So 4WheelBob is not the only chaser-of-remarkable-firsts in my acquaintance. It so happens that a woman I work with hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2004 with her 10-year-old daughter, the youngest ever to hike the whole trail. Barb Egbert…
Monthly Archives: October 2007
Moonlight in Marin
by tmangan • October 16, 2007 • 1 Comment
This sounds interesting: Marin Moonshiners Monthly Moonlight Hike. Experience the sunset and moonrise from beautiful Mt. Tam. This monthly 3 mile hike takes place during the full moon. Enjoy socializing and picnicing by the campfire. We’ll start hiking near Four…
New blog: Trailspotting
by tmangan • October 16, 2007 • 3 Comments
Here’s a link that just came in over the transom: www.trailspotting.com … which aspires to be a compendium of trail info for Northern California. As of this moment there’s only a pair of hikes posted, but they do describe places…
A fresh look at Mount Madonna County Park
by tmangan • October 15, 2007 • 5 Comments
Mount Madonna has over a hundred campsites and the ruins of a mansion built by a guy who owned nearly 2 million acres of California ranch land. It has 20 miles of trails but they’re not the main attraction. I…
Mangan’s 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking
by tmangan • October 13, 2007 • 0 Comments
I’ve assembled my version of the 10 things I need for a happy hike in the Bay Area, where the notable absence of such climate annoyances as blizzards and hurricanes means we don’t have to dwell on the 10 Essentials…
1. A water supply
by tmangan • October 13, 2007 • 2 Comments
It’s not just a matter of carrying enough water — you need access to more if you run out. That means two things: a) letting your water supply determine your hike length (turning back when it’s half-gone, for example); and…
2. A reliable map
by tmangan • October 13, 2007 • 1 Comment
The most basic risk of hiking is getting lost. And just as it’s possible to drown in your kitchen sink, it’s possible to get dangerously lost in just about any outdoor locale beyond your back yard. It doesn’t really matter…
3. Comfortable socks
by tmangan • October 13, 2007 • 2 Comments
The fabric closest to your feet has the most impact on them. Don’t imagine the old cotton athletic socks in your drawer will do. They don’t. They aren’t designed for walking long distances, they’re designed for chasing inflatable rolling orbs…
4: Comfortable shoes
by tmangan • October 13, 2007 • 2 Comments
No two feet are alike, but shoe manufacturers seem to think otherwise. Which means you have to go to the store and try on half-dozen models and sizes to see what feels best on your feet. Do you need big…