Crater Lake OR

Starting to work as a team,  Campfires allowed here  -  just as well, cold nights and morning.  Great Campsite at Lost Creek (5$)  free firewood,  neat toilet block.   We spend 1.5  days here.  Some short hikes .  Some trail running for me.  

Day 7 Palumas Nat Forest CA

2000m  alt. 

Bear Box as usual - to store food.     Lots of lakes and trails.  Very reasonable prices  -  20$,  half with Access Pass which we have.  

Lake Tahoe and on the way

Arrive Tahoe on labour day long WE....  very  busy camps around lake.  

35$ (50 aus)  for basic state forest camp near lake....  but fortunately  ,  we go up to "primitive camp"  - for a few days at Luther pass just above the lake.  Same facilities minus shower.  Better views, neat Tahoe rim trail which I run up to Mees lake.  Have a chat with some real outdoorsy types there.  Cold nights...  

Good outdoor gear shopping in town... some real bargains by aussie standards - basic lightweight tents for thru hikers for 30$ US...  And guns and ammo in the sports shop. 

A bit of a tough start... with busy period,  also with Rosemary going thru the "storming" phase of the "storming / norming performing "  phases of team dynamics.  Sorting out who does what,  how to pack the gear away at night etc.  

We find some real good food deals at "Budget Outlet grocers"  way cheaper than safeway or the "normal" supermarkets.  And cheaper than Aus for food . 15$  for 12 pack of Heineken....    

Last day we go round West side of lake, good views. Up to Truckee then Plumas Nat park.  

South San Francisco, CA

12$ US = 16 AUD$.....

(click on a photo for a larger version)
So here I am in San Francisco, finally after much angsting and packing of huge duffle bags with alpine boots, harness and rock climing shoes, kitchen sink... 

Very pleasant 14 hour flight with Virgin.  We were in front row, so lots of legroom.  Little alcoves near the toilets with self-serve fruit, chocolate, soft drinks... 
Water bottle, eye mask as standard for all seats... great idea.  Well dressed and professional staff.  

Acting as a guide for my 80 yr old mother who has never been to the USA. She has van camped and hiked extensively in France, NZ, Australia... and likes hiking in National Parks. 

Myself, I was here in 2000 for a month...  greyhounded the west from LA to the grand Canyon, rocky mnts,  grand Tetons,  Mt Rainer and back to LA.  Hitchhiking into the smaller towns.  First Hitch from was Sedona Arizona to Flagstaff .. on the back of a Harley japanese copy with 2 bike tourers...  with a huge trek pack , solo tent - winding my way up the gorge past rocky mesas and pine trees - Navajo country... 

I will be doing some longer day hikes and overnight hikes also . 

We are struck by the smiles and friendliness of the Americans, and do a short walk in South san fran downtown, 10 min away from the citigarden hotel where we are. 
Really nice old buildings   tiny restaurants - thai, viet,  mexican, argentinian.. lots of barber shops with those really 60s chrome chairs.

I walk into a mobile phone shop and start talking to the clerk, then realise he doesnt speak much English.. "habla ingles ?"  - "un poquito" ..  
so I use my basic Spanish mixed with English.   People around speak Spanish to each other, Half the ads around me are in Spanish, and the radio is on a Spanish station.... no need to go to South America to learn Spanish... I could stay right here and with the immersion and practice get working Spanish in a month...   Especially if I did sports or some other activity with Latinos. 

I go back to the area with my mother, and we notice that even though it's rush hour, no-one seems to be rushing... traffic is polite.  Of Course, this is not NYC but still... everyone in Aus seems to be rushing all the time in the traffic.  

At the Hotel, soft drinks from dispensers for 1$ US  (1.30 AUS$).  Buffet chinese/ seafood for 15$.  We eat a Denny's just down the road... very reasonable prices.  As You can see from the alaskan salmon above 16$ ...  would cost 30$  in Aus and you wouldn't get as much.   Full Breakfasts  are also way cheaper then Aus.  

Overall, it's very exciting being in the USA ... as always. It starts at the airport with the no-nonsense custom officer who is a muscly Asian who asks me what job I do etc , and is surprised I can take 2 months off... the usual meeting of 9-5 ers and free livers...  But he seems impressed by my answers.  Americans are refreshingly Direct , but are impressed if you show them who you are and stand your ground. 
The staff all say hi to each other and kind of pat each other on the back mentally... a feature I really like in the USA.  Makes a change from French staff in such industries who look like they want to shoot themselves or the customer... 

He takes fingerprints with a scanner, asks Rosemary a few questions and we get through. 
Our Huge bags arrive no problem and we are not held up.  

We sleep well , jet lagged.  And the today we will collect the Jucy Van at San Leandro, and off to Lake Tahoe to chill.  

3 day Sea Kayak FNQ Kent Island etc

Early May , with Aaron and 4 others.

Kurrumine Beach to  Kent island - 1 night.
Etty bay 1 night.
Finish at Bramston head.   60 km in 3 days - good going.

Great views from Kent island. Clear water, turtles. Good place to spend a day exploring and snorkelling.

Photo Credits: 

1st one Julian

Others:  Matt Marsh.

Click on a photo to get larger views. The last photo is a panorama.  

See my slideshow on youtube below. - with Gopro footage from the kayak. 
For a larger picture , click "youtube"  or the square icon bottom right.

Devils Thumb Qld - Campout

(see also my first climb Thurs Sept 10 on this blog)

I've been wanting to camp at the coral fern patch ever since I went past it when I first went up the Devil's thumb hike, last year.  

The trees are like Bonsais,  there is a weird fern called "coral fern" and the clouds wift over the landscape, scattered with boulders and palm trees. A real garden of eden/lost world feel.

So I went up with a French friend from Port, and left my Big pack at the patch (950m). We took a break and made a brew, then proceeded on the easy ridge walk to the thumb. Good views (1100m)

After we returned from the thumb, I set up camp at the patch.  Had just enough water (2l) left for the night and morning. My French friend proceeded down the steep descent to the bottom. 

Amazing night sky with a sharply defined milky way, planets.  Strong winds later in evening - at eat 50km/hr.  The pyramid tent shakes and bows a bit but I sleep fairly well.  Next time I'll bring my sleeping bag, not a blanket -was a bit fresh.  Some light showers. 

On the way down met a hiker from Port and we had a good discussion - always good to meet other nature lovers. 

A very good hike that makes you feel away from it all, surrounded by pristine wilderness. It's been quite a while since I camped out. Apart from sea kayak campouts.  Takes a few hours to pack - especially when you dont pack often.  But you come back rejuvenated.... something about getting back to raw basics in nature - walk, setup camp,  eat and listen to music, look up at the stars and feel the immensness of the universe, sleep, wakeup to a great sunrise.  

1st time for my new Wilderness Equipment 100 litre backpack , and I found it very comfortable and easy to pack.  One huge main compartment - means you dont have to fiddle and strap things on the outside of the pack. The Harness is also extremely comfortable. I wont be going back to a 75 litre plus pack ... too much bother to pack.
Later when I need to add ropes, harness, crampons it will really come into it's own as my mule for multi-day expeditions.

Click on the Video above for a Panorama.