tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-359624632716883902011-11-27T17:20:39.269-08:00...a non-hiker's guide to hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Before, during, and after.Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.comBlogger551100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-26315769531210291752010-10-04T00:57:00.000-07:002010-10-04T00:57:36.852-07:00

Day 113 - Part 2 - Uneasy and Feelin' Queasy There I was with practically no water treatment: (All the bleach I had for 100, possibly 150 miles) But I had decided to move past the picnic table at the trailhead, leave the road behind, and risk going into the woods with a scant amount of bleach.  I would make it work...even if I had to wait, with parched lips, by a water source for a hiker with a

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-63875478379175129562010-08-19T11:17:00.001-07:002010-08-19T11:17:45.336-07:00

I am currently sitting at the Kracker barrel gas station sipping on some Lipton pure leaf green tea with honey...ahhhh!I will come back to the daily logs of my journey in a few weeks, but the state of Washington is going to offer me hardly any reception and very few power outlets, instead it will give me the possibility of less sunshine as summer fades into fall, making it harder to utilize a

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-20985825697753845122010-08-10T01:57:00.000-07:002010-08-10T01:57:18.174-07:00

DAY 108 - Gone in 60 Seconds It was becoming so common, almost cliche, for me to wake up in a camp spot that truly shouldn't be a camp spot. I packed up my tent, parked [seriously] 3 feet away from the trail.  I had barely gotten to the trail by dark the night before.  So I picked the only somewhat flat spot I had seen anywhere in the vicinity of right off the trail...I couldn't bare to

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-4375771158102115572010-08-08T18:46:00.001-07:002010-08-08T18:46:58.947-07:00

Again:M = MosquitoMs = Mosquito/mosquitoesDAY 104 - Solar LightsAfter eating some of Danea's homemade granola bars that she sent in a care package (it reminded me that homemade is always the best!) I packed up my hidden camp that was situated on the side of some random trail less than a mile from Shelter Cove.I headed back to Shelter Cove Resort to enjoy one last refreshing juice drink and a

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-74666466272467079792010-08-01T14:35:00.001-07:002010-08-01T14:35:42.518-07:00

Current Update: I am 45 miles away from the OR/WA border. I'll be going into Portland to resupply for WA in a few days, hopefully I can catch up on the blog there! Sorry I'm incredibly behind. To save myself a little bit of typing any time I refer to the Ms I'm referring to mosquitoes.M = mosquitoMs = mosquitoes/mosquitos (I'll let you visualize your favorite spelling)DAY 99 - My Own Portable

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-63141978918983282492010-07-24T13:58:00.000-07:002010-07-24T13:59:26.116-07:00

First: From the bottom of my heart I want to thank the people who have offered me funds or suggested ways to get funds. Perhaps I will take dontations for the next trip (that I've already begun plotting, new blog name Vern Rides a Bike, and involving a different continent). But I feel like my low budget lesson to be learned is one that involves not worrying, but having a bit of faith. I need

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-17926223976114291142010-07-18T19:02:00.001-07:002010-07-18T19:02:51.775-07:00

DAY 89 - Part 2 - Aloha (Hello, Goodbye)It was hello to snow and navigating through it by myself...Goodbye to friends and civilization for a few days.There were indeed bail-out points within the next 63 miles to Donner Pass...I had looked, but I was determined not to use them unless I contracted giardiasis or ran out of food.I headed past the sunny shores of Echo Lake......I passed and met day

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-84143342041403156842010-07-15T11:39:00.001-07:002010-07-15T11:39:44.920-07:00

I like to stalk all my hiker friends on their blogs.As usual I was taking advantage of sweet, sweet wi-fi, and I checked the blogs. I really wanted to share these photos Ishmael just posted on his blog:http://amountofme.blogspot.com/2010/07/some-photos-from-few-of-weeks.htmlThey are great...so look at them!(a sample)And here is a list of the other blogs I do have web addresses for:Salty - and

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-35255074441276983832010-07-14T21:14:00.001-07:002010-07-14T21:14:28.098-07:00

