Sunday, February 23, 2014
New Blog
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Zucchini Casserole recipe
I was asked awhile back for this recipe and I apologize for taking so long to publish it.
3
zuchinis shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese (powder)
1small box of cooked pasta
Black pepper, salt, & green chilis to taste
Add any other seasonings or red pepper flakes you might like
Mix & dehydrate 6-8 hrs.
If it looks
imbalanced adjust
amt of each ingredient accor
dingly.
Enjoy!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Keeping It Real part II
Its monsoon season in the pacific northwest. Today I cancelled yet another flight for weather and went for a run. The clouds hung in the sky at 900 feet. Shades of gray mingled with a hint of blue sky. The sun was trying to shine but the wind blew bringing darker clouds and rain. So I ran. There's a little park near the airport where I go. It's quiet there. Leaves covered the path. The ducks waddled out of my way, splashing into a small pond and quacking thier protest at my intrusion. "Hello ducks" I said. And then the rain came, & the wind blew. I'd make no $ today but my heart sang. Keeping it real.
Keeping It Real, part I
I've been home now for five weeks. Here's what its been like. Hot dogs, ice cream, frozen yogurt, pizza, fried chicken, potatoes, coffee, lattes, enchiladas. So much food! Horns blaring, brake lights flashing, cars crashing, music. Everything fast, loud. Crowded sidewalks, everyone in a hurry. Sensory overload. Geese, ducks and other birds hanging out on the creek by the library, giant grin on my student's face, friendly people, commuters on the train reading & napping, flying, dancing to a country beat. Stillness. New job, new faces, old friends and old places. Running in the rain. Adapting, adjusting, learning to walk on streets. I've started flight instructing at a large busy flight school. The other day I was in dispatch and the dispatcher says "Lisa, do you have a car?" "No" I say. "Why?" "Well I saw you walking one way and later the opposite way and wondered what the heck is she doing!" I had walked to the library and later Albertsons. So I explained about taking the max rail, riding my bike, staying with friends. He said "You're just keeping it real aren't you?" And I laughed. Keeping it real.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Gear Review
Lightheart Gear Solo Wedge tent - I loved this tent. I became emotionally attached to it. It's easy to set up. I only got condensation once and it wasn't the tents' fault. Never camp in a Cascade meadow. It's spacious for its weight. It's not the lightest UL tent but the space was worth the weight. The wedge or canopy version is also worth the extra weight over the standard version.
Granite Gear Vapor ki backpack - overall it performed well. The seams were ripping out in a couple places by the end of my hike. Biggest gripe is the size of the side pockets. It was difficult to get my water bottles in and out while my pack was on. Also the load lifters had to constantly be readjusted. I liked the roll top closure. The capacity was sufficient even in the Sierras when I added the bear can.
Garmin gps 62s - I bought the garmin PCT trail map sd card and at kickoff, Halfmile loaded all of his waypoints into it. It was a good thing he did as the garmin trail track was sometimes inaccurate. The gps itself performed well. I never had trouble receiving a signal from sattelites.
Cook system - I used the MSR pocket rocket stove and cannister fuel. It always fired up and had good boil times in all temperatures and elevations on the trail. It was very reliable and I would carry it again. The titanium pot was lightweight but to big for my needs. I would get a smaller single person pot.
Sleeping pad - my z-lite did not have the reflective coating on one side that newer ones have. That would make a difference in r-value. By itself I was cold & didn't sleep well. Used with my pro lite inflatable however, I was comfy and warm. Both lasted entire hike. Although I threw away the z-lite at the end. I would try just the z-lite with the coating next time. And it doubles as a great sit pad.
Marmot down 15 degree bag - great sleeping bag but too warm for most of the hike. A cooler bag, maybe a 25 degree bag would be more versatile as you can always sleep in your warm layer on colder nights.
Tyvek ground cloth - awesome! Strong, light, and protects the tent floor well.
Brooks Cascadia trail runner shoes - once I got the right size I had only 1 blister in 1300 miles. My feet didn't hurt. They handled the weight of the pack on my back. Comfortable. A lot of them on the trail. When in doubt about which trail to take follow the Cascadia footprints!
