Journal
Date: 2007-05-26 16:43:52
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Finally, an internet connection!!!
Ok, maybe a little sum-up from the beginning...
Campo, The Mexican Border
Took the afternoon bus to reach Campo, CA. I was told at the airport that that was the only bus...wrong.
There’s one in the morning. Those information people are useless. I met Gaby - British / Spanish guy
(he’s on a schedule because he’s going back to school in Sept) - waiting for the bus...we went to Campo
then hiked to the border and stay there at the PCT monument for a while...we just couldn’t leave! It was
so great to be there, at the start. A little like ‘we made it that far!’ - even though it was really the
beginning. We left the border at sunset really...
We finally hiked back to Campo to spend the night there in a private campground - whatever that is :)
A guy - Richard I think - let us use is backyard basically...Richard lives in a trailer away from everything; I
noticed when passing by his trailer that he has a thousand books in there...
Anyway, that was the first day on the Pacific Crest Trail
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Date: 2007-05-26 16:55:13
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | From Campo, CA I reach Mt Laguna. Met two other guys - Rilley and Tony respectively from Canada and
the US. Tony has good stories about hiking the AT a few years ago. We hiked together for a while but
part when I had to wait for the post office to open at noon in Mt Laguna. For the best really...
I realize now that, at the time, I was probably pushing myself trying to keep up. Not good for my health.
Anyway, met other people along the way. Sometime I hike for three or four days without seeing anybody then I meet someone else. It’s cool.
There are people from every way of life on the trail really. Students, Engineer burnt out who need the fresh air before going postal (I sware I’m not talking about me here), 40 year old retired who just sold his company (that would be ‘Pinball’ / Bob), guy who works six months a year and hike during the rest trying not to spend too much money...it’s cool.
Overall I’d say i enjoy hiking alone for now. Don’t really want to do social work...
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Date: 2007-05-26 17:06:17
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | ok, so Campo, Mt Laguna, Warner Springs, Cabazon, Big Bear City and finally Wrightwood.
342 miles in the PCT...that’s something right? right?
Arguably that’s only 1/8 of the Pacific Crest Trail but I’m pretty happy about it.
I’m being a bit slow so I guess I should say a word on that.
Food was my main problem and it took me a while to understand what was wrong. What was wrong is that this kind of exercise makes me burn 600 calories an hour. 10 hour hike a day + whatever I need to go through the rest of the day (and night obviously) we’re talking about a 7000 calories diet. I spent last
year reducing my diet to 1200 a day. Kind of hard to adjust. I had pretty much no fat reserve when I starded and I lost this in a few days...I don’t want to weight myself but I’m sure I’m down to barely 125 pound when wet :) Ridiculous.
I’m fixing that by buying lots of food on top of what I have in my resupply boxes...
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Date: 2007-05-26 17:49:50
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | The second reason I’m a bit slow is that I have some sort of inflammation on my left foot.
Achilles’tendon. It was painful - it probably still is but my right ankle is so hurt that I can’t feel the left foot anymore anyway.
I take ibuprofen for now - about 1200mg daily - I might see a doctor in Agua Dulce if someone forces me to :)
I hate doctors by the way. I would say something about this and about my absolute hatred of modern medicine in general but that will transform this post into a rant and I don’t really want to go there.
Let just say that they tend to focus on treatment instead of cure, transforming every sick people into an addict under life support - and why shouldn’t they? Thanks to our social systems, money is free whether it comes from insurance companies or government...that would be you people by the way.
oops...the old david is back :)
Anyway, I can hike and I’m discovering a few things about pain and about what’s
beyond...there’s really a word beyond pain I think. It’s interesting to push farther and see that, yes, I can do it, I can reach that far even though I thought it was impossible...and then push even farther the next day.
Fun stuff really.
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Date: 2007-05-26 17:52:36
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | ok, maybe I should say something about the people I meet that are not on the trail per se...The generosity of most people around the trail is just amazing. I’ll start by what happened when I was about to leave Cabazon...
I was seating on the sidewalk trying to put the content of my resupply box in my backpack when a guy stopped, asked me if I knew where the PCT was and then just laughed (obviously I knew since I’m hiking it). Guy’s name is David Malehorn, he’s a trail angel, drives around looking for hikers and help them out
the best he can...
He offered me a soda, some water and two meals “for the road” - I also left with a cup full of ice that kept me going for a mile...yummy. He’s also told me lots of stuff about the section that I was about to hike.
I was just putting my backpack on after he’d left that another guy - in a rush this one - stops and tells me that he just put some cold water and oranges somewhere one the trail...
Sure enough, a mile from there, I see a giant cooler on the ground; Ice, water and a bunch of oranges neatly cut and placed in ziplock bags...the best orange ever I tell you.
A few miles after that, reaching the wind farm, I met two guys doing maintenance work...they offered me some water and wouldn’t let me go without peanuts! We had a nice chat...I have their cards somewhere in my backpacks.
Soda, beer, oranges, ice and water can sometime be found on the trail, left by people trying to help us go thru that adventure...I just think it’s great.
I’m actually staying in some family’s house tonight in Wrightwood. Jeff & Colleen Fleury. Took a shower earlier, got my clothes cleaned up.
They just let hikers use their car to drive around town and do whatever they have to do...how nice.
They went to the movies and I told them I’d stay here and try to fix their internet connection...done! :)
Another guy was offering 2 hotdogs and a soda for free for PCT hikers earlier today. He hiked the JMT in the mid 80s so he had some good stories...
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Date: 2007-05-26 18:08:23
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | A few days ago a guy on the trail told me the French had a new president! Sarkozy? Really? Good for you guys really...ha ha ha, you’re so screwed.
What about the trail?
Well, no clouds whatsoever on this side of the universe so I quickly stopped using my rainfly, then my tent. I just put my sleeping pad wherever I happen to be and sleep there in my sleeping bag, with a cool breeze bringing me the scent of the trees, watching the stars...it’s perfect. Screw motels.
A few days were kind of boring but the trail is nice overall...following rivers down canyons all day; great stuff.
The other day I felt like stopping for an hour for lunch so I checked under a tree - to make sure there were no snakes - and just lie there for a while...just when I was ready to get up I hear some noise coming
from the tree so I look up; and there I see two snakes - inside the tree - trying to kill each other. I have some great shots of these two babies :-) Not sure what they were really but I’m pretty sure they were killing each other...I don’t know jack about snakes so maybe that was just rough foreplay? I should ask a friend of mine; she’s into that kind of stuff...she probably doesn’t know anything about snakes either though...ha ha ha.
That place was wild. Lots of humming birds also...I love these.
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Date: 2007-05-26 18:25:30
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 7
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | 5 days ago I met ‘pinball’ on the trail and he told me that this weekend was Memorial Day weekend. This meant that the post office would close Saturday at 11am and re-open only Tuesday. Since that’s how I get my food (and my maps on this particular stop) I only had two choices; 1) take it easy for 6 or seven
days 2) hike 90 miles in four days I went for the second option and guess what; I made it on time! Picked up my boxes this morning after four crazy days. 23 miles yesterday with no maps and close to 6000 feet gain elevation. No water on that stretch on top of that...At the beginning of the day near hw 15 I was actually glad to see a Mc Donald!! That tells you something. Those morons don’t serve burgers during mornings so I had to go with the giant breakfast platter, large drink, sundae caramel, a few cookies and some sort of energy drink from
the gas station next door.
Talking about food the other day I had a steak for breakfast for the first time ever. 8oz steak + 4 eggs omelet + hashbrown + toast / orange marmalade and lots of coffee. Now that’s a breakfast :-)
Water is really what kills me here. Most of the streams are dry...12 more days of that and I should have plenty of water everywhere. I can’t wait to be there.
I guess I should check my email now...I’m not to eager to do so really. I kinda like this one way thing.
I do miss you guys (well the girls mostly really but hey you know me well enough right?)
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Date: 2007-05-26 18:45:45
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood, CA post 8
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I feel like I should apologize for something.
Shocking no? I think it’s a first for me really. I’ve never done anything by the past that requires that except a few weeks ago when I left my apartment.
I did a very bad job leaving my apartment really. I hate that. I know I should have done a much better job and I very very sincerely apologize for the mess I left. I know you understand.
I didn’t do a great job saying goodbye to my friends either my I know they understand and also I’ll see all of them in a few months so...
M.J -> I’ll stay away from sushi just for you (not that I have a choice) and we’ll go to samurai when I’m done here :)
I can’t believe how fucked up my brain was when I left Denver, CO
Why would I do that to myself for more than a year is beyond me...Now I feel better. Challenges, challenges for Christ sake! That’s what I need...not stupid sleepy time for useless years in a row...
I’m mainly mad at myself here for letting that happening to me without any reactions...I need to feel like things are moving forward. I can’t have anymore of those dead years where all days look alike. It kills me.
I need big things, events, moments - whatever you want to call it - and I’ll get them. I also need to be less tolerant towards morons and just ignore the heck out of them...
By the way, when I say friends, I mean those who actually care somehow. Not the idiots too lazy to even answer their emails before I left. Those are invited to kiss my French ass and can go fuck themselves for all I care.
ok, I feel lighter now...always a good thing down here.
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Date: 2007-05-27 12:53:48
Location: Wrightwood, CA
Title: Wrightwood - Sunday before going back to the trail...
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | ‘Pinball’ told me two things a few days ago;
1) About the fact that my feet are black? It will take weeks and probably months to come out...the skin grows on dirt and sweat for six months. Won’t come out in one day...great. It’s true that my socks are like cardboard really...some sort of mix of sweat and dirt.
2) Those fancy shoes I have back home? I will never be able to wear them again. My feet will get wider and this permanently.
He knows...he hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2005.
I guess in more than one way what we do is just that; self mutilation. We know we’ll never be the same person, we won’t look and judge whatever the future brings - people, situation and miscellaneous predicaments - the same way
than we use to. We might become more tolerant if we fail and conversely more intolerant if we make it to Manning Park. It’s impossible to tell in advance and from this it is also the journey that counts - how we change that is, the
process if you will - and not (or at least not exclusively) the nature of the change itself.
Earlier today I borrowed the Fleury’s bicycle and went downtown for breakfast while the whole family went to church. It was a very nice ride all downhill from the house under a perfectly blue sky. I went to a place named the
Grizzly Cafe and had a gigantic breakfast sitting outside at the terrace...I thought indistinctively about many people I met over the years in Paris and even in Denver, I thought about their lives, how they struggle daily to get thru another day; driving in an over-polluted, overcrowded city, quite often working in what can only be described as a cave of some sort in front of an unreliable computer among other beast of the same kind, surviving the same way, trying to get through even if that means getting at each other throat from time to time...why not? It’s all a giant, meaningless competition right? All against all right? Sad dark faces, stacked in wagons, standing up holding on to a poll trying not to move too much in order to avoid any contact that would automatically be seen as an act of aggression, not looking at each other, driven by the same fear.
Yes, I’m still sitting at the terrace and I inquire; who’s mutilating himself really? Tell me; Who has done the more damage so far?
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Date: 2007-06-02 22:49:28
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Agua Dulce, CA - Mile 454 on the PCT
Let see, what should I talk about?
The relation between hikers. First we talked about gear; it was all about comparing whatever we're carying around. Backpack, Stove, shoes and so on...it lasted a few days. Now we talk about things that goes wrong. Gear or body which are the same really.
No words about the other life really; you know, the one after or before. Here, we're someone else anyway. We're outside the world. We are 'Penguin & Hydro' or 'Tough Guy' or 'Sandals', 'Canyonman' and so on...I don't have a trail-name yet though.
The interesting thing is that nobody pushes anybody else, nobody is getting in the way of someone else. We happen to meet for lunch, we happen to hike together or we happen to setup camp at the same place. Things happen and that's all. All equals. All responsible for our actions, taking chances, being rewarded when successful, suffering from our mistakes without asking someone else to pay for them. I wonder how many on the trail understand that they are living under the laws of capitalism? ;-)
A guy offered to give me some ibuprofen two weeks ago to ease the pain from my left foot. I refused and managed to hike to Big Bear City where I finaly could buy a big bunch of it. Meanwhile? I payed the price, I managed to use whatever I had left even though it was certainly not enough.
I'm not saying there's no solidary because actually there is but it's solidarity with agreements on both side. Not 'Solidarity' enforced with a gun. Very different kind really.
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Date: 2007-06-02 22:58:41
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I do have to say a word about the place I'm staying tonight and possibly a few nights and this even though the owner are not here (they are at some wedding this weekend I think)
I'm staying at the Saufley's in Agua Dulce, CA
Check this out:
http://www.hikerheaven.com/
I think it says it all...last week they were 60 hikers in this place...sleeping pretty much everywhere. Now it's less crazy. Eight thru-hikers only tonight.
Antonio, Sandals (who's keeping the place since the owners are gone), Canyonman and some others...
Some people are absolutely drunk and totally high I must say :) I'm neither. staying out of this for a few months can't be bad I guess.
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Date: 2007-06-02 23:11:35
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I've had a problem understanding why people would hike the PCT several times...I was like, ok, hiking once 2700 miles I can see why. That's a good challenge. A good way to know yourself. But hiking it twice? three times? Why?
I think thru-hikers hiking the PCT several times actually have a different mind set. They see the camping, the backpacking trip. They don't see the goal. If they can make it this year, that's fine. If not? Oh well, they hike, they camp and they get to spend some good time away from everyday life; Priceless.
A few people - Emily & will among others - have this attitude even though I thinl it's their first thru hike. They take it slow, it can be 12 miles a day, 16 the other; it doesn't matter. Will they make it to Canada? Impossible to tell for now...I hope so but they sincerly told me that it didn't matter. I started to understand this view of things lately...I will explain why in my fourth post.
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Date: 2007-06-02 23:33:37
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Truth time...
My left foot gave up two weeks ago, my right ankle followed last week (old wound from when I was 17 came back to haunt me apparently)...my right shin gave up two days ago.
How bad? Bad.
Ibuprofen worked for a while...not so much anymore. Since I'm on my own I had to do some sort of intervention. I'm doing it now and here in this heaven / haven.
Four things I can do:
1) Switch from running shoes to hiking shoes.
2) Have my feet checked out
3) Take some rest until I can actually walk
4) Take it slow for a while after I get back to the trail
I did 600 miles (training + hiking) with the New Balance 755. Great shoes but not for hiking - especially not on this trail.
I saw a doctor once in 20 years or so. I don't break stuff and I don't get sick which makes it harder on me.
I will rest a few days here that's for sure.
Taking it slow means that I might have to rethink my strategy or at least change my mindset. I should stop thinking about Canada and instead think about how I feel on a daily basis, think about the places I pass thru, the people I meet along the trail. I can take it easy and still do California (1700 miles) in three months.
Not sure yet. Need to think about it.
Nothing more to say on that subject.
I've been listening to Mozart's Don Giovanni a lot lately...the finale is the most terrifying piece of music I've ever listenned to. I need to learn more about the libretto...
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Date: 2007-06-04 07:55:14
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | This journal's a bit gloomy I guess...let's go for funny today :)
One of the guys I met at the Wind Farm a while ago asked me two questions that seemed to me paradoxical; First he asked me if I prayed God. Then he asked if I had a gun with me...I answered to both by the negative.
