Ladybug Trail and Garfield Grove

Garfield Grove was a bust. I intended go to the beginning of the Grove expecting number of giants. I went well past that, for the total of 4 miles instead of 2.9, and only saw a few. In the process I almost got hypothermia. About a mile of the trail was snow covered and freezing.

Add 4 miles on Ladybug, it was another 12 miles day. Lady bug was a smashing success, thankfully. It follows the south folk with spectacular view of the stream and the falls. I planned to go up further, but the trail disappeared after the creek and I couldn't find the easy path to bushwhack. I returned to the camp, had lunch and nap and then went up Garfield Grove trail.

The next one will be 14 mile one to Pear lake. I'll have to get to at crack of dawn so that I can charge the car for an hour at get to the trail head by 7. That means I'll have to leave the camp at 5.

I'm running out of food. I have enough rice, pasta and left over chicken, but not enough sauce, onion and carrot. If push comes to shove, I'll just eat pasta without sauce. Going back out to Visalia for grocery means having to go all the way to Traver to recharge and I don't want to do that. I'll make it with what I have.

A Day Off at South Fork Camp

Rain and sleet last night. Then It's been raining off and on all day long. I had to bring the kitchen to inside the tent. I didn't bother to set up the table -- there was a picnic table and the bear locker at the site -- so all my stuff are strewn all over the floor. I now look like a bona fide homeless man. But I still have electrical power. It's a luxury to have power. I'm hurdled inside the tent, but I still can power my stove, electronics and electric blanket.

Speaking of electric blanket, it appears I wouldn't need it. The new sleeping bag is working out fine. At least at 30F. I had to wear thermal underwear and fleece though. I'll probably need the electric blanket, or all least a liner, if the temperature dips broke below 20 F. The bag is rated at 15F, but it really isn't as they usually aren't. For 3 seasons however I think I'll do just fine without the electric blanket.

Topokah Falls and Marble Falls

The locals, mostly blue color Whites, probably doesn't venture out too often. A few guys in the bar are in a good mood. It's not every day that they get see an Asian guy walk into the bar, let alone a soaking wet one.  I'm game -- I'm in a good mood too. One drunk patron cheerfully asks where I'm from. I tell him Sacramento, among many places. He ruefully shuts up and fist-bumps instead.

In the morning I asked the ranger at the entrance which falls, Topokah or Marble, is better for a day hike. He said Tokopah. Then he said that they are expecting winter storm between 2 and 4 at higher elevation. That gave me an idea: why not do Tokopah Falls in the morning and then do Marble Falls in the afternoon? Marble Falls is at 3000 feet, it's safe from winter storm. It took no time to hike the pretty trail to Topokah Falls, photographed bear cubs along the river. I had plenty time left for Marble Falls. Or, so I thought.

It was 4:30 on Marble Falls and I almost turned around. I needed to get to Gateway Restaurant by 6PM so that I can charge the car for a couple hours and then get back to the camp. Then I saw the glimpse of Marble Falls from distance and it was marvelous. I had to get to it. I marched on and got to it a little after 5. I had my camp-made burrito, enjoyed view and left at 5:30. The rain came on the way and me and my camera got soaked good. It was almost 7 when I got back to the car. 1.5 hours for 3.5 miles, just like I did in Missouri. The total trip for 7 miles took 4.5 hours. 

The total for the day therefore is 12 miles for 2400 feet. Not bad for a day's work.  Now I'm sitting here in Gateways Restaurant typing away while the car is getting charged. I still have to get to the camp and wash up. I'll probably be finished around 11PM. Doesn't matter. I'll take a day off tomorrow and rest.

The plan for the rest of Sequoia is as follows. On Saturday, I'll hike to Pear Lake. It'll be a grueling one of 14 miles and 3400 feet gain. Then I'll hike the trail off the campsite on Monday. On Tuesday or Wednesday, I'll pack up and head to Cedar Grove of Kings Canyon and hike Mist Trail.  Depending on how the sleeping bag problem gets resolved, I may have to return home to return it for refund or exchange.

Yes, Blue Kazoo is leaking downs. The shell is rather flimsy -- they may have chosen it to reduce the weight -- and downs are poking out of it. It's also not as warm as it should be for a 15F bag. I'll have to review other brands and decide. The problem is 0F bags are several times more expensive. I may just exchange for the same model.

Electric Hobo Season 2 Starts

Cort at HealthRising.org is supposed to publish the story of my season 1. For now you can preview it here.

The beginning of hobodom season 2 started in Fresno, the gateway to Kings Canyon. Visalia is actually closer to it by 2 miles, but it's fair that Fresno gets the claim since Visalia already lays claim to the gateway to Sequoia NP. I left home at 5AM and got to the charging station in Fresno at half past seven. Then I was at Kings River Trailhead at almost eleven, an hour behind the schedule, as usual.

There aren't too many visitors in this stretch of Kings River. Understandably so -- it's quite a way from Fresno in winding road and then you have to drive in dirt for a few miles. You need a high clearance vehicle. Unless you are a cavalier electric hobo. I had the trail all by myself all afternoon. I skinny dipped in ice water and then hung myself out on a warm rock to dry. It was therapeutic.

The hike was only 4 miles, just enough to squeeze in what's left of the day I originally planned to go as far as Garlic Falls, but the rest of the way was climb up the mountain without much view. At the end of the trail, you get to see Garlic Falls 2000 ft away. A birds eye view of the was one. All that work for that? No thanks. I was back at the trailhead which was also a campsite around 5 PM. I spent the night there in my car and then I was off to Sequoia NP

I'll spend the rest of April in Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP. Then I'll circle the Sierras via Kern River stopping at lone pine, big pine and Bishop. There will be some long hikes there including Whitney, Big pine lakes and Bishop pass. I'm not planning to backpack. Not yet they will be all day hikes. I'm still mulling on procuring backpacking gear. I'll see how well I do in this trip and then decide on adding multi day backpacking in the regiment. Chances are they will be backpacking in the season 3, if there is season 3.

The circling of the Sierras will probably take a month. After that, I may return to Sacramento and Reno to take care of a few businesses and then head to either Utah/ Colorado or Idaho/Montana. Or, both. I'll play by the ears.

Upper Yosemite Falls

The plan to get back on the road is again delayed. Kings Canyon is the first destination, and it was supposed to get snowed throughout the week. So we made a daytrip to Yosemite while waiting out the weather and the sun was out.

Eagle Tower provides just about the most spectacular view in Yosemite. You look down on the valley just above Yosemite Falls practically in a point blank distance, with the Half Dome rising behind the fall. I was as over-ambitious as ever and planned to go all the way to Eagle Tower for the total of 12 miles and 3700 feet elevation gain.

Needless to say, we didn't make it. It turned out that Upper Yosemite Fall is already 3200 feet in elevation gain. And that is over 8 miles, making the climb steeper than anything else I've done. It was another 2 miles and 1000 feet climb to tEagle Tower and we ran out of time and energy. It was past 1PM by the time we got to the fall and, at our pace, it would've taken extra 4 hours to make it to Eagle Point and back. We stayed at the fall till 3 PM and came down. It was 7PM when we got back to car.

For the next 3 days my legs and feet were so sore that I couldn't walk straight. My knee also hurt for the first time in 15 years too. Climbing down 3200 feet in 8 miles would do that to you unless your legs are in shape. 

3 days for recovery would've been normal. But I struggled for another 3 days. Which makes my recovery twice as long as it should be. So, I'm not fully recovered from CFS yet. But I'm getting close. Another season of hobodom could be all that's required. Cross fingers.