Get Away Day

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go askew", as the poet Robert Burns said. One of my young whippersnappers contracted strep throat from his child and is in bed with a high fever. I feel for him and hope he gets well soon. Clay and I will persevere and continue on our odyssey to the badlands of Southwest Texas.

Everything is packed and ready to go. All to be done now is load the gear in the truck, do a little repair work on the radiator and then head to Baton Rouge to pick up Wes in the morning. We will leave Baton Rouge around 6 am on Saturday morning to travel to Ft. Stockton, Texas and spend the night. I would have preferred to go to Marathon, Texas but all the rooms are booked in the reasonable hotels. The Gage Hotel is very nice but I am in a camping mode and that is luxury.

All the families have received agendas and emergency phone numbers to contact us on the trip. I hope that no one will need to do so.

I told Karen a couple of nights ago that when I get back from one of these trips that I become intolerable for wanting to relate the details of my trip. Big Bend in the back-country is a religious experience and re-focuses your attention to the smaller things in life. I have been known to look at plans for cabins after one of my trips. It is always about getting back to the basics.

Here is to a great trip and I hope the young whippersnappers enjoy themselves and look after the old geezer.

My log book of my first trip to Big Bend

Karen found my log book of my first trip to Big Bend National Park from back in the mid-80's. I want to be able to compare this log book to the one I will be keeping on this trip. The biggest difference will be that I will adding pictures to the new one.

"Saturday night--January 2. Arrived ranger station at 10 p.m. Called Hope and told her I loved her. We drove to the road near Blue Creek ranch house. It was a beautiful full moon--We hiked about 3/4 of a mile (a little exaggeration) and hid 2 two gallon water bottles. The coyotes were howling in the distance. It was incredibly beautiful in the moonlight. It reminded me of an old western movie. We then went to the basin campground. Ed (McGuire) slept outside while Lane (Ed's son) and I slept in the tent. The temperature was in the mid 20's. My new down parka (Wes is taking it on this trip) works like a charm. I'm sitting on the tailgate of the truck and I am warm as toast. Getting ready to go to bed. I will write more tomorrow."

"Sunday morning--7 am---Got up and made breakfast-sausage biscuit and coffee--temp is 21 degrees. The sun is coming up and shining on the mountains--I'm warm---Sleeping bag was very warm. Thinking about you Baby. "Love You"

Lunch 1 pm. 1/3 of the way to Elephant Tusk--I am a screw up--Pack is not done right--will fix tonight. Beautiful country. Had tea for lunch, a cookie and beef jerky. We have stopped in a draw and temps feel warm but it is only about 40 degrees. Getting ready to go and I will see you at the campsite with a sore back."

"6:30 pm---Thinking about you--we are on the backside of Elephant Tusk. It was a very long hike. My back and shoulders are very sore, but I will be better in the morning. You will not believe what just happened. A full moon just rose over the mountains and it is quite spectacular. We ate supper and I had hot chocolate, beef stew and a piece of Hershey bar. It was really very good. All the tents are pitched and in ship shape. We will settle in soon and get some sleep. I hope you sleep well and I love you very much."

"6:20 Monday night--camped at the trail head of Dodson Trail and Juniper Springs Trail. Yesterday was a walk in the park compared to today. Up and down mountain ridges until I thought I would die & then just a mere 6 mile hike cross country. We started at Elephant Tusk, walked to Tortuga Mountain, hit the Fresno Creek, then Dodson Trail and then to the campsite. I am so tired I am almost incoherent. I am going to eat and then finish. Thinking about you right now"

"7:20 pm just finished supper--rice and beef, hot chocolate. It was good. We are watching stars tonight but I am too tire to get interested. I am fixing to go to bed."

"Tuesday night 7:20 pm---I am on the South Rim-It was the most strenuous exercises I have ever done. I really did not think I was going to make it. We hiked 9 miles from the Dodson/Juniper Springs trail head almost all uphill. At the Juniper Spring some javalena's tried to chase us off. From there it was 5 miles almost straight up. I am very tired. Last night the temp was 28 degrees--Tonight up on the rim it will be much colder. The wind is blowing very hard---Ed says we may have the worst behind us. I hope he is right. Love you, miss you and the kids."

