weekend jan 23-25

a lazy weekend as well as a lazy week

obama is the new president... lets "hope" his idealism doesnt stray too far, in any case its a welcome change from bush.

its been very cold this week as well will be into next week, bad weather to be in the mountains, i woke up to find snow today, im hoping it will warm up so i will be able to ride my bicycle to work and not have a case of icicle-snot, i figure that will be a while from now though...

i went for a short hike with tommy, susan, penny, & lucy (puppy) to eagle creek, it was cold and had some light snow, with a packed-snow trail after ~500ft of elevation gain, while heading back susan mentioned to me in conversation that she hates to turn around, although this is such a simple concept its one i enjoy thinking about... the way back always seems arduous, i wonder what effect my hike will have for future ones... i feel that each time i go out i take some sort of mental step farther into what i would like to experience, as well as what i feel possible... the completion or failure of my pct trip will surely affect my future, i hope that in the case that i fail i will not let it be decisive in what else i will accomplish.

weekend jan 16-18

friday: turned in my passport application

saturday morning: tommy and justin went to mt hood with me, it was very crowded and as i traversed the hard part to the "old chute" route and was getting pummeled by falling ice from the climbers above me, i decided i would turn around and come back again, earlier in the day as to avoid the large amount of icefall i (my helmet) experienced.  it was a little frustrating to have completed the traverse and nearly be at the summit, but i am more safety minded than i used to be... at least it was good exercise, especially since i decended ~1000 ft to meet up with tommy and justin and regained it... today i am feeling well, im feeling more confident in the condition of my knees, which are my main worry area of getting injured..

Introduction

a blog is something i never thought i would keep but for the sake of simplicity, it must be done.

premise: thru-hike the PCT in 2009.

at this point in time i cant exactly pinpoint how the idea came to me.  like many other males in their early twenties i desired a large lifestyle change, as well as something to look forward to, and better myself by.  thus my dream was born, i can remember it has been around 1 year ago from now, it would have been possible to go in 2008 but i would not have been at all prepared, nor have had the funds to go... so in the spring and summer of 2008 i have entered the world of hiking, i expect i accrued around 600 miles on my shoes during the summer, and have discovered a new love of mountaineering.  i expect my PCT hike will have many side-trips to the tops of mountains.

so, on this sunday, january 18, 2009, a well overdue blog has been created in the name of keeping my friends and family up-to-date on my progress and well-being.