Gimme the Good Earth III

Post by **Jesús Malverde** » Sat Dec 01, 2018 5:15 am

Thanks for the tag along, that's some beautiful country to walk.

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:13 pm

Day 2

Pics of the country I'm traveling through. Area was logged for timber, about 50 or more years ago. And on top of that a fire went through here around 10 years ago.

Mourning

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The black rock example of a lava flow frozen and fractured littering the landscape

Looking back at Burney Peak, ya can almost see the lookout tower.

Thousand Lake peaks to the west. I'm not heading there.

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Note, i'm inside Lassen National Forest on private leased land and i have every right to pass without their permission.

Clear cutting is bad practice abandoned by the Forest Service decades ago as non-sustainable resource management. But still used on private owned forestland, as being more profitable in the short term.

Notice the "Sustainable Forest Initiative" is a euphemism for clear cutting.

The very thing the idiot politicians are currently using as an excuse with all the big wildfires we are having (global warming) to Clear Cut down our trees for quick profit and screw future generations.
The Forest Service wouldn't do it. So now we have the complete misnomer of "Sustainable" Forest Initiative from the ignorant greedy congress/timber-lobby to force 'em to mismanage it. Idiots.

So if you hear the healthy or sustainable forest this is what they mean. healthy forest = no trees = big timber profits.

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:25 pm

Lots of bear sign around. Heard quite a few too. Skittish and didn't see any today.
Bear poop ya can see he has a diet in heavy pine nuts.

And a paw print. Must be a big one.

\

Set up the solar panel for the first time. Gonna keep the headlamp, camera, kindle, ipod and phone charged.

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Pulling a half an amp at the USB protocol of 5.2 volts, 2.5 watts!. She'll pull up to .7 amps (3.5 watts).
Off the grid and loving it. Yay Baby!!

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Mon Dec 03, 2018 5:34 pm

Wild Flowers!

Labiatae, penstemon, two different yellow asters and ceanothus.

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And Mint. Both abundant and beautifully fragrant when disturbed. Like spearmint.

if anyone recognize the common names of any these flowers, chime in.

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:26 pm

Cornaz Spring.
I asked Lookout Fred if the spring was flowing he said there was still some water in it. Hell water is water so i let it go at that.
My first glimpse of the Cornaz spring. Just a hole in the ground, Stagnant water, Not cool.

But it had thriving life in it. So not toxic. Little bugs I call Oar Bugs. They seem to have no legs just two oars for paddling around. I've seen these guys before, don't know anything else about 'em. Fascinating to watch.

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The water came out clear in the cup. Tasted ok, so drank it. I figured if clear there is an underground flow here. Not stagnant. Ate lunch and tanked up with enough water for the rest of the day and camp.

Don't know what it is? Something in the mint family, Purty.

The "trail" and scenery. Walking the road. Saw all of three people today, all in pickup trucks. The first two zipped past me dusting me good. The last guy was going slower not raising dust which I thanked him, a nice old timer.

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:31 pm

Camped early, the blisters were howling. By the end of the day every step was followed by an "Ouch". Time to rest. This ain't no marathon. Fortunately today was the worst of it.

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View from camp.

Purple Lilac, Indian Paint Brush and an previously unknown white Lily.

Next day dropped into Hat Valley, Stopped at the Hat Creek Work Center and chatted up the hot shot fire crew stationed there. They gave me updated info on locally fires. Nothing of consequence yet. They also filled up my canteens with ice and water. Very cool since the temp was in the 90's!

I regret not getting a picture of them, good people. But here is pic of the crew's work out peg board. Ya use pegs and just yer arms to climb up then down. Same thing we use for arm strengthening in rock climbing.

Oldjoints · Post by **Oldjoints** » Fri Dec 07, 2018 5:49 pm

Very cool, thanks for sharing.
Your “oar bug” is called a water boatman so you were damn close.

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:05 pm

Thanks Oldjoints.

To continue my story I'll need to talk about the
Pacific Crest Trail. (PCT)

The PCT will be part of my hike for about 50 days out of the 112 days.
It is a National Scenic Trail. It runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border though California, Oregon and Washington, 2650 miles long. It is estimated currently1800 attempt to walk the length in one year. And I estimate 600 finish. People all over the world come here to hike the PCT. Many more hike just sections of it, as I'm doing now.
FWIW I walked it end to end way back in '74, one the first to do so.
What Wiki has to say : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Crest_Trail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Anything else ya want to know about the PCT just ask me, i'm a better expert then wiki.

After Leaving the fire crew it was hot hump on an asphalt road for 8 miles. Climbed up on the Hat Creek Rim and to the PCT,
Last of road walking for a little while, Mt Lassen in background.

"Loner", a fellow hiker whom been out a couple months walking the PCT started at Ashland Oregon, south bound like me. Most PCTers are north bound.

The trail register, on the right side you can see the baggie of weed left for other hikers.

bentech · Post by **bentech** » Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:16 pm

you hiked the ENTIRE pacific crest trail???

Intrinsic · Post by **Intrinsic** » Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:21 pm

Spent the night there and next day hit the PCT. A Real trail! And what a beautiful trail it is, a gorgeous day and lots of wildflowers. Yay Baby!

View back across Hat Valley where I came from, Burney peak on the right side.
In the middle of the pic notice the white compound of buildings. It is a radio observatory for SETI search. Hat valley is a naturally protected area free from radio interference, perfect for radio astronomy, Since It was near my route yesterday, I stopped and chatted up one the grad students working there, pretty cool and a story in it self.

Looking north and Lassen Peak.

Wild flowers lining the trail. Woo-hoo!