Pacific Crest Trail (NOBO) Part 2/10

[Miya]

Part II did not disappoint @Miya. I'm glad to see No Face out on the trail with you.

I like the burros shot. I am assuming that they are wild? The wind farm shot is cool too.

Did your zero days equate to days after you resupplied? If so, does that mean that you resupplied three times in the twenty seven days of this leg of your journey?

Yeah! Wild donkies! I always tried to find them around Death Valley and never have, so this was my only glance at them so far.

I definitely resupplied more than 3 times by this point probably closer to 10-15 times (I will check when I get home). In Southern CA there are lots of locations to resupply if you don't want to carry much food. I just didn't want to take too many zero days in the beginning because I knew I would want those rest days later on in my hike. Also, I was really concerned about taking too long and getting stuck in wildfires. Luckily, I would take SO long that the rain and snow would come haha

 

[SteveR]

At first glance before reading the text, I thought that first picture was some kind of soup. Which it was, in a way!
Great concise trip report with a nice variety of photos! Looking forward to the ongoing saga...

 

[Miya]

I just wondered about the calories you burn on such a trip.
And you're so tiny!! I can totally see that you had a hard time getting all the calories in.

I recently had to up mine again as I burned way too much on my trips. And I'm eating quite a bit.
I just need to find stuff that has a high calorie and high protein amount

Yeah I will have some nice before and after shots when I get to the monument. I started at 137 lbs and by the end of the trail was 109. But the thinnest I got was in the Sierras and around Timberline Lodge, so I might have gotten closer to 105 in those sections. I had heard women don't lose as much weight on trail as men, so I definitely hadn't prepared myself for that to be an issue for me.

You do such intense big miles, at least to me! Haha gotta make sure to get those calories. Making sure to pack out bagels, English muffins, lots of cheese and spinach seemed to be my only saving grace. Oh and I started carrying Nokas and baby food! More heavy than nutritious, but I WANTED to eat them and wouldn't feel nauseous.

 

[Miya]

Can confirm, drinking olive oil doesn't end well

Also can confirm haha

 

[Miya]

At first glance before reading the text, I thought that first picture was some kind of soup. Which it was, in a way!
Great concise trip report with a nice variety of photos! Looking forward to the ongoing saga...

A soup you would never ever want to drink haha

 

[Bob]

Wow ... Bagels muffins and cheese? ... Pretty heavy.
Can get cheese powder and try flour tortillas

 

[Yvonne]

Wow ... Bagels muffins and cheese? ... Pretty heavy.
Can get cheese powder and try flour tortillas

That's why I did, traded bagels for flour tortillas because I wanted to save space and weight. Once in a while, I treat myself to croissants. But that's only for the first breakfast.

 

[Yvonne]

You do such intense big miles, at least to me! Haha gotta make sure to get those calories. Making sure to pack out bagels, English muffins, lots of cheese and spinach seemed to be my only saving grace. Oh and I started carrying Nokas and baby food! More heavy than nutritious, but I WANTED to eat them and wouldn't feel nauseous.

not anymore
My longest backpacking day was 16.5 miles this year. Usually, it's around 12-13 miles with about 4500 ft elevation gain.
Day hikes are usually 15-25 miles long with up to 5,000 ft elevation gain.
Since I had my hiking accident about two years ago, I can't do the long miles anymore. I used to have 30+ miles on day hikes.
As long as I end up with my 1,000 hiking miles a year I'm happy, lol

 

[Yvonne]

Yeah I will have some nice before and after shots when I get to the monument. I started at 137 lbs and by the end of the trail was 109. But the thinnest I got was in the Sierras and around Timberline Lodge, so I might have gotten closer to 105 in those sections. I had heard women don't lose as much weight on trail as men, so I definitely hadn't prepared myself for that to be an issue for me.

I'm definitely interested in your before and after shots.
I used to weigh about 110 lbs in 2010, and it felt great. Despite all the hikes I do, I never get below 130 anymore. Big bummer, but well, there are worse things to complain about.

 

[Miya]

Wow ... Bagels muffins and cheese? ... Pretty heavy.
Can get cheese powder and try flour tortillas

I took tortillas sometimes, but because I struggled so much to eat anything I made sure to pack out what I knew I would want to eat.

I didn't mind carrying out heavy food, especially the longer I was out there, the less I cared about the weight in my pack. I am happy with my base weight and I got stronger and used to my pack. It became like another appendage. I almost always brought out a large pack of Salami too! That was very heavy haha

 

[Miya]

As long as I end up with my 1,000 hiking miles a year I'm happy, lol

That is definitely something to be happy about!

I'm definitely interested in your before and after shots.
I used to weigh about 110 lbs in 2010, and it felt great. Despite all the hikes I do, I never get below 130 anymore. Big bummer, but well, there are worse things to complain about.

