July 20th Miles: 10.9 (46.6) For the second night in a row, I camp at the junction to Cloud’s Rest.  Again, I fall asleep to the shrieks of “Bear!  Go on!  Get, bear!” but it doesn’t revisit my campsite.  When I wake everything is damp.  A brief early morning rain fell and now mist is … More The Grey Kingdom

July 19 Miles: 13.2 (none on the JMT) (35.7) Shortly after I fell asleep last night I woke to shouts of “Go on bear! Get out of here bear!” and the loud clacking of trekking poles being knocked together.  A bear?  In the campground?  The shouts sounded about 100 yards off, but where was the … More A Bear, A Crash, and a Bang-Bang

July 18 Miles: 13 (22.5) I wake to a chilly morning–I can see my breath.  What a difference a day and a few thousand feet make.  The 6 a.m. scene is so serene I consider just stopping my hike right here (just kidding…).  The air is crisp and smells of the back-country mountains, a smell … More But, this was supposed to be easy…

July 17 Miles: 9.5 Today is the first real day of backpacking and I lurch-hike under the weight of my pack.  “Goodbye lawyer couple!” I think as I leave their sleeping tent.  “Good luck!” and I don’t even mean it sarcastically.  I have to find a way to get to the Pohono Trail, which is … More Up!

July 16th I wake early, 5:45, in a stuffy hotel room.  I’m in the central California valley, Steinbeck’s country, and I blink in the early morning light.  The place smells like smoke, but it was my only lodging option and was had for a steep price.  Tourist season is in full swing, and the folks … More An Arrival

  And it only took all day.  I also lost my stylus,  so unless it pops up all my posts will be very brief because composing on phone is really hard to do with my finger.  I make lots of typos and it’s not worth the time.   I keep a decent and detailed notebook … More I’m In Merced