Guys...Blog Clarification

To be so innocent. We've had many a discussions about the fact folks believe that we are on the internet 24/7 out there. If it were only true... maybe I could've worked remotedly... ahhh to be paid right now!

Here is our connection to the outside world:
Brandon - Blackberry. Max, 2 days o' life.
Caleb - LG Text Machine Phone. Forever?

Daily use of Electronics:
Brandon - Few Pictures with Blackberry, typically at rests, milestones, and campsite for nite. Turn on GPS locator at lunch and at night, if signal. Turn on phone signal at lunch and night, if signal.
Caleb - Same, maybe?

Our blog routine:
At night - Write in journal with pen and paper.
Morning - Take a picture with Blackberry, send to Miranda
Miranda - transcribe and post
You all - read, comment, enjoy.
Us - download comments from email and enjoy. Look forward to our next stop so we can discuss.

We hope that provides some clarity. When we get into to resupply towns we can reply to the comments, which we are going to do right now...

My dogs are barking

This is probably the most important blog post, because its been the focal point of my last several days. On day 1, I walked directly through Hauser Creek to cool off my feet in the cold water. I learned at the top that pruned feet are blistered feet. Over the course of the next, say 90 miles, going 20 miles the first day, 22 the next, 25 miles, 25 miles, only after 9 miles yesterday did Caleb instruct me "I was going to tell you never to get your feet wet, but didn't want to upset you. I just figured it was common sense" Thanks buddy. I tried to listen to Grandma's advice, which was "take care of your feet," I was just too ignorant to know how too. Caleb is now my official foot advisor. As I've stated before, he's more of an outdoorsman than I, for now.

I dont want a large farva

Some of the hardest things about this trail have been dealing with water. How many liters to carry and at what points. Our data book is three years out of date and since we're late starters the latest water reports may not be as advertised. So we get to a stretch that could be 24 miles with no water... I like a goopd backpacker load up all 4 liters and set off, i drink as little as possible to save for dinner, cleanign and breakfast the next day. Low and behold we get to where wanted to camp and some wonderful trail angel has set up a 400 gallon water tank. fact. I take account of my water in my pack, 3 1/2 liters. Are you kidding me, i just lugged around and extra 8 lbs all day for no reason. I could have gotten away with a liter of water and alot less achey muscles.

We made it to Warner Springs early on Day 5, for a good and much needed rest. This is my first time on the actual internet. We have completely underestimated the difficulty of this trail, but at the same time we havnt backed down from our distance and timing goals. As brandon says, we've "manned up"

I need to be more vocal in my outdoor instincts that i've developed over a lifetime, so of the things that come second nature to me out here, dont nessasarily do the same for my hiking buddy. Its a learning experience. I'm sure he'll be an expert in no time.

The pain continues, but its getting less and less. The wind has been kicking our butts on these mountain ridges. It breaks the monotomy of the hot sun, but the sound is deafening and it pushes you out of stepping rythym. And speaking of the southern california sun, its bad. I liken it to the mitch hedberg quote of playing tennis with a wall...

Favorite Brandon Quote: "Wind Sucks"
Worst Meal: Garlic chees shells w/ tuna. gross.
Song stuck in my head yesterday: Ludacris, Whats Yo' Fantasy
The Good: Water Caches
The Bad: The Sun
The Ugly: Sand... everywhere

The Wind Blows - Day 4

Dear. Lord. Woke up this morning, well, all last night and this morning, to the howling wind outside of our tent even though we were tucked behind a windbreak. At least we were near a water source at Rodriguez Spur. Back to back 25 mile days? Why not. It wasn't hot, it wasn't even really dry, it was however windy. I am not quite sure how hard the wind was blowing, but I do know that when it wasn't I felt out of equilibrium because I wasn't leaning into the wind. The San Felipe Hills are often a "feared" part of the trail, however, with the wind it wasn't as bad. Except that you are leaning into a canyon that's only a thousand feet or so below where you are, but other than that, it was fine. Today was all uphill to passing the Sister's Crossing Water Cache and making it to the Third Gate Water Cache, both kind of Southern California right of passages. We decided to continue past, gaining another 700 feet elevation over the next 2.5 miles to a cattle gate before dusk only to find that there was not a spot to camp that was protected from the wind. We wandered for about a mile further and found a spot atop a ridge that was fairly well protected. But that I mean no holes blow in the tent from gusts that had to be well over 50 mph. We woke up in the morning and it was calm, hot, and a short day to Warner Springs for relaxation. Bring it on.

May 17th

There is an evolution of pain. Calves to hamstrings to knees to feet. Today was 25.4 miles. We lost most of the elevation we gained. The trail was easier, might I suggest fun? Until the last 6 miles which were a lot like walking across sharp rocks up and down hill. It was cooler today, which was a blessing (Thanks Uncle Rob for the weather). I switched from my smart feet insoles to my regular insoles and it was night and day. I have blisters, I'll live. We've ended up right by a 500 gallon water cache with a wind break and flattened camping spot. I may have finally figured my solar charger out as well. Things are coming together. However, when I stop I still walk like a tin man. Every morning I wake up excited about the day, every afternoon thinking how much it sucks. The blog support helps.

