SAN FRANCISCO – BOUND FOR PCT 2017
SAN FRANCISCO: PCT 2017 Planning
Monday June 19 – Friday June 23, 2017
All of this week the weather in San Francisco has been nothing short of glorious. Long, warm days with the summer solstice on Wednesday marking the official beginning of summer. Even during a heatwave, which the area has been experiencing this week, Bayside San Francisco has a cool breeze coming in off the ocean. A bit like natures airconditioning.
But I could not luxuriate in the summertime bliss, there were hiking days ahead to be planned, lists to be made, resupply locations selected and food shopping to be done.
I stayed in the Marina District of San Francisco, accomodation chosen especially for its close proximity to a supermarket and a Post Office. It took a couple of trips to the supermarket, carrying food in my backpack to the hotel, to complete the food shopping. Then it was dividing up and repackaging for each resupply location. After choosing resupply locations and repacking everything it was time to carry it all back, to the post offices to send on. Ten resupply locations over 950 miles, with the longest period between them being 5 days of hiking. The pack fully loaded, with what seemed like tonnes of food, felt surprisingly comfortable.
The hardest thing has been estimating hiking times for number of days of food needed on trail and parcel delivery dates and also for a location for Hammer to get off trail. I have 950 miles left on the PCT, all of Oregon and Washington. Without knowing the conditions on the trail, estimates of dsily hiking miles feel a little bit optimistic at this stage. Based on these early plans I estimate on reaching Manning Park in Canada by the third week in August. Presence of snow will of course slow me down.
Hammer will most likely leave the trail at Sisters, half way through Oregon, which gives him the best possibility of reaching Portland in time to fly back to Australia. He was keen to push on through to make Timberline for just one more of their famous breakfasts. But he decided that two visits to Timberline last year may just be enough.
By late Thursday it was all done. Shopping finished and parcels posted. I booked a massage to celebrate finishing a marathon grocery planning, shopping and packing effort and to ease my post Grandmas Marathon aching body.
Friday was spent being a tourist and changing hotels to get closer to the airport to meet Hammer in the morning on Saturday. We’ve hired a car to drive to Ashland, Oregon over the weekend. So very excited now that the start of our hike is imminent.
Can’t wait to read all about it. Good luck
LikeLike
Thank you John.
LikeLike
Hammer and Corky, very excited for the two of you. Looking forward to hearing all about the trail once again as you make your way northbound. Safe travels. Kirk
LikeLike
It does feel a bit surreal for me. Picking up where I left off 11 months ago.
LikeLike
Good luck for your walk your planning and packing brought back memories when Ella did the same.ella (red riding hood) came back to England she had a job lined up in the city of London but the pull of the trail and being in such large spaces she could not settle so she in Portland working and has a small flat,of course she was born in San Francisco and I guess she feels an American.we have a family wedding in Aug so she will come back for that.she does not have a career set out she got a first from Cambridge in English so maybe she will write a book!!!!!wishing you happy walking and keep well mind the snow Anne Ella’s grandma
LikeLike
So lovely to hear from you Anne,
We met your lovely granddaughter Ella last year. Good to hear that she is still in Portland and making the most of her time there. Thank you for the good wishes for our hike. The snow this year is a bit of a concern. But it was the creek crossings that were really testing. One day at a time…good to have you along for the hike.
LikeLike
Great to read your posts again. My husband and I followed you and Hammer last year as we prepared to hike the trail this year. We are currently in Lone Pine determining where to go next since we want to go around the Sierras. We would love to see you and hike with you if at all possible. You are an inspiration!
LikeLike
So good to hear you are hiking this year. It has been am interesting year for sure. A few people I’ve followed have skipped the Sierras to Chester. But it sounds like there is a bit of snow in Northern California as well. Hope we can meet up on trail. I have a few weeks spare before I fly home, in case I need to adjust for conditions. So we may overlap at some stage.
LikeLike
Didn’t know that you were in the bay area. Dede and I were in Berkeley celebrating my birthday and father’s day with family. It would have been great to connect. Have a great journey and be safe. Looking forward to your blog notes and pictures.
LikeLike
Hi Joe
Happy birthday and fathers day. It’s good you spent it with family. We drove through Berkley this morning on our speedy return to Oregon. Mike has only 3 weeks this time and is keen to hit the trail on Monday after a bit of Shakespearean culture in Ashland. Enjoy your summer break away from the heat.
LikeLike
hi mie and stef glad to read your blog please take care love mum /marj
LikeLike
Thank you Marj
Good to hear from you.
LikeLike