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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Andrea Dinsmore Wrote?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<DIV>>Where's your updated journal Monty ???</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Andrea</DIV>
<DIV>I've never been able to write while on the trail. I'm home now.</DIV>
<DIV>Here's my current journal for the Couch to Fridge.</DIV>
<DIV>(Oh yeah. there's closing words at for the PCT <A
href="http://www.trailjournals.com/wsmonty">www.trailjournals.com/wsmonty</A>)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><B><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt">Hiking The Couch to Fridge Trail</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(trail journal)<?xml:namespace prefix =
o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>“The
thru-hiker seeks not so much the spiritual experience of the Great American
Wilderness as that of a 7 Eleven chili dog.”<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>©montytamMAY2004PCTthru-hike<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">(</SPAN><?xml:namespace
prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:date
Month="10" Day="1" Year="2007"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Oct. 1,
2007</SPAN></st1:date></FONT><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">) <BR><BR>I
finished my PCT thru-hike September 22<SUP>nd</SUP>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although the Pacific Crest Trail was a
beautiful and challenging hike, this is the hike I most looked forward to this
year, “The Couch to Fridge”.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A few
days ago, I got a ride from the airport to the trailhead (Home) in a 1970 Ford
1/2 ton pickup. The trip was rough from the start. NO AIR
CONDITIONING!!! However we were able to overcome this obstacle by
cranking, yes, old school survival technique, cranking down the
windows.<BR><BR>When we reached the trailhead (my home), I realized I had made a
great error. I could not find the Couch to Fridge Trail!<BR>I don't own a
Couch! Instead of giving up I immediately found a similar terminus
as those road walking to </SPAN><st1:country-region><st1:place><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Canada</SPAN></st1:place></st1:country-region></FONT><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3> are
doing at this very moment.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The
Lazy-Boy! Seeing I am on a solo hike, and it adjusts between sleeping and
eating mode (using a TV tray accessory) this will meet all the warm, safe, fed
and dry requirements and be a suitable replacement for a couch.<BR>Besides.....
it weighs less!<BR><BR>The Route:<BR>Last Spring a great storm hit my home as it
did most other thru-hiker's homes. The
thru-hiker-leaving-at-the-last-minute tornado devastated most of the trail
leaving boxes, gear, and Lipton noodles scattered everywhere. Not that I'm
trying to crank any sort of miles here, but this does slow things down a
bit. In some places the trail is closed. I have had to bushwhack and
find alternates and reroutes. Over the past few days I have learned to
turn left then right, turn right then left, and the far more advanced, left
right right left, and right left left right. Luckily there haven't been
any major step-overs yet.<BR><BR>(Oct.2, 2007)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Trail
maintenance in this place has been awful. It will probably be weeks before
it even gets started. No funding has been appropriated for maid
service. I'd volunteer, but I'm too into this hike right
now.<BR><BR>(Oct.3, 2007)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Went to town to
resupply. $200.00 including the freezer cache. This included 8 half
gallons of Breyer's (on sale), chocolate syrup, strawberries, and two large cans
of whipped cream, frozen pizzas, steaks, burgers, chicken, hot dogs, soda pop,
REAL coffee, tons and tons of
food......................................<BR>Inexperienced at planning this
sort of hike, I hope I bought enough toilet paper to go with this much
food.<BR><BR>(</SPAN><st1:date Month="10" Day="4" Year="2007"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Oct 4,
2007</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Other
problems:<BR></SPAN><B><SPAN style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt">Leave no Trace
issues</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Dishes
are piling up in the kitchen sink.<BR>Towels and dirty clothes are scattered on
the floors.<BR>Waste baskets are full and I see no sign of them being emptied
even if the start overflowing.<BR>I found my orange shovel, but the floors are
all too hard to dig cat holes.<BR><BR>(Oct.5, 2007)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>I often
camp on trail at the Lazy-Boy terminus, but, mostly, I camp off trail on a
queen-size sleeping matt using a quilt.<BR>The bedding is all cotton, but this
should be fairly safe as long as I don't wet it.............. I mean it doesn't
get wet. This is a good off trail camp, but sometimes I have trouble
making it back to the main trail in the morning.<BR><BR>Today I feel an urge to
push myself. I set a goal for this hike. Well, I know it's late
in the season, but I am determined to follow the steps of Scott Williamson, but
in relation to this trail. Yes. You got it. Most YoYo's.
Couch to Fridge.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">(</SPAN><st1:date
Month="10" Day="6" Year="2007"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Oct. 6,
2007</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT
size=3>Zero<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
size=3><st1:place><st1:City><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">San
Marcos</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">,
</SPAN><st1:State><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">CA</SPAN></st1:State></st1:place><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Movie
and Town Food (San Diego Mexican food!! At
Last!!!!!)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT
size=3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">(</SPAN><st1:date
Month="10" Day="7" Year="2007"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Oct. 7,
2007</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>Zero at
the Beach<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
size=3><st1:place><st1:City><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">La
Jolla</SPAN></st1:City><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">,
</SPAN><st1:State><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">CA</SPAN></st1:State></st1:place><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Solar therapy to
remove hiker tan lines. <BR><BR>(</SPAN><st1:date Month="10" Day="8"
Year="2007"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Oct 8,
2007</SPAN></st1:date><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">)<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3>I've
been thinking about doing an online trail journal, but that seems like too much
work. Same for doing dishes or taking showers. If I get a hiking
partner, though, I might consider the shower thing.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some women are sticklers about that type
of stuff. Sometimes you just can't hike your own
hike.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT
size=3> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT
size=3>©montytamOCT2007postPCTthru-hike<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT
size=5> </FONT></o:p></P></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=zaqueltooocool@gmail.com
href="mailto:zaqueltooocool@gmail.com">Andrea Dinsmore</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=montypct@gmail.com
href="mailto:montypct@gmail.com">montypct</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 08, 2007 11:58
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [pct-l] Thru Hikers</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Where's your updated journal Monty ???</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PCT MOM<BR> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>