DAY 83 - Culture ShockDad and I said goodbye to the Meadows of Tuolumne......and to the rest of Yosemite as we went over Tioga Pass and got onto 395 to head North towards South Lake Tahoe.When I had gotten off the trail at Chicken Springs Lake, the day I decided to not completly thru-hike, Ishmael had said, "you should come out to Tahoe for my birthday!""If I don't go back home with my Dad I'll

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-72480817039192205682010-07-12T07:50:00.001-07:002010-07-12T07:50:53.610-07:00

DAY 80 - Domes1:00 AM.I woke up. I had found that the smaller my clothes bag got (my pillow) the easier it was for me to wake up in the night. At home, in normal society, where I have two full sized pillows, I don't wake up in the middle of the night.But was it the pillow or was it the "HELP!" I heard in the distance.Was that what I heard? Sometimes, I had observed, the woods played tricks on

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-59502186362518448192010-07-08T14:08:00.000-07:002010-07-08T14:09:58.033-07:00

Since I started blogging on my iPhone people have been asking about the applications I use etc. etc. etc.So here's a bit about me, my iPhone, and the apps I love.First! I don't get a whole lot of town time, so power conservation is mucho importante to me.As soon as I leave town airplane mode goes on. By doing this my phone will not search for any signal but will allow me to use all my apps.

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-46658708682856388162010-07-02T16:10:00.001-07:002010-07-02T16:10:20.115-07:00

Note: Ooops again! Last post! Wrong day numbers on several of the days! Back on track here...DAY 75 (Part Two) - Riding Ahead I was back in Dad's good old Saturn (which, when it used to be my sister Jenny's car, we called Rupert the Roach, because let's face it, most cars built after the 1980's look like detestable insects). We were propelling up 395 at a moderate pace heading towards 120

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-61590305903191253732010-06-29T23:16:00.001-07:002010-06-29T23:16:38.021-07:00

Dear Readers: Sorry about the many typos in the last post! I barely had enough battery life to post! Therefore I skipped revising the latter half...Whoops!Many questions have been asked, I promise I will try to post and answer them soon!DAY 72 - Big Girls Don't CryCue Music.Dun, dunadun, dunadun, da da dadun...DA DA DAAAAH, DAH DAH Daaaaah!It was a new era for me. A chance to give my hike a

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-922468142051447252010-06-20T11:42:00.000-07:002010-06-20T11:43:25.792-07:00

DAY 66 - Eaten AliveWe were heading for the Sierras, and to make sure we kept up a good average we were going to try for over twenty miles that day.I was still tired from walking 150 miles in six days and not getting a full day's rest to let my body recover and my blisters dry out. So I was the last man out. When I walked out I walked into mosquito infestation. The running streams fed by

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-52575648846890918782010-06-15T21:57:00.001-07:002010-06-15T21:57:43.539-07:00

DAY 63 - 30 mile clubThough it was tempting, we left the trail magic behind at Walker Pass. There were 50 miles to Kennedy Meadows and we wanted to be there by Saturday...it was Friday.(trail magic at the pass, thanks to Meadow Ed, Jackalope, Yogi, and everyone else who helped)The beginning of the day began with warnings...(dry and hot section coming up)...and one last chance to get off the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-56478756509858997342010-06-12T09:21:00.000-07:002010-06-12T09:22:22.874-07:00

DAY 59 - On the Road AgainThe four of us, Furniture, Rally, Ishmael, and I, finished packing our bags and said goodbye to Terry the trailer. Then more heartfelt goodbyes were said to Bill whom Ishmael described as our storyteller, our entertainer, our friend, our mentor, etc.We piled into the station wagon with Sheree and set off for Willow Springs road, where we had left off eight days prior.

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-70383202629292821032010-06-11T08:37:00.000-07:002010-06-11T08:38:31.422-07:00

DAY 56 - Just Another Day on The Farm After putting in our work hours, weeding and transplanting, we went back to Terry the trailer for a little R&R.(Laughing and enjoying the afternoon)Whilst sitting upon the green leather cushions on Terry's couch/bench I saw a slithery something out of the corner of my eye."Ooooh!" I yelled, as I realized it was a snake poking through. But I quickly realized

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-57077511505862429462010-06-06T18:07:00.000-07:002010-06-06T18:08:05.300-07:00

Update: I am currently in Kennedy Meadows, mile 703. I am over a week behind in posting and will not catch up for a bit. Tonight I am heading into the Southern Sierras with Furniture, Rally, and Ishmael, with whom I just hiked 150 miles in 6 days... and I will have no reception for awhile (unless by chance AT&T covers Mt. Whitney). I have about eight blisters on my feet, but I can still walk.

