What's next?!

The Sierra High Route.  More than 50% of it is cross-country or off-trail.  In those areas, I will have to rely on my ability to read maps and navigate across boulder fields, scree, and many passes.   While this will test learn-able skills, I am hoping it will provide a solid basis for mental stress and positive decision making. Although these are also skills, they take far more trials and experiences for confidence to build.  I'm hoping this trip will give me a different enjoyment of nature, a confidence for off-trail hiking, and a better basis for decision making.  I am sure I will be ... misplaced often.   I did begin a search for a hiking partner from my pool of familiar hikers, but there were no takers.  I had originally planned this to be a solo hike, but opened it up to others for safety reasons.  Now having read books that relate to this, I feel prepared for a solo traverse.   I am still stressing about my travel plans to and from the trailheads but I am sure I will find someone who lives in Fresno CA. (If you do, please let me know!!!)

I got my permit two weeks ago and I am looking at flights!  Most of my new gear has arrived.  In the last 10 months I have re-outfitted ALL of my gear.  I am now on my way to becoming UltraLight!  My new tent arrived this week and it looks stellar, it  has been in production for the past 6 weeks.  Cottage Gear Companies make gear after the order is placed.  Besides my tent, my UL quilt(instead of sleeping bag) will come in sometime in July.  (It has a 9 week lead time!)   Also, depending on family needs I am hoping to fly to Seattle for a 45 mile jaunt over July fourth weekend.  I have one more major hike planned, but I don't want to jinx it.  It's just too intense and has such a large possibility of being an epic failure, so you'll hear about it later...   For now, it's eating healthy, training with 120% of expected pack weight, and getting my knees up to standard.

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this blog, and in the end I've concluded the blog works great for one thru-hike, but I'll need something bigger and better to encapsulate all of my hikes, ideas, and backpacking advice.  In the next few months I will be putting my web design skills to good use as well as asking others for help.  Before the end of the Sierra High Route trip I hope direct you to a website that is currently "Under GoldenChild Construction".   For those who have seen my mad skills with drills, screws, hammers, and thingamajigs.... stand back!!!!

 - Happy Trails!  and email me if you have a contact in Fresno please!