I'm not even sure why but religion appears to me as a symbol of peace; hence the seeming contradiction. Especially strange since being born in Europe, religion - especially Christianity - should be the symbol of war. Historically that would be more accurate. Anyway, I guess both questions were related to protection and since I answered no to the first the second totally made sense and was to be expected.
To quote Ayn Rand (top of my head) 'There's no such thing as a contradiction; if you ever find one, check your premises, one of them is wrong.'
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Date: 2007-06-04 08:13:46
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Two weeks ago or so the trail passed by some sort of shelter for animals; They were Grizzlies there and other bears, a lion, a tiger and possibly other wild animals...
I heard that the shelter belongs to Michelle Pfeiffer's mom - not sure if it's true. Anyway, last year 'tough guy' arrived a few hundred yards short of that place and decided to spend the night there. Sure enough, in the middle of the night he wakes up and hear gigantic roars of an unknown origin. No use to say he didn't get much sleep and probably stayed awake all night bracing himself to be attacked by some wild animal at any moment...Only the next morning he came to see the source of the roars.
Certainly funny now but that must have been a very long night...
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Date: 2007-06-04 08:30:09
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 7
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | About the trail itself...
The main problem while hiking in southern California is water. We spend our time trying to figure out how much water we need to carry to the next 'water source' - stream, spigot or whatever. Some have some sort of system; Take the distance in miles, remove five, divide by five, add one liter if you spend a night in between, add one if it's the middle of the day especially if the trail goes up...and so on.
There's a website - all hikers has it with him - that lists the water sources;
http://www.4jeffrey.net/pct/a.htm
some of the explanations are kind of fun; I especially like this one. I did find some good water there even though there's a mistake in there. I really needed the water.
'When you arrive to the dirt road, backtrack 50 yards, cross dry creek over to S side, continue walking SE pass a camping area. You will see water spigots, they are dry. Continue past a horse corral keeping it to your left. Angle slightly right & towards the hillside. You will soon locate a rough trail and if you start to listen you can hear water. It is a piped spring located in a somewhat brush choked area but easily accessible. ~.2 to .3 off trail.'
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Date: 2007-06-05 20:21:33
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 8
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | 15 hikers today in the 'Hiker's Heaven'...
We gather in the trailer; There's a piano there and a classical guitar. A kitchen, where someone is baking brownies as I'm writing this. I bought some donuts for everybody earlier. There's a TV, VHS, DVD player and a good collection of movies and books.
'Freebird' played some guitar yesterday & sang some old American songs during a quite evening while the rest of us had some wine. Today a hiker from Poland showed some good talent at the piano.
Someone made popcorn for Christ sake!!!
This is really heaven. Why hurry??
I learned that two French girls were here earlier this year. Stress fracture on two feet for one of them...They stopped their hike, rented a car and are traveling around instead. They did some good cooking here for the owners.
One of the hiker who's here is from Louisiana or something...he decided in January to walk to Campo before starting the PCT. After crossing a few states including Texas he realized it was taking too long so he started renting cars and visiting national parks on his way...he did about 15 parks jumping from one to another in no particular order before even starting this hike. How great.
On the crazy side, a girl ran a Marathon the day before she started at Campo.
Another guy is retired. He started about 12 AT and 4 PCT so far. He attempted both AT and PCT in 2006. I don't know how successful he was but he's back this year.
There's another place 28 miles from here that's a little bit like this one but it's more of a party place. It's referred to as 'The Anderson's'. Much more drinking, smoking and other things going on there...I don't know if I will go yet. Tempting but...you know...i'm trying to quit :-)
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Date: 2007-06-05 20:39:19
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 9
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | No stress fracture for me apparently. Good. Ugly bandages on both feet for a week of rest. 2400 mg of ibuprofen per day during that time. Stuck here.
Plenty of time and still i don't know what to write...
I called my mom for the first time yesterday since I started the PCT. She was surprised and quite worried. I hate that. I can't stand the idea of people worrying. First because the absolute uselessness of being worried but it's not even justified here. Even if it was I'd rather die here on this trail than in 20 years from now in a car crash, on my way back home to a wife I hate, coming back from a job I despise...
Seriously, again, I already wrote about that; it's not a fucking competition where the winner is the oldest jerk remaining on the stage of the earth. There's no quality in a long life. At this point my only desire is to do even more crazy / stupid things. Glider, hot air balloon, ultra light planes and other things. Why not? When is it ok to have fun? When nobody's around to watch?
I hate it I hate it I hate it
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Date: 2007-06-06 19:34:37
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 10
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I finally got a chance to update the gallery...
I'll try to see what I can do with the google map / track tomorrow.
I just baked a fruit cake and made some English cream; big day today :-)
There are a lot of couple on the trail and I've noticed one thing they all seem to have in common; Their priority is not to reach Canada. They're on the PCT to have a good time camping in a new place every day and that's it. No obsession about finishing or not. It looks like the view of the PCT as a challenge is only an individual thing.
There's a nice couple from Oregon here; Will & Emily. Will spends hours cooking everyday. Good stuff I must say :) Time for some cake now I guess...
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Date: 2007-06-07 15:15:34
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 11
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Ok, now both pages 'My Tracks' and 'My Current Location' should work.
Not sure I'll have many chances to update these pages in the future but who knows...
Big breakfast with coffee / bailey's this morning + some coffee / rum after that; it's gonna be a good day. I still have to try the giant hammock in the garden; see if the laptop works so far from the router ;-) If not I'll just take the guitar.
Hikers have a good sense of humor;
'Spinning Jenny' was trying to buy some rain gear on the net yesterday. 'Manynames' asked her; 'Why do you need rain gear for? Remember, it takes a lot to kill you.'
(with a Polish accent it's even funnier)
Answer was; 'Well, there's a lot out there...'
A guy - didn't catch his name - showed up yesterday. He had covered a hundred miles in two days and a half before stopping here...he already left. There's a girl who's trying to catch up on him; she does ultramarathon (100 miles) usually but she's having some problem here on the PCT.
Hikers are freaks :-) I love it.
We watched some DVD about the CDT (Continental Divide Trail) and Colorado Trail this morning...I'm addicted I think. I so want to do the CDT now it's ridiculous...hopefully in a few years.
Politically I think all hikers are Libertarians. Shocking no?
We actually had some discussion about the middle east yesterday but nothing big really. By that I mean nobody got shot or anything...Nobody seems to watch the news or even read the paper in here. I kind of heard something about riots and G8 but only because a German guy is here today...
'Spinning Jenny' called me 'German' one too many times this morning. I'm thinking about a second use for my trekking poles.
We watched 'Team America' for the second time yesterday. Freaks.
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Date: 2007-06-07 18:37:48
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 12
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | By the way, Agua Dulce is mile 454.
Erratum: I did 500 miles with my running shoes; not 600.
Also, before becoming all serious and stuff I have two things to say:
1) When I rid this bike from the Fleury's last week it was the first time in 25 years so yes, it's true, one never forgets.
2) I sent three postcards last week. First time ever. I can say for sure that I've never sent any postcards before last week.
Lots of new things going on. Good. Good.
SO,
Most hikers seem to get along very well together here. I don't think this is only because of the one thing they obviously have in common; They all hike the PCT that is.
In our everyday life it takes more than one thing to get along with someone. To be honest, except in the circumstance of 'the chase' for singles, we pretty much ignore the hell out of each other most of the time.
I think the reason we get along so well is deeper than just the PCT. It has to do with our values (call it prejudice if you want) and the way we make choices and judge others. These values are really what brought us here in the first place and the fact that we use these same values in our judgment is the reason of the general harmony among hikers here in Agua Dulce.
I find some comfort into the understanding of this link, this dual aspect of each encounter. We should always remember that those encounters have nothing to do neither with chaos nor with some external unknowable will. Often, they actually have everything to do with our judgment. The same choices bringing the 'same' people to the 'same place' to sum up.
Conversely I understand less and less the need - or the choice - of the opposite belief denying freewill and therefore responsibility. This view of life removes all meaning - or at list importance - to our everyday encounters. Remember this my friend when you feel alone...What if it wasn't chaos?
Call it faith maybe, but don't laugh. Here that laugh could very well be a double-edged sword.
That journal really goes in all directions...I swear I'm not schizo. Yes you are! No, that's not t....damn it.
'SpinningJenny' who drank my wine yesterday just came back with a full - bigger - bottle of wine. Good. Let's drink...
And now 'Free Bird ' is coming back from his trip - went to L.A. to fly a hand glider and he's back with some beer to celebrate...it's gonna be a long evening...
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Date: 2007-06-10 11:46:36
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 13
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Good good good; Inflammation of my feet is pretty much gone...finally.
I still need a few days but hopefully will be back on the trail soon.
Staying in place is killing me; I need to hike. Several people left this morning which makes it even worst. On the plus side they left a crazy amount of booze :)
I'm not sure the previous post was really clear but I'll just develop the subject later on.
Next big thing will be passing the Mojave desert a few days after leaving Agua Dulce. 40 mile stretch between two water sources :-( Not looking forward to that
Some people decided to skip the trail near the Mojave and hike the road instead; 16 miles less to hike and it's probably safer. The strange thing is that the people having this strategy are not the ones who actually have problems; they're the people for whom everything has been fine since the beginning. I wonder if it's because they don't get a chance to understand clearly the link between suffering and reward. Who knows.
I'll hike the Mojave stretch of course. So far I have managed to hike every single mile and have no intention of skipping anything. I won't do what is referred to as 'slackpacking' either. There's a good opportunity here between The Saufley's and the Anderson's 24 miles forward. Canyonman and Rivers got someone to drive there and drop off their stuff while they hike with empty backpacks in a day...sounds a bit too much like cheating to me. The problem I have with this is the same that I have with people skipping some sections; How many miles can one skip? How many miles can one do with an empty backpack and still make the claim that he has hiked the PCT?
I don't think there's any valid answer to that question really. I think the PCT is 2651.5 miles and one has to hike the whole thing; no middle ground here.
Oh well, maybe I will change my mind later on; hard to tell now.
This distance still seems totally surreal to me I should say. I keep repeating '2651.5 miles' and somehow I don't believe it. Even after 454 miles.
Got home sick for a few hours yesterday. Home is Denver, Colorado of course. Not always a good thing to have too much time in my hands. There are still a few things I don't want to face and hiking is the thing that keeps my mind off the subject.
Some people seems to have moments of doubt during this hike. So far I have had none. Not even close I must say. I'm here and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Shin Splints is not the most pleasant thing but between that and a desk the choice is quite simple.
Back to drinking Margaritas I guess...
I need to find some people to hike the Kilimanjaro with me next year. Short thing really...nothing like the PCT.
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Date: 2007-06-12 19:57:42
Location: Agua Dulce, CA
Title: Agua Dulce, CA - Post 14
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | ...from the land of the lotus eater ;-)
In case that wasn't clear my schedule is no longer valid. On the plus side I don't really care.
Back to drinking water today...will leave Agua Dulce tomorrow afternoon for a short first day back on the trail.
I'm not quite ready yet but from the book 'fixing your feet' that can be found in the extensive library here each of my injuries would require 4 weeks of rest...ha ha ha; kill me now :) let just say I had the minor kind...
By the way the inflammation went away when I removed the giant band-aid from the clinic. So yes I still hate doctors even though she had good bedside manner - which is not always the case - her work and advices were absolutely useless. So for those who think that doctors are mere drug dispensers I would reply; certainly not, some are less than that.
We're watching 'Fiddler on the roof'...one more reason to get out of here :) Wait, is that Det. Dave Starsky??? WTF?
Next update will be around mile 558 - Tehachapi, CA - Possibly in six or seven days - I'm gonna go slow for the first week. If i feel ok I won't stop at the next 'haven' (Casa de luna / Anderson's) and will therefore avoid the next 'vortex'. The 'vortex' is how people refer to this place in Agua Dulce because the place is so great that hikers always have the hardest time leaving...
Ok, enough typing I need to drink water; yuck.
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Date: 2007-06-18 20:40:46
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Mile 508 I think...probably won't have much time on that computer. I was actually checking on Sandals...she collapsed a few days ago.
The last entry on her journal explains:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4768
I can't believe she's even thinking about coming back...
What about me?
Left Agua Dulce on the 14th at 6am. Did 17 miles. Right ankle was as bad as it gets the next day. Did 23 miles the next day anyway trying to catch up on 'Dirt Diva' Catra. Reached a water source the next day after missing a few :( and decided to take a day rest. I thought then that I would leave the trail when reaching Hikertown. Totally depressed. The heat + pain I guess...
I reached Hikertown this afternoon and don't want to quit. I can't.
I will try to reach Tehachapi in a few days and will have a thought for Sandals passing the Tehachapi-Willow Springs road. This place sucks during the day that's for sure.
I'll leave tomorrow at 4pm and do some night hiking to reach the next water supply at Cottonwood 16 miles later. Small thing. Will try to hike mornings and evenings / nights before Tehachapi.
After that??? I wish I knew.
By the way:
http://www.myspace.com/french_guy_in_denver
There's not much there anyway.
I have a thousands things to write but I won't. Not now.
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Date: 2007-06-20 12:32:45
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Still here :)
'Rambo' showed up yesterday; he got a ride from the Anderson's.
So I actually got to see Joe after all. He was quite happy about his encounter with 'dirt diva' / Catra
http://www.catrapct.blogspot.com
Anyway, I decided then to stay one more day and leave with 'Rambo' today instead. Probably better not to be on my own in here. It's hot as hell in summer on a bad year.
Next stop is Tehachapi to get my resupply box. Then Kennedy Meadows 144 miles later. Hopefully in early July.
I'll try to go to the Public Library in Tehachapi to check my email on Saturday.
Then I won't have any internet access til mid July or end of July. Probably a good thing anyway.
I checked my Guide Book yesterday to see if Kennedy Meadows was a good spot to rest (besically whether there's water or not / the answer is yes) and the photos of the Sierras totally cheered me up; feel much better now. I do want to see the 'Painted Lady' above Rae Lake...It's a mountain.
We're leaving at 6pm tonight.
Why do I really want to hike this stretch even though it's boring and ridiculously hot you ask?
Well; it's like Brent's Queso. It's hot. You know it's gonna burn but still you can't stop because it's soooooo good.
Let's have another spoon ;-)
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Date: 2007-06-20 12:39:52
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | The PCT just crossed a ranch called the Tejon Ranch...the largest ranch in California. It's the size of the Yosemite Valley basically. The owner wants to build 20000 houses in 20 years.
Of course it creates some interesting debate and question about private property, ownership etc...quite an interesting thing really.
Anyway, It's not everyday that we see something like that.
I don't have time to read too much on the subject but here's the official website.
http://www.tejonranch.com/centennial/index.asp
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Date: 2007-06-20 12:50:49
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I'm just putting random thoughs here as long as nobody kicks me out ;-)
Lot's of people from Ohio on the PCT this year. Apprently this state is so boring that people come here to have fun. That tells a lot.
I saw the project of a new trail yesterday called the 'sea to sea' trail...It links the two oceans really so I'm not sure about the name.
