111 days till my start date. Planning is now what consumes me

        Anything worth doing is worth doing right!          

View from Grey's Peak 14er

 I've spend the last 8 months reading countless blogs, websites, and a book learning everything I can about Thru Hiking the PCT. It has been such a good time reading the blogs/journals it's almost like I've hiked the PCT already several times. I've had the most fun researching and learning about gear. 

New tool box and me 2013

Gear is like tools of the trade for the hiker. I am a Master Auto Tech in my other life and I love tools. Here is a picture of my tool obsession so you can get an idea of where I am coming from

In Yogi's PCT Handbook she says "I use gear to hike... Not hike to use gear". I pry fall in the later part of that statement. I guess I just love all the "stuff" that one needs to thru hike. I'm the type that obsess about something till I know everything. So the gear is a huge thing for me. Figuring out what stuff I need to have, what brands are good, what is everyone else using and why. To much fun! I have spent hours looking at REI, Sierra Trading post website comparing things like weight, cost, reviews and whats new, whats going to be coming out soon.  I don't know if there is a perfect anything when it comes to gear everyone has there own preferences and options. It's funny you may have 10 hikers in a room and every single one of them may have different pack, tent and sleeping bag. To each their own.  I'll go into depth about the gear I've just purchased and what I am planning on getting soon. I'm going to make a dedicated page for that. 

Details details details...

So I have finally sat down and started planning the details of my trip. How I'm getting to San Diego, where I'm sending my resupply packages, how many days of food in each box what towns I'm thinking about staying at and when and where I need to send additional gears and new shoes. Crazy amounts of details which are pretty important. Here is what it looks like for me planning this out as we speak. 

So I'm using a combination of a bunch of resources.

 Craig's PCT Planner (pctplanner.com) 
Amazing tool that uses your hiking speed, compensates for slower speeds when elevation increases, estimated hours in a day you think you will be hiking and the miles in between towns. To estimate what day you will be in each town. Just an awesome resource. Thanks Craig! Craig (aka OTC = oh that Craig) actually just Hiked the PCT 2013. His blog was the first one I found and followed while he was actually on the trail  which was really cool by the way. (I'll post links at the bottom to his planner and blog sites) Below is PCTplanner My plan is still work in progress...

Yogi's Pacific Crest Trail Handbook
Anyone planning to do the PCT should read Yogi's PCT Handbook. It just has everything anyone would want to know. Just good to hear from multiple people who have done the trail before Multiple times. It covers practically every aspect about do this hike. From resupply, gear, travel arrangements, first aid  to pooping and what to do with the TP and so so much more...

I also printed off a nice overview map of the PCT from www.andrewsmaps.com. It has all the towns, mileage in between and mail drop locations.  Really nice and good looking map. 

My resupply strategy is going to be 98% maildrops. 

  Which means I'm going to be mailing myself resupply boxes via USPS priority mail. In these boxes I will have food and snacks for as many days I need till I hike to the next maildrop location. (About 3-7 days each) also I can send myself new shoes, socks,  wet wipes, tp, ect... Some people prefer to buy food as they go which works fine for them however I'm vegan which means I only eat plant based foods. No meats, eggs or dairy. Yes that includes cheese, cheese is dairy. People freak out about not eating cheese for some reason,yum cheese. I consider myself 98% vegan I'm not going to starve if all thats around is a fat juicy bloody steak. I like meat I just choose to eat better 98% of the time.  So buying food in small towns to maintain my healthy vegan life style is pry next to impossible. I'm going to spend the better part of a month dehydrating fruits, veggies, soups and vegan chilli. 

Here are the links: 

Craig's PCT Planner
Craig's PCT Blog/Journal
Yogi's PCT Handbook
 Halfmile's maps

Next:  I'll pry post about what I'm doing for training, dehydrating my own food and gear. Feel free to follow or leave any comments.  So excited, ready or not 111 days till the first day on the trail!!!