Clothes - I'll just say I wish I hadn't waited so long to break down and buy a down puffy jacket. I love my Montbell jacket. It's super light and warm.
Headlamp - A bright one for night hiking is a must & worth the weight.
Trekking poles - Leki poles that twisted to lock couldn't handle the daily lengthen & shorten process. My tent sets up with them and the locking system kept breaking. I switched to Black Diamond poles with external locking and they worked great.
Post hike & looking ahead, I now question each piece of gear. Can I go lighter?
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Random Facts
Base Pack weight at start, 15lbs.
Base pack weight in Sierras, 17lbs.
Base pack weight after Sierras, 14lbs.
Number of hiking partners, 12.
Longest distance with same partner, 600 miles.
Longest solo stretch, Timberline lodge - Manning Park Canada.
Favorite trail food, Dark Chocolate Sesamee Snaps & Zucchini Casserole.
Favorite trail CA, Mt Whitney - Selden Pass
Favorite trail OR, Three Sisters Wilderness.
Favorite trail WA, Rainy pass - Harts pass.
# of rainy days, 0 on trail & 2 while in town.
# of snow days, 1 night & 1 Hr in the afternoon.
# of Zero days, 12
Favorite gear, my tent.
Hardest section, Socal desert from Hiker town - Walker pass.
Unexpected, how social the trail is and the community that is the PCT.
Would I do it again? Or a different long trail? You betcha!
I've been bitten by the bug and I am a thru hiker. Next time I'd learn from this first one and hike lighter, smarter, & hopefully stronger. But nothing planned.
Right now I'm focusing on finding a job and re-entering the "real world" with its faster pace & sidewalks instead of trail. I start tutoring an ESL student this weekend. I will substitute teaching too. And I'll be looking hard for a flying job. I definately want to fly. In my free time I plan to write. So I will be a busy girl which will help ease the transition.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Long Bus Ride Home
It took 12.5 hours to get home to Oregon. A typical hiking day. Only I was sitting on a bus instead of walking. I took Greyhound to Vancouver B.C. and then the Bolt bus to Portland with a short stop in Seattle. It gave me a chance to reflect on my journey and think about next steps. I intended to go straight to Seiad Valley to finish those miles of trail I missed from being sick. So I worked out the logistics of getting to the trailhead. I knew a fire had broken out last month north of Seiad Valley and that there was a road walk detour. When I went on the PCTA website to get the details I discovered that the fire closure had been expanded last week. There is now no way to walk around the closure. The instructions were for hikers to take the bus to Ashland and pick up the trail there. So my hike is officially complete. I confess my initial reaction was relief. Cause I'm tired! But my heart is still on the trail. I have friends still hiking. I miss it. And I wonder why did I push so hard to finish? I could still be hiking! Aah but I'm happy to be done and its time to move on to other things. I have learned and grown so much on the trail. It was an amazing experience. It's great to be home and sleep in my own bed! Also I will do a gear review soon and post it.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Sep 18, 2646 - 2668.8
Canada! I made it! There was a tough climb right off the bat this morning. Old trail staying up high to Woody pass had been abandoned and was unsafe. Instead, new trail switchbacked down into the valley and then back up to the pass. It was one of the harder passes in WA. After that it was an easy and beautiful morning. I passed a small lake and after that there weren't many views as the trail descended down into the trees. The PCT monument 78 is at the US/Canada border at mile 2660.1. About a half mile away I met Southern hiking back southbound. We high fived each other and shared congratulations and smiles. I was happy there was someone to share the moment with. The monument was in a very peaceful spot which seemed fitting. I thought about my friend Daryl who dropped me off at the southern monument in Campo. I thought about all of the trail angels and strangers and their kindness. I thought about my hiker friends who I shared miles of trail with. I wish them safe travels. Then I wrote in the register. And it was on to Manning Park Lodge. My feet had wings. At the lodge I was given a box breakfast for morning since the bus to Vancouver leaves before the restaurant opens. Shower. Laundry. Food. But first I had to get on the hotel computer and let family know I arrived safely. There's no cell service or wifi here. Eating dinner at the restaurant it all seems so surreal. I can't hardly believe I'm here. Of course I'm not done. I still have to go back and do the last 68 miles of California. This is the section from Seiad Valley to Ashland that I skipped when I got sick. But for now I'm enjoying this moment and celebrating!