The trail goes thru Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota among other states...Apparently the main danger on that trail seems to be hikers taking their own life out of boredom in the middle of Ohio.
I guess I'll have to visit Cincinnati sometime to see if it's that bad. Stacey; let's make a deal; I'll be your guide in Paris and you give me a tour of Cincinnati. I want to see the city from the bridge.
Ok, I wrote a few things on paper about Catra Vs Joel (Two different view of the trail) but I don't really have time to copy it here...For now let me just say that Catra is a runner (by that I mean that's who she is more than what she does) and she's thinking about running 'badwater'. Now that's crazy.
http://www.badwater.com/
Do they even bother to put a finish line on that thing or do they bet on nobody finishing the race?
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Date: 2007-06-20 12:57:44
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I think I'm the only one of the trail carrying a 2.5 pound camera. I call it my luxury item. I also have a book - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (second reading so far)
Joel - met at the Saufley's last week - carries Moby Dick. That's a good choice too.
Some people on the trail carry pieces of the Bible. Yes, pieces. Now, I don't know about you but I think it takes some balls - ' scuse my french - to tear a holy book appart right before starting the PCT. Seems like a offense to me.
Come on guys, you do realize that if anything were to happen to you, here more than anywhere else, HE could very well make it look like an accident.
Machiavelli seems to be a safer choice.
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Date: 2007-06-20 13:05:20
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Erratum & Addendum:
I was reminded by a friend that I did some biking in 97 or something. I had totally forgot about that!! Crazy, blame it on my old age. Funny; that was in C.A. not too far from here - in Santa Monica. I do remember the Lobster though...
I said something 10 days ago about a guy who had hiked 100 miles in 2.5 days. His name is 'Tattoo Joe'. He was - and possibly still is - after the record on the PCT. The woman trying to catch up on him was Catra 'Dirt Diva'. She's no longer after the men record but 'only' the women's. 91 days I think. She said she will finish it whether on schedule or not. Good. That's the spirit.
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Date: 2007-06-20 13:11:21
Location: Hikertown, CA
Title: Hikertown, CA - Post 7
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I think the reason I got totally depressed 2 days ago (beside the pain, the heat and the trail being as boring as a visit of Cincinnati during a holiday) was the counter effect of 'HikerHeaven'. I got to meet many people there and I actually did like some of them quite a lot (no details sorry).
So, is man a 'social animal' yes or no?
I'm telling you, that's gonna be the main question all along this trail. I'll try to find the answer.
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Date: 2007-06-24 14:05:30
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Mile 588 I think...
I'm definitely laughing at my own jokes and that their main purpose really...that keeps my spirit up.
Tehachapi, CA is hot. There must be a desert somewhere close or something.
I met many 'Trail Angels' on this trail - that's the name we give to people helping hikers along the way. It's always amazing to meet these people.
I will say a few words about Dave who is maintaining a water cache 30 miles south from here or something. I will also write a few words about Bob who's house keeping 'Hikertown'. Tomorrow possibly.
I did met what I would call a trail devil. An absolute moron who kicked us (Rambo & myself) out of a so-called private property 2 days ago...the guy did know everything about the trail (guide book, philosophy, location of the trail and so on...) but he did disagree with it and didn't want hikers walking along a dirt road...
Our choice was either to climb in the truck and getting dropped at the limit of the property (near the road to Tehachapi) or he would call the sherrif...so we got a free ride. What an idiot. He saved us 3 miles in a freeking desert land then told us that from our own point of view those miles were not 'valid'...implying that now we won't be able to say we walked the whole thing in a few months. Like I care at this point with all the extra miles I already did.
Anyway, the whole story is totally funny really and the reason we were on that road is great so I'll keep it for some other time.
What an idiot.
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Date: 2007-06-24 15:44:48
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I think it's mile 568 actually....whatever.
Tehachapi has many restaurants. For some reason the place is actually growing even though it feels like I can boil water by just letting my waterbag too long in the sun.
I do owe it to the town to try all restaurants in sight. Since I'm still a bit underweight I also owe it to myself.
Burger King on arrival yesterday (even before checking in at the motel...food comes first - that's really sad) - Checking the charts it was a 3000 calories lunch. 14 oz steak with baked potato & cowboy beans (whatever that is) five hours later for dinner :) pretty good stuff.
German bakery this morning. Chicken basket for lunch + 1/4 pound of rocky road fudge at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory facing the motel. Still have time to think about tonight...maybe a fruit salad? Just kidding.
They have Ostrich Burger here so I will have to try that too...I guess it must taste like chicken but I don't really know. It's not like us French are into the habbit of eating weird stuff like snails, oysters, frogs and what not.
They have other cuisine; Chinese, Japanese, Mexican and other stuff but I don't really crave any of these yet...
On the trail I can't think of anything else than drinks drinks drinks and more drinks with lots lots lots of ice. It's hard to imagine that in a few weeks from now I'll be craving hot soup.
That trail is really all about drinking and eating. It's kind of disgusting I guess especially because even though we are indeed burning 7000 calories a day, one might put into question the purpose of the whole quest.
Tehachapi has the biggest concentration of windmills on the planet...A good reminder that those who criticise the US on the matter of clean energy should shut their pie hole and match that before they open it again for something else than food and obviously giving head to a few old socialist believers.
That was the political minute...I placed it purposedly there like a trap. You read, you read, you don't pay attention and boom; I strike. ha ha ha. gotcha.
Anywho. KMart has free internet. By 'free' i mean 'paid for' of course. I will be forever grateful to Joseph for that one. Now I can't help it everytime someone uses the term 'free' in the context of a political discussion I can't help it; I drop a good 'By free you mean paid for, right?' - it's just perfect.
One sentence and your opponent knows where you stand.
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Date: 2007-06-25 15:51:47
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | The key word seems to be knowledge. And thru knowledge, understanding. This is the key; the one thing all hikers have in common. It is not complacency - acceptance without judgment. It is not toleration - a weak middle ground between acceptance and refusal. We are living the same adventure, we do understand the reality of our condition and we do judge each other based on that knowledge. The complementary part of this is that we are also ready to face and accept the judgment of others because we understand so well that for once in our lives this judgment from others is actually grounded, based on facts, experience and knowledge and not on some prejudices against which we are so powerless. We judge, praise and condemn as we are judged, praised and condemned.
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Date: 2007-06-25 16:12:26
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | History has shown that whenever men suffer and die from the hand of mother nature they always find a way to rise again and start over quite quickly, putting behind them pain and sorrow, focusing then all their attention to the future...
On the other hand, when other men and not mother nature is at the source of their predicament, the victim will never forget and from then on jump on every chance they can to 'get even' with their enemy (based on their biased and incomplete view of their own history of course.)
I've always been fascinated by the difference of reaction coming from the same men. Facing the same challenge - sustaining their lives somehow / survival at any price - whether the source of their predicament is 'natural' or 'artificial' (i.e. human) the reaction is quite different.
This is of course because we find only fate and fortune in the events triggered by mother nature while we see the only the whim - and the possibility of some alternative to reality - in human behavior.
The difference in reaction itself could be said to be a recognition to the existence of freewill as a pilar of our judicial system (no freewill, no resposibility). Conversely, nature has not been found guilty yet regardless of its many crimes...
I think the main reason men have always found the desire to come back to nature - on the PCT or elsewhere - is to some extent related to that. It is partly a desire to escape, at least temporarily, the arbitrary whim of unlegitimate power holders (society at large, government, working place etc...) and finally get a chance to measure onself facing the only acceptable judge in all matters; nature itself.
For how else can one could get to know himself if he is to be judged, found guilty, locked, emprisoned before even getting a fair trial?
To judge a man who is not free is to condemn him twice.
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Date: 2007-06-25 16:42:01
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | My thoughts and ideas are very much like fireworks; it's not so much that I enjoy throwing them up in the air. I do it mainly hoping to see them come back down...so please, fire at will if you disagree :)
Ostrich doesn't taste anything like chicken; more like salty, overcooked beef i guess...hard to tell with all the ketchup. Won't wake up at night thinking of ostrich burger that's for sure.
Some people maintain 'water cache' along the PCT. Sometime it is 'just' 20 or 50 gallons of water under a tree. Sometime there's a complete setup with chairs and other things...and also quite often a register so that hikers can write down their date/time of passage and a funny word or scribble...
(My favorite was from Joel on the 14th saying; 'there's nothing like hiking during a cool day. Too bad this one was nothing like it')
I met Dave at the Canfield Water Cache. He was checking on the water and adding some more. He said he was doing it because he likes reading the jokes in the register :)
These registers are also very useful to hikers; it helps knowing who's in front, how far / how fast they are. They can also be used to leave messages as well...even personal message for those who know how to read them. It's just great.
The register in Tehachapi's post office is rather light...i think everybody choses Mojave instead for resupply. Strange because Tehachapi is getting better every year. Yogi needs to update her guide. No internet cafe - it closed down - but the libray offers internet, the Kmart offers internet; hell, even the burger joint has two computers!
I even got a ride from the P.O to downtown this morning - someone saw me limping around with my resupply box and offered me a ride back to downtown. Now i inspire pity; that's just great.
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Date: 2007-06-25 17:07:46
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I wish I would be in Kennedy Meadows just about...now. But I'm not. On the other hand so much can happen in the next three months. Patience...the taste of time & the test of time. (I don't really expect anybody to understand what I just wrote. I'm just going mental I think...no biggie)
I had mixed feelings about friendship and what I would call a deeper state of mutual / respective fondness towards some closer friends (talk about circumvolution)
On one hand this could be a powerful force and incentive to be and remain on the trail - although it's hard to imagine doing this for someone else than myself.
On the other hand, missing my friends could be anti-productive; it could increase my incentive to stop here, go back to Denver and you know...enjoy the many pleasure the city has to offer accompanied by the circumvolution cited above :-)
Of course, since they are my friends, they know what I'm all about and therefore understand that keeping me from 'flying' would represent a denial of our friendship.
I say that partly because eventually I might move to Mountain View, CA...even though I'm so so fond of Denver, CO. I know I will have a hard time trading the latter for the former. Is there even such a thing as 'Downtown' Mountain View???? I doubt it :(
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Date: 2007-06-25 17:13:44
Location: Tehachapi, CA
Title: Tehachapi, CA - Last post
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | 'Rambo' just left...back to Oregon. I'm on my own. Cool. I like that too.
One way or another I'll probably take some rest in Kennedy Meadows which probably has no internet access. Next posts will therefore be from Independence, CA
Don't hold your breath.
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Date: 2007-07-03 11:25:44
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Kennedy Meadows is an interesting place; for hikers it is only a general store (the town is farther and hikers don't go there). No power anywhere near; if you want some you make your own. So everybody seems to have a combination of diesel power generator, solar panels and windmills...
The store makes the greatest burgers (thank god) and has a great selection of Ben&Jerry...they know hikers well.
Outside shower for $2 - Laundry for $2 - They hold resupply boxes for $2 - it's heaven.
The most surprising though is the trailer parked 100 yards from there...it is equipped with three laptops and a satellite internet connection!!! And it's free!!!
Lots of stuff going on also; tractor parade, poker horse run and other stuff.
Going down the road I can see some fiber optical cable on the side...I think it would be a great place to buy some land. it's gonna grow fast. The General Store is actually for sell.
anyway, that's where I am.
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Date: 2007-07-03 11:29:28
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I thought I would count the number of people I met on the trail – at least the one I spoke to for more than 30 seconds…forty thru-hikers so far.
I was expecting twenty or so but no…I was able to name and picture forty hikers.
I chose the PCT over the Appalachian trail thinking the latter would be too much of a social experience…I can’t imagine how it would have been – probably not good.
That being said, as a ‘social experience’ I would say the PCT has been great so far and this mainly because of the character of the people met on the trail. I wouldn’t say I could be friends with all of them – far from that actually – but we do get along pretty well.
Enough on the subject for now – I still hate people anyway; no change there. They always seem to be the source of all my problems even when they are just trying to be nice…even more so sometime.
My biggest fear when I started was that I thought I would not be able to enjoy the different places I’d pass thru because of the tight schedule required for this hike.
The problems I had and still have forced me to take it slow and I actually get to enjoy those places much more than most hikers on this trail.
Message to John and Spinning Jenny – you guys totally missed out on the food at KM!!! The food was excellent. By far the best food in two months; bbq chicken, wings, marinated beef and other really good things…the apple pie wasn’t too bad either :-) although the vanilla ice cream wasn’t made with real vanilla…I can spot that from miles away. $5 for eggs, bacon, sausage, blueberry pancakes, fruit salad, coffee and OJ the next day wasn’t too bad either I must say.
That’s my kind of hike; would be perfect if it wasn’t for all the walking. Although I really need to get out…soon, waiting here is going to be more painful than hiking with that stupid pack.
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Date: 2007-07-03 11:41:01
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Got to see Cholla (got his trail name from sitting on one; ouch), Angie (without her dog 'Mamma' this time), John, Spinning Jenny and Canyon father and son here in KM. Went fly fishing with Canyon 1 and 2 yesterday...no luck; stupid trouts wouldn't go for that fake fly; got myself a double cheese b with bacon after that and some ice cream.
I'm digging my way through the freezer trying every single flavor of Ben&Jerry there is...I really need to leave soon.
'Happy' showed up yesterday and left right away. A hiker from Denver (Bryan?) arrived - I'm surprised there are still people down south on the trail. It's getting late. Although Bryan apparently only hiked 200 miles so far...we call that a jumper :-)
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Date: 2007-07-03 12:01:49
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Some might wonder why I don't talk about the trail. I'm not sure actually.
I would say that since everything that happens on the trail is related to people it only makes sense that I talk about people. The trail itself is like any other trail; it goes up and down a lot. Goes around hills and on top of mountains (Baden Powell among others.) The trail was dry and will remain dry for the next 60 miles or so...after that it's the 'real sierras'...finally.
Blue sky for the past two months pretty much. I got some very light rain on day three but that's about it. Cowboy camping every night.
I'm passing near Mt Whitney soon. I thought about going on top of it (and of course Mt Muir and Mt Russel nearby); three fourteeners in a day is tempting but I would have to carry an extra day of food...I'm not sure it fits in my bear bag also. I'll probably pass...
Stories about the trail? Everybody has some by now which makes the gatherings of hikers even more fun. However most of these stories (and the stories told by the 'locals'
) are not meant to be written. They are meant to be told around campfires and possibly hookahs, bongs and lines of c...not written really.
Just before Baden Powell I was camping on the side of the road that had been closed for years - Tuff Guy was around too - and at 10pm or so a car stops a few hundred feet away. The two guys from the car talk for a while and I stay silent; who knows what they're up to.
Bang. One shot in the dark. Those guys are firing a gun. What direction? That I wouldn't know but i can tell you that I was lying really really flat on my sleeping pad. After a comment from one guy saying that that was the most powerful gun he had ever shot they went back to their car and left a moment after that...
I went back to sleep then.
I think there's gonna be more of these stories in the next few months.
