TreknMike

Just completed the Annapurna Circuit (AC) and Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) trek in 15 days. Approx. 200 miles with a high point of 18,000 feet. From 15,000 to 18,000, we knocked off 1500 feet/hr. Not sure most can do that at sea level. Just arrived in Pokhara, Nepal to RELAX! Hope I don’t regain all the weight I lost. Many stories and pictures to come in a few weeks.

In Bangkok now at airport after 18 hour flight from LA. Thai Airlines rocks with GREAT service.  Left Friday night and here it is Sunday morning (it’s March 22).  Lost a day.  Have a 5 hour layover, then on to Kathmandu. Met 2 guides leading climbs on Everest. Discovery Channel is filming them, so I’ll look for them on TV this Fall. Terry and I may climb the 6th highest mountain in the world next year, Cho Oyu (Nepal/Tibet), and the guides offered to answer questions we might have. But, due to the cost, may have to sacrafice and head to New Zealand instead. Bummer. Having a good time with little sleep. The whole story and pics after the trip.

Repeated this hike March 14.   New boots did better.  Time to hike 17 miles with 4000 feet elev gain:  11:05 AM to 3:45 PM.  Nepal, ready or not, here I come.

Repeated this hike March 7.  This time, it was a beautiful, sunny spring day and about 60F.  Serious spring fever.  Breaking in a new pair of boots.  Only 3 little blisters.  Time to hike 17 miles:  11:15 AM to 4:05 PM.

Completed a 17 mile hike in Point Reyes National Seashore with 4000 feet elevation gain.  Down hill hurts.  Bear Valley Visitor Center – up Wittenenberg Trail to Sky Trail – Sky Trail down Meadow to Bear Valley – Bear Valley up Old Pine to Sky – Sky down Baldy to Bear Valley – Bear Valley up to Sky – Sky down Wittenberg and back to Bear Valley Visitor Center. 10:30 AM to 3:45 PM.  Link to a few cool pics.

I hiked 16.2 miles from Washington (CA) west to the Missouri Bar trail to the spot Terry and I hiked from the opposite direction the week before. No way was Handy going with me this time – not dealing with those tics! Handy still has red bumps on her skin from the tic bites the previous week.

(I repeated this hike on Feb. 7.  Again, Handy didn’t go – sorry little buddy.  This time, I pulled one tic off me and a week later I still have a little red bump/bruise.  All this to try and get in shape for Nepal, which is knocking on the door in less than 6 weeks.)

My good friend, Terry, and I hiked 16 miles along the South Yuba River from the South Yuba Campground, near Nevada City, east to the Missouri Bar Trail. First real hike of the year. I was a little sore the next few days. As usually, Terry was ready for another 16 miles. Handy went too. She had fun until we returned home and I pulled more than 50 tics off her!