The Avocato

I attempted a through hike of the PCT in April.  I prepared (logistics, 15 resupply boxes filled, etc.) and trained and got 767 miles to Mount Whitney but my left shin was killing me and I think I got some mild food poisoning at Kennedy Meadows so I bailed.  It was the adventure of a lifetime and I hope to go back each summer and bang out another 400-500 miles until it is walked. I kept a relatively detailed daily journal of it and will try at some point to transfer all of it to here for posterity.  There is a lot. One highlight was meeting Bill Cao, a real smartass and a great guy from SF. He gave me my trail name:  Stickler.  I was correcting his grammar, or something, when he gave it to me.  (Even though I had a trail name given to me in Colorado, I really wanted one given to me on the PCT, so I took it when offered.) We hiked about 650 miles together and still keep in touch.  I sent him a few of my unused resupply boxes on his successful trip to Canada.  I hope we can remain

 In no particular order:   ·        Start work at the Art Institute.  Taught Intro to Culinary Fundamentals and World Cuisine.  Love it. ·        Texas 200.  Yes, this again.  With John. 2nd time not as much fun, just because we knew the score and the weather was very polite.  We did almost lose the boat on the way home, however.  When I pulled into the driveway I notice the wheel had burned through a hub and it was miraculously still attached.  Could have been a nightmare accident scenario at 70 mph on northbound I-25, but the gods were watching over us, I guess. ·        The motorcycle thing is still going strong.  I've cycled though a few motorcycles and at this time own a BMW F800GS. Named it Sherman:  built like a tank and it rhymes with German. With my friend Jason Pingenot I take a weekend course at Rawhyde Adventures and learn how to ADV riding.  A great class.  Great teachers and the booze runs free and plentiful at night.  Later in the summer I tackle the Co

Ha.  I forgot about this blog.  It's been almost three years. Last thing I noted here was that Lola and I were going to hike the Tahoe Rim Trail.  We did that in...14 days, I think.  A nice, slow, easy hike. Loved it.  A beautiful area.  Only one waterless stretch of 15 or so miles without water (which is nothing, knowing what I know now).  When we did get water we filtered it from a duck poopy lake.  Nasty.  But the rest of the trail was gorgeous!  Especially the southern part where the trail eases into the Sierra Nevada, and especially especially Desolation Wilderness and it's crazy beautiful lakes (but not so much it's crazy hungry mosquitoes). This was Lola's longest hike to date and she nailed it, despite getting a nice rash on her lower leg that looked like a mild case of gangrene--but we got here some ointments and gauze in South Tahoe City and that took care of everything. What else happened in 2016, so far back in time?   Hiked Kenosha Pass to Brecke