It did not feel great to be so thin, at least for me. I worked pretty hard stuffing my face and making sure to get back to a weight where I didn't look sickly. Now I stay about 125-130 and am happy there nothing wrong with 130! You look great!

My dad did like making fun of me when I got back from trail though, saying I looked like a lollipop haha

 

[Janice]

Nuts are actually the lightest of all solid foods. The only way you could get more calories per ounce is by drinking olive oil, which probably won't end well. I'm not a thru-hiker, but I'm endlessly fascinated by the backpacking nutrition series on Youtube by the highly left-brained Gear Skeptic channel. Calories per ounce, optimal fat/carb/protein ratios, electrolytes and hydration, end-of-day recovery fuel, etc. I find it incredibly useful in order to carry less weight, hike more efficiently, and feel better the next day.

I have some with me but definitely not enough that they would fill me up. I have to look into that for my Enchantments trip in 12 days

How thrilling that you're heading to the Enchantments. I've got this on my long list and will be excited to see your gorgeous photos!

 

[OwenM]

Nope. I love the false security of a shelter. I did cowboy camp a handful or so more times, but with the possibility of rain, snow, mosquitos, I just didn't do it often. Also, I liked to use wipes to clean myself and always changed into my clean base layers so I just preferred having my tent.

I did my entire thru hike in Xero shoes. I only used the Xero sandals for maybe 600-700 miles. Then I wore Xero Mesa trail runners for the rest of the hike. Because they are minimalist and hurt ALWAYS, I only had to order 3 pairs total, instead of most people replacing their Altras 5-6 times.

I like having something over me, too, though it sometimes reminds me of being a little kid and thinking pulling a sheet over my head kept the monsters away

Mesa Trails are my all-time favorite footwear, but I gave up on them after having straps fail on 2pr at ~93 and 15 miles, respectively. Fortunately, the ones on the Terraflex are stitched in place. I've never simultaneously loved and hated anything like Xero shoes, but they're pretty much all I wear.
Definitely took some getting used to at first!

 

[Miya]

@OwenM

Haha very true about the sheet over your head. But the mind is a powerful thing, if I believe in my illusion of safety, I feel better. I just finished reading "Bear Attacks" and when grizzlies are concerned it seems like it actually might help keep us safe (not that grizzlies are a concern on the PCT). Granted they still tear in and eat people sometimes, but it might be a light deterrent?

Oh, neat! I am not sure what straps you speak of on the shoe? The loops that hold the laces? My feet would start to hurt EXTRA around 750-800 miles of wear, and I would get a hole in the soles about 800-900 miles in. I definitely don't love walking on rocks in them, buuuut I roll my ankles and tear tendons in anything else. I love how much my toes have widened out. Now when I go back to wearing my old shoes my toes go numb within a couple minutes haha. I have been transitioning all my shoes over to Xero (minus my high heels).

 

[OwenM]

@Miya
They certainly ruined "normal" shoes for me.
Haven't tried high heels since getting used to them


Yes, the straps the laces route through:



The soles of my sandals started coming apart after <12 miles of hiking, too.
They've fared much better for 5x that after being fixed with Shoe Goo.
I put ~34 miles on them, including a bunch of offtrail hiking and wading, in the Uintas last year after my feet couldn't take my old hiking shoes any more, then capped off the trip with a quickie overnighter in Prios I had in my rental car.

After that, I fully transitioned to minimalist shoes.

It's unfortunate that so many of my Xeros have failed(Prios, too-at least they have great customer/warranty service), but my feet sure do love them.
It's really cool you did a thruhike in them without yours having the issues mine did.
The Terraflex have been doing fine, but you're making me want to give Mesa Trails another chance.
But for the straps coming out, those things were IT.

 

[Miya]

@OwenM

Oooooooh interesting! I have owned 5 pairs of Mesas now and never had that happen, buuuuut I just tie my laces for show. There is no tension on them whatsoever. I basically wear them like slip ons haha

I met another couple wearing the Terra Flex and by mile 700 the straps along the back of the shoe had both broken. For the guy, it had happened with the replacement pair Xero had sent him too. I thought those straps were just for show, but I guess not?

For my Z-Lite sandals, one thing that happens early on is the front of the sole starts to pop off. I can still hike with them until they are worn through, but it can be annoying. This is another "new" pair I haven't hiked in, but it will most likely happen again. I have definitely noticed improvements in every Xero I replace though. I always make sure to send them a thorough review of any shoe because they are a pretty new company and I really want their shoes to stick around!




Little trick: since I know so many people who make the attempt to switch but don't stick it out, I figured a lot of people return them to REI or resell them. I have been able to buy 3 pair of "USED", Xero's on eBay and REI used gear! They have all looked brand new and unused, and at least half the price.