Thursday, June 20, 2019

20 June on the slope



Anthony and John got dropped off near Etna, Calfornia. Anthony kissed Virginia goodbye. Virginia got back into the car and stayed parked on the side of the road. She watched John and Anthony walk across the road. Anthony turned and waved goodbye before he followed John up the trial. Virginia prayed for their safety as a tear flowed out and dripped onto her lap. She watched them until they were out of sight. She shook her head. That darn Mushroom scared me with his fictional story about the puma, Virgina thought. He had me going. But he was right about there being no way he could know what John and Anthony were saying to each other on their trek. How does he know that I am thinking this? 
The two guys trudged up the mountain and down a slope. When they descened a switchback Anthony yelled, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" 
John thought that Anthony had lost his footing and then John yelled," Holy sh!" He backed up slowly allowing the rattlesnake to uncoil and slither away. "Don't do that Anthony! If you see a snake yell, SNAKE! not whoa, whoa, whoa." They walked to the edge of the trail and watched until the rattle at the end of the snake's tail disappeared in the brush.


"Don't talk to me once we start walking across the slope," Anthony said.
John laughed. "What are you afraid of? Falling again like you did on the Rae Lakes Loop when Mushroom was trying to point out a rock formation up the slope?"
"It's a good thing there was a bush for me to fall into down that embankment. Otherwise, I would have fallen a long way down."
After Anthony set up his tent near a pond on the side of a steep slope, he walked over and watched John set up his tent. "Do you think that Mushroom will stop scaring our friends and family with his stories?" Anthony asked. "He'll write what every his imagination comes up with," John said.



Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Castella June 19

DISCLAIMER: Although the locations and the route that John and Anthony are taking are true, I am making up the conversations between John and Anthony. I have no way of knowing what they are saying to each other. I am sorry that I scared a few of you. I thought that my previous disclaimers were enough to make it clear that this is a fictional account mixed with the actual journey progress. When I wrote about the puma on June 17th, I ended my post with a reminder that this is fiction: 

"Do you think that Mushroom is writing about us?" Anthony asked. 

"I know he's been tracking us and letting everyone know where we are," John said. "Knowing him, he's probably making up stories as we go along."

I will continue to post their progress and whatever photos they post on Instagram. And I will post photos that others have taken along the PCT.
Please remember that there is no way I know what John and Anthony are saying to each other as they hike. I have no way of knowing what buzzards say to each other. I do not know what animals Anthony and John see or hear unless they post photos on Instagram, such as the bear, the lizard, and the snake. I am doing this to keep everyone's interest in their journey. 

Where did I come up with the puma story? That is my true event that happened more than 30 years ago when my friend and I were backpacking. We saw puma prints on the trail and the following morning, we found puma prints all around the one tent that we shared. Maybe our snoring kept the puma from making a meal out of us. I used my 30-year-old event to make my current post more interesting and fun. 


19 June 19 A couple of backpackers were complaining about the snow to John and Anthony. "I didn't sign up for all this snow," the other backpacker said. "It's too much work and it's getting too hard keeping track of where the trail is," Anthony and John took what they heard seriously. They hiked down the trail and got picked up and taken to the City of Mount Shasta along I-5. John called me from there and told me that they are going to get a drive to Etna, California and pick up the trail there.
While John and Anthony waited for their ride at the intersection of the PCT and I-5 they heart a noise in the bushes. John pulled out his camera and got ready. "Oh! my gawd! I always thought those were fictional."

There's Something Out There John + Anthony PCT 6-19-19




"Something is out there, Anthony" John said. 
"There's nothing out there," Anthony said.  "You're just tired and still freaked out about the puma prints around our tent."
Anthony froze. "Did you hear that?" They grabbed their walking sticks and stood back to back.
It was so dark under trees that even though the moon was still almost full, it couldn't penetrate through the trees. 
They moved a few yards to the west, listening, waiting.
"I heard it again," John said. "Let's move over there." They moved several times, shining their flashlights in the direction of the noise. It was a breathing sound from what seemed like a large animal. "You don't think it's the puma that walked around our tents last night, do you?" John asked.

