Twofold Troubles
.
Well.
Initially, I wanted to write about my feet today.
As I seem to have a problem with them. Even before I start in Campo.
Historical Snow Fall in the Sierra Nevada 2017
.
It is snowing heavily in California this winter.
The US newspapers headlines read:
- “Sierra Nevada snowpack is biggest in 22 years.”
- “Sierra Nevada historical snow fall.”
These are good news. As all this snow probably will set an end to the drought in California.
Excellent!
But…
Whiskey Double, Please!
.
It is Tuesday, January 24, 7.10 pm.
It is the big “run-for-the-PCT-permit-hour”. The application window opens 7.30 pm.
Both my PC and laptop are fired up and ready.
Waiting, staring at the clock.
7.11 pm.
7.14 pm – heart rate goes up.
What I will be doing on January 24, 7.30 pm
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Fact:
If you want to hike the entire Pacific Crest Trail (and do a so-called thru-hike), you need a permit from the Pacific Crest Trail Association.
This Association maintains and preserves the path, with the help of financial donations, volunteer workers and members.
Since thru-hiking gets more and more popular these days (as people search for an authentic life I guess), the Association has decided to control/limit the numbers of hikers who set off – in order to protect the path from too much human impact.
That is good news.
The bad news though is, that they allow only 50 people to start each day.
And here it starts getting complicated:
Field Testing and Good Karma
Line
Today, I am going to field test two new sexy gear items:
I will pitch the new lightweight (!) tent in the backyard and cook lunch with my new lightweight (!) stove.
Lightweight Gear for the PCT
The concept of “hiking lightweight” is fairly new to me.
When I hiked the “Camino del Norte” in Spain, my pack was WAY (!) too heavy in the beginning.
I threw away and sent home tons of stuff.
This time, I will go “lightweight”.
Interview At The US Embassy in Bern
I am in Bern today to get my 6 month US visa.
There is quite a bunch of people at the Embassy. Luckily I am here early, somewhat 40 minutes before my official appointment for my 09.30 am interview. (I am so Swiss!).
It is like at the Airport here. Police officers scanning me, forcing me to take off my belt and shoes. They want my phone and my water bottle.
My turn for the interview. Nice guy, very efficient. I hand him my passport.
First Post On New PCT Blog
Here we go.
The first blog post in this PCT 2017 blog.
This is awkward. Feels weird.
I am going to hike the Pacific Crest Trail next year (2017) and I am going to blog about it.
Not from day 1 when the hike starts at the Mexican border in Campo (California). But as of now. Five month pre-hike time. Because, you would not think how much there is to organize and how much “head scratching” there is. Could be really interesting to blog about all this.