Getting Ready for Winter

Here's the first installment on keeping Nancy warm this winter - 5 or 6 more piles of this nature will be required!

Thankfully we recently (last year) purchased a hydraulic splitter - it is awesome! You can split pieces of wood that were previously left in the forest; those knots have a high heat content due to the resins and density - love to burn them - just hate to try and split them with an 8# maul!

Wonderland Trail - Completed

Nancy and I walked around Mt. Rainier in 11 days and 10 nights - > 90 miles. It was a gruelling, demanding, gorgeous, spectacular, awe inspiring hike. The elevation changes were the greatest challenge - usually up 2500-3000' each day and down about that same amout (what goes up has to come down!).

You can see more pictures of our adventure at: http://www.earthscapesphotography.com/

Come join us on the next adventure?

Wonderland Trail

OK - we have a permit for two for a 12-day adventure circumnavigating Mt. Rainier. We'll be spending the next 3 months getting in shape and getting equipment together. We will send two food caches ahead so we won't have to carry so much food. The maximum number of days of food carrying will be 5 to 6 which is a normal hike for us.

Maren couldn't make it this year on our hike - she is going to spend 3 months in Africa! She is planning on being back for Mike's Wedding.

Mike and Erin won't make it this year either - hey - they are getting married at the end of August - plenty for them to do until then!!!

This will be as much a mental challenge as physical; getting up every morning and walking all day long - through some of the most beautiful scenery in the west.

Here are some links to trip reports from others who have hiked the trail:

http://scv.bu.edu/~aarondf/rainier/

http://www.freeyourheel.de/tripreports/rainier/wonderland.htm

http://lonerunman.blogspot.com/2008/09/wonderland-trail-around-mt-rainier.html

Thanks to everyone for the nice shower at Peggy's - great food, family and fun!

See you at the wedding!!