the first backpacking trip

Date:  09.22.2008

Location:  Angeles National Forest

Trails:  Bear Creek Valley

Miles:  (unknown)

Elevation Gains/Losses:  (unknown)

Companions:  Brandon, Ryan, Jeff, & Amanda

Conditions:  Sunny, clear skies, highs were in the upper 80's, lows in the lower 60's

Difficulty:  ** (out of 5)

Good company.

Mr. Froggy

There was a lot of this...

& that.

We camped right by the creek.  We were a little overcrowded, with three tents.  Some of us had to sleep on some steep slopes.  Steep for sleeping, anyway.  Ryan's tent wasn't staked down, so by the time he woke up, half his tent was laying on Jeff and Amanda's tent.  Staying by a freshwater creek was great.  We were able to filter water within a few feet of our campground.    

Little feet.  These were my favorite sandals.  

my first hike

Date:  07.07.2008

Location:  Angeles National Forest

Trail(s):  Bear Creek Valley

Miles:  about 5 miles

Elevation Gain/Loss:  (unknown)

Companions:  Brandon

Conditions:  Sunny, clear skies, about 90 degrees

Difficulty:  at the time, pretty tough; in retrospect, I give it ** (out of 5)

A small portion of Bear Creek.  There were multiple stream crossings.  I slipped a couple of times.  Granted, I was wearing street sneakers.  I definitely invested in some sweet Asolo hiking boots (with Gortex) soon after.

Little person, big rock.  I didn't have much gear then.  Just a backpack, some snacks, a walking stick, and my trusty Nalgene bottle.  I did pickup some nice convertible pants, that still serve me well, to this day.

Indie was not there.  

An abandoned and dilapidated cabin.  There are tons of cabins all along the trail, a few, like this, were obviously not livable.

Right by the dilapidated cabin was a sweet lean-to shelter someone left here.

in loving memory

I came back from a 3 day backpacking trip, only to see that I had an abnormal amount of missed phone calls.  My sweet friend, Jessica Skeber, passed away Monday, April 19th, 2009.  She had just turned 29.  The last time we spoke, we talked about her coming to visit me in San Francisco.  It was a solid reminder to not take our good health for granted, and to always tell your loved ones "I love you."

"Let no one come to you without leaving better and happier."  -Mother Teresa

the first step

This is a first. Blogs. I'm not a well-written person; neither articulate or profound. So it begins. You have to start somewhere, right?

Just like when I started hiking. I did not know that it was going to turn into one adventure after another, thousands of feet of elevation gains and losses, miles and miles on my boots, many PB&J's, all the birds to see and identify, and countless photo opportunities.

I'm still a novice, and I'm ready to admit, that I rely on my boyfriend quite a bit while outdoors. Cliche, I know. I'm a city girl, what did you expect? Don't worry, I travel well-equipped. I can "rough it." I can even read a map and use a compass (a real compass, not the ones you find on novelty keychains). I'm an outdoor enthusiast and I do it for my health, to take a break from all the artificial noise, because it's so much fun, and the views are spectacular.

So, here we are, more like here I am, trying to make sense of all the great photos, the miles I've trekked, and the places I've made temporary homes. I am here to share them with you. Really, it's for me. A personal record of the miles these little feet have put in.

Happy trails.