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Date: 2007-07-04 19:39:48
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | The plebs against the overman
I guess one way to look at this is to wonder; how much can we help others versus how much harm can we do. There’s no doubt that a community of men is better fitted for survival than a man alone but what should be the size of the community? Are two persons a community? I would say so. Twenty million people can represent a community as well. Is there such a thing as a critical mass for a community under which the resulting lack of talents, efficiency and overall diversity can endanger the community itself? On the other hand an oversized community will be more likely to bring more competition and therefore a sense of unfairness from the so-called ‘have-not’ toward the ‘have’. With diversity grows jalousie. I’m certainly not saying that there’s any legitimacy in that feeling of unfairness but the existence of that feeling can certainly not be ignored when it is obviously one of the main sources of conflict – regional, national and one could also add ‘international’ here; even though historically war have rarely been triggered by the poorest (the source of jealousy) one can certainly see terrorism as a way for the poorest to fight the object of their jealousy and this, with an unfortunate efficiency thanks to those blindly siding with David against Goliath regardless of facts. Too big a community would also increase the complexity of management and will increase the leaders’ incentive to level the playing field in all matters under the assumption that by reducing the diversity (anything from organized education to nationalism and of course over-centralization) one simplifies the task of management.
One way to reduce the problem is of course federalism – a comparison between the US and Russia – two of the richest ‘unified political area’ on the planet as far as natural resources are concerned suffice. One contributes for more than twenty percents of the world’s creation (wealth and other things) – the other is stuck in a state of survival contributing close to nothing.
If federalism reduces the problem it certainly doesn’t erase it. If we consider knowledge to be the key of survival, we must consider the work of those who participate to the discovery of that knowledge. Discovery comes from the process of research, analysis and therefore thinking which by its nature is an individual activity; there’s no such thing as ‘mutual-thinking’ or ‘co-thinking’. A community should therefore be careful not crushing the motor of creation lest to destroy its own means of survival. The permanent struggle between communities of all political colors against individuality – here, think all behavior in disagreement of the mass – seems to exemplify the problem rather well.
Quite ironically we have to realize that the key to survival for both – in the war opposing community and individuality – lies in the hand of its archenemy.
Even more ironic is the fact that community fixes the rules for all including individuals while individuals have always been – and will always be – free to set the price for the product of their work. To force someone to ‘think‘ is always a losing strategy - examples of those failures can be found in private businesses and in past political failures from many dictatorships; national socialists and communists alike.
I started by stating that a community was better suited for survival but that certainly doesn’t mean that an individual would not stand a chance. On the other hand, looking at the source of all creation in the current state of our world, looking at those numerous countries owing their living – and therefore their lives – to these creations, I will not hesitate and claim that community without creation doesn’t stand a chance.
I’m siding with Goliath – ironically.
David
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Date: 2007-07-04 19:43:15
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I actually met someone on the trail who replied to me once (we were talking about the PCT) ‘how would that make you a better person?’
I was dumbfounded and others were too…
Well, obviously hiking such distances makes one physically stronger. It’s a quality right?
Then hiking for months makes one psychologically stronger. That’s a good thing too I think…Also, meeting other people, learning from their experience and from their examples tend to increase ones’ personal knowledge. I’m not sure what her impression about the trail was and maybe the disagreement was on the ‘better person’ thing. I meet people from time to time who seem to have problems understanding the difference between good and bad…who knows?
Strange but I think some people are not hiking the same hike.
It might not be such a surprise but couples on the trail behave the same here than in the context of their ‘normal’ life. It’s striking really. By looking at them, one can definitely tell if the couple was formed (and is based) on the premise of ‘equality’; in that case the symbiosis / harmony is quite obvious and they seem to enjoy the trail quite a lot.
Other couple’s foundation seems to be ‘one strong and the other follows’. In that case things tend to go awry…on the trail at least from what I can tell.
What about the couples formed on the trail you ask? I’m as curious as you are (and a bit jealous too)…time will tell.
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Date: 2007-07-04 19:46:58
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 7
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Ben&Jerry flavor of the day is Turtle Soup; yep, this baby goes right on top of the list :)
I told J that one of the very positive thing for me hiking the PCT was that it helped me figure out who, among the people revolving around me, could be called ‘a friend’ and conversely who was just ‘dead meat’ (I know it’s a little blunt but you get the point and that’s all that matters really for now)
To simplify, my point was; my friends will be curious about my adventure. Others won’t care.
One thing I’ve done in the past and will certainly do again in the future is just that; from time to time, I look around and ask myself the question; who seems to care. For instance, those who don’t write, don’t call, don’t send email and so on – basically those who run away from any sort of interaction – are out. By that I mean that they will have a hard time contacting me afterward and I’m no longer the one who’s gonna make the extra mile.
Trust me; I’ve done that a few times and I’m not looking back.
Anyway. J had a good argument against that. Being quite dedicated to her work, she sometime doesn’t respond to any communication attempt from her friends for several months but that, she argues, doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about them…good point.
From here let’s see where we can go…
First I’d like to say a few words about friendship. Myspace and other website – and I think that’s an unfortunate common trend elsewhere too - make the assumption that friendship can pretty much be measured based on the number of ‘interests’ two persons have in common. Stupid. I have friends who are totally into movies and I’ve never seen any movie from Federico Fellini. I hate movies actually. On the other hand I have friends who couldn’t cook an egg to save their lives.
Turns out, friendship requires interaction and not the enumeration of common interests. My interests are hiking, baking pastries, software development, photography, reading & writing and this in no particular order. However, most of the time, I do other things and regardless of that, one would have a hard time ‘reading me’ thru this short list of my interests.
People change. One gets married. Another has a kid. Some other one will move to a foreign country and so on. These interests change as time goes by. If we are serious about the qualification of ‘friendship’ and are selective we can’t, at the same time, discard the changes that happened in one’s friend’s life. Let’s avoid contradictions; what we care about – our interests – are volitional choices and as such they define our identity / personality upon which we are judged and potentially declared ‘friend’ by others.
Here I could already make the point that interaction is a requirement not only at the onset of friendship but also during the lifetime of the friendship itself.
What do you expect from friendship? Is a friend just another name written down somewhere in a notebook? One more number in your phone? There’s got to be more than that. What people expect from their friends is again interaction; we want to share with them the most important moment in our life. The reason, here again, is that these moments are the most defining of our own identity.
I do believe therefore that my expectations were – and are – certainly not misplaced. I expect my friends to be supportive or at least present and I discard those who are neither.
As a side note I have to say that I had a few good surprises when starting this hike. Some people were and are incredibly supportive and eager to help me in any possible way. Some other barely noticed my absence. Overall I would say it has already been a quite interesting experience.
J -> I will be more than happy to hear any counter arguments you might have and be glad to come back to that subject anytime you wish :)
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Date: 2007-07-06 15:06:38
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 8
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Achilles tendon feels slightly better...I'm still having problem going up which is kind of a problem since the trail after KM climbs 4500 feet in the next 20 miles. Hopefully I'll leave this place next week.
One more thing I wanted to add about the previous post (KM 7) on the requirement of interaction and friendship.
It reminded me of a scene from the movie Closer. Dan screwed up (again) and is about to lose Alice. They are in a hotel...
Dan: I love you.
Alice: Where?
Dan: What?
Alice: Show me! Where is this love? I can't see it. I can't touch it. I can't feel it.
ok you caught me...I guess I saw that movie one to many time ;-)
Anyway, my point is; without interaction - regardless of the deepness of the feeling involved - one could very well receive the response; Where is it??
Friendship - like love - is not a state. It requires and involves action.
It's interesting to note that even though the English language provides for both:
I love you (verb - concept of action)
I'm in love with you (noun - concept of attribute)
The French language allows only one form; the form of action. The other form disappeared from the common language and the use of it would seem old-fashioned even to a WW1 veteran. That being said I'm no expert in that regard.
Anyway, here's a website from some other hikers who just left Kennedy Meadows...
http://www.beardquest.com
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Date: 2007-07-06 16:54:17
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 9
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I got depressed again a few days ago. It struck me right when SpinningJenny and John were about to head out. I left the patio – and the cheerful event gathering twenty people or so at that time – and went away on the other side of the road. There I stayed for half an hour with one recurring thought; I do not belong. I do not belong. I do not belong.
I kept looking at those hills and at the crowd…from both sights, the same thought; I do not belong.
Strange. To know yourself implies a more detailed look at your idiosyncrasies. This closer view triggers a better understanding of the differences between you and the rest.
Actually the mechanism is the same for the understating of concept; 1) something is 2) the thing that is is somehow different 3) the things that are different have common attributes
(To sum up; Perception, differentiation, integration and only finally conceptualization.)
To put it slightly differently; to understand yourself is to understand how different you are. One understanding can only exist with the other.
On the other hand everything in our society screams that we need to fit in; somehow.
How can one belongs if every piece of knowledge he gathers about himself increases the consciousness of being different from others? Is there something absolutely contradictory in our very nature is there something wrong with our society? The answer is easy…
Where does this need for belonging come from?
We look up to others and we need models. I already stated somewhere that the best thing – and the only thing really - one can do for others is to set an example.
We used to have heroes; Ulysses, Hercule, Siegfried whatever. More recently we could name Michael Schumacher, Clint Eastwood or Cindy Crawford. These are symbols but most importantly they are goals. In their respective area, they represented and defined a standard and every future challenger will be judged based on those standards.
Nothing wrong with that. One can have a model and spend his life reaching out; he will eventually become his own person whether he achieve his goal or not. Those standards are so high that most likely the whole population of a country will in the long run find its place somewhere and this in more than one area.
But what if there is only one standard? What if – instead of being out of reach from most (elitism) – this standard is set so it can be reached by a majority (populism)?
If Capitalism brought Romanticism – and the cult of hero - to life in the 19th century we can certainly say that Socialism killed it.
Honestly, take a look at today’s model. Paris Hilton. I do think that our society reached a new low recently. She’s not an actress, not a singer and not a fashion model. She doesn’t host any well-known TV show. I think it’s only fair to say that she’s absolutely nothing…and still; she’s there.
Media and democratic government have the same goals; they reach out for the majority and the best way to do it for the former is to pervert the concept of hero and create a fake that can be used as an example to be reached by all without any sort of effort. Again, as for government’s propaganda, the motto is ‘the lower the better’.
There’s no doubt that the danger of the original cult of the hero – romanticism – was to bring frustration but the side effect of this was the acceptance of difference. The goal being unreachable for most, tolerance, the acceptance of failure was in order.
The danger of this anti-hero trend is that it allows the majority to fit in without effort. The majority well ensconced in its newly and easily acquired confidence can therefore declare unfit those who have chosen another path. Since, as stated above, to know yourself is to grasp how different you are, those who follow the path of knowledge in that regard, the outcasts, are doomed to live a life of contradiction. Welcome to hell.
I could add a few words on one fundamental difference between governments and media; a government is bound by its nature to be monopolistic; media could certainly be more diversified. They're not. I'll try to think about it...now I need ice cream.
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Date: 2007-07-08 16:02:00
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 10
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | There's just one thing really wrong with this place (Kennedy Meadows I mean); they don't sell any sort of hard liquor if you can believe that...
How am i supposed to write anything if I'm sober???
Look back at these lost years
And wonder how and why
Was it just out of fear
You were living a lie?
Facing all those crossroads
What did you think and feel?
You fool increased your load
Though time was on your heel!
Now burdened and victimized
Each day adding to the pain
Once more you cry and hide;
For another chance has been slain
How long will it take
For you to realize
That your life is at stake?
Certainly it’s no surprise!
Often you’ve been told so
Again year after year
Older you would grow
Was the warning unclear?
I’ve seen those wasted years
Though they are behind me
For I’ve whipped my tears
And fought my enemy
The fight took its toll
And cost me much time
I almost lost my soul
But soon victory was mine
Don’t be envious of me
For we are but the same
I am as you could be
Free and proud of my name
So fight now as I did
And act without fear
Of this war take the lead
Without wasting another year.
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Date: 2007-07-08 16:46:23
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 11
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Kennedy Meadows
The name itself is incredibly meaningful for PCT hikers even before the start;
It's the end of Southern California, of the desert. No need to carry 8 liters of water on top of the rest. No more rattle snakes!
It's the beginning of the Sierra Nevada. Soon the trail reaches 10000 feet and stay above for a while. From here on, we're in bear country so we need to put everything that smells (expect ourselves) in a bear canister of some sort.
It's about 1/4 of the way to Canada.
It's supposed to be colder so most hikers receive their winter gear here. Of course I'm a bit late - it's 100 degree in Kennedy Meadows - so I'm not taking any winter gear. I won't be worried about rain until a least Northern California or possible Oregon.
My next stop is a Ranch (Muir Trail Ranch) which offers absolutely no facilities for hikers. I'll give them $45 in exchange of my resupply box and leave. After that the next stop is Tuolumne Meadows. I will cross two national parks during this stretch (Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park) - no shower - no road - no way out for the next 240 miles.
I will pass by the Ansel Adams Wilderness and follow the John Muir Trail (supposedly the nicest trail in the US if we are to believe some hikers...) for 150 miles or so...
Also, the trail passes near (9 miles away I think) the highest peak in the lower 48; Mt Whitney - Sadly I won't climb it except if for some reason my 'Achilles tendonitis' leaves me alone - so to speak - before I leave next week...which I doubt.
Lots and lots of photo opportunities for the next two weeks.
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Date: 2007-07-08 16:50:39
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Post 12
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | There's this joke on the board at the Kennedy Meadows General Store...I can't resist; I have to post it :-)
The Montana State Department of Fish and Wildlife is advising golfers to take extra precautions and be on the alert for bears while in the Gallatin, Helena and Lewis and Clark National Forests golf courses.
They advise golfers to wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert, but not startle the bears unexpectedly.
They also advise you to carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear. It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bear activity.
Golfers should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings on the golf course. Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly squirrel fur.
Grizzly bear droppings have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.
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Date: 2007-07-11 18:15:17
Location: Kennedy Meadows, CA
Title: Kennedy Meadows, CA - Last Post
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | A bit of everything...
Tomorrow is the day. I'm finally leaving KM. The locals started making jokes about me; supposedly I've been living around here for longer than most of them. :-) so I guess it's time to go...
They had a bake sell last week. Didn't go as well as planned so they ended up putting all those cakes in the freezer for those poor PCT hikers. Of course, since i'm the only one left... ;-) Pecan pie, banana cake, chocolate cake, cookies...I'm still working on that fridge but it's hard you know...there's only so much I can eat.
Books I've read while resting (KM doesn't have a very extensive library I'm afraid):
- The Servants of Twilight - Dean Koontz (Sub Stephen King if that's possible)
- The Hollow Men - Dan Simmons (From a hollow writer. An insult to T.S Eliot I should add)
- Hell's Kitchen - Jeffery Deaver (Excellent. I'm loving it. I need to go to NYC)
All the passes in the high sierras were closed last week because of a fire west of Independence, CA. Some hikers were forced to get out of the trail which totally sucks of course. I'm not sure yet who got thru...
I'll try anyway. The fire seems to be 82% contained (updated this morning) - it's really nowhere near the PCT so I'm not sure what's up with that. I'll try anyway.