"6:30 pm Thursday---Everything did not go as planned. We left the east rim and traveled to the South Rim down Blue Creek Springs trail to the Ranch House. But it took us to 2:oo pm and we did not have enough water from the trip so we dehydrated. Our water cache was still there so we filled up on water and decided to stay there rather than try to make it to Fresno Creek. Lane sprained his ankle on the trail so we are worried about him. I taped his ankle with the ace bandage and he says it feels better. I am really starting to enjoy this. I am losing weight and getting in better shape. Love You"

"7:05 Thursday night: Camped somewhere in a deep canyon on Fresno Creek. (Unreal day!!!) Hiked from ranch house down Dodson Trail to Elephant Tusk Trail, crossed Fresno Creek and took the Creek route. No one hardly ever does this and I found out why. The creek goes into a deep canyon that once you go down into it you cannot come back up. There were huge plunge pools-a couple of which were over my head. Ed had to jump down into the pool and swim out but Lane and I were able to act like flies and cling to the rock walls and get around them until I slipped and fell into the pool feet first. Luckily it was only up to my thighs so I did not get completely wet but it was cold. I gave Ed some dry clothes because he was about to go into hypothermia. I was scared but thrilled at the same time. It was very dangerous but we committed to go so we could not turn around. We are now camped on a small cliff overlooking the creek and it is very beautiful. The creek is gurgling and the water is crystal clear. It is obvious we will not get back to the truck until the middle of the afternoon. Our best estimate is that we have got at least 6 miles to do tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you and the kids-Love you-call you tomorrow."

What I remember most about that trip was that I did not have an appreciation for the beauty of the place, nor have the respect of how hard a trip like this was. I have learned over the years to soak up the beauty and to give the park all the respect it deserves. I will be interested as how the young whippersnappers feel about the place after their trip.

Future Big Bender during Christmas

I thought I would post a few photos of my future hiking partner to Big Bend. Of course, I am being optimistic about my abilities to continue to backpack and as Les Miles would say "His having the wont to go". But as the old saying goes, Hope springs eternal.

Jack Wesley Keith is now 19 months old and these are pictures with Pam's granddaughter Samantha (Sam) and Holly's daughter Evie. They are both about 6 months older than Jack Wesley but I hear he likes older women.

Finally!! After 63 years.....

Since I spent most of my adult life in Monroe, Louisiana I knew the chance of seeing a white Christmas was going to be very slim. When I moved to Birmingham in 1996 I heard all the locals talking about the huge blizzard of a few years before and I knew that would be my chance. The only problem was that not only did we not have a white Christmas, it quit snowing all together. Only in the last few years has Birmingham gotten any snow. In fact, my steep driveway leading down to my house has never even been iced over.

Well, yesterday around mid-day it began to snow in Birmingham. Vestavia Hills, which is right up the street, seemed to get the most. On the way to Christmas dinner at the Sanderson's we picked up Karen's Aunt Dot and her yard was covered with snow. The rest of the day it snowed on and off.

Last night the snow returned and I awoke to the beautiful view that I have outside my office window. So now I can cross something off my list. I have seen a white Christmas.

4 days and a wake up.....

Heaux, Heaux, Heaux

A Facebook friend of mine greeted me this way yesterday and I thought it was unique, so I borrowed it. I hope each and everyone of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This time next week I will be somewhere in southeast Texas heading along I-10 to Fort Stockton, Texas to spend the night before the last push into Big Bend National Park.

My pack is ready to go as evidenced by the embedded photo (hopefully). I think my final weight with water will wind up being around 38 pounds. That is not too bad considering 13 pounds of that is water and 5 pounds is food. I could leave my hammock at home but I do not want to sacrifice the comfort when I am in the mountains.

