Absolutely stunning photos; I can't even imagine what it must have felt like to be standing there in person. Your thoughts back to the trip at Harvey Mudd reminded me of one of my own experiences one one of my first backpacking and spelunking trips in Yosemite with the cub scouts. There were at least two times when I slipped, started to fall, and was grabbed by an adult before plummeting down the cave. When my partner and I tried to exit, we went the wrong way and ended up atop a cliff, a long way up from the meeting place. As we made our way down the mountain, we saw a bear sunning on a rock, far enough away not to cause danger, but close enough to cause concern.
Despite all that, I'd give anything to go back. The trips with problems are always the most memorable. Thank you for sharing this experience and I look forward to reading more in the future!
Thanks for reading brother! Great memory, I agree—some writer said once that “problems are like the salt and sugar of an adventure” (provided they are not catastrophic). Strangely enough, Cathy also got lost in Yosemite years ago before we met, but it sounded much worse, like hours off trail.
Next set of entries will be about Mexico, stay tuned.
Sencha it was (unless you rocked different tea on different days). Love it. I'm dying to know how you filtered the water for it and from where you gathered it (the river)? I want to know more about fetching water from natural sources but am ill equipped in most regards to know right from left.
Favorite bit of both pieces was probably the moment with the fog spirit. Beautifully set up and I was glad there was no picture so I could enjoy the painting it gave me in my own mind of you at that point.
Excited to see the coming MX adventuras my brother. Congrats on getting rolling!
Only one tea backpacking! Weight is too big of a consideration otherwise. Thankee!!
I use a Grayl Geopress, it’s like a reverse osmosis thing that you have to press down hard after you scoop up the water, which forces it from the inner layer to a filtered outer one you can then use, works great.
Yep, as long as you have a stream or a river that looks ok, just scoop it up and filter; that’s about all there is to it. At camp by the river, that was easy and abundant, when on the move it becomes more of a trade off between weight and hydration, depending on where water sources are, but then that’s about water, not tea—which necessitates an abundant supply during that window of time—our fist place in Mexico City no water or filter was provided, and you can’t drink the tap water, so the first morning I walked down the street and lugged 2 10 L bottles several blocks and up several flights of stairs in an old apartment, which we easily used between washing, cooking and tea..my partner was joking that it was the sexiest thing I had ever done.
Sorry, what is this fog spirit you’re referring to?
Generally speaking, I’m glad you get it—that’s exactly my aim with pics, don’t give too many—in travel, nature, and multidimensional experiences that touch us, I think we have to be careful about giving too much data in too many directions, because it will never capture it fully vs being there, and if you go too far down one path without enough care, it can lead the reader astray. Yes, it’s not about the literal but about capturing the feeling.
“ Finally, at around 9:45, I stopped—there was a giant frog in the middle of the path. My light illuminated it perfectly. It seemed completely calm and unmoving. I knew then that I was going to make it back all right: it was encouraging me, like a spirit guide.”
& only now in reading it now a 4th time do I realize that it was a frog and not “fog” - which actually makes for a whole different feeling but with equal kudus - I’ll take either ☁️ or 🐸
Wasn’t she around 40 when she attempted the PCT, and she didn’t finish, anyways? You can definitely do it, you’re young, it’s just a matter of experience and conditioning, like anything! Start with basic hiking and work your way up. Seems to be some great and largely unvisited ones in Turkey, according to some blogs I’ve read.
Ah yes--the headlamp is no match to the darkness. Sometimes it can be a total relief, though, to have it. I'm betting there are better ones now. But the one that I have has a red light. And somehow, that seems to be a better match to the darkness than the bright light.
Great adventure! That photo of the valley between the trees is incredible!
Agreed!
Great photos. Just discovered your page!
Thank you, glad you did!
