Here we are 110 miles into the Pacific Crest Trail. I am waiting inside the Warner Springs Post Office's lobby waiting for it to open so I can grab my first mailed resupply package and my first set of KEEN socks. While I am excited for the food, it also means quite a bit of extra weight in my pack.This morning I woke up with a pack that was lightweight and easy to lift. In just an hour I will load up with food and water to head back into the desert.

The desert is hot and dry. That fact cannot really be understated. It dictates every single aspect of our hiking life. Every day's mileage is directly related to the temperature and where the water can be found. We have walked past an uncountable number of dry creek beds. Our most common phrase is "tank up", which is when we fill our bodies and most of our water containers to survive the next stretch to reliable water.

So, I have been keeping a written journal of events but I think it is taking time away from any blogging. Will likely switch to blogging only once I get to Idylwild, where I intend to take a down day.

The hiking is going well but the energy levels at the end of the day for blogging have been non-existent. I am currently sitting underneath the overpass at Scissors Crossing waiting for the sun to sink lower before starting a long climb up out of the valley. Currently 82 here in the shade and slightly above 90 out there in the sun. A bit of wind is providing relief but still pretty darn hot on those sandy slopes. The weather report is hinting that we might be flirting with upper 90s over the next week.

Might write more later but if you want a slightly more consistent flow of trip updates follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/reedmaniac

Almost feel like I could just publish this entry with that title and skip the whole explanation bit. I mean, we have all had that experience where there is nothing left to do but wait and see how the adventure goes, right? All preparations are made, all training complete, and the rest is going to be handled hour by hour, day by day once you are out there. You are outwardly calm and yet your mind begins to remind you of what could possibly go wrong.

I was doing alright until Saturday when I strained my left knee while moving boxes up and down stairs. Since injuring my right knee and the surgery, the left one has had to do a bit more work and has taken more punishment as it compensated during the right's recovery. However, it seemed to handle it reasonably well, that is until moving day. And now, if anything the right one feels rather good in comparison. Almost like they agreed during the night to switch places. Driving my mind a bit nuts as now I am concerned that the left one is going to be painful. Oy meet vey.

Everything else is ready to go though. Gear is ready. Financials and mail taken care of. Relevant accounts changed over to Gmail. My entire PCT to do list is complete. Those knees though. Damn those knees.

In mid-February, I spent two weeks in Central Oregon taking a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course offered by NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute and sponsored by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI). Both my Oregon EMT license and National Registry EMT certification were up for renewal this year, so taking the course was an efficient way to get my continuing education credits out of the way as well as renewing the "wilderness" component of my Wilderness EMT. Not only that, but I got to spend two weeks out in the Oregon desert; clear, star-filed skies at night and beautiful views during my lunchtime hikes.

When I returned to Port Townsend, East Jefferson Fire-Rescue allowed me to join their current batch of EMTs in training for five weeks of lecture and skill practicals. Got to do everything from vehicle extrication at one of the local firehouses to relearning neonatal care (not so common in the backcountry, oddly). This training insured all of my urban EMT skills were up to snuff. March and April were a busy couple months as I was working full time and training/planning for the PCT too. But, all of the required paperwork and signatures were sent off a few weeks ago so I am not yet recertified but I am certifiable, again.

With all of this training, knowledge, and experience building a lightweight first aid kit for a 2,600+ mile hike is a Herculean battle between two opposing desires. How much weight is too much vs. what items are worth the weight given my skills. When I led outdoor trips, most organization-provided first aid kits that were around 5 pounds and were one lawyer recommendation away from containing an AED. On my own backpacking trips I usually have a first aid kit between a pound to a pound and a half that is meant to prevent an uncomfortable or problematic situation from becoming a really bad day.

Amelia commented when she saw my completed kit that I built this PCT first aid kit not for me but for everyone else on the trail, despite the fact that I do not particularly like most people and head into the wilderness to escape civilization. I am funny like that.

Since the PCT crosses many towns, roads, and campsites, there will be both urban and wilderness medical situations possible. The balance I tried to strike was between light and capable of handling the most likely scenarios, while not regretting what I could have carried but did not for weight reasons. Tough. And like all things, I will likely adjust it on the way.