I don't think I will have internet access at Muir Trail Ranch, Tuolumne Meadows or Echo Lake. But who knows...after all, I'm sitting inside a trailer who doesn't even have power but runs 3 laptops and an internet satellite dish on solar panels. There's hope.
Possible next update then at Sierra City but that's very very far ahead...mile 1200 (in 500 miles)
I'm sure I'll have some good stories about black bears trying to eat my food but most importantly I will finally get some 10000+ feet action. It's about time.
(Private joke; I'll try not to think about Weeds and the quote 'You can't miss the bear' when seeing my first bear...that would just make me laugh.)
The one thing I've learned so far is that I will never ever ever live in Southern California. Ever. 105 degrees and people going 'oh, 105? it's finally cooling down then...' - wrong.
Remember what they say; 'No news is good news.'
On the other hand they also say 'Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration' and so far I'm not sure that's true...
df
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Date: 2007-08-23 19:30:27
Location: Sierra City, CA
Title: Sierra City - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I’ve been aware of the paradox created by the fact that, even though my strongest desire is to be in Denver, I find myself out here, missing my friends. I could certainly take the next flight to Denver, CO but of course I won’t. That’s one of the difficulties of this trail…many reasons to stop and still, we have to keep pushing. This paradox became even more evident recently as my very good friend (and resupply master for this trip) Bryan suffered a severe motorcycle accident. Fractures on both legs, arm, ribs…you name it. I don’t even know the details really; not that it would change anything.
My box was missing at Tuolumne Meadows and I had a very bad feeling about what it could mean…carried that bad feeling for 250 miles ‘til Echo Lake where I got the news. Sorry my intuition was correct. Seriously Bryan you might want to revisit that 2 wheeler thing you had going on…I know they say ‘Third time’s a charm’ but I don’t want to see you verify that theory in any possible way. Just buy a freaking hummer H2 and put a sticker on it that says; ‘what’s the use of a global warming if I’m not around to enjoy it’ or maybe ‘Fight the Global Warming; turn on the AC’…something like that.
Anyway, get better.
Now with Enzo as resupply apprentice (you’ve got to earn those stars man) I have to brace myself opening each box; I swear Enzo, Pizza Margerita and Cannoli don’t make for good hiker food. Actually they probably do but not on the trail anyway. I’ll definitely cut you some slack on the Amaretto though…
Thanks, thanks, thanks a thousand thanks Stacey for sending me those cookies on the trail at Tuolumne!!! It was quite a treat indeed (nice packaging too) you’re the best. Joseph, you’re a lucky man.
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Date: 2007-08-24 09:41:07
Location: Sierra City, CA
Title: Sierra City - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | It’s been a while…sorry about that; was doing a bit of hiking :-)
I guess I should sum up. After Kennedy Meadows my next resupply was Muir Trail Ranch. This place is located in the middle of nowhere. They choose to charge forty five dollars to hold hiker’s resupply boxes. Other places charge two dollars. Not a place I would call ‘hiker friendly’. I used them for what they want to be used, paid the 45 dollars and was out in thirty minutes. I took a day off nearby at the hot springs. Got some rain all afternoon and got sick like never before for not filtering the water from the river…sucked.
From there my next resupply was Tuolumne Meadows. I had to stay there for 7 days camping near the store. I’m not sure what happened; physical collapse I guess would be accurate enough. Got better and took my chance to reach the next resupply at Echo Lake Resort…then a hundred more miles to reach Sierra City which is where I’m at.
Overall, about 490 miles since last time I think.
I did pass thru a place called Reds Meadows (it was almost on the trail) and got a double cheese burger, potato chips, Apple pie ‘a la mode’, beer, sodas, tons of coffee and free ice cream from the store (always important to get free stuff for PCT hikers). I also got a phone number from some people who were staying there in case I need anything when passing by Seattle. I’m not sure the trail goes there really but who knows…
Sierra City is mile 1194 – 225 inhabitants (small town, friendly, great food)
I finally got to take a shower (two weeks since the last one) and did some laundry (6 weeks since the last one) – I’ve never been so dirty. Should be better from now on…more small towns along the way. Next resupplies are Belden, Old Station, Castella and finally (for California) Seiad Valley
I should be done with crossing the state of California in about twenty five days. 1680 miles I think. For the first time I think I can actually make it and I feel good about that. That was one of my worries when I started; how would I react in case of failure? To be honest I would be fine with whatever at this point.
I don’t have much time to write unfortunately and that sucks because I have plenty to say. Just in case they kick me out of that computer I need at least to write down the title of these future posts:
- Later to M
- To the old liberal bitch from KM (very promising)
- A story about the trail starring a stranded couple, a ranger and myself
- A bear story
- A tree story (don’t ask)
- A text on people; nice ones and idiots
- A post on horses
- A booze story
- A post on fear
- A post on luck
- A small study on the perception and judgment of art using music as example (where is that one come from I have no idea)
I’m a ‘Bukowski’ kind of writer; I need to literally throw up these texts somehow before I can feel better and move on…
We’ll see what I can do in an hour or so.
I hated most of the trail thru the high sierras. I hated every inch of it really. The trail got better recently (for the past two weeks that is) so it’s not all that bad.
I gave up on the idea of carrying enough food. The sheer weight of the food makes me burn even more calories so that’s really a losing strategy. Instead I just carry about 1500 calories per day and burn 6000 or so. I lose ten pounds or more every ten days and then try to eat as much as I can when reaching a town or a small resort.
I did 26 miles the day before yesterday. I had two reasons for that; the first is a bit childish but I wanted to hike the distance of a marathon in one day…done. The other reason is that I wanted to get here early enough in the day. 10 hour hike out of a 12 hour day, not stopping uphill, almost racing downhill; it worked.
That being said it’s not something I would do every day. I can’t recover overnight from such an effort; not yet anyway. I think I can do ‘only’ 20 or 22 in a sustainable way for now.
There are a few hikers about 9 days ahead of me. If it wasn’t for my ridiculously long stay at Tuolumne I would be catching up on them; Seriously SJ and J, what are you doing? Can’t let a Frenchmen with two peg legs catching up on you like that!
OK, they are kicking me out...
later,
df
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Date: 2007-08-24 17:23:59
Location: Sierra City, CA
Title: Sierra City - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Some people have asked whether horses should be allowed on the trail or not. The reason for that is that the trail (especially the John Muir trail) is really a giant crapper.
Let me answer.
First 'to be allowed' implies that we are talking about a matter of law. Since law pertains to the definition of responsibilities it can only be applied to responsible entities. Last time I checked, horses were not willfully on the trail so obviously the subject of the law should be the people bringing horses.
Hikers being asked to follow a 'leave no trace' policy and knowing that the law should be the same for all (a law is a statement wherein the only variable is the subject to which the law is to be applied) it seems to be the answer to the original question is no unless they are ready to cope with the fact that horses cannot hike 100 yard without crapping wherever they stand.
The reason people choose the horse as subject is dishonest; they are betting on the emotional attachment most Americans have towards that animal. Since I'm French, I have no such attachment. For me a horse is very much like a cow; I'll have mine rare with French fries and Dijon mustard thank you very much.
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Date: 2007-08-24 17:42:39
Location: Sierra City, CA
Title: Sierra City - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... |
I've been quite disappointed with the trail as far as wild life is concerned. Crossing three national parks and several national forests in the past few weeks I think I barely saw ten or twelve deer, no mountain lions, no elks, no bears no nothing…until last week that is.
I was hiking in early afternoon a saw some bear droppings on the trail. I thought 'hum, for once it doesn't come from a cow or a horse; maybe I'll see something interesting…'
Ending that thought I looked up and see what? Not one bear but four! On the side of the trail about fifty yards in front of me!
I grabbed my camera of course and took a few photos. There were two giant black ones eating something off the ground, a female (brown) behind them and a tiny baby a few feet away hiding behind a tree.
I got closer of course but they heard me (I had the wind in my back). They raised their heads and looked in my direction for what was the longest second of my life. But they decided to take off perpendicularly to the trail thru the woods. The velocity of these animals when they run is absolutely amazing.
Anyway, I kept hiking and saw what they were eating; a cow.
Well, it actually took me a few seconds to understand that it was a cow...kind of hard to tell since it has probably been dead for quite some time. I have a nice shot of that too if you want.
As it turns out, the trail makes a switchback up after that place so I found myself a bit above the scene after a few minutes and saw the cowbell on the ground nearby an old bone (probably belonging to some other lucky cow I gather…) – nice composition so I took a photo of that too.
Now what's funny is that someone in Denver (who will remain anonymous) tried to convince me to wear a cowbell supposedly to scare the bear…
Well that doesn't seem to work very well does it!!?????
Come on Linda, why do you hate me?
Anyway, that's my bear story.
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Date: 2007-08-25 10:59:03
Location: Sierra City, CA
Title: Sierra City - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Dear M,
You asked me recently about the meaning of life. Well, I'm afraid I can't help you in that regard yet and it is unlikely that I will be able to do so even at the end of this adventure…
However, since we live in a physical world I suggest we follow the lead of 'Physics' – science of all science – and focus on the 'how' and not so much on the 'why'.
'How' is quite simple actually though it is certainly not easy.
First, 'Knowledge'
You have made many choices already and you will most certainly make even more in the future. Since 'choices' implies 'alternatives', 'knowledge' is the most important requirement of you life regarding its direction. Life will ask that you be the judge of many unforeseen situation. Therefore, how much knowledge is required? There is no answer to that question; the more, the better. Learn everything. Know everything. You will find that Nature will show herself quite generous and bring you many opportunities if you understand her well.
The second most important thing is rather more complicated to grasp and I'm afraid I have to go back in time a little. Not too long ago really, just a few million years; to the first of all man actually. This first man did something incredible once. His action was not fully understood back then and some seems to still have problems understanding the consequence of his decision. His action was as follow; her raised and walked (to hunt or fish we suppose). It was an incredible decision of course. This man knew nothing about Physics. He had no reason to believe that the ground would hold beneath his feet. He had no reasons to trust that the sky would remain high above his head. Still, he did rise and walk. The idea, the concept behind that was 'Investment'. The belief that the energy spent now would reward him later on. If he hadn't done so, humanity would have been the unfortunate stillborn of Mother Nature.
From this, two lessons can be taught. First, dare. Dare everything. Challenge and defy all. Most importantly, the unknown prerequisite of that man's action was the consistency of his surroundings. He didn't know that the laws of physics were to remain the same. We do. Consistency and stability are at the base of all investments. One won't be surprised to find that today's leading country in this world is also the one who chose the laws of nature (the one of physics therefore) as the base of his political foundation.
Unfortunately, we don't live exclusively in a physical world; we live in a political and social one as well. Politically, I won't say anything more today but there are a few things to be said as far as our social context. Stability is what you should require from all your friends. The universal law of equality requiring that you should provide to others what you ask from them, stability, integrity (truthfulness to your own values) should be your most important quality.
You will find many people fighting you on that. The reason is that most people around you choose to live a life of contradiction, a life of lies.
They will tell you that they don't support G.W. Bush but they do work and pay taxes in this country so in fact, they are supporting him regardless of their claim. They will tell you that their homeland is the nicest and the best place on earth; still they find themselves living somewhere else. They will tell you that Socialism is the key but live the more capitalistic country there is. They will tell you that the way of life of some unknown tribe in Africa is really the only valid one and still; they owe their life and their leaving to the latest achievement of science. The list of their contradictions is endless really and 'reason' and 'logic' – art of non-contradictory identification – will help you see these contradictions. Of course, in order to please these inner contradictions, these people cannot ever make a clear choice in any matter. The middle ground is really their only choice in all things because of that. Integrity therefore is not something they can afford. And they will hate you for that. They will scream like banshees telling you that you can't make choices like that, 'extreme' is the word they will use. They will tell you that life is not that simple. But of course, they won't have a point – hence the yelling.
You will ignore these persons, turn around and leave wondering – partly amused – what could be the middle ground between a good choice and a bad one.
I should stop here but as it turns out, people best qualities are also sometime their most preeminent weaknesses. Since you are quite a generous person I must therefore warn you on that as well...
Some people will tell you that generosity must be blind. That you shall help and not judge. This is an unfortunate mistake and a crime really.
To 'give' – like any other action should be judge on its consequences and not on the intent of the giver. To illustrate this; To give drug to a drug addict, to give alcohol to an alcoholic is certainly not a good thing. By giving a helping hand to person of different – or worst opposite – values you might end up financing your own and most dangerous enemies. History taught us that quite recently. Be consistent and give to the person who has chosen the same path. By helping someone who made the wrong choices, you would save him from a valuable lesson that otherwise Nature would have taught him. This man might even be misled into believing that his values are 'correct'. Most importantly – and since we mostly teach by example – another man passing by might be mislead in his turn and follow the example of that first man you have helped…then your burden will double. The laws of probability implies that more men will follow their lead instead of yours. I'm sure you understand now the incredible responsibility inherent to the concept of generosity in a complex society.
I'm afraid that's all I can say really. Concerning the meaning of life I will remind you of these words from Macbeth I believe; that life is but a tale, told by an idiot, signifying nothing. With that in mind, most likely, you won't be disappointed.
Love,
David
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:35:23
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | On fear
I sometime talk to people on the trail and most of the time, after the most common questions, a recurrent interrogation surface; “Are you doing this alone? Aren't you afraid?”
Ray Jardine, in his book 'lightweight backpacking' points out that the unfortunate trend for outdoor gear is mostly 'the stronger, the better'...the downside of the trend is the weight of course. My first pack was seven and a half pound and was pretty much bullet proof...but why? Why would I need that? My new pack from ula-equipment.com is 2.2 pounds and does exactly the same job. The reason for this trend is clear; the stronger implies more material, a more complex build and of course at the end, a higher price tag.
To sell the pack – and really it's the same for any piece of equipment the seller - and the marketing machine behind him – tells you that yes, you will need it, somehow nature is out there to get you...
This analysis from Jardine is quite true but it actually doesn't only apply to outdoor equipments. What I would qualify as a 'politic of fear' has been part of our society for quite some time. Intellectuals telling us; “hell is other people”, common lure that 'Man is a wolf (understand predator) to other Man' (it's a French saying), Political parties raising one side of the country against another side 'to divide and conquer' with the slight side effect that sometime one of the side take up arms - with more or less organization - against the enemy...the other side. 'Hannibal ante portas' said Cicero (well, in that case he was right I guess...)
I wish, politically, people wouldn't be so naïve as to buy this kind of propaganda and for once revolt against the seller himself...
Over the years, I've told a few people about Capitalism – since of course I am a Capitalist at least from the Objectivist point of view. The same response comes often; 'but what if there's one job and two people? Then it's unfair! It's one against the other!'...always this same politic of fear. Here the frauds are obvious. First, show me a country with one job really but mainly, people make choices, they follow different paths, have different interests, different desires and learn different things. The result of that is that one of them will be more fit to do the job than the other and this is what is important. Most importantly we see that the employer himself was removed from the equation – that negation of the employer actually tells us quite clearly where that piece of propaganda comes from. We note that those selling fear – leftists - in that case are the same selling protection; really interesting...
The employer should be sole judge for this need. The fact that this is no longer true actually tells us how corrupted our societies are already.
