Saturday, June 29, 2019

Mini Epic Hike

I have been planning this as an overnight shake down backpack but due to family time issues I decided to do this as just a day hike.  My motivation is that Conservation Futures is working on acquiring some land that will connect Palisades Park to the western edge of Riverside State Park and trail number 25.  Also there is a new section of public land at the far north west edge of Riverside State Park called the Trautman Ranch Conservation Area.

I had checked out the first area last winter and here is what it looked like.



I had Darth Vader along...



So the timing was right and the weather was perfect.  Today was the day!  I left at 4:55 AM hiking from my house, crossed I-90 and started at the south end of Palisades.  I hiked 15 miles in 5 hours (20" mile average pace).  One short break in a meadow for breakfast, water and stretching.  I arrived at 9 mile dam after exploring a trail at the Trautman area.  It was pretty and mostly treed in there.

The birds I saw included Ravens, chickadees, robins, cliff swallows, house finches, goldfinches, turkey vultures, turkeys, one Great Horned Owl, California Quail, Red Tailed Hawk, a small grey flycatcher, hummers feeding on vetch, and finally, above the dam I saw 9 Double Crested Cormorants doing what they do best; sitting on the floating warning buoys.

I also was testing out some trail food that was recommended by a long distance backpacker at a RUCK that I went to a few years ago.  She doesn't take a stove or cook to save weight.  She uses a food dryer to dry things like homemade spaghetti with sauce. She also uses already dried food that you can purchase at stores such as Win-Co.  I experimented with the dry peanut butter as well as cous cous along with the spices and some dried re-fried beans.  So what you do is have them already in their own Zip lock bags, add water, shake or stir with a spoon, zip it and put it in your hip pocket while you hike.  They reconstitute in about 15-20 minutes are are delicious! 













Saturday, February 23, 2019

X-Country Skiing @ Turnbull Wildlife Refuge

I have some catching up to do...

These were from this morning in the fog.  I love being alone in nature.  So if I die out there people who know me can always say what people say in those situations!