The kit includes the following: Ace bandage, gauze roll, athletic tape, NSAID pain relievers, gloves + CPR face shield, moleskin, tweezers, pins, Benadryl, backup water purification tablets, QuikClot, triangle bandage, SecondSkin blister pads, bandaids, gauze pads. All for only 9.5 oz total, which is about the weight of 1.2 cups of water.

The majority of the what I have treated in the backcountry are blisters and musculoskeletal injuries There have been a few decent bleeds and cuts but nothing that a bit of gauze and tape cannot handle. So, I went with a half dozen blister pads, enough gauze to handle a few decent bleeds, and ace bandage + triangle bandage. Sure I could improvise something for the ace bandage or triangle bandage, but I have yet to meet a trained professional who would not greatly prefer to have it provided. Tape, pain relievers, tweezers, pins, and allergy meds are all lightweight, handy, and are pretty hard to improvise. Ever tried to synthesize aspirin in the wilderness? Not easy, my friends.

The gloves, CPR face shield and QuikClot are meant more for urban or semi-urban problems. In the back of my mind, I can just imagine hitching into town and seeing a car accident or having a respiratory or cardiac arrest at a campground. For their weight, they could realistically mean the difference between life and death. They could be the first things to go too as those scenarios seem the least likely.

For the weight of just over a cup of water, I feel pretty good about this kit. Anything else I might conceivably want, I can improvise (healing power of laughter!), find on the way (Tecnu), or it would be far heavier than I would be willing to carry (oxygen tank).

Below is my current gear list for the trail with everything in my pack measured with a baking scale for accuracy. This is actually copied over from an even more detailed spreadsheet I created, so hopefully I got it all down correctly. A little OCD? Nah...

My base pack weight, which is considered what is in your pack not including consumables like food, water, and fuel, is right at 15 pounds. I also included links to the product's website, Amazon, and REI to help readers get a range of information and reviews. That being said, I shopped around and found quite a number of discounts from the likes of GearTrade, Backcountry.com, eBay, and Sierra Trading Post. Thus, the prices listed at those sites will likely not match my "purchased cost" for each item.

Despite having quite a plethora of gear already, unfortunately most of it is meant for activities like mountaineering and snow camping. Not exactly lightweight. So, I bit the bullet and bought new, ultralight versions of a shelter, sleeping bag/pad, and pack for a rather hefty cost of $995. Yet, by buying those four items instead of using what I already owned, I reduced my base pack weight by over five pounds. Considering the time and distance, I felt that was a worthwhile investment. After the big four, my next four largest purchases were a JetBoil Sol Titanium stove, a solar charger, and my hiking shirt and pants.

JetBoil Sol Titanium. While it seems the hip/cool ultralight PCT backpacker uses an alcohol stove, I simply could not get excited about using one. I know that when I cook while backpacking, I am usually about one evolutionary leap away from caveman and want my food now. Also did not like having to concern myself with alcohol measuring, the lack of simmering, and instability. This new JetBoil boils 2 cups of water in about a minute, which is the perfect amount of water for most of my dinners, while a fuel cannister should last around two weeks. Doubt I will regret this decision.

Solar Charger. We are in the age of technology. Our smartphones are camera, GPS, web browser, app platform, and phone all in one. The sCharger-5 Solar Charger is hopefully going to help me keep my iPhone powered. It was highly recommended by a few PCT hikers last year and my initial tests have shown it to be quite the little power delivery device when there is full sun.

Hiking Shirt and Bottom. I am not sure where I initially heard about RailRiders, but the more I read the more it looked like their clothes would be ideal for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Lightweight, ventilated, quick drying, and long lasting. One of my more blind faith gear choices, but sometimes you need to rely on a good feeling and hope it turns out to be right.

Everything else is reasonably standard or self explanatory. I am sure with more money , research, and sacrificing of comfort, I could reduce my base weight another 3 pounds and perhaps even have found cheaper items. But, for now I am reasonably content with my choices. We shall see how foolish I truly am once on the trail.

As I sit here munching on peanut M&Ms that are meant for my first few days on the trail, I think I will finally buckle down and answer the most commonly asked questions when I mention my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike attempt. Beats organizing that pile of important documents into my filing bin.

What is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)?

