I met Josh in Oracle when we both stayed at Ann’s place. (Ann is a fantastic trail angel.) Josh has the trail name of Aladdin. Josh and I had dinner, a couple of beers, and breakfast the following day. We hiked together for several days along the AZT. Josh was faster than me, but I […]
Sketch is one of the few Japanese triple crown holders. He got his trail name because he is an artist and draws and paints along the trail. I admire him for doing his own thing while remaining friendly, open, and giving. I periodically met Sketch along the trail as we saw each other in Trail
I met Whit (El Matador) at Bear Spring. I could tell he was an experienced hiker from his gear and physique, but I did not know how accomplished he was. It turns out he once held the Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the AZT at 19 days and is a triple crown holder. He is
I met Kharen on day four when she arrived at Terra Sol in Patagonia. Kharen is in her mid-thirties and is a nurse in Flagstaff. She’s done backpacking trips, knows herself, and works hard. Kharen is tough and accepts whatever life throws at her. She is also my soul mate. I could always count on
I met Emy through Ian on around day three. Emy is a professional mermaid; she has her own company in Tucson, where she works at parties and theme parks as a swimming mermaid. Emy brightens everyone’s day with her charm and upbeat attitude. Emy put sparkles are just about everything and accepted the trail name
I met Colt, also known as CJ or by his trail name Samwise, on day 2. He is the most inspirational person I met because he has Cystic Fibrosis (CF), an incurable disease that impacts his lungs. As a result, he has reduced lung function and is susceptible to lung infections. Still, he is hiking
Halfway up Miller Peak, I saw a nice hat alongside the trail on day one. I picked it up, and it felt moist, meaning it was recently on someone’s head. Sun protection is a must of the AZT, and no one passed me on the way down, so someone ahead of me must have dropped
I met Jada on day one as we shared a shuttle from Tucson to the Coronado Monument to start the AZT. During the shuttle drive, Jada was talkative and explained that she had broken her leg and ankle three months before while snowboarding and had rods and screws in her leg. Having experienced a broken
Most headlamps come with several illumination settings. To get the most from my headlamp battery, I use the lowest illumination setting needed to get the job done. I use a Nitecore NU20, which gives me 6 hours at 220 lumen, which is perfect for night hiking. Around camp, I use the lowest setting, 1 lumen
I use the Fenix not only to tell time but also as backup navigation. I set up routes using GAIA GPS and send them to GPX files, which I upload to the Fenix to use the Navigate feature of the watch. I minimize my use of Navigate to reduce battery consumption. I usually get 41