They walked back and forth from one tree to the next, shining their flashlights up in the trees, and scanning the ground in front of them. 
"We can't walk around all night," Anthony said. "I'm losing track of where our tents are."They finally stopped and slowly walked back to their tents.
"If it hasn't made its presence known by now, it probably won't," John said. There was a loud crack. They both jumped and pointed their flashlights in the direction of the sound.
"Oh sorry guys," a voice said. A young man came forward shielding his eyes from their flashlights. "I was trying to set up my tent in the dark because my flashlight battery is exhausted.  Could one of you come and shine your flashlights so I could set up my tent?"
John and Anthony were relieved and they both went to help the young hiker set up us tent about 30 feet away from their own tents. 
They woke up the next morning and the guy they helped the night before was gone. "Well, that's a fine how do you do," Anthony said. "Not even a thank you from that guy."
They trekked up about 3,600 feet and down about 4,000 feet and 21 miles. They stopped and looked through the trees to the north.
"Hey! look at that view of Mount Shasta with the sun going down," John said. "Mushroom and the gang will want some photos of this view.


Monday, June 17, 2019

Those Really Aren't Puma Prints, Are They?

John and Anthony woke up to the sound of someone singing, Happy Birthday. Anthony crawled out of his tent. "Someone's celebrating a birthday up here on the trail," Anthony said. 
"I don't know about up here, but today is Denise's birthday," John said. You can sing her a song if you like."
"How is she going to know that I sang it?'
"Mushroom would tell you that she'll feel the love. And isn't that what really matters?"
"I'll sing, but you gotta sing with me.," Anthony said. As they sang Happy Birthday to Denise, Anthony pulled out his camping stove to heat up for water for coffee. But when he came back out of his tent, he saw footprints all around his tent. He walked around his tent and then around Johns. The footprints were around John's tent, as well. 
He asked John to come and take a look. They both stared. "They aren't bear prints. They are cat prints," John said.
"Big cat! Do you think it could be a puma?" Anthony asked. 
"I'll have to assume that he was just checking us out, whoever he was."
"Do you think that Mushroom is writing about us?" Anthony asked. 
"I know he's been tracking us and letting everyone know where we are," John said. "Knowing him, he's probably making up stories as we go along."
They went down about 3,300 feet and then climbed up about 1,000 feet.

Sunday, June 16, 2019

Mushroom Rock

Unbeknown to Anthony and John, a large tan puma, its tail gently wagging, sat on top of Mushroom Rock sunning itself and watching them walk by. The hair on the back of Anthony's hair stood up. He held out both of his walking sticks and scanned the area. "Do you see anything, John?" John stopped and scanned the area. 
"Are you still freaked out because of the bear?"
"Its tracks were right on the trail and he was only about 30 feet away from us."
"Your song soothed the savage beast," John said and spread his lips into a smile. "Do you want to sing another song?"
"No! I don't care about a song right now. There is something, maybe another bear. I don't know. But there is something watching us. I can feel it."
"We're not the only backpackers doing the PCT right now," John said. "It could be some of them having a late lunch or setting up camp early."
"That's wishful thinking and you know it," Anthony said, "That look on your face tells me you feel it, too."
John pointed up the trail and started walking. "Ee e e um um a way," he sang. Anthony joined in, "A weem a way, A weem a way, a weem a way, a weem away, ... In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight..." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi4XmAbA7JU
 They kept looking behind them to make sure they weren't being followed. They admired the forest and the view from the ridge that they walked along, unaware that the puma had followed their scent.



Saturday, June 15, 2019

Laughing Crows 15 June 2019


"I sure am glad we didn't run into another bear," Anthony said. 
"That was two days ago. We haven't seen anything except for those two buzzards again," John said. 
"We've already climbed almost 4,000 feet," Anthony said. "I think those buzzards are laughing at us."
"It's the crows that are laughing," John said. 
A murder of crows flew into the trees nearby where John and Anthony stopped beyond a clearcut area. John stared at the trail ahead of them. He saw a large mass that somehow looked like a bear. "I don't like it here," John said.
The crows cawed as if they were laughing that the two men. "The wind is blowing across the clear-cut and it's cold. Let's go back a little way."
Anthony hoisted his backpack higher on his back. "I don't want to go back too far. I'm hungry."
The murder of crows flew over John and Anthony's heads as they walked back along the trail looking for a more protected and flat place to set up camp. They found a suitable spot about 1,200 feet back down the trail where they set up their tents for the night.. Darkness settled in around them. "Look up!" Anthony said. "The moon looks full."
"It won't be full until Denise's birthday on the 17th," John said. "But it is giving us some nice light."