Sep 17, 2620 - 2646
I'm going to Canada! I'm gonna make it! The swelling in my knee was down this morning and everything felt better. It wasn't till I did the 10 miles to Harts Pass though that I knew for sure I would make it. I had just sat down on a rock to have a snack when an suv pulled up and a dog with four people piled out. One guy came over and asked if I was a thru hiker. He hiked the AT in 09 and was out with his friends taking pictures of the PCT. Then he asked how my gear was holding up. I hesitated then said "well my backpack is ripping out at the seams in a couple places but its holding together and my knee is falling apart at the seams too but holding together." I smiled and we both laughed. And that's when I knew. It's been a great day of hiking. I met a lot of great people who encouraged and congratulated me. I saw Carpenter and his hiking partner as well as Willway/Archie on their way back to Harts pass from the monument. Not everyone continues on into Canada. The section from Rainy Pass to Harts Pass is definately my favorite part of WA. It is awesome north of Harts pass too. I'm tired, happy, excited about tomorrow, and a bit emotional. 23 miles to Manning Park. There are a lot of hunters out. I'm camped next to four of them in a big white canvas tent. I was happy to find water here. My map said that water was seasonal only and therefore unreliable for a 27 mile stretch. So I had anticipated a cold dinner. But, water was trickling down and the hunters had made a pool with rocks. So its lentil spinach curry with ramen noodles tonight.
Sep 9 & 10, Zero Days
I took Sunday off to spend time with my sister and her family. We drove to Leavenworth, which is east of Skykomish. It's a Bavarian styled village surrounded by the cascades. Every building and decor looks Bavarian. There are a lot of shops and restaurants. Bratwurst anyone? It's a three hour drive to Spokane so they left for home at 4. When my sis hugged me goodbye she said "you got this Lisa, you got this." That meant so much to me. My family, friends, & community have been supportive and encouraging. Knowing they have faith in me is awesome. I'm very thankful for them. I intended to hike out Monday morning. But it was raining, cold, and windy. Since the forecast called for it to clear up by Tues morning and sunny skies the rest of the week, I decided to stay another night.
Sep 16, 2594 - 2620
I am thrilled and wowed by what I am walking through. This is my favorite section of WA I think. All rocky peaks. It reminds me a little of southwest mountains. I met a couple of fun girls, Lauren and Claire, who I had lunch with. They are camping here with me too. So my knee is in bad shape and the climbs are slow. The pain is not constant but when it hits its excruciating. It feels like it wants to collapse. It's swollen. Harts pass is 10 miles away so I'll evaluate when I get there in the morning. After looking at the elevation profile for the rest of the hike though, I am hopeful. It's not terrible. I've been thinking today that there aren't always guarantees and not everything is certain. That's where faith and hope come in. But I want to try to not take anything or anyone for granted. Life is wonderful. And I am grateful that I've been able to hike this summer and meet so many awesome people. So I will make good decisions tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Sep 15, 2180 - 2194
I slept in til 630. I packed up, got coffee at the restaurant, and took the shuttle to the bakery. The bakery was awesome! I got a lot of food. Breakfast first and a lunch for the trail. I will be dining well on the trail today. After all, I'm going to Canada! I saw all the people I met on the bus last night at the bakery. I really enjoyed talking and spending a bit of time with them. I got back on trail at noon. Cascade National Park is really incredible and I would like to come back and explore it more and take the ferry from Chelan. It was easy trail today but the steep stuff is coming. I'm camped at Fireweed camp. It's a big camping area in the park that accomodates stock. I'm very happy that the knee wrap is helping and my knee is working. I was worried enough this morning that I had an 'exit the trail' strategy if it failed me. Highway 20 at Rainy Pass is only 4 miles from where I'm camped. I think I'll be fine. I'm going to Canada!