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-66316405477837326182010-05-31T01:51:00.000-07:002010-05-31T01:51:55.683-07:00

Day 50 (part two) - A sidetrip I had left my three teammates behind.  They were continuing on towards Kennedy Meadows.  I was staying in the desert to go work on a goat farm for a week.  While many may dream of a free lavish vegas getaway or a chance to be on The Price Is Right...working on a goat farm, for me, was something I thought I would only dream about and pine over for the rest of my

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-74882415189820695792010-05-28T01:28:00.000-07:002010-05-28T01:28:11.139-07:00

One of my toenails is going to come off...it's only a matter of time now. DAY 46 - Shedding Pounds At the prospect of having someone go through my entire pack...every stuff sack, every pocket, every nook, and every cranny...to help make my pack lighter, more bearable, I became excited. Before going to bed the night previous I finally began to realize the only way I would ever get rid of a

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-19596497666105952882010-05-18T07:42:00.000-07:002010-05-18T07:43:22.365-07:00

As usual, sorry for any typos.DAY 38 - DumplingsWith LA came the potential for endless amounts of food. I held up my end of the deal as a hiker by gorging myself on fabulous portions of quality food.Jen came and picked me up from Safia's for a morning of eating and an afternoon of erranding. Lunch was at Mama's Lu, a dumplings house and we were joined by friend's and co-worker's of Jen's...

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-61787204206995684202010-05-16T16:37:00.000-07:002010-05-16T16:38:39.774-07:00

DAY 35 - SeparationI've always wanted to be fearless. I've always wanted to be a bad-ass. I've always wanted to be one of those people who can do anything.I'm terrified of being a coward. I'm terrified of being a quitter. I'm terrified of saying, "No."This is why it was hard for me to tell the others the decision I had come to, "I thought about it for a really long time last night. But I've

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-83111344581855849882010-05-12T21:05:00.000-07:002010-05-12T21:05:46.737-07:00

DAY 33 - Posthole I could not recall a time in my life that I had been so sweaty before 8am.  For the past hour I had been steadily climbing uphill, now drenched and lightly salted from head to foot with my own sweat.  Surprisingly, I was in an excellent mood even though I had an extreme build-up of lactic acid in  my legs and BO on my armpits.  I had been first out of camp that morning for I

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-84052239380343099752010-05-09T09:47:00.001-07:002010-05-09T09:47:41.952-07:00

DAY 31 CONTINUEDAfter leaving McDonald's we went under the highway via a creepy tunnel......marked by a sweet PCT stencil......then through an echoy tunnel underneath railroad tracks......and back up over other tracks......until we hit the Sheep's fire closure...Last year there was a big fire that hit the area and so 12 miles of the trail were rerouted into 15 road walking miles.There was a beast

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-38809346071780287922010-05-09T09:40:00.001-07:002010-05-09T09:40:56.399-07:00

Note: Sorry for the posts that must be split up, my blogging application seems to crash when I have a high number of photos!DAY 30 - A Glow in the NightMorning brought giant industrial tubes......another dam......an encounter with more thru-hikers (Halfbrew and Rosie full of sunshine and excellent tips and tidbits...since they were walking the opposite way), water caches with fresh fruit (the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-29070426966154956702010-05-05T09:57:00.001-07:002010-05-05T09:57:51.180-07:00

DAY 26 - Burn UnitThere was more north face snow to deal with leaving Big Bear. I wasn't worried anymore, I didn't even change out of my sandals, I was just annoyed. The snow was a real slowdown to my already miniscule mph average, I didn't need anything else to hinder my pace, and the snow was doing just that.Once past the snow, the highlight of the day came in the form of a solar powered

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-13136165254140669792010-05-02T10:32:00.001-07:002010-05-02T10:32:56.228-07:00

Sidenote: I hate being sentimental, but all the encouraging comments, facebook notes, texts, emails, well wishes via phone, carepackages, everything really is more supportive than you might expect. Sorry if i can't always answer everyone...but everything is read or heard, and it's a wonderful encouragement! More than you would guess! Thanks guys!DAY 24 - Pints and BruisesWe all got up silly