Bear Staring Back at Them on June 13th

John was up before Anthony making coffee and rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. He looked at his GPS tracker. "Hmm? I better not let Anthony know that today is the 13th," he whispered under his breath."I'm not gonna let his superstitious fantasy keep us from making progress." 
Anthony crawled out of his tent when he smelled the coffee. "I hope we can get going soon before the snow gets slushy," Anthony said. 
John poured some boiling water into Anthony's cup that already had instant coffee in it. 
"Hey! come here, John! Look at the foam in this coffee. What does that look like to you?" he asked holding his cup out to John.
John waddled over and peered into Anthony's cup. "That looks like a bear, sort of," he said and then tilted his head to the side. "If I twist my head like so."
Anthony looked into his cup. "Well, It needs ears but otherwise, it looks like a bear to me." They ate oatmeal and quickly tore down their tents and resumed their trek. It wasn't long before they came upon a white snow field. They soon realized that it was a lake. They refilled their water supply.
"Crunch, crunch, crunch," their shoes sounded like they were talking to each other as the tromped through the snow that had somehow gotten thicker after they left the lake. The early morning sun cast long tree shadows across the snow. Anthony marched about 15 feet ahead of John. "I'm sure glad that bears hibernate in the winter," he said as he turned his head back to make sure that John was behind him. "At least, that is one thing we don't have to worry about." He slowed down for John to catch up.
"Do you remember when we went on that hike and I was way up ahead of everybody, climbing that dirt slide?"
"Which lake was it?" John asked.
"I don't remember. But it was the second trip that Mushroom went with us. Well, anyway, since I was all by my self, I got worried. What if a bear came. How would I protect myself? Would my hiking stick be enough protection? And then I turned around to see how far down the hill you guys were. But all I saw was a big light brown thing that scared me so bad I almost peed in my pants. Ha! It was Mushroom's straw pith helmet. I don't know how he was able to get so close to me without my hearing him."
"Now I remember. That was on our way back to our cars. You got ahead of us and jumped out from behind a tree to scare Mushroom."
"Ha, ha," Anthony laughed. "Did you see how high he jumped? Even with his backpack on?"
"Ya and I saw you jump back when he screamed and threw his arms out!" John said.
"Well, I know this. His scream will scare a bear away. As for me, I froze, making myself an easy meal for a bear." They both laughed and continued walking.
"I forgot to ask you," Anthony said. "What day is it?"
"Why do you want to know?" John asked. "It's sunny. The snow is easy to walk on."
"But it's getting kinda soft, don't ya think?" Anthony asked.
"Nah! It ain't getting soft," John said. "It's getting deeper."
Anthony stopped abruptly and pointed to the footprint with his walking stick. "What day is it John?'"
"It's Thursday."
"No! Not that. What day of the month is it?"
"Why does it matter?" John asked as nonchalantly as he could.
"It's the 13th. Now I remember." He stood over an animal's foot print and bent down to get a better look. Is this a bear paw print?"
John didn't bend down. He didn't look at Anthony. He looked up ahead. "Nah. It's probably a bobcat paw print."
"Stop bullshitting, John. You know damn well this is a bear's paw print and from the looks of it, the bear has to be close by. Shit! We should have stayed in camp on this 13th day of the month." Anthony held his walking stick out in front of him and scanned the area. "Damn it! These bear paw prints go right up out trail."
John wiped his mustache and pretended to twirl the end of it. "Now would be a fine time for you to sing one of your songs. 
"Are you out of your mind, John! What the hell! I don't want the bear to know we're here."
"If the bear hears you singing, he'll just sit and listen. But you gotta sing real pretty."
"That's something Dana would say," Anthony said. "Mushroom would just make himself look big and scream."
John chortled. "You can scream, if you think that will help; but I think singing would be better."
Anthony inhaled deeply and started singing, Roger Miller's song, "Trailers for sale or rent. Rooms to let fifty cents. No phone, no pool, no pets. I ain't got no cigarettes." Amazingly it calmed them both down as they walked among the trees, crunching their shoes in the snow.  
And then Anthony froze. John looked to the side about 30 feet away. "Keep singing, Anthony. He's waiting for you to keep singing your song."
Anthony cleared his throat. "Ah but two hours of pushing broom, buys an eight by twelve four bedroom.I'm a man of mean, by no mean, king of the road."
John took a photo while Anthony sang. Anthony continued singing," Third boxcar, midnight train, destination: Bangor, Maine. Old worn out suit and shoes, I don't pay no union dues."
They walked away from the bear while Anthony continued to sing. Anthony kept looking behind him. "I smoke old stogies I have found, short but not too big around. I'm a man by means, of no means, king of the road."
Click on the link to hear Roger Miller sing the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZuQhP3rn6o

