[pct-l] We broke David's PCT record

[hiker97 at aol.com]

Gentleman Reinhold wrote to Scott Williamson: I just got back from my tenth JMT hike, this time with my wife in a leisure 15 days.?I lost 10 lb because I was hauling a 55 lb pack to keep my wife ''ultra-lite''.......I treat my women right.?The plan was for me to go back in after taking my wife home (I even had the permit) and do a ''unsupported sub five JMT''.?? However, important business obligations prevented me from going back in.....bummer!!!!.....this probably was my last opportunity for a ''unsupported sub five JMT'' because at one month shy of age 69 my window of opportunity is shutting quickly......my wife is shouting ''IT SLAMMED SHUT LONG TIME AGO!!!? Ohhh well......I can always take up crocheting and knitting in my old age.? Again, congratulations to you and Adam for an outstanding accomplishment.?
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Switchback replies: First, I want to add my congratulations to Scott and Adam.? I noticed Scott mentioned that David Horton was one of his hero's.? Of course, Switchback, would be another.? I just set a new record too.? My wife (The Long Suffering Mrs. Switchback), daughter, dog, and I just got back today after finishing the challenging Sierra Loop in a record-breaking 4 days.? We left Las Vegas Friday and traveled to Fish Camp at the south entrance to Yosemite NP and stayed at the Tenaya Lodge (4-star resort that takes dogs too).? We spent Saturday at the Mariposa Grove and in the valley - I did a lot of viewing of the climbers on El Capitan.? Also, we had dinner with an excellent wine?at the Ahwahnee Lodge in the dinning room Saturday night and sat the the Queen Elizabeth?table location.? Sunday was another visit to the Valley and then it was a fire detour drive up over?Tuolumne Meadows and down to Lone Pine and Mt. Whitney.? Today, Monday, we drove through Death Valley and back to Las Vegas.? Another successful expedition completed with no causalities.

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I got the idea this morning?looking up at Mt. Whitney and the Sierras that I think I will drive?up to the Horseshoe Meadows parking lot in late September and hike a loop expedition through Trail Pass to?Cottonwood Pass and then back the parking lot.? This will be high altitude work and not for the faint of heart.? Early season storms can attack at anytime.? The ranger at the Visitor's Center in Lone Pine said that the road up there will close after the first "significant" snow storm.? This does not scare me.? I welcome a good fight with Mother Nature.? I hope a big?storm hits while I am out on the PCT doing my loop.? May be I will have to stay in there until the spring snow melt, living off of water and LaraBars.? No problem.