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-60452469707165985072010-05-01T12:46:00.001-07:002010-05-01T12:46:25.588-07:00

Notes:- I've had a lot of questions asked about the trail so far. In a few weeks when I get to LA I will do a Q & A blog post. So thanks for being patient, and please ask more questions if you have them!- Along the lines of questions asked, people have been wondering about how exactly I am doing these iPhone blogs. Again, once in LA I will do a post about what apps I use, what I do to prolong

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-54416518635886708472010-04-26T19:21:00.001-07:002010-04-26T19:21:34.190-07:00

Again, sorry for the exceptionally long posts and typos.DAY 18 - Devil's SlideI was the latest riser (typical) that morning, so as I came over to the sunny spot in which the three others had congregated I realized serious business was being talked over. Jen and Jordan were practically out of food (we had thought we would be back in Idyllwild by now or even with the Palm Springs resupply plan we

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-31525453401461074802010-04-26T18:53:00.001-07:002010-04-26T18:53:23.596-07:00

Sorry for the long post. Alot has happened and there has been little power or reception lately!DAY 14 - One of the best kept secrets in CaliI was so relieved to be taking the day off. My whole body had been craving some rest after walking 40 miles in three days (which seems small in comparison to what we ate working up to). To add to the good fortune of having the day off, we were in Idyllwild

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-73711232826576185162010-04-16T13:54:00.001-07:002010-04-16T13:54:08.897-07:00

DAY 11 - Sunset Blvd.Our R&R time in Warner Springs was coming to a close.I got up early so I could take one last shower, casually repack my pack, and retype (with one finger on the iPhone) my blog post I had lost the night before. I also went to the bathroom about five times during my last four hours in Warner Springs, trying to get every single bit of waste out of my body before hitting the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-21972033436486964872010-04-13T08:30:00.001-07:002010-04-13T08:30:48.955-07:00

DAY 8 - SidewinderWe woke up early, thanks to cowboy camping (camping under the stars, not a tent). No dew had dampened our sleeping bags or our packs, it was dry in the desert mountain crevase we were tucked inside.By 6:30 we had hit the trail, hoping to make it to the next water cache by lunch. The whole morning was spent winding back and forth on the very edge of the San Felipe Hills. I was

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-13519126699137577002010-04-10T07:09:00.001-07:002010-04-10T07:09:40.607-07:00

DAY 5 - Lost!Note to self: Do not brush/comb messy hair in tent at night.I woke up on day 5 to find small clusters of my hair stuck to every wall in my tent.The proceeding day I had hastily thrown my hair into a ponytail because I am slow-poke McGee and haven't learned how to pack as fast as the seasoned hikers. By the end of the day my hair went from okay to knotted, all that wind! So last

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-63395654482731191652010-04-07T12:22:00.001-07:002010-04-07T12:22:53.699-07:00

Same disclaimers apply as in the last post.DAY 3! - The Malt ShopI woke up to the sound of subtle pitter-patter hitting my rainfly. "Great, I'm sore and now we get to walk 16 miles in the rain. Boy Howdy!" At least that's how many miles we had planned out the day before.I got up over an hour earlier than the day before but I still managed to be the last person ready and I immediately became the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-76682056514242660062010-04-05T10:35:00.000-07:002010-04-05T10:37:02.453-07:00

DISCLAIMER: I am terrible at spelling. Now that I'm posting from the iPhone I don't have spell check. I guess I could have gotten a spell check application, but I forgot about that before leaving town. The photos I will be posting during the hike are all taken and edited on the iPhone, so be a little more forgiving. There were so many things I wanted to post before I left to get on the trail

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-58304437548648779922010-03-15T08:10:00.000-07:002010-03-15T08:10:08.663-07:00

Disclaimers to my co-workers:  If I spelled your name wrong, no harm meant...if I picked the wrong spelling that does not mean I love you less. If your picture isn't in here (there are a lot of people in this category), it doesn't mean anything, I only brought my camera to work twice which wasn't enough, even still I took 150 pictures...all of which will not fit in one post. It does not mean I

