site move / snood / daily cardio
mud defense
Yesterday I was getting increasingly nervous about my ability to get up out of the previous campsite back to the forest road after it rained. The forest road (FR 88) itself was fairly hard packed, so even though it was rutted in places from prior rains I figured I could always get down the mountain if I can just get to the FR.
So Muffin and I walked further up FR 88 a ways. We found a spot that was less desirable in every way except one: it was on firm ground sloping gently down to the FR only a few feet away. Even if it gets nasty I should be able to back down the slope to the FR and escape. I set up a couple catchment buckets to see if I can snag any water for cleaning purposes.
snood
It’s about 20F cooler today so no more shorts and t-shirt.
I was in a thrift store last week and saw a $2 fleece hood that reminded me of what expedition folks wear in their sleeping bags in cold weather. Not tight or over the nose like a ski mask, more like a hood from a hoodie sweatshirt that has been detached. It also reminded me of greyhound snoods used to keep their neck and ears warm in cold weather, since those bits aren’t covered by a jacket:
https://i.etsystatic.com/9442975/r/il/bbeee4/2557380967/il_794xN.2557380967_4mqc.jpg
https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/650123861/greyhound-snood-wool-neck-warmer-galgo
I’m a bit of a fleece cap afficianado/obsessive so I was surprised how much I like this thing. Can be worn up for lots of warmth:
or down for less warmth. Plus you don’t have to store it somewhere:
The closest thing I could find to it was this fleece hood / balaclava, although it an integral the face covering my thrift store find lacks.
hike
Yesterday the couple who were in that one trailer down the hill walked by and we had a good chat. They’ve been Full Time for ~9 months and are (like everyone else I’ve met) enjoying themselves immensely. I told them about my mud-related move and they mentioned additional spots up the road. I really don’t want to break camp again but decided to walk up there and see for myself before the rain starts. [note: the rain started as I was writing that paragraph}
I donned the snoot and we took off this morning after breakfast. Although there were zero rocks from this point down large formations started less than a half-mile up the road:
While we were walking past a small-eared rabbit retreated into the hole near the center of the pic.
We found the spot they were likely talking about. It was a nice outcropping of rock with good sky views. I saved the waypoint in OsmAnd in case I am ever back here again.
Looking the other direction; I was trying to get a pic of the approaching stormclouds in the distance:
You can ge a feel for the openness of the area. Trees will still interfere with solar but there is enough space to allow parking to account for that.
It hadn’t started raining or thundering yet so we continued up a bit further:
More organized rainclouds in the distance upwind of us with some signs of active rain:
Still no lightning or thunder but tree cover was thin and low, leaving me feeling exposed. Better safe than sorry so we made the easy downhill hike back to camp. We made it home before the thunder and rain started.
Muffin is sleeping soundly on the bed with the mattress pad on the lowest heat level. It’s a tough life.