In short, it is a 2,650 mile backpacking trail stretching from the California/Mexico border all the way to Canada through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. It usually takes a bit under 5 months to complete with most people going north and starting in late April. The Smithsonian Magazine just published a well written article about it the other day. You can also look at the Pacific Crest Trail Association's website for more details.

When are you starting?

April 22nd. We fly down to San Diego on the afternoon of the 21st and start early the next morning at the Mexican border near Campo, CA. [map]

Where's a good map of the trail?

Halfmile's Maps are the best collection of topographical maps and cover the entirety of the trail. If you want a nice, simple overview map, I suggest this two page color map. I will be posting irregular updates of my position on my Twitter account and Facebook, but I am not intending to meet friends/acquaintances on the trail or really keep a "Where is Paul?" page.

Who is this Amelia character?

She is self described as "about as even-tempered as a hornet, and as social as an oyster" and is probably my favorite friend. Having known each other for about nine years through many trials and tribulations, we have settled into a Calvin/Hobbesian friendship as near to family as one can be without blood. We also both suffer from a certain kind of madness and take a special glee in it, and thus are both the kind of people to go backpacking for 5 months. While we will be starting at the same time down in Campo, California and her parents are our resupply coordinators, our 10 inch difference in height and rather different personalities means we will be hiking in tandem rather than together on the PCT. She has a very entertaining blog that you should totally check it out.

OK, what's all this knee talk about?

In August 2011, I was leading a trip up near Mt. Adams and while jumping down from a ledge my right patella/kneecap slammed into a small rock outcropping. Took out a sizable chunk of skin and made the next two days of traveling rather painful. Back in town, I got an X-ray just to confirm there was nothing broken and got fitted with a leg brace to wear for 10 days. It improved but was still a bit painful. A month later, I reinjured it, which lead to me seeing an orthopedic surgeon and dropping out of the pre-medicine program I was enrolled in. Physical therapy went well but two and a half months in, it took a severe turn for the worse. No idea why, but it is possible the cartilage was still loosely attached somewhere and finally tore completely. That led to arthroscopic surgery that discovered a severe defect in my articular cartilage and cracks throughout. They cleaned up what they could, but it was not the result they were hoping for. What followed was six months of slow, difficult physical therapy just to get back to walking in a straight line and pedaling up hills on my bike.

Basically a mess with torn ligament/tendon, impinged fat pad, and the damaged cartilage. And so, after eight years of soccer, decades of trail running, and a lifetime spent outdoors I got a bum knee all because I jumped and my knee was half an inch from being in the clear. But, I have kept on exercising and pushing it so that I have done hour long trail runs, snowshoed into a remote fire tower, and been training with a 30 pound backpack on 10-12 mile hikes. The knee will never be 100% again and it might not handle the PCT mileage, but I have prepared it as best I can.

Are you excited?!?!

Not so much excited as I am curious. Very very curious. Curious to know if my knee will hold up. Curious to know how my gear will work. Curious to know who I will meet on the trail. Curious to see how the trail changes me. It's an adventure. Exploring, hiking, trying new things, seeing new locations, meeting new people. Makes me very curious to see how it all turns out.

What will you do when you are done?

This question amuses me. I just spent four months planning a five month backpacking trip, which I have not even started, and you already want to know what I will do next? At this point, I am waiting to see how the first month of this trip goes. Only after that will I really get a sense how the rest of my year will shape up. I do have ideas though! The Appalachian Mountain Club has winter caretakers for their huts in the White Mountains, and I have always wanted to do that. I also just finished up the recertification process for being a Wilderness EMT and would not mind becoming an instructor for the NOLS Wilderness Medicine Institute. And, there is quite a bit of technology and code that I would not mind learning and building with to the point of perhaps taking a full time, 9to5 gig with a development firm.

Despite feeling adequately prepared for the trip itself, the pace of things needing to get done beforehand has quickened of late. This is my last week of work, so naturally there is a rush to polish off every to do list item. I am moving this weekend, so naturally things need to be sold, organized, and/or boxed up. The start date for the Pacific Crest Trail adventure is less than two weeks away, so naturally my training hikes have increased in distance and time. Also, my EMT recertification just finished up last week and taxes got sent off. So. Busy.