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-17755457605805797732010-03-07T21:37:00.000-08:002010-03-07T21:37:59.999-08:00

Somehow the subject of my hike comes up rather easily in conversation, maybe because it is on my mind all the time.  So when I told one of my co-workers, the first thing he said was, "Wait, you're going to be hiking for more than A MONTH...so what about, you know?" "What, my period?" I replied. "Yes!  What are you going to do?" he asked with wide eyes. Note:  This post is devoted entirely to the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-24031251698850909122010-03-04T11:27:00.000-08:002010-03-04T11:27:09.471-08:00

In film school my friend Judith once described why it would be good to be a mummy.  If you are falling down a mountain a mummy can unwrap some of their bandages, they can then throw them at you, and you can grab onto the bandages...thus saving your life, "The mummy will save you!"  Why this isn't in a movie yet I don't know.   I have also realized another way a mummy can save you.  You're camping

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-68303977319279717162010-02-20T22:53:00.000-08:002010-02-20T22:53:07.674-08:00

On the first day of orientation for film school, the head of the masters program, Reb Braddock, said to us, "Movies are paperwork." I thought, "Whaaaaaaat?!?!  I didn't sign up for this!  I HATE, LOATHE, and DETEST paperwork, a waste of my time and of the fallen trees!  I am supposed to continue honing in on my creative skills for the next two years!" But the older I get the more I realize Reb

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-61489903238449801932010-02-18T12:03:00.000-08:002010-02-18T12:07:57.499-08:00

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS THE RANT OF POTENTIALLY-SCARED SOON-TO-BE-HIKER. Read at your own risk of boredom. When I was maybe ten or so my family and I were visiting good ol' friends down in Bryan, Texas.  In one of the bedrooms was a computer, on that computer was a game called The Oregon Trail.  At the time it looked a little something like this: We (all the kids) would take turns playing for

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-16103971422377289652010-01-14T14:45:00.000-08:002010-01-15T10:32:52.079-08:00

Growing up I read a lot of books and had a lot of books read to me.  One book that was read to me starting at a young age was the illustrated version of Dangerous Journey.  It's a children's version of Pilgrim's Progress, an allegorical tale of a Pilgrim and his journey to heaven, the burden he had to carry, and the treacherous paths he had to take. While I am not allegorically journeying to

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-1514888415030787732009-11-17T12:55:00.000-08:002009-11-17T13:19:22.282-08:00

A: Something that everyone wants.  People with figuratively large heads seems to want to reign over others with ultimate power. Those who spend too much time in the gym want to pump incredulous amounts of iron so they can show off their power whilst flexing. I really just want power to turn on my phone and camera. But, hiking in the backwoods can present a problem. Obviously I'm not going to

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-43169964264844915442009-11-12T18:03:00.000-08:002009-11-12T18:03:02.148-08:00

Upon deciding to hike for 6 months I did not take into account how it might effect every single area of my life.  Even down to the roots of my hair. Since 2002 I've been avidly coloring my hair.  I've had about every shade of red in the color spectrum as well as black, brown, blonde, and a mix of other colors.  Here is a small sampling of the colors I've had over the past four years: Red with

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-58462555574975810842009-09-24T13:29:00.000-07:002009-09-24T13:33:06.231-07:00

Clayton looked at me after I had yet again popped back up from the depths of the pool, "You LOVE water sports!" "I do LOVE water sports!!!" I replied. A year later while working in The Bahamas on a film I got unofficially voted the crew member most often in the water.  I didn't tell anyone, but I was secretly honored. If I believed in reincarnation I know that one of my previous lives must

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-57862804100345488262009-09-21T16:50:00.000-07:002009-09-21T17:08:36.661-07:00

Some people may think that all professional photographers this day in age shoot with a fancy shmancy digital SLR.  There are a few exceptions to this rule. The photographer chooses to shoot with film, whether it be medium format, large format, 35mm, pinhole, polaroid, etc. The photographer uses a digital rangefinder camera. The photographer is poor and therefore doesn't have a D-SLR and can't

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-56259886253855950402009-08-31T20:17:00.000-07:002009-08-31T20:49:13.221-07:00