Update on Caleb: He is alive. I haven't burned his tent. He has mentioned Alaska over 10 times, Washington almost as much, but he keeps telling people he is from New Mexico. he just asked me if I think we are overeating. Is that possible?

-Brandon

Romanticizing the Trail

I was unsure of how this blog thing worked until the end of Day 3... we do not talk much out here.

I love hiking... before I hike and after I hike. But I downright loathe it 80% of the time I am doing it. It has been a balance of pain and pleasure, mostly pain. These have been 3 of the most painful days in a long time, but at the end of the day it has all been worth it... so far.

No trail name... yet.

I lost my primary hiking socks yesterday, left them baking on a rock near a creek, idiot!

Total rattlesnakes seen: 2

Total fire ant hills I have stomped: 18

Best gear so far: Ibuprofen

Most useless gear: Pancho

Best Food: Pizza Burritos (tortilla, pepperoni, cheese stick, with tabasco sauce)

More to come.

-Caleb

43 Miles

Well, today's 22.2 miles put us 43.0 total miles into the trip. Today wasn't as bad, except, we were very disappointed to arrive in Mt. Laguna only to find everything closed. Dinner ended up being at a visitors center that was closed on a picnic table. Three big pluses today, 1. we went 22.2 miles, 2. we found gas for our stove at a campground, 3. Found electricity to charge our electronics. Gaining 3000 ft still was not as bad as the first day. We did have to stealth camp off the trail. I'm under some pine tree. Caleb found a but of a better spot, he is a better outdoorsman I suppose, for now.

Let me answer a couple of your questions. "Why do you wear a CAT hat?" CAT has been a Blevins family company for generations. Mainly through my Papaw, who worked there his entire life. It was he who was the man to introduce most of his grandkids to the outdoors. While he truly enjoyed hunting and fishing, I think my experience turkey hunting with him might have been considered hiking. After getting tired of sitting, I convinced the man who has been turkey hinting (successfully) to move from his spot and hike miles over the mountain all day. At the end of the day he simply said "How about next time we try my way".

On the Trail #1

Wow. What a day. My dad is right, 20 miles is a heckuva long way to walk. Add my two hours of sleep on top of a cold and you've for a tired, satisfied Brandon Blevins.

Leaving San Diego at 6 am via a Terramoto service (by the way, they own entirely hybrid vehicles, ours was a Toyota Highlander). They went the extra miles to drop us off right at the border, saving us 1.5 miles just to start officially. Good business.

The day wasn't that bad up until lunch, in fact, we were moving. That was until we encountered Hauser Mountain. Dropping down a steep cliff only to climb right back up a steeper cliff that is fully exposed to the sun. Yes, it was 100 degrees today. Drink it in. (I did to the tune of 7 liters of water and a powerade)

So to answer the big question, yes I got my butt kicked today. We saw hundreds of lizards, several squirrels, 3 border patrolmen escorting 2 illegals, and 0 rattlesnakes. A couple of small blisters.

Camping tonight at Lake Morena. It's beautiful, $5 and includes a hot shower, which will help with these leg cramps) It is hard to eat in the heat. We are heading to Mt. Laguna. 22 miles away.

-Brandon

May 15

PHOTOS

I cannot get the photo link to work, so here it is...

http://picasaweb.google.com/blevinschurch

caleb: man its been a rough couple of hours. Its too real
Brandon: I'm on an emotional rollar coaster.
Caleb: I'm ready to get into it.

Me too brotha.

Next Resupplies:

We will be resupplying at Warner Springs (109 miles in), Idyllwild (178 miles in), and Big Bear City (265 miles). It's probably always best to think about sending any post cards, etc., to the last resupply listed, and then commenting to let us know to expect something. We both somewhat assume that we are going to have this resupply thing figured out by Idyllwild. Or we better anyways. If we make it. Kidding, we'll make it. I think.

Caleb is pondering Trail Names

The idea of "trail-names" kinda makes me ill. Most avid hikers , especially thru-hikers have these silly hippie often nature themed nicknames which they go by while on the trail. "Happy Feet and Cocoa Puff started hiking last week." Yuck.

Explaining why I hate this to every hiker i meet this summer will become tiresome and probably make me angry in the process. SO i just want to tell people something when they ask, so as to avoid the discussion all together. But it clearly has to be a mocking nature. Any Ideas?

"The Breeze" would be solid because it would be a reference to great Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Call Me the Breeze" but no one would likely get the awesome southern heritage props... I'm assuming most people on the trail would not be huge Skynyrd fans.

My Vegas moniker seems too sacred, plus people might think its my real name.

I'm at an impasse.

-Caleb, just caleb