Post by bink on Jul 16, 2012 1:48:20 GMT -5
Hello its me again the guy who never posts on here except right before heading out. On 8/6/2012 I plan to start southbound form the northern terminus of the Pacific crest trail at the US-Canadian border. My plan is to hike the PCT in the same Unassisted style, no cars into resupplies style, as last year when I set the current 64d, 11h, 19m time. As with last year I will be hiking a few weeks prior to starting to help work my legs into some shape. My work has really kept me from any training, working as a tree climber eight hours a day leaves no energy for anything else. I worked up until two days ago and leave tomorrow. My goal with this hike is to try to better my own time and better refine the south bound speed hike of the PCT. Last year was NOT easy for me. Lack of training, heavy snow in Washington, the challenges of short days in the second half (by the time I was in southern California I was hiking an average of five hours a day in total darkness), As well as the slowing of my circadian rhythm because of this, last summer was the most challenging PCT hike I have ever done. Another unanticipated factor was the solo aspect of last years hike. I learned that my previous two shared speed hikes with Adam Bradley '09' and Joe Kisner '08' were in many ways mentally easier. It makes a real difference when you are seeing that someone else is having a tough go of it too. Without Joe or Adam to pull me along I found that the hike was 10 times more difficult. Because of all these factors I was barley able to pull the time I did last year, plus it seemed I had several days in the second half where my mileage really faltered. Anyhow with all this said my only real goal is to pull some time off the record or more honestly last long enough to have a chance at it. If it reaches a point where it looks like I will not be able to pull any time off the record I still hope to finish out the hike, of course injury could pull me off regardless. As usual I have no web site or anything of that nature for people to track my progress. I am too lazy for that. Unlike last year I will try to post on here as to the outcome. Last year I broke the record, got off the trail, went right back to work and it all was sort of forgotten, thus I never did a trip report as I had planned. For those who are curious I can provide details of each nights camps, daily mileages etc from last years hike, if you are curious, although not until October if all goes well.
With all that said I want to say that I am doing this more for my own personal challenge. Recently there was a very strong attempt on the record in the same unassisted style by Ryan Weidert aka "Tuna Helper", who from what I know was stopped in Oregon by heavy snow. It sounds like he broke the record for halfway as well as the state of California by quite a margin. He was several days ahead of record pace when he pulled out. I was blown away at his pace of 43-44 MPD, and figured he had it and that it was going sub-60. At even the slower 64 day pace I feel that doing it unassisted there is no latitude for anything to go wrong and if something does the record attempt is over. I cannot wait to talk to Ryan about his hike. I am sure he will be back. Adam Bradley and Joe Kisner I also feel could take this record down quite a bit. I feel like anything sub 62 days will be out of my league when it happens, at least as far as an unassisted hike goes so I am sure that soon my name will no longer be associated with this record, but I hope to still be out there going for my personal best this year and in the coming years most likely, besides its a great excuse to go hike the PCT.
As far as supported attempts I am waiting for Jennifer Pharr Davis to go after the PCT. That I see going sub 60 for sure.
Anyhow my rambling thoughts on this subject for what they are worth. I can't wait to spend time out there on the trail. I will really try to give a post trip report this time. Scott "BINK" Williamson
With all that said I want to say that I am doing this more for my own personal challenge. Recently there was a very strong attempt on the record in the same unassisted style by Ryan Weidert aka "Tuna Helper", who from what I know was stopped in Oregon by heavy snow. It sounds like he broke the record for halfway as well as the state of California by quite a margin. He was several days ahead of record pace when he pulled out. I was blown away at his pace of 43-44 MPD, and figured he had it and that it was going sub-60. At even the slower 64 day pace I feel that doing it unassisted there is no latitude for anything to go wrong and if something does the record attempt is over. I cannot wait to talk to Ryan about his hike. I am sure he will be back. Adam Bradley and Joe Kisner I also feel could take this record down quite a bit. I feel like anything sub 62 days will be out of my league when it happens, at least as far as an unassisted hike goes so I am sure that soon my name will no longer be associated with this record, but I hope to still be out there going for my personal best this year and in the coming years most likely, besides its a great excuse to go hike the PCT.
As far as supported attempts I am waiting for Jennifer Pharr Davis to go after the PCT. That I see going sub 60 for sure.
Anyhow my rambling thoughts on this subject for what they are worth. I can't wait to spend time out there on the trail. I will really try to give a post trip report this time. Scott "BINK" Williamson