If you want a new door for your house and go to the store, will you believe that somehow windows are jealous? If you choose one specific door will you believe that somehow it's unfair to other doors?
It is also for that reason that I have chosen to take a few steps back for a few months at least; to take a closer look at what is important; my need and my desire, outside the context of fear, far from the white noise.
Society tells us that we have one chance only; we need to build our house...career, wife, kids and everything that goes with it from the SUV to the almost obligated trip abroad to show to others how broadminded we are...
I've seen men living lives that were but shacks. Those men hoped that their shacks would stand still another year and not crumble on them...let's wait, until the kids are old enough...or other wrong reasons really.
I've torn down my house...many times and recently once more. It just didn't feel right. I have no fear really. Why should I? I'm in no hurry really. I just want something that fits me. Nothing big really. Just a small place of peace and tranquility.
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:36:09
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | A booze story
I told M. that I would have a drink on her...for her birthday; turning 21 in this country calls for celebration really. Of course, since I was at Kennedy Meadows at the time, it was a difficult promise to keep; The general store doesn't sell any hard liquor. So I asked around, to the 'up to no good' but friendly crowd that usually hangs out here after hours...it didn't take long before I got the name of someone who could help me out. His name was Bob – easy enough.
The next day Bob passed by the store carrying a gigantic bottle (something like two gallons) under one arm and asked around to see where was that French guy...I was on the patio of the general store, eating of course, and Bob sat down, placed two shot glasses on the table and started pouring the liquor from that bottle who seemed to be older than he was...and we drank.
OH MY GOD GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!!
This thing was strong by all standards – I would say somewhere around 120 and 140 proof – but in was incredibly sweet still and pretty much tasted like oak. Bob looked at me with a big smile on his face launching a happy; 'Not bad, huh? It's my best work...' he was really quite proud about 'his work' – with good reason – and since he had made so many liters over the years and couldn't keep up – drink wise – was always happy to share this delicious beverage (single barrel bourbon by the way).
I told him why I was looking for it and asked him if I could buy some from him. He insisted on filling up the small bottle I had brought and refused to take any money from me; my appreciation was his reward he said happily.
So yes, even from the trail, I had a drink on you to celebrate your Birthday on July 13th...and a few more after that.
Afterthoughts
I met many people on this trail – or near it – who actually either brew their own beer or distilled their own alcohol and I think I'm gonna do that as soon as I am done with this trail. I'm not sure how legal that is really but it seems like in California pretty much everything is considered legal as long as you don't get caught...
And I actually think I will like the work itself for the same reason I enjoy darkroom work; with my job, I miss the manual work, I need to be in physical contact with my creations somehow...How great would that be to turn 50 and drink that twelve year old homemade bourbon!!!
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:36:51
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | To the old liberal bitch from KM
I've been resting for an hour and I start packing up my things when I see them arriving on the trail; 'damn' I think. I hate being behind other hikers...even more so behind them. I start hiking and in a few minutes find myself stuck behind the four of them. They are incredibly slow. The trail is narrow and goes up so I can't really pass...that's when I hear her. She goes; 'do you believe that young man – that would be me – listening to his ipod, on the trail?'...'he can't even hear the birds!!' and 'blah, blah, blah...' she goes on and on about it for two good minutes before finally shutting her pie-hole. We finally reach the top of the hill and I pass them without a word.
Yes I am listening to music on the trail.
First of all, let's not pretend we're doing the same thing; I'm out here to hike close to three thousand miles and you're there for the week and really, as far as the trail is concerned, there are not that many birds in freaking southern California. Trust me, when reaching Hiker town, looking at that forty miles stretch of dirt in front of them, many hikers thought 'why in hell did I leave my 6 ounces ipod at home?' Beside, ever heard a stellar jay? That thing would make a crow sound nice by comparison.
Also, even though I'm sure the ability of that brainless tweety to sing three note in a loop can satisfy the entire spectrum of your auditory capabilities, some of us actually feel the need for a bit more...Did you know that some humans actually came to perfect the art of singing for quite some time now? Ever heard Emma Kirkby? Give it a try some time...you'd be surprised.
I met her in Kennedy Meadows earlier that day. After the usual exchange of names I said – as always - that I was originally from Paris, France and that I have been living in Denver, CO for five years...
- 'The worst five years!!' she explodes.
How come Liberals always feel obligated to throw up at me their political fanaticism with such an incredible amount of self righteousness? I mean; I understand that in a country where pretty much eighty percent of the media are obviously biased to the left there could be some misinterpretation and that the most naïves might even come to think for a while that this trend is somehow representative of the political balance of this country but after the two past national elections I would assume that the point was clear. More than fifty percent voted for the opposite party if I remember well. Beside, as mentioned in another post, out here, you find mainly people who are ready to face Nature without the help of a government behind them to save their asses in case of trouble. The opposite assumption as far as their political stance is concerned might be wise in the future. Should I mention here that you old thing is carrying a five pound satellite phone on the trail? Always this need for external help; I'm sure everybody gets the symbolism, it's painfully obvious. I still can't believe you dare use it in the middle of a meadow a few miles later to order some gear from REI. What was wrong? The color of your tarp didn't match your lipstick?
It's even worse for me being French. Liberals always believe that because of that, I must be a leftist, somehow. Well no, I'm a Libertarian. I hate both left and right equally but for some reason those insufferable political eruptions always seem to come from the same side. By the way, Europe has been slowly turning right for almost two decades; they got about a hundred million reasons to do so during the last century - and as far as France is concerned, they've had a conservative government for twelve years and just signed up for five more so here again, concerning the political beliefs of the French, the smart money would be on the opposite assumption. Even a better idea; why don't you shut up and keep your belief for the next election? Maybe the Liberals won't show up with an absolute moron this time? Getting your ass kicked by a good candidate is one thing but by Bush? Seriously? Nothing to be proud of really.
A text on people; nice ones and idiots
I met a few nice people on the trail...a couple met before Crabtree Meadow who gave me some food – The guy had hiked the PCT in 1976; must have been wild back them. I met Norman (Scottish guy) just before Forester Pass. He told me a lot about the trail in front of me...in French. Nice accent. We stood there talking for fifteen minutes at the bottom of this giant wall that is Forester Pass. I also met this great girl at Crabtree Meadow who was all cute and smiley and super nice to me...I tried to convince her to hike the PCT but she turned east and went to Whitney instead. Who's that Whitney who gets all the cute hikers anyway??? Ok, I'm jealous of a fourteen thousand foot mountain; that's not weird.
Anyway,
I'm met this idiot at Muir Trail Ranch; The guy couldn't stop bragging about his hiking skills and went on and on for thirty minutes. After a while he said that he wouldn't hike the PCT northbound because it was too crowded; he would do it southbound.
Well, first of all, after a thousand miles or so the barely three hundred thru-hikers still on the trail are scattered on a 1700 miles line; not something we would usually call a crowd but beside, let me get this straight; You're on the PCT, not hiking the PCT, complaining that it is too crowded??? Here's a thought; why don't you get your ass out of the trail, grow some balls and come back next year for the real thing? How about that?
The award of the most absolute jerk however as to be given to another...I was near a lake – can't remember which one really but the trail was near a highway which is something that always brings many people (because of the easy access obviously). I decided to rest there so I put my solar panel under the sun to recharge my ipod and the battery of my camera and put myself in the shade under some trees nearby. This absolute piece of shit that certainly doesn't qualify as human by all standards showed up with his girl friend, passed by my solar panel, grabbed the all thing without even stopping for one tenth of a second saying 'hey, someone forgot his solar panel, how cool...' then he stopped right there finally seeing me under the tree and launched a pathetic 'oh, sorry, I didn't see you hiding there, is that yours?'.
I don't think at this point my skills and knowledge of the English language can even start to translate the amount of absolute hatred that I feel toward this absolute scum but I think that if I were to ever come close to kill someone, it would be someone like that; someone without any considerations for others and for their properties.
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:37:41
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... |
On Luck
Many people – close to me or sometime complete strangers – told me I was lucky; either to be here in the States or more recently to be on this trail. Well, let me see...
1968, Montfermeil. That's where I am born. The world heard the name of this town a few years ago because of some events that have been described has 'riots' and sometime 'revolts'. It wasn't that bad when I was living there; it was just bad. It wasn't meant to be that way though. Bad political decisions over many years were responsible for the decay of this town...so I left as soon as I could. Not too far first; barely a few miles, to a better city. Then I moved again, to a even better one and a bigger apartment in a better suburb. It was a bit too far from Paris so I moved again, then finally one more time to the western suburb – the richest – in my own nice apartment. I even had a small garden there.
I could have told her yes. Not many people know that actually. She was a nice Franco Spanish girl and most of my friend thought that I would be lucky to 'have' her...I guess I didn't feel like following my luck. I saw my life, in the Parisian suburb with a wife and some kids...I just didn't want that. So I said...you know...no.
I 'worked' my English for two years and got a job in the Silicon Valley, CA. By the time I received my visa the company was laying off everybody and I didn't get to go...so I quit immediately and got another job. This time it worked and I was finally in the States. I sold my apartment, my car, my furniture – gave away most of them actually – turned my back to my mother tongue, my culture, my family and my friends and walked away thinking then what I still think today; that I will never go back.
But that company did a lousy job on my visa and I eventually got denied the entrance of the United States. I flew from Paris to Dallas, TX and spent four hours between cops and militaries. The latter finally walked me back to the gate and put me on a plane back to Paris. How do you think I felt walking between those two guys in an overcrowded airport full of people staring at me wondering what kind of a person I must be to deserve such a royal treatment? Lucky? Try again.
I eventually quit that job even though my stay in the U.S was depending on it and got another one...I quit that one too after a few years, left my car, my apartment, my furniture, my car; everything.
The trail crosses a stream – the last one for a long time - goes up and finally leaves the tree-line behind. The mountain is bare really save for a few flowers here and there. The trail joins a jeep road and keeps going up...then leaves the jeep road behind. Most hikers reading this already remember that place by now; I'm about fourteen miles from Sonora pass. The change of landscape, of scenery is incredible; I leave the High Sierras and the granite behind and in barely a few miles enter a volcanic area; a very young earth really...The PCT doesn't really go all the way to the top but I can't stop...the view is so amazing, so spectacular at almost eleven thousand feet that I want more so I follow a trail all the way up the mountain not even taking the time to drop my pack or stop for one second to catch up my breath. The wind blows strongly and is incredibly cold; I feel like my head might explode any minutes but I couldn't care less really. I have a 360 degree view from up there...this is so exhilarating. I look back south and see the whole Sierras. I can't believe I just crossed all this. It took me many steps to get here and none of those was more important than the others. All of them have participated to the same goal and that's really what's important here. When I look back, that's really all I see.
You think that might be luck because you see the present; my reality but there's really no way to support that judgment. Instead of looking at the present, at my feet, at my location, please try to look at the goal and the mechanism – the wheel so to speak – and understand the link between the aim and the means.
It wasn't luck, it was consistency from the beginning; as far as the eye can see...and a bit farther; it was freewill at work.
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:38:50
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | A Tree Story
I met Morgan “Goat” (British guy) at Muir Trail Ranch. He actually arrived about an hour before me or so and get to setup camp first. After picking up my resupply box I passed by one of the campsite nearby, dropped my pack there and went directly to the hot springs. I knew he would be there. It's just a matter of priority and there's no food around so...
We got to talk a little during the two hours we spent in there. He was the last one to start the PCT this year because of his PHD (Los Angeles). One of these intellectual people who wants to do physical stuff; I just don't get that. Anyway, he actually passed by Mojave on July 4th carrying 10 liters in his pack plus one four-liter jug in each hand and had an umbrella taped to his hat...I so a photo; quite funny.
Donna Sauffley (Trail angel from Agua Dulce) tried to talk him out of passing the desert but that didn't work so she called several trail angels along the PCT telling them that 'there was one more on the trail' and that they needed to refill and keep maintaining their water caches.
Anyway, after two hours in the hot spring and twenty second in the supposedly warm lake (but really freaking cold) nearby, 'Goat' told me where he was camping and proposed that I should join him for 'dinner' and some evening talk about the trail. He was the first thru-hiker I was seeing for a while so I thought sure...why not?
Back to my campsite, I grabbed my pack, walked to the place where 'Goat' was camping – barely fifty feet away but a bit higher and we started cooking our respective dinner. Barely twenty minutes in we hear a gigantic noise of branches, tree or something and I turn around and see...a tree had just collapsed in the middle of the campsite where I had originally dropped my pack. So I launch to 'Goat'; you're right, this campsite is better :-)
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:39:14
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | About Food
I've talked about food in terms of quantity (because that is really important for me currently) but I think this might be misleading.
I've been amazed at the quality of food and actually also of service in many little towns I've passed thru during the last months. I'm aware that in a town of two hundred inhabitants it is almost a matter of survival for a restaurant or a bar to do a good job; you can't afford to lose even one customer and words travel fast in these small communities... Still, as a hiker, I'm just passing by.
In Sierra City, I stayed the first night at Herrington's. They could give me a room for the second night so they called four of five other places around town and finally got me a room at the Holly House next door. After spending two hours on their computer I realized that it was eight o'clock and that I needed food. I asked the front desk and the answer was that most restaurants (the two of them really) would probably be closed but the man standing there actually picked up the phone, called the restaurant asking them to keep the kitchen open a few more minutes; he was 'sending someone'. He then asked one of his employees who was leaving to give me a ride there. I ordered my food and asked for a beer. My 'driver' actually offered to pay for the beer if I could ask for it in Spanish...which I did of course (crazy the things you remember when your life is at stake).
I of course manage to get a ride back at the hotel without even trying.
The next day, talking to Joann (working the bar) about my stay at Herrington and how I was reminded there that they had a 'twenty minutes policy' for the use of the internet (basically get the hell out of that keyboard) she – Joann – told me I could swing my her place to use the computer anytime the next day while she would be working...
Anyway, I got free cake and a free drink (rum) because the daughter of the owner of the bar turned 15 on that day, got an offer of the Holly House owner to drive me back to the trail...Joann actually did that the next day and so on. Lots of 'trail magic' as we say...Except maybe for that idiot who reminded me of the 'internet policy' at Herrington's but that's probably because of my beard. In the last four weeks in went from a very seductive 'This guy has been around' to a much less seductive 'this guy is going nowhere' :-)
No in terms of quantity I thought it would be fun to list the amount of food I ate there in 48 hours. If you reader just had lunch I suggest you stop reading right now...
In no particular order:
- Herrington's – Steak ham and eggs with toasts
- Holly house – French blueberry toasts with sausages, fruit salads and plums from the neighbors tree
- Buckhorn Restaurant – Blue Burger with fries and side of blue cheese dressing, beer and whiskey
- Buckhorn Restaurant – Steak sandwich with fries and side of blue cheese dressing, cake, beer and rum
- Store – One pound of cheese, four (yes 4) pint of ice cream ben&jerry, 2 slices of pizza, one hot dog, one double cheese burger with bacon, several chocolate bars and a few more things I'm probably forgetting now (it's five am by the way. I'm taking the night of so to speak. No sleep and all that just for you)
I counted and I think I was close the 18000 calories during my stay. Not too bad :)
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Date: 2007-09-04 05:40:06
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 7
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Small sum up....