Absolutely stunning photos; I can't even imagine what it must have felt like to be standing there in person. Your thoughts back to the trip at Harvey Mudd reminded me of one of my own experiences one one of my first backpacking and spelunking trips in Yosemite with the cub scouts. There were at least two times when I slipped, started to fall, and was grabbed by an adult before plummeting down the cave. When my partner and I tried to exit, we went the wrong way and ended up atop a cliff, a long way up from the meeting place. As we made our way down the mountain, we saw a bear sunning on a rock, far enough away not to cause danger, but close enough to cause concern.
Despite all that, I'd give anything to go back. The trips with problems are always the most memorable. Thank you for sharing this experience and I look forward to reading more in the future!
Thanks for reading brother! Great memory, I agree—some writer said once that “problems are like the salt and sugar of an adventure” (provided they are not catastrophic). Strangely enough, Cathy also got lost in Yosemite years ago before we met, but it sounded much worse, like hours off trail.
Next set of entries will be about Mexico, stay tuned.
Sencha it was (unless you rocked different tea on different days). Love it. I'm dying to know how you filtered the water for it and from where you gathered it (the river)? I want to know more about fetching water from natural sources but am ill equipped in most regards to know right from left.
Favorite bit of both pieces was probably the moment with the fog spirit. Beautifully set up and I was glad there was no picture so I could enjoy the painting it gave me in my own mind of you at that point.
Excited to see the coming MX adventuras my brother. Congrats on getting rolling!
Only one tea backpacking! Weight is too big of a consideration otherwise. Thankee!!
I use a Grayl Geopress, it’s like a reverse osmosis thing that you have to press down hard after you scoop up the water, which forces it from the inner layer to a filtered outer one you can then use, works great.
Yep, as long as you have a stream or a river that looks ok, just scoop it up and filter; that’s about all there is to it. At camp by the river, that was easy and abundant, when on the move it becomes more of a trade off between weight and hydration, depending on where water sources are, but then that’s about water, not tea—which necessitates an abundant supply during that window of time—our fist place in Mexico City no water or filter was provided, and you can’t drink the tap water, so the first morning I walked down the street and lugged 2 10 L bottles several blocks and up several flights of stairs in an old apartment, which we easily used between washing, cooking and tea..my partner was joking that it was the sexiest thing I had ever done.
Sorry, what is this fog spirit you’re referring to?
Generally speaking, I’m glad you get it—that’s exactly my aim with pics, don’t give too many—in travel, nature, and multidimensional experiences that touch us, I think we have to be careful about giving too much data in too many directions, because it will never capture it fully vs being there, and if you go too far down one path without enough care, it can lead the reader astray. Yes, it’s not about the literal but about capturing the feeling.
“ Finally, at around 9:45, I stopped—there was a giant frog in the middle of the path. My light illuminated it perfectly. It seemed completely calm and unmoving. I knew then that I was going to make it back all right: it was encouraging me, like a spirit guide.”
- fog spirit guide
& only now in reading it now a 4th time do I realize that it was a frog and not “fog” - which actually makes for a whole different feeling but with equal kudus - I’ll take either ☁️ or 🐸
Oh ha ha! Yes, fog in the frog. Actually there wasn’t any fog, just darkness and the frog, but yeah.
The photos are lovely Nick! Also this makes me realize I’m not cut out for backpacking as I wrongly assumed I would be after reading Wild 😂
Wasn’t she around 40 when she attempted the PCT, and she didn’t finish, anyways? You can definitely do it, you’re young, it’s just a matter of experience and conditioning, like anything! Start with basic hiking and work your way up. Seems to be some great and largely unvisited ones in Turkey, according to some blogs I’ve read.
Ah yes--the headlamp is no match to the darkness. Sometimes it can be a total relief, though, to have it. I'm betting there are better ones now. But the one that I have has a red light. And somehow, that seems to be a better match to the darkness than the bright light.
Red is pretty fatiguing to the eyes!
I felt your exhaustion and trepidation! Thanks for chronicling your adventures and finally helping me understand why my skull is so deformed! 🌬️💀