Sep 13, 2529 - 2558
The trail continues to inspire and amaze me. It went from open, rolling green hills to old growth forest. In between was a snow covered lake, rivers and waterfalls, and rocky mountains. There were some places that got my heart rate up. I had to cross a couple of icy snowfields. The trail got narrow along a cliff edge. And finally a section where part of the trail had broken off and slid down the mountain. Trail crews built a new section of trail and a new bridge across the Siuattle river. It added 5.6 miles to the trail. But its a beautiful bridge and it was nice to have easy trail for a change. I met some people on horseback this evening. Always nice to see people. My body is like my Tyvek ground cloth. Dirty, wrinkled, patched and worn but still strong and getting the job done. I have knee and hip pain that is getting worse and my feet hurt. Yet my spirits are high and I'm happy I've been able to experience this trail. It's a great trail. I've been thinking about my journey and my mind can't really comprehend what I've accomplished so far. Canada still seems a dream away. But as the miles go by beneath my feet and another day is over, I'm one more day closer to the border.
Sep 14, 2158 - 2180 Stehekin
I've been seeing a lot of furry creatures that resemble marmots but I'm not convinced they are. They hang out in the rocks and talus slopes. I got up early this morning because I hoped to catch the 3:00 shuttle to Stehekin and get to the PO before it closed. As I was rolling up my tent I noticed a hole in the side. Turns out a creature was after my food and took a bite out of my tortillas. It must not have liked it because it only took one bite. I patched it up with duct tape. The trail was fast and easy so I made good time. It basically descended down down down to the valley at 1500 feet. But not before giving me a couple last views of the mountains. Then it was just green and wet. My knee gave out and I can feel parts moving around. I told it to work cause we were almost there. And it did. I will have to ice it and tape it though. I made the shuttle! Last Minute, Grit, and a lot of other hikers got off it. It was so great to see them! I've missed being with other hikers. It's been a long, lonely stretch. I met some great people on the shuttle. Dayhikers and fishermen. I hung out with them after I got my resupply box. One guy had an extra knee support wrap that he gave me. It'll get me to Canada. I'm told the bakery is as good as advertised. So I'll stop there in the morning on my way back to the trail. The hotel was full so I'm camping in a small campground. But it has showers and bathroom. Stehekin is a cool place and the lake is beautiful.
Sep 12, 2501 - 2529
Last night was the best sleep I've ever had on trail. I slept all night without waking up once! So, thoroughly rested, I started out the day with, of course, a climb. I'm hiking through the Glacier Peak Wilderness. It's rugged, wild, and breathtaking. The trail has been difficult with a lot of downed trees and overgrown with plants. But I had lunch on a ridge with a panoramic view of snow covered mountains and rocky spires. I crossed grassy hillsides and descended into valleys only to climb back up again. I saw two bears in the rocks high above me in the afternoon. I passed a few hikers but its been pretty isolated otherwise. I'm camped with Happy Plate, a section hiker who is hiking Ashland to Manning Park. She's super nice. I wish she could do bigger miles, I would enjoy hiking with her. I have to say I have discovered I like trail mix after all. Especially if there are lots of m&ms. It's like desert.
Sep 11, 2478 - 2501
It wasn't raining, but everything was wet. The trail was overgrown with tall wet plants and it was cold. So on went the rain pants and fleece. I hiked all morning in warm clothes. The trail was gentle today which really surprised me. Or maybe I'm just so used to the ups and downs now that I hardly notice. I felt very mellow today too. The trail was mostly in the trees but there were a couple of high alpine fields that I crossed which had great views of the surrounding mountains. I stopped early tonight. I should have hiked a few more miles but I was getting cold, tired, and hungry. I came across a good campsite and didn't feel like rolling the dice that there would be another one further I'll make it up tomorrow. I hit the 2500 mile mark today. How cool is that?