I'm in Old Station staying at the best trail angels north of the sierras (The Heitman) – I will tell more about this place the next time I write.
From Sierra City I reached Belden (+ 91.7 miles) and then Old Station (+ 88.4 miles)
I find myself at mile 1377.7. I'm doing better and better everyday.
Did another '26' the day before yesterday...then 23 mile the next day and finally 16 this today to get there in time for the post office. I arrived at 2:30pm and of course it was closed because of the stupid holiday; forgot about that. Oh well, I'll pick up my box in a few hours and will go back to the trail at noon or so. We'll see how I can hike after a sleepless night...
Few things; first, forgive my stupid mistakes and error of typing (it's late) – one thing I'd like to correct however is about my quote on Macbeth. The quote is of course 'Life is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing'. 'The Sound and the fury' being one of my favorite book, the mistake is unforgivable. For the rest I actually don't read myself after typing; I know I should but I can't.
I finally got something to eat from the trail (I mean beside dust). Blackberries!! It was a nice treat. I did try to eat pine needles for a while but I don't like that. I know it's full of vitamin C but no thanks. It gives you a nice breath though; like hugging a pine tree or something. As flavor for a tooth paste, it would probably be a success among fifty year old Californians (read hippies). I've tried all sorts of pine needles and all I can say is that I like the young ones better (insert joke here).
I also did my first campfire. The place was just perfect and was really calling for it. I boiled some water and cooked my food with it...made me feel like a cowboy!
I've been stung by some wasp and bees...three times. Apparently I'm allergic. The first time it created a two inch diameter round patch on my legs; red and super firm that started bubbling the next day before the skin fell off...not good. I need to buy something for that at my next stop.
Ok I have to stop here...next update will be from Washington (Cascade Locks, WA) so count about five or six weeks. It will be mile 2155 so I'm not there yet.
I might post something later today before I leave...
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Date: 2007-09-04 08:13:39
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Post 8
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Some other things...
I'm having more coffee so I feel good. God I miss coffee on the trail...
I updated the 'Tracks' page by the way.
Arriving at the Old Station store today I just bought a drink and asked about the post office but soon the person at the register asked me if I was staying at the Heitman's and then called Georgi who picked me up there later. Meanwhile, another person pointed out that they had a deli with good burgers and ice cream...they know hikers :-) so I got 'my usual' a double cheese burger with bacon with a side of potato salad and a double scoop ice cream...Of course I was hungry two hours after that.
That's one of the problem I still have after doing a 26 mile day hike. There's no amount of food I can eat that will actually calm my hunger for more than an hour or two. It's that bad really.
I passed by a very special place on the trail a few days ago. There was a square pole on the side of the trail saying; 'Canada, 1325 miles' on one side 'Mexico, 1325 miles' on another side and 'Pacific Crest Trail, Mid Point' on the front.
There was a PCT register there and of course most hikers signed it and wrote a note. Nice. I saw that Gaby – British guy I started with at the Mexican border - was still on the trail; cool. Many hikers I met unfortunately gave up for one reason or another and I feel kind of sad about that even though I met most of them only just a couple of time.
I saw in the 'Mid Point' register that John and Spinning Jenny were only four days ahead of me so I thought I would catch up on them...guess what, there are here at the Heitman's!
I'm so happy I caught up on someone finally. I did kicked Jenny's butt for not hiking fast enough though...
Unfortunately everybody is jumping ahead to finish Washington state before the snow gets too bad or – like John and Spinning Jenny – are 'flip flopping' (basically jumping to Canada and hike the rest southbound to come back here).
I thought a little bit about one of these two solutions but I won't do that and just keep going...That's kind of why I'm here remember; I want nature to tell me 'no' because that's the only authority I recognize...I will write more on that subject when reaching Cascade Locks, WA – There and then I will have a choice to make and I will write something about it...now it's a bit too soon.
It seems strange to be only half way but it's more a half way 'distance' than a half way 'time'. I've done the hardest part by far and the trail is a bit easier now. Still lots of ups and downs and dry areas but nothing terrible I guess compare to what I have done.
I will walk on lava flow later today...on the hat creek rim I think it's called. 31 miles stretch without water officially but there might be a water cache at mile 10 or so.
One thing very strange is that I don't sleep much on the trail...about three hours, sometime four but that's about it. For a while I thought that that was a problem but since I can 'function' (which means hike) I guess it's really not a problem...My theory is that my brain doesn't actually do anything all day so he has no reason to shut off. So I just lie down and watch the stars and the shooting stars for hours. It's kind of a pain really but I accept that. That's probably why I keep typing at 7am with no sleep and a sixteen mile hike yesterday and don't even feel tired...very weird.
I received several email asking me 'Who's M?' 'Who's M?' ha ha ha :-)
Well, M stands for Muse, the one who inspires me of course. And yes that's a big fat lie but everybody likes a big fat lie.
By the way; yes that's a one time thing. After the PCT I'm not going to hike the Appalachian Trail or the Continental Divide Trail (although the latter is tempting really). I will do other things but that was really a one time thing and it has already been quite useful I think which is why I kind of have a 'devil may care' attitude towards the trail more and more...
I still have no idea what's going on in the world and feel pretty good about that, although I will have to do some serious reading at the end of this year and catch up on the political events of the year. I can't imagine how fun the debates must be in the States these days with the national elections next year. Well I can try to imagine really; Rudy Giuliani is kicking some serious butt with his usual wit and Time Magazine is lying about it. Close enough? Ok that was easy. By the way since you've been patient reading all this I feel like offering you something...With all my thanks here's the gift; I will reveal the name of the next American President; And the winner is........ Rudy Giuliani! Clapping Clapping Clapping...He's smart, funny, has some good experience and some balls. Sorry but Hillary doesn't have most of these attributes. Not the ones you might think of though since she probably got Bill's nailed against the wall of her office after the so-called 'Lewinsky affair'.
Beside if you know that famous quote commonly misattributed to Winston Churchill; 'If you're not a liberal when you're 25, you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by the time you're 35, you have no brain' – Knowing that she made the opposite move; what is that tell you? Ha ha ha...can't help it sorry.
It's easy really. Look at the edition of time magazine from March 07 (the subtle cover with a glossy photo of Al Gore and the even more subtle title 'The last Temptation of Al Gore' and see the amount of bullshit there is in there. When you see who they attack you pretty much know the name of the winner.
I've never said anything bad about The United States actually and for a good reason; I love this country more than any other so I feel like doing it right now and I will try to respect everybody sensibilities as usual and be moderate in my judgment;
You Americans are freaking political retards!
Seriously, I met people telling me they vote for the 'Liberals' because the name sounds like 'Liberty'. I met others – following the same line voting for the 'Democrats' because it sounds like 'Democracy' and Libertarian not voting for the libertarian party because and I quote 'what's the use; they won't get elected...'
Seriously, wake up. There's more than meet the eyes. Politics is not about voting every four years and bitch about the winner for one reason or another. There's a philosophy behind each political trend and this philosophy has repercussion over decades and centuries. In some case it's even better to have a bad driver going in the right direction than a good driver going the other way. Think.
I still have two texts to write... maybe later.
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Date: 2007-09-05 10:45:39
Location: Old Station, CA
Title: Old Station, CA - Last Post
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I had to stay overnight here...A storm hit Old Station yesterday and the next stretch would have been seriously dangerous with rain and evening light on top of the rest...leaving in two hours though.
I will reach Castella either Monday evening or Tuesday morning...
Spinning J, John -> I guess I'll see you on your way back...Cascade Locks seems to be a good mid-point if I hurry.
We did some good cooking here for dinner yesterday. I slept in a tree house. I need to take a photo of it.
Not once I felt sleepy during the day yesterday after spending the previous night on that computer. This trail does really weird things to me ;-) it's all good.
AL -> I can't stop thinking about this song...Time has been such a great friend to me all those years; I hope he won't disappoint me and leave me there.
ANI DIFRANCO - 'The Waiting Song'
your basic average super star
is singing about justice
and peace
and love
and I am glaring at the radio,
swearing
saying that's just what I was afraid of
the system gives you just enough
to make you think that you see change
they will sing you right to sleep
and then they'll screw you just the same
but I will wait
yes, I will wait for the truth
they think I make a big deal about nothing
but they still think I'm
kinda cute
they joke about the status quo
to break the ice
once the ice is broken
I hope they all fall through
'cause this is no joke to me
they don't fool me
with their acts of sensitivity
they too shall pass
just like everyone
who's only here for my ass
and I can't wait
oh I can't wait til they get their due
baby I've only got a minute
baby I have to go
a minute is all my life
will ever allow
let's grow old
and die together
let's do it now
because you'll do all the jobs
no one else will do
and you'll step aside
and you will let me come through
you have all my respect
I'll leave it here when I go
maybe I never told you, baby
maybe you don't know
but maybe if we wait
if we wait things will improve
maybe we just wait
and things will improve
you know, they've got to improve
your basic average superstar
is singing about justice
and peace
and love
and I am glaring at the radio
swearing
saying that's just what I was afraid of
the system gives you just enough
to make you think that you see change
they'll sing you right to sleep
and then they'll screw you just the same
he says I know you have to go
you have gone before
we are fighting on two different fronts
of the same war
but no matter what else
I will do
I will wait for you
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Date: 2007-09-23 19:40:21
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Title: Ashland, Oregon - Post 1
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | It's been a while. As usual a little sum-up...
From Old Station, CA I reach Castella (+ 128 miles I think) passing by Burney Falls State Park - very nice place.
No resupply box in Castella (bad bad Enzo) but I managed to resupply...in Redding 50 miles away. I lost one day there so I didn't go to Etna after that to save some time...
After Castella I went to Seiad Valley, CA (+158 miles) - the last resupply for California.
Then from Seiad Valley to Ashland, OR - not sure about the mileage but it doesn't really matter at this point...
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Date: 2007-09-23 19:51:32
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Title: Ashland, Oregon - Post 2
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Some good news and some bad news. The good first...
I've seen a few signs on the trail that indicates the direction and sometime the distance from Mexico and to Canada. Usually with one arrow in each direction. It's totally useless of course but always funny to see. It's funny because it's of course absolutely meaningless. 'Canada 1405 miles' doesn't really tell you much.
The last one I saw was nice though. Actually more than that; it was amazing.
A sign was saying 'Welcome to Oregon - Washington Border 498 miles - Canada 962 miles' - A great moment I can tell you that.
That's the good news. The bad one is that I'm stopping here in Ashland, OR. I won't hike Oregon nor Washington. Not this year and probably not ever but who knows...
I'm not sure how I feel about that yet so don't ask me.
Thanks however to all those who have supported me thru this adventure / challenge / journey. I will write some more soon and update the Gallery with the few photos I took during the last few months; there's some nice shot.
I'll be back soon in Denver. What's next? I have no clue.
ps: Ashland is great great great
pps: Spinning Jenny / John - got your note on the trail. What do you mean 'this water is for American only, please enjoy. No frenchies allowed.' ???????? ha ha ha. good one.
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Date: 2007-09-24 09:38:43
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Title: Ashland, Oregon - Post 3
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Will be back in Denver this Friday.
Ashland is not quite on the trail but I got a ride yesterday from a couple from Corvallis visiting southern Oregon. The woman asked me; 'what have you learned?'
I guess I should know but it's kind of difficult to sum-up in a few words...
I've learned a bit about myself and about pain. How to handle it. How to push farther and what it brings.
I've learned some about others too. Sometime, regardless of their intelligence, wisdom and knowledge they do rise to the occasion. For a short time they can make a difference.
I've learned about California that's for sure.
Shin Splint (on my left leg this time) and back pain is my excuse but only partly my reason to stop. 1750 odd miles from the Mexican Border I can tell you this; Thru-hiking is not for me. I hate it. I like to take my time in all things and this was a race - certainly not a journey.
On some day I barely took one or two photos; just to say 'I was here. now let's move on'. I did a few 26 miles day. I did hike 30 miles once - how stupid. I was aiming at 32 (to make it a 50K or so) but had to stop losing the trail after sunset. In more than one way I've never been so lost during that trail.
Turns out, the best moments were the ones where I took my time, to look at the landscape, talk to someone or just look the cloud dancing around a mountain like yesterday morning before leaving the trail. Racing thru, looking down at my feet all day long was ridiculous.
I've learned a few other things too.
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Date: 2007-09-26 15:41:26
Location: Ashland, OR
Title: Ashland, OR - Post 4
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I had that one in my head for a few weeks...
I met T – 63 year old - about 20 miles south of Mather pass. He was waiting on the side the trail and told me he had a favor to ask me when I passed by. His wife – 68 year old – had sprain her ankle in the morning and couldn't walk anymore. They had then decided to camp right there on the side of the river and didn't really know what to do. T gave me a piece of paper on which he had written some explanations, his location, his name; things like that. He asked me to give the paper to the next ranger station. I of course accepted and, after a quick look at my map, told him that the next one was about 25 miles away and that most likely I would only be there tomorrow afternoon. Remembering that there was another ranger station about five miles south from where we were, I advised him to make the same request to someone going south...
When promising to reach the ranger station the next day, I didn't know that I was about to cross the worst part of the trail and actually what I still consider today to be one of the worst trail I've ever hiked.
From there to Mather pass the trail was actually pretty good...slow climb for a few hours then a big series of switchback on a nicely designed trail. No big deal...at least until reaching the top of the pass. Then everything changed. The way down was just rocks and can hardly be described as a trail by any stretch of the mind. The rest – called the Palisade – was even worst...and finally the jewel of that stretch; the so-called 'golden staircase' got the best of me for the day.
The guide book talks about 'a knee knocking descent' and mention that this stretch of the trail was the last one to be completed 'one can easily see why'...well, I'm afraid I very much don't. Because it is difficult then it should be done last? Because the terrain is difficult it's ok to do a bad job? Sorry but if that's your philosophy in life please don't have kids. True, the terrain is about the last place on earth anybody would want to build anything but as soon as the decision to route the trail here was made the very difficulty of the task should have been an incentive to work harder; not an excuse for a lousy job.
For me, a nice trail requires more than a nice scenery. Obviously there are plenty of nice scenery in the world with no trail so there's got to be more to it. For me a nice trail requires not only a nice scenery but also a nice route and most importantly a nice terrain. If hikers have to watch out for their feet every one tenth of a second lest they brake something they obviously can't really enjoy the scenery in the first place.
It would be bad enough if the trail was only used by PCT hikers. After eight hundred miles or so they pretty much all have a defiant attitude like 'whatever you've got; bring it on!'. The problem here is that PCT hikers represent by far a minority on this part of the trail. This part is actually the John Muir Trail which is about 200 miles long and is a trail that brings his own crowd but more importantly a series of side trails have been built every five miles or so allowing day hikers to literally pour in the PCT on the week end. It is very important here to understand that the state of mind of day hikers has nothing to do with PCT hikers. Day hikers are here for a few hours. They are here to do a few miles, see a nice landscape and go home have a beer and sit on the couch while catching up on the news of the day. They are not around to challenge either nature or themselves.
