Dave and Cindy Peters have already logged their first 100 miles from the wall at Campo on the U.S.-Mexico border. They’re now calling themselves Zelda and Tarzan. How Dave got dubbed: At Scissors Crossing we stopped to rest and make…
Backpacking
Links and comments about backpacking, camping and long distance hiking at Two-Heel Drive
A priceless PCT dispatch
by tom • April 21, 2008 • 1 Comment
Jellybean, from Mile 43 of the Pacific Crest trail: I was sitting on a rock out cropping yesterday to air my feet and eat a snack. I could see down into the valley and interstate 8. I was thinking Wow!…
Backpacking for the absolute beginner
by tom • April 16, 2008 • 9 Comments
1) Take a course: The Sierra Club holds them every spring around the Bay Area, for instance. (Alas, this year’s Loma Prieta Section course is already under way). 2) Rent gear the first couple times: A quality backpacking kit can…
Favorite tent pictures
by tom • March 29, 2008 • 10 Comments
Inspired by this link at Backpacker.com, here are some tent pictures of mine in various settings: My REI Quarter dome at At Cache Creek Wildlife Area. Same tent, behind Mission Peak at Eagle Spring Backpack Camp. Moon through the webbing,…
A note for those camping in the Appalachian Trail shelters
by tom • March 11, 2008 • 2 Comments
Sgt. Rock says there’s only one plausible reason for duct tape on the ceiling: It snowed all night best as I could tell. It also turned out the shelter roof leaks. I woke up at about 0330 to a bag…
PCT journal to watch: Emily’s Dad
by tom • March 11, 2008 • 4 Comments
I went trolling for interesting candidates to follow for this hiking season. I was hoping to find some Bay Area types who are doing the trail this year (I did, but I’ll get back to that) but one journal stopped…
Berry Creek Falls today
by tom • March 3, 2008 • 6 Comments
I’m doing the big loop at Big Basin to check out the water flow … pix & chatter tonight.
News media scaring common folks away from the backcountry?
by tom • February 22, 2008 • 15 Comments
Steve sounds like he thinks this might be a bad thing. Steve has a point: the only way a hiker gets his name in the paper is when he dies dramatically, stupidly, wastefully, or otherwise -fully. (Although there are, ahem,…
Another Calipidder snow-camping outing
by tom • February 21, 2008 • 1 Comment
As long as Rebecca’s out there in the snow, I don’t have to be. We found a nice campsite near but not too close to the rim, and then spent the rest of the day eating and enjoying the scenery.…