But, we carry on. While I am on the subject of things getting done, by vocal demand there are now comments on the blog. I am using the all new and cutting edge Craft CMS, but there is no native comment plugin yet. So, I went with a hosted solution called Disqus, which allows registering through Facebook, Twitter, and Google. I am not a huge fan of anonymous comments or spam and this allows me to do a certain level of moderation, so hopefully it will be agreeable to the commenters-that-may-be.

There is also an RSS feed link in the upper right corner. There is some auto-discover magic in the HTML, but it seems for some people that was not enough. They wanted the link to be explicit. Obviously I have incredibly strong opinions on this as I am using emphasis everywhere. Not really. This textarea just happens to have a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editor natively and I am easily amused. Moving on...

I built the design of this blog myself and based the CSS off the work of someone far more clever than I. It should collapse down nicely for mobile browsers while still looking reasonably shiny for everyone else. As I am a programmer by trade and not a clever HTML5/CSS3 loving designer, there might be a few hiccups. This should but add to the charm of the blog. Revel in the charm.

Finally, thanks to my most excellent friends at EngineHosting, I have a really spiffy and fast server for the site. Virtual Server Cluster, Ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS, SSH, SSD local storage, and something described as "VMware replication services". Sounds really impressive, no? No, no, don't glaze over, I actually know what all that means and how to use it! Why it all began back in the winter of 2003 when I was just teaching myself PHP...

...ok, you don't care about the history of how I gained my technical knowledge or how it all works. The takeaway: Great server, solid CMS, responsive design, and a few cool features. We will now return you to your regularly scheduled Pacific Crest Trail entries.

Your feet are likely the most important part of your anatomy for long distance hiking. With 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments your foot absorbs shock, keeps you balanced, and helps transfer the power of your leg muscles into forward (or backwards) motion. This is why thru-hikers are so fascinated with reducing every last ounce from their pack weight; we are trying to reduce the impact of 2,600 miles on our feet and legs as much as possible. It is also why there has been a movement away from heavy boots and towards trail runners combined with lightweight moisture-wicking socks. In the desert when the heat is unbearable and you are sweating or in the mountains when you are continually damp from snow or rain, you need to keep your feet as dry and comfortable as possible.

So, when I heard via Twitter that KEEN was looking for PCT hikers to test their Olympus hiking sock, I leapt at the chance. Heard back from them this morning and both Amelia and I are in as testers! Free socks! For the entire trip! And, they are designed specifically to take the abuse of long hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail! Excuse the pun, but I am extremely excited to put them through their paces.

I am having the socks mailed to Amelia's parents as they are managing our resupply boxes and we are moving our belongings to their place this weekend. I should hopefully get my first look at the socks next week. Throughout the hike I will be sending KEEN emails with our feedback, and I should post a few of my serious but entertaining thoughts here as well. Will they survive the horrors of Paul's feet? How well will they adapt to his Sierra puppet theatre? Only time will tell...

To assist in preparing physically I have been spending a couple hours after work every day hiking in Fort Worden State Park with my backpack loaded to the gills with clothing and water. While the park is not too expansive, you can loop around the Chinese Garden's lake, hike up muddy trails to the old fortifications, and traipse along the beaches without becoming too bored. Today, as I was enjoying 30 mph winds, a light drizzle, and a balmy 55 degrees Fahrenheit near Point Wilson Lighthouse, I could not help but think that in just over two weeks I will be in Southern California. A location well known for its sunshine and dry conditions. The difference between the Pacific Northwest and the Mexico-California is only about 15.5 degrees of latitude, but let us compare next week's weather report for each location.

Port Townsend, Washington

Campo, California

We had an out of the blue (editor: pun? where?!) sunny weekend a few days ago, and I purposefully spent a couple hours outside reading on the deck to build up my "base tan" so that my skin has at least a fighting chance. But that first week of heat acclimatization? Going to be a hoot and a half.

Amelia: I am not sure this is enough.

Paul: OK, then just add more calories.

Amelia: ::looking askant:: I feel like we're not having the same conversation!

Paul: Oh, right, I will eat whatever is put in front of me. You're picky.

Amelia: And this is why we're not hiking together, we're on totally different trips. Same destination, different trips.

(edited for blogging, enjoy a full melodramatic interpretation here)