It would be to easy here to talk about 'personal responsibilities' and blame the sixty year old hikers for their presence on the trail. I would in any other case but I think the victims here are not the only one who should bear responsibility. With side trails bringing day hikers on the trail and a gazillion of hikers who keep repeating this lie that somehow the JMT is a nice trail, I we can pretty much speak of a trap.
So no, as far as I'm concerned, the John Muir Trail is absolutely not a nice trail; it's a lousy trail routed through a nice – but certainly not a phenomenal - scenery.
I do believe that the trail should have been designed, routed, and built while taking into account the kind of crowd for which it was made. Those we usually call – not without a hint of sarcasm - the competent authority (never mind the contradiction) have failed to make a choice; either let the trail as it is and limit its use by not building any side trail or, otherwise, improve the trail so it can be used by a broader crowd. Instead they came up with a compromise that just dissatisfies everybody.
I had great expectation when reaching the sierra. I remember actually thinking; this is gonna be great; first because – as everybody will tell you – the John Muir Trail is a great trail but also because – knowing that the trail was going thru several national parks – I expected it to be nothing short of perfect; made for the largest public. I was so wrong...
Beyond the quality of the trail itself – which is basically what I consider to be a permanent insult to Man's capability to build – the route itself is just plain ridiculous. As far as Sequoias are concerned, the largest one I saw was about five feet diameter (quite small as far as they go) and that was about a hundred miles north of Yosemite (in a very strange place actually)...nowhere near Sequoia National Park. Kings Canyon was just 'blah' and oh my god Yosemite...let me just say that thru-hikers, after a thousand miles or so, are actually asked to take a shuttle bus to see the valley! In all these parks the trail has been routed thru the worst part, away from the landmarks that actually made these parks famous in the first place. The philosophy of the 'mappers' seems to have been; 'if you make the effort of loading your pack with food and hike for a few days you won't see shit (excuse my French) but if you take your SUV, buy a six-pack, some burgers and drive to the trail-head parking lot to shoot some photos then you'll have a great time...' If that's the philosophy of Californians I understand why they topped the highest public deficit ever known to men under the governorship of that absolute moron that was Gray Davis. Seriously don't come to Colorado then because it's pretty much the other way around as far as Rocky Mountain National Park is concerned. There, if you just want to have a good time for a few hours, the area of Bear Lake will certainly satisfy you. The scenery is nice and the trail easy. However if you're ready to 'do the extra mile' (in every sense of the term) then you can try Granite falls or Lawn lake. Difficult enough to keep most day hikers away (save for myself) and then you'll have an amazing time. I actually hiked around Lawn lake (north of the park) and remember seeing there – in only one day - more wildlife than in three weeks hiking in the high sierras in California.
I did reach the ranger station the next day and luckily met with the ranger. Giving him the piece of paper I described the situation. He was actually in communication with the rescue team who had just landed a few miles away from the stranded couple; they would take them out by air later in the afternoon...I was glad to hear that.
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Date: 2007-09-26 20:55:59
Location: Ashland, OR
Title: Ashland, OR - Post 5
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | It used to be easier maybe...but why would that be a good thing? The whole of our education conformed to the expectation of society; at a certain time of their lives they would cease to be bachelor and bachelorette and become husband and wife. It was a change certainly but an expected one; not doing so was actually the abnormal behavior. It was a move from independence to dependence. Quite commonly 'She' would receive assurance and 'He' would receive re-assurance. How selfless a behavior in both cases really...What kind of woman would lower herself in such a way? What kind of man would accept it? Certainly not a woman and certainly not a man from my very 'twentieth century' point of view.
Things haven't changed much...they are changing though. I think the transition is still happening today and is nowhere near completion. Indeed, these are unstable times in that regard and they are at the source – with good reasons - of some concern and fear. How can we enter a relationship without losing our independence? Things should be easier since the idea now – the trend if you will although I hope it is more than a trend - is to remain the same during the 'transition' we should certainly be able to avoid some bad surprises... Things are not in fact easier though and the fear is quite real. I almost wrote 'is it possible not to destroy the object of your love' but I realized that there was a big mistake in that question. The primary concern is not in fact about destroying the other but is about destroying ourselves. Most likely if the other is at the source of the fear (a request for an unwanted modification of our personality) we can certainly expect a immediate reaction from the 'victim'. No, the insidious danger is inside us and the question should be 'is it possible not to self-sacrifice during the transition?'
We are all into the habit of sacrificing many things when it comes to the expression of love. It is actually our only proof. Anybody who has been into any kind of relationships will have a recent example of that popping up instantly reading these lines. Turns out, sacrifice is our only proof. How else since we can't read mind? The line between sacrifice and self-sacrifice is sometimes a thin one but is a very dangerous one to cross. One has to keep in mind the rhetorical question 'Would you want the object of your love to change?' and understand the implication and consequences of the converse.
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Date: 2007-09-26 21:06:51
Location: Ashland, OR
Title: Ashland, OR - Post 6
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | A bit random but I'm discovering Ashland and it is such a great city it's amazing...
I'm not in the mood for a play (Ashland is famous for its Shakespeare Festival) but I'm having a good time anyway.
I entered this internet cafe (Wi-FX) earlier today and I didn't see anybody; just a few computers running, free coffee, radio playing smooth jazz and big screen tv with a PS3 and two couches...
I saw a bunch of cards on the table and here's what's on a card:
'Welcome to WI-FX
$2 / hour - membership price vary**
Time-in - xxxxxx
Time-out - xxxxxx
Please leave paiement in a folder on the table, thank you'
**I became a member at $8 for two days. I'm keeping this card.
I can't help but wonder 'how many places in the world could afford to do that?' and 'why would anyone want to live elsewhere?'
I think somehow this is related to a text I wrote a while ago on the politic of fear...
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Date: 2007-10-17 10:21:12
Location: Denver, CO
Title: On Music...
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | Written in Ashland, OR)
I was watching C-Span in my hotel room – I love their debates. However, I really couldn't care less about the arguments on either sides; the choice of subject is significant enough. Think about it this way; Time is so scarce nowadays that the very fact that we choose to spend a few hours talking about one thing instead of another is already significant in itself.
CEOs of a few music companies were making a case on how difficult it is to judge music; how our education, our place inside society, our political and religious beliefs influence our judgment. 'There's no absolute' one even said. A black musician then showed up and tried to justify himself or at least his music.
Did I mention that the scene was a courtroom?
They are under attack again. They have always been really. Even in time of peace (yes this is certainly a war) one legitimate question is often ask;
Are we presently living a decay of art? This question has been asked every year for centuries.
I'm not here talking about those who spend their lives barking that the whole world is coming to an end in pretty much all matters and point the finger at anything that actually goes wrong with a big smile on their faces and 'I told you so' on the tip of the tongue. I wrote already about these scavengers (other website. Something titled Cassandra) and their fraud is obvious enough. Here, there is actually some legitimacy to the question.
It is an important question mostly because 'Art' is in many ways representative of the state of our society – not only by the creation itself but by the way it is judged, accepted or rejected.
It's also a legitimate question from a purely physical point of view; is there such a limited amount of possible 'production' in any given art?
Concerning music the latter question can easily be answered. Taking into account the 'physical limitation' – how many possible notes at any given time regardless of rules – we can answer by the negative (seriously, do the math)
Keeping in mind the dubious quality of the musical production of some artist, the question is also legitimate. Do I need to name Britney Spears? She's certainly not that innocent in that regard either.
Judging art. As far as music in the western world is concerned it's fairly easy to understand the mechanism of judgment.
I've chosen music because it's the art I know best and I don't really have to do any research (which is good because I'm lazy) but I do believe it's a universal mechanism, valid for all arts.
Johann Sebastian Bach is usually considered the reference of musical structure ('western' music of course.) Not too surprisingly, from then on, criticisms have been flowing.
Even Mozart, regardless of his genius, has been under attack several times for his 'taste' and his daring – several of his operas were considered risqué (The aristocracy was his favorite target). Beethoven's ninth symphony – the 'quality and purpose' of the chorus I mean – has been largely argued upon over decades. Niccolo Paganini was said to have sold his soul to the devil. Johannes Brahms actually left the concert hall when hearing the premiere of Franz Liszt's b-moll sonata. This latter will dedicate one of his late pieces to a music critic who had spent several decades opposing him (Hungarian sense of humor) and if it wasn't for the involvement and patronage of King Ludwig II, Richard Wagner would have had a hard time publishing anything. It would be an understatement to say that Stravinsky's 'The Rite of Spring' wasn't well received – especially at the premiere in 1913 – Camille Saint Saens stormed out of the concert hall if I remember well and the intervention of the police was eventually required (arguably that was in Paris so no surprise there :) )
History offers plenty of examples – I'm just offering the one I can remember but there are thousands really. Lately – so to speak – we could name Elvis Presley and even if that will not please some; Eminem. Judas Priest got sued for allegedly including subliminal messages in their songs; messages leading to a suicide attempt of two kids… The case was eventually dropped for lack of evidence.
What's wrong with people?
Beside the laws defining music - physical laws I mean - there are rules. Though these rules are absolutely arbitrary – they evolve thru time and change depending on the cultural background of each country - they are absolutely essential. It is the very existence of these rules that makes any sort of judgment possible. The down side is that they do limit the artists who are then tempted to push the line limiting their medium. The mechanism here is simple; the closer the artist sticks to the rules, the more chance this artist will have to be understood and possibly appreciated by the largest public. On the other hand, an artist making the choice of pushing the line will encounter some reserve from the public by being too far from their expectations (it is of course the knowledge of the rules by the public that creates the expectation.)
In this latter case the artist is believed to serve his art instead of the public. Some people believe that an artist who tends to 'push the line' is somehow superior to the one who stick to it. I don't see any valid argument to support that theory; it is up to the artist to make the choice. It is in no case a qualitative choice. The genesis for that prejudice lies in a fraud that could be sum up as follow; since knowledge is required to understand – and judge – an artistic product, then only a limited number of people can understand it; the more complicated, the less people can judge it. The fraud is to inverse the mechanism and then make the assumption that if it is not understood, it is therefore brilliant. Because historically knowledge was reserved to the upper class of society, it is mainly in the oldest countries that the phenomenon is more visible. This unfortunate fraud can be found in many forms and actually not only in the field of art. The trend in philosophy was for a long time; the more complicated, the better.
Important questions remain; first, if the artist chose not to follow the rules, how can we be sure that he pushed the line knowingly? Secondly, should we care?
If we want to judge the artistic product without judging the artist then we have to agree that the intentions of the artist have to be discarded as irrelevant. Let's imagine – however unlikely the assumption – that two artists have created the same art. One of them violated the established rules purposely while the other one did it by mere ignorance. If we are judging the artistic product only, obviously we should discard both artists and appreciate both pieces equally.
However, we might choose to lay a judgment on both the artist and his work. Since we have no way of knowing the intention of the artist and obviously can't take his word for granted in any matter – people lie - this choice implies much more knowledge and therefore more work. A perfect knowledge and analysis of the artist's life is in that case required in order to find any evidence that in fact he actually knew what he was doing during the creative process.
Whether we should judge only the artistic product or whether we should complete that judgment with the knowledge of the artist himself seems to be a matter of choice. I don't think this is a qualitative choice in any regard. Concerning the former choice, it could be said to be intuitive or emotional while the latter choice – by implication of more work – seems to be more intellectual.
Why are we so harsh toward artists?
I wrote that art was representative of the state of our society, which means that art is influenced by society. However the converse is also true to some extent; art influences society. This is the main reason why artists are under attack. This influence was born with the mass media and has been growing ever since.
There is another reason for those attacks and this one pertains to the responsibility of the artist toward society. This latter reason mainly concerns politicians that understand that they are themselves –at least partly - responsible for the state of society and would like to believe that they are doing a good job; of course, whenever an artist shows up with something that doesn't please them their reaction is censorship. They deny the fact that they are – the politician – indirectly responsible for this kind of art.
My logic here is as follow: 1) Politicians influencing society 2) Society influencing the artist. 3) Politicians refusing to take responsibility for it and of course blaming the artist while inverting the mechanism of influence.
I'm not going to discuss the subject of politicians refusing to take responsibility; I only have two terabytes on this computer and I'm thirty eight anyway; I'm afraid I'd run out of time.
Art – and especially a popular art like music – does influence society. There's no doubt about that. But what kind of influences are we talking about here?
Let's take a practical example...
“You want me to fix up lyrics while the President gets his dick sucked?
[*ewwww*] Fuck that, take drugs, rape sluts
Make fun of gay clubs, men who wear make-up
Get aware, wake up, get a sense of humor
Quit tryin to censor music, this is for your kid's amusement
(The kids!) But don't blame me when lil' Eric jumps off of the terrace
You shoulda been watchin him - apparently you ain't parents”
Well? Do you think you have a choice? Are you gonna go out and rape someone? Seriously, if reading or listening to music has that kind of influence on you, how fucked up are you in the first place? Who's to be blamed here? Eminem? The parents? I'll go with the latter. Anybody in his right mind would blame the parents but there's something taboo here. Our society is so afraid to make a simple statement like “Some people are not qualified to have kids and should abstain for the good of all.” No, we can't say that, it's wrong. Let's just make idiots believe that they can raise a child, let see him grow, see how fucked up he ends up and blame every single stupid thing he does – from starving himself to death to killing someone – on fashion models, song writers and movie makers. It so much easier to run away and forget who is – and has always been - responsible for the education of every single individual on this planet. It's so simple I feel almost stupid writing it; Parents. From the beginning of time to these days have been responsible for raising their own child. To make the claim that kids are easily influencible is to forget that regardless of the context, parents have always more influence than music, books or TV shows. Of course in order to have more influence you actually need to be around. Again here the question is; are the parents qualified? If they give up on educating their own kids then of course the sphere of influence as far as the education of the kid is concerned can be broaden to pretty much anything. Blame television, news, movies, TV shows...hell, even the discovery channel could have a bad influence if it is misinterpreted. Of course anything can have a bad influence if it's misinterpreted anyway...that leaves us with many scapegoats and plenty of opportunity to avoid looking at that mirror we're facing. Of course the trend is even worse on leftist countries where the government believes itself to be responsible for the protection of individuals and goes so far as to censure pieces of art for the good of the community. The left being historically - supposedly - less inclined to censure art, I couldn't help but notice the contradiction. Thanks for listening.
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Date: 2007-10-17 10:23:17
Location: Denver, CO
Title: About the photo gallery...
GPS:
| no snaphots for this entry... | I have just updated the photo gallery. This gallery contains photos taken from the border with Mexico to the midpoint. The rest will be online soon.
I decided not to remove too many of these photos from the gallery. The reason for that is that I had absolutely no artistic pretention while taking them. The idea here is for the viewer to get a feeling of what is the Pacific Crest Trail. Since my journal certainly doesn’t give any indication on that, I thought the photo gallery should...
I still have mixed feelings about this trail. The good thing is that I can look at these photos and remember how great it was to hike along the PCT and I tend to forget about the pain. The dangerous thing is that, being oblivious about the worse, I then wish I could go back...and yes, I might go back someday.
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