Friday, June 14, 2019

No Fish today on the PCT 14 June 2019

Anthony and John walked right into the Crystal Lake hatchery. "Do you suppose that you can grab us some dinner while I distract the hatchery worker, who's standing over there?" Anthony asked. 
"These tanks are kind of deep, Anthony. I don't know if I can reach without falling in."
Anthony walked over and stood by John, staring at the fish in the tank. "I'm getting mighty hungry just looking at those fish," he said. "Come on, John, use your hat to catch one while I distract the worker."
"Use your own hat. I don't want my head smelling like fish."
While they stood and stared, two members of the hatchery crew came out and told them all about the hatchery. The workers walked out of the hatchery grounds with John and Anthony, telling them how glad were that they stopped by to visit. They waved goodbye as John and Anthony walked away empty handed. 

They stopped at the Burney Mountain Guest ranch to punch a few cows and grab some freshly cooked meat. But when they got there, no cows were around to be punched. There were no cowboys, no longhorn steers. They walked around the back and when Anthony saw the swimming pool he jumped in. One of the staff members told him to get out because the swimming was for paying guests only. Anthony asked the staff member to turn around while he got out because he'd gone skinny dipping.John  and Anthony are sleeping in the woods about 500 feet in from the road. They fired up their tiny camp stoves, and put on the metal water containers. "I sure wish you hadn't waited so long before trying to grab a fish." Anthony said as he opened his freeze dried dinner and poured it into the hot water. "I am so disappointed in you. My admiration for you  just dropped a few points. Now I have to pretend that we're having fresh trout as I slurp this freeze dried slop."
So far the boys have backpacked 85 miles from just east of Chester.


Anthony and John Backpacking the PCT 13 June 2019


Greetings Folks
As my younger brother, John and my cousin,  Anthony were having a nice, leisurely, relatively flat trek along a thousand-foot-high ridge, they came upon a big, deep gap called Lost Creek. 
Anthony looked at John and then he looked down at the bottom of Lost Creek. "If I pushed you and you rolled all the way to the bottom without breaking your neck, could you climb up the other side before I hiked all the way around?" Anthony asked with a demented leery smile.
John's shoulder's dropped. "It must be time to eat," John said. "Your imagination is moving to the "dark side" like it seems to Whenever you're hungry."

As they passed the hangliding launch site below, John said, "Damn, I wish the trail went down there and we could hanglide down to it. That would be cool!"
"That's the lazy way, John." Anthony said. John's eyebrows jumped up. "The lazy way? Ha, that's funny, I remember when my dad was working on some math problem, to pay a bill or something. He was having a hard go of it.
I took a look at what he was doing and I showed him a quick little formula. Did he thank me? No! He said, "That's just like you, John. Always the lazy way." John burst out laughing.
They are spending the night near the edge of a cliff after backpacking for 19 miles. They hiked for 13 hours. I wonder how the conversation went when Anthony got tired and wanted to stop for the night. John pointed up ahead. "Come on Anthony, there's still plenty of daylight to see the trail. We're never going to make it Canada if we don't add the miles."
"My feet are killing me," Anthony said. "We've already gone up over a thousand feet and gone down over 1400 feet. And those buzzards flying above us the last hour are giving me the willies."
"Do you know what those buzzards are saying?" John asked. "I'll tell ya. They're up there looking down at us hoping and praying for a meal. 
"Yummy. Lookie down there at them humans' says the buzzard with the crooked foot. 'They be walking mighty slow, like they was gonna die,' 
The cockeyed buzzard says, 'I hope at least one of 'em gets so tired he falls off that there cliff, rolls down and gets nice and tenderized on them rocks. I'm starving. Ain't you starving, too? I sure hope one of 'em hurries and falls before it gets dark. I like to see what I'm eatin.'
Ol' Crooked Foot pecks at Cockeyed's wrinkled face and says, 'You don't need to see whatch yer eatin. When thems dead, them smell real good. You don't need yor cockeyed eyeballs to eat anyway.
Anthony tilted his head. "Have you been reading Mushroom's last manuscript? Your starting to sound like Dirty Dog Dietrich."