Trip Report: Point Reyes Backpacking

Trip: Point Reyes National Seashore
Method: Backpacking
Route:
Day 1: Bear Valley Visitors Ctr>Bear Valley Trail>Glen Trail>Coast Trail>Wildcat Camp
Day 2: Coast Trail> Arch Rock>Bear Valley Trail>Bear Valley Vistors Ctr
Date: March 2009
Difficulty Rating: Easy to Moderate
Plusses: Stunning coastline, relatively mellow hiking, close to the Bay Area, wilderness-y single track trails
Minuses: Takes planning to make a reservation, trails and campsites can be crowded

Details: Backpacking at Point Reyes is like getting a beer after work with a friend who you feel comfortable with. The logistics are simple, the event predictable, you always have a good time, and you always remember why you like the guy/gal.
Point Reyes National Seashore is a little more than an hour north of San Francisco. There is a shuttle (the Stagecoach) that can get you to right to the Park's entrance from Central San Rafael, so you can even go the public transportation route.
The scenery is amazing. From intense stands of Douglas Fir, to soft rolling meadows, to impossibly steep cliffs dropping off into the ocean, the variety and drama of the landscape makes you feel like you are way further away from civilization than you are. First rule of thumb is to get off the Bear Valley Trail (the highway) as soon as possible for the ultimate nature-y experience.
The only camping is back country, which in the summer is nearly impossible to reserve. Winter is easier, but the best thing to do is just pick a weekend 3 months out and reserve a site (for last-minute summer camping, the Tomales Bay boat in sites are awesome, but that's another post). All sites have running water, outhouses, and trash/recycling. Yup, you don't have to pack out your trash. Again, not super wilderness-y, but it adds to the overall easiness of this trip.
I tried out my new Black Diamond firstlight tent, as well as my Z-lite thermarest, and was pleased. The tent was very roomy for a 2 person ultralight! I also test drove the big batch of veggies I dehydrated a few weeks back and they worked great- I am starting to perfect the ultimate backpacking dinner! I will post when I get it perfect.
On a personal level, we had a great group and a ton of fun. 8 of us- wow! But lots of laughter and silliness and we all ended the trip drinking local beers and eating oysters, so yeah. It didn't suck.

Even more Big Life Changes

I wanted to apologize for this lapse in blogging, but there have been some big life changes afoot (in addition to getting married, moving, and training for a 50 miler). I promise to update soon with good pictures of spring! Here is one of a weekend backpacking trip at Point Reyes to whet the appetite. And in short, training is still going well, though I'm having a tough time fitting in the long (3+ hr) runs...

My Ultrarunning "Article"!

Well, the article turned into a quote, but it was still published! Laura, from the WMAC Valentines Day Snowshoe Race, was kind enough to tear the pages out of the January/February issue of Ultrarunning and bring it to the race. My lack of competitiveness is now visible to the world!
I used the steam room after this morning's workout, and it felt great. I think I may start trying to stretch in there more often...

Keeping the Faith

I heard from my weight lifting teacher today that mid-February is when people start to loose strength keeping up their New Year's resolutions. I didn't make any this year, but I started training for my 50-miler on Jan 1st (okay, Dec 28th). Since then, it's been at least 2 hours of working out a day, sometimes outside, but more often in the gym due to weather. The gym doesn't inspire me much, I must say. I like watching "Keeping up with the Kardashians", but not for 18 miles! Last week I definitely felt tired, physically and mentally, trying to cram workouts around a full time job and general life maintenance.
Anyhow, if you're feeling the same way, keep the faith! I did a 6 mile fast run today that felt pretty good, and an hour of weights flew by. I feel like I have broken through. We are getting stronger and getting closer to meeting our goals. The discomfort and lack of focus is all part of the process- that's what keeps it real. And in the midst of it all, we just keep training!

Adirondaks: Climbing Giant and Baxter

This is just a partial post, but I am pretty psyched to share pictures of the awesome cabin we stayed at and awesome mountains that we climbed in the Adirondaks this weekend.
We stayed in a Canadian climbers hut, met great people every night, told stories, cooked delicious carb-laden meals, spent our days climbing mountains without the prescribed equipment, saw incredible views, drank good beer in mountain bars, and overall just had an awesome weekend. Sometimes life gets in this groove where every thing you encounter feels special and good and wholesome, and we had a taste of that.

Valentines Day WMAC Snowshoe Race, Saratoga NY

As I drove north from JFK to Newburgh, I listened to some Christian radio. The discussion was about the serenity prayer, which holds the oft-repeated line "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change". That was a great precursor to my Valentines Day weekend! If I can't make the snow melt, I might as well run in it!
This was my first snowshoe race, and I registered II and myself in it for Valentines Day morning. I told him about it the night before, and he was psyched! I had been emailing Laura in the weeks before, and she was so sweet, so I was expecting a good vibe for the day.
We drove up Saturday morning and found the parking lot, after which we crowded in a log-cabin type structure and pulled on our borrowed snowshoes. When the race organizer (Laura's husband) said go, we headed off. Running in snowshoes wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, though it certainly slowed my pace down a bit. II ran with me, so we had a nice time hanging out together. The course we well-groomed and little hilly, the morning was sunny and beautiful, and before long, we had finished and huddled with the rest of the crew in the log cabin. It was just the kind of scene I love- not many people, crock pots full of home made warm soups and chilis, and friendly chatter all around. Laura even arranged for a barbershop quarter to sing a few post-race love songs. II threw his arm around me, and we swayed to the music. Our first snowshoe race, and our valentines day, was a success!

PCTR Woodside 35k

Well, you know that it's bad when you are packing up for another adventure before writing about the previous one! So I'm getting in just under the wire, as we leave in the morning for the Valentines Day Adirondaks Snowcamping Weekend (I swear, II didn't know what he was getting into when he agreed to get married).
Last Saturday I ran the PCTR Woodside 35k. We had rain the two previous days in the Bay Area, and so I was delighted to wake up to clear skies. My "brother" Ryan came down with me, and I was psyched to show him the trail running/ ultramarathon scene, as he is a anti-corporate, anti-competition, nature-for-its-own-sake kinda guy (I will always be proud that I introduced him to Ed Abbey!). I didn't know much about Woodside- it seems like a wealthy South Bay community tucked between some beautiful parks.
PCTR puts on a great race, and this one didn't disappoint. The run was mostly single-track and through the redwood trees, which were all misty and damp from the previous few days. The course was textured (read hilly) but consistent- no huge uphills or downhills. That's starting to be my favorite kind of trail running- consistent gentile inclines and declines that make you feel like you're flying. The aid stations were awesomely stocked (I discovered the joy of the salty potato) except no pop tarts! The Angel Island race spoiled me.
Anyhow, I ran super easy since i am increasing my mileage faster than I probably should right now. I walked all the uphills and kept a nice easy pace and it was so enjoyable! I really felt that there was nothing else I would rather do on a Saturday morning than run through the redwood forest, quiet and damp, at my own pace.