It has happened."What???" Mehdi, my friend looked at me with dismay as we waited out a sudden rainstorm together. Underneath the shelter of a bridge that crossed a small Belgian canal we had parked our bikes in order to try to stay dry. We were dry enough that Mehdi was able to pull out his iPod nano in order to begin listening to some tunes. As I mentioned that I didn't have an iPod he looked at

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-14102849318757785042009-08-04T19:38:00.000-07:002010-01-31T19:28:18.966-08:00

Company: BumbleBar Inc.Flavor: Original Flavor Weight: 1.6oz/45g Calories: 230 (140 fat) Protein: 6g Fiber: 5g Iron: 15% Vitamin E: 10% Various other vitamins can be found in this bar. To be noted: Gluten Free Vegan USDA Organic Contains nuts Ethically Sourced Before I took a bite I noticed that not only was the packaging really snazzy for a food bar, but Jed loves'em! So maybe I would too.

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-2477607434956598242009-07-30T12:01:00.000-07:002009-07-30T13:57:21.037-07:00

Company: Organic Food Bar Inc.Flavor: Fiber Chocolate DeliteWeight: 1.76oz/50gCalories: 200 (81 fat)Protein: 3gFiber: 14gCalcium: 8%To be noted:RawGluten FreeOrganicNo preservativesSeems to be veganReview:"It looks like chocolate poop," exclaimed my littlest sister as she saw me sinking my teeth into the bar and roughly pulling a piece off. And it does. It tastes a little better than poop, but

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-51274112867910931282009-07-29T20:31:00.000-07:002009-07-29T22:31:35.319-07:00

"But man's values change as his life changes. The deeper he plunges into the whirlpool of modern living, with its speeding transport, vexing problems, and harassing pressures, the more he prizes the escape of an adventure as old as mankind itself--a solitary walk in the wilds." (Edwards, Mike W. , "Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail." The National Geographic Magazine vol 139, No 6. June

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-25424605248018195602009-07-13T08:51:00.000-07:002009-07-13T11:15:16.835-07:00

Eight years ago my definition of a blog was having a livejournal. I had one. I was a partially emo kid writing semi-angsty posts, letting my feelings seep into the Internet. Now, I still consider livejournal a blog just as much as any other blog, but blogging has so many more meanings. These days it seems like every business not only needs a regularly updated website, but a blog to go with it

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-41651117625810396102009-07-03T14:01:00.000-07:002009-07-10T17:59:16.133-07:00

This is not a post on the pros and cons of the North and the South during the civil war. (And no, just because I'm from the South doesn't mean I fly a rebel flag from the back of a diesel engine Ford pickup truck)Originally we had decided to hike the PCT from North to South, which would make us Southbounders (also commonly known as Sobos). But as of late it is up in the air. I found a great

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-41509250416953552282009-06-20T08:07:00.000-07:002009-06-20T20:42:39.150-07:00

If you don't know where the phrase "Let's Get Some Shoes!" is from, you're even more behind on your You Tube pop culture than I am. My friend Clayton showed me Kelly's "Shoes" video two years ago. It now has over 27 million views and is one of the most ridiculous videos you can possibly watch complete with shoes, crossdressing, stuffed animals, pool parties, profanity, a girl with a hula hoop on

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-27138808961415394222009-06-04T17:11:00.000-07:002009-06-04T18:27:15.076-07:00

The moment I decided, "I'm going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail" I knew there was only one thing to do.Tell EVERYONE. Once I did that I knew it would be mentally impossible for me to back out. People might think I'm a little crazy for going hiking for a good portion of a year, but if I change my mind then they will think I'm a wishy-washy slacker and a chicken with a big mouth.I consider the

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-41284679896829375142009-06-03T13:51:00.001-07:002009-06-04T18:22:54.581-07:00

Disclaimer: This is one long entry that can be summed up here: I've started this blog now because it is roughly one year before we begin the Pacific Crest Trail, Southbound. But I don't know what I'm doing...YET, so you can read-a-long as I try drying my own food, taste every food bar out there to see what is good and what isn't, buy equipment, pick out clothing for the hike, create a packing

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35962463271688390.post-29009380143511533472009-06-01T20:27:00.001-07:002009-06-01T20:27:35.076-07:00

It begins...

Vernhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03619502370701262788noreply@blogger.com0