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Sep 8, 2456 - 2476 Stevens Pass
It's twenty miles to Stevens Pass. I had a more relaxed hiking day. I slowed down, took more pictures, and had a longer lunch break. I ate lunch by a nice lake. The hills were more gentle today too. The last climb of the day took me to the top of a ski lift. There was a good view up there and I imagined it covered with snow. Stevens Pass is a small ski place. I was supposed to meet my sister and her family at the pass this afternoon. They weren't there yet but I was early so I went up to an outdoor grill at the ski place. I had a sandwhich, turned on my phone and there was a message saying they wouldn't get here til 7 pm. No problem, I'll hitch to Skykomish, I thought. Skykomish is 15 miles away on hwy 2 & the closest town with lodging. Two minutes later I'm getting my pack together when a voice says "hey are you a thru hiker?" I look up and it a guy in a blue t shirt with dark hair and a beard. "Yes" I say. "Need a ride to Skykomish or Baring"? Seriously ? "YES!". Trail magic. He hiked the trail two years ago and had just finished a day hike. So he swung by the trail head looking for hikers. We picked up Tony from Belgium too. I'm staying at the Cascadia Inn. Chili and Pepper are here too. Our resupply boxes were at a trail angels house, the Dinsmores, but they brought them over to the hotel. And my sister! Right at 7 they got here. Soooo happy to see her. She has been so supportive and I havent seen her in a long time. This is the sister who moved to Spokane. An old friend of mine from a year I spent in France in college lives there with his family. Small world, my sister and her husband met them not knowing the connection. They sent me homeade fruit leather in an envelope with writing in French all over it. I will be entertained deciphering it.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Sep 7, 2426 - 2456
Aahh, I have legs of steel. There was another 3000 foot climb through forest right away this morning. When I got to the top it felt like I was walking into spring. There was green grass. Flowers were in bloom. A bird was singing. And the morning sun was shining through some short pine trees. It was a mellow, lovely morning. I saw a lot of grouse. They would run down the trail ahead of me trying to escape this two legged giant.
I pushed pretty hard today since the terrain slowed me down so much yesterday. But it turned out to be easier trail and I was able to get miles in. This is a popular section. I met a lot of southbound section hikers. Since its been awhile since I've fallen, it was time. I took another trail dive. I'm just scraped up a bit. I gotta stop it though! Too close to get injured now. All in all another great day in the north cascades. I finished it off with the perfect campsite too. Perfect is flat, high, no bugs or mosquitos, and water.
Sep 6, 2402 - 2426
Climb, climb, up, up, and up some more. It was a 3000 foot climb this morning with a lot of smaller ups and downs. It's incredibly beautiful in the North Cascades. It reminds me a lot of the alps. I couldn't stop taking pictures. On the climb up I stopped for a snack and a very aggressive bird came looking for crumbs. I met three dayhikers and chatted with them while we took turns getting a picture at an overlook. The trail got really rocky. I crossed a lot of talus slopes. It felt like miles and miles of rock. It hurts my feet since I wear trail runners. It's also tiring as you have to constantly watch where you put your feet. There was a waterfall on the long descent to Lemah meadow. Once down in the valley I had to ford Lemah creek. The water was cold but my feet liked it. Once across I checked my gps and saw I was 3/4 mile off trail. "What?" "How?" It ended up being a good thing though as there was a side trail that hooked back up to the PCT. The PCT bridge over the creek was washed out and would have been a more difficult crossing. So yay. I wanted to go further today but the trail starts another big climb and there wouldn't have been anywhere to camp. It was too late and too far to get up and over.
Sep 5, 2386 - Snoqualmie Pass 2402
Lesson learned. Don't camp in a meadow. At least not a Cascade meadow. My tent was dripping moisture this morning outside and in. I strapped it on top of my pack so I wouldn't get everything else wet. The trail was very rocky and crossed a few talus slopes and clear cut areas. So it was slow going. I'm getting better at hiking over rocks though. On the plus side there was a lot of water. I passed a trail maintenance crew. They were working hard and I really appreciate their work. I passed a couple of friendly grouse hunters too. I told them I hadn't seen any and they were bummed. There were also a lot of people out picking huckleberries. One day hiker said to me, "The weather is going to be great the next couple days so don't stay to long in Snoqualmie Pass." She was right. I'm going to take advantage of the weather and hike out first thing in the morning. Snoqualmie Pass is located off of hwy 90. It's a ski area. Besides that, there is just the Summit Inn, Summit Pancake House, Chevron station, and small grocery. There are a lot of hikers here!