I hope that Santa was good to all. Karen got me a new camera for my trip. Olympus makes a imaged-stabilized waterproof and shockproof camera (Olympus 8010) that I will be toting around. It is designed specifically for underwater and backpacking. As hard as I am on gear this is just what I need to document the trip.

Emily got me a Leatherman multi-tool for any small gear repair and light cutting that I need to do on the trail. I like it because it does not have all the unnecessary tools that just add weight but I never use. It is basically a pocket knife with pliers and wire cutting capability.

I spoke with Mother and Dad this morning a wished them a Merry Christmas. I expect that the kids will call later this morning. I hope that Jack Wesley had a wonderful Christmas morning and enjoyed all the trappings.

We are awaiting snow this afternoon in Birmingham. If it does then this will be my first White Christmas ever. I am always like a kid in a candy store when it comes to snow. I can't get enough of it except when on the trail. Then I would just as soon do without it.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. 5 days and a wake up.

Eight Days and a Wake Up

The count down continues as the calendar moves slowly toward the jumping off day. Progress was made in a couple of small steps yesterday.

First, I was able to get my extra clothes set aside in a compression bag. I decided on mittens, a pair of glove inserts (if I need to be able to use my fingers), a fleece hat, one pair of tightie-whities, one pair of smart wool socks, a pair of capilene and rain pants. The rain pants will probably serve more as wind pants or snow pants.

Second, I decided to go with the freeze dried food. I went by Alabama Outdoors yesterday morning and they had a decent selection of Mountain House vacuum packed generic food. The vacuum pack fits very nicely in the pack and the generic food (beef and rice, chicken and rice) are ones that I have eaten before and with a little spice they will work well.

Today I will do a little map work. I will be inputting some coordinates of the plunge pools on Fresno Creek so that the group can make a side trip to an area I have not been for 26 years. You think you know the area but it has been too long since I went down the creek and I know how easy it is to take a wrong turn on the way back.

I am so short now that I can hardly see over my boots.

Single Digit Midget

I am now coming down the home stretch. I have completed preparing my first aid kit for the trip. I decided rather than make sure everyone has their own first aid supplies, I would just make sure my kit is complete. It was not very much additional weight but better safe than sorry.

All my clothes are now prepared to go. I have yet to decide which stuff sack they will go in however I am leaning toward using my compression bag (even though heavier than I like) because I will need the room in my pack. The unanswered question will be does the jacket get strapped to my pack for easy access or does it go in the compression bag? I think I will wait to see what the long range forecast will be. If it looks like it will be in the 40's during the day I will want easy access for stops. Because the wind blows constantly in Big Bend, you will get chilled easily when you stop for rest.

My food bag is still in a state of flux and probably will be till next week when I finally decide whether to take prepackaged freeze dried food or utilize instant rice mixed with chicken and/or tuna. I can augment this type meal with some dehydrated fruit. My lunch will be a combination of Slim-Jim type protein, some dehydrated fruit and a couple of Hershey chocolate miniatures. Breakfast will be Pop-Tarts.

I will be taking 6 liters of liquid at a time. I will start with 2 liters of water in my platypus that is connected to a hose coming out of my pack to my harness so that I can drink without taking my pack off. I have a 2 liter dromedary bag that I can fill as I need it. Outside of my pack will be 2 liters of water in smart water bottles and 2 liters of Gatorade that can be used as water bottles once I finish drinking them. I will have some powdered Gatorade packets in my pack if I want to flavor some water.

I will need to top off my fuel bottle and make sure it is working properly. We will have 3 additional stoves on the trip so if my stove breaks down we will have plenty of backup. There will be 3 tents on the trip plus my tarp. That will be perfect in case we hit any real in-climate weather like snow. I think that is highly unlikely but you need to plan for it anyway.

I carry a survival kit just in case I get separated from my pack for any reason. That is all together and ready to go. It just includes a fire-steel, water purification tablets, a pinch light, whistle, compass and small knife. I carry it on a carabiner hanging off my belt.

I will begin to check and double check my list over the next few days. Since work is always slow this time of the year I have the time. Counting down.......