If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
Cross Country wrote:I don't think riown wants to be in the most remot location. I think he wants to be in the most remot good fishing location. Me too.
Correct! but right now, it requires an auger!!
As I don't work for them anymore, It was HP; first round of cuts happened in '95 when somehow the mgmt culture changed from maintaining employee loyalty to us being "meatbags" that were interchangeable and dispensable. Survived through 5 reorgs and my mgr in Scotland laid me off in '09 (went backpacking that day ). Anyway, a friend hired me back in '11 and that was fine until the mgmt upheaval once again, and I and my friend got laid off. I found another position; he did not and landed a job in Boston. So, this was the third time for me. It's not the Bill & Dave company it used to be.. Really sad.. It feels ok. Then I get this call from a room mate from 25 years ago. They laid off everyone in two US sites that I worked with; but kept everyone in Ireland.
And HP lays off people on Monday's.
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Interesting read... I retired two years ago and have done more backpacking in last two years than any time in my life, including many cross country passes.
I backpacked like two times when I was a working dog.. and my physical conditioning was so inadequate..that frankly it was miserable. I am in much better shape now. One of the key differences though... is that I always try to start on a Tuesday/Wednesday/thursday..simplifies car travel and frankly getting a solo permit with no notice is usually no problem. ( drive up from Bay Area at 4:00 am, get to permit place by 8:00 or 9:00...). The thing though that is not in other posts... I don't want to do 2-3-4 day trips any more..I only do longer trips.. why go thru the hassle of drive up and drive back, and for me anyway, the inevitable struggles of the first day climb.? So, it seems like the weekenders of my youth and working days are a thing of the past. I subtract out 2 days from the enjoyment index of a backpack. ( 4 day trip = 2 days of enjoyment.). One more thing... even though I am in shape, I have some back and neck and shoulder difficulties. When I go backpacking to any place... I look at it like it might be last time... something I didn't do earlier... It gives a little bit different perspective.. knowing each season might be your last.
Have had some time to think of some of these things since I've been doing some planning the last few weeks for the coming summer. One luxury we retirees now have is there is little penalty for taking an extra day or two than necessary to make a trip less strenuous.
In the past as an 8-5 m-f working person, PTO was limited thus I tended to reasonably minimize time required to hike into destinations and be lean with itineraries. For many destinations the first day of longer trips may be the most difficult because of:
distance from trailheads to reach interesting enough areas
one is carrying a full weight of food
higher altitude oxygen acclimation issues
one's body may not be trail strong yet unless was recently backpacking
Often with a reserved permit in hand or in a night box, would get off my job in the SFBA late afternoon fighting traffic in the awful commute, drive 5 to 7 hours into the Sierra to a trailhead zone long after whatever ranger station has closed and start some sleep by late evening, then get up at dawn and on a trail.
Now midweek, I might leave home late morning after the morning commute has waned and arrive in the trailhead zone mid afternoon when I can actually visit a ranger station and get a walk up permit versus needing to have had a reservation, drive to a trailhead and have a few hours to put a nice dent in what would have been a first day's effort. Then get up at dawn the next morning and have an easier effort with less mileage. Of course one could still push down trails at a usual pace and effort level in order to get to whatever destination but this person would rather use the extra time to make the effort even more leisurely.
For a tentative trip I've been trying to do for years, the upper Kern Basin over Shepherd Pass, that will make a huge difference being able to knock off the first 2.5k up that first baking ridge in cooler late pm and evening versus mornings.
On mid length trips say 3 to 6 days, I can now optionally also add extra layover base camping days to an itinerary whereas in the past my remaining available PTO would take a hit. As a serious landscape photographer, there are many times when I put in enormous effort lugging in all the camera gear weight only to be frustrated because of weather conditions. The most common issue is wind that can make strong results impossible for planned lake reflections and subjects with wildflower foregrounds as it makes lake surfaces wavy and shakes flowers and leaves. Thus for most important destinations might now optionally plan an extra day or two in case I need it.
After reading what riown wrote I'm really glad I didn't work in business. I have a degree. In Bus Ad. Riown votes for his kind of working atmosphere. I hope he finds some solace from his ideology and it's results.
The only thing changing for me so far is taking more trips. Needing to take vacation restricted it to 1-2 backpacking trips per year. I was taking a week off from work and doing 7 day trips to maximize backcountry time vs. drive time. Usually going Sunday to Saturday, giving a day before for chores and to pack up and a day after for chores. Now the day of the week is no matter and it's multiple trips per year. I may eventually extend into shoulder season and winter too. When I only had vacation for one or two trips, the focus was on prime season.
rlown wrote:You're not the Tom. CC is.. But since you're here, how is the new house and the move coming along?
Well, don't want to hijack the thread, but maybe a change of direction might be good anyway. The house was supposed to be done by now, but it rained so much up there (N side of the Columbia River) that the ground is still too wet to pour concrete. The lot's on a hillside and uphill water is seeping down. Adequate French Drains will go in after concrete's poured. The soil engineers are testing daily and say it's soon. It will be nice in the end though. As you enter the neighborhood there's an incredible view of Mt. St. Helens. As you turn onto our street there's an equally amazing view of Mt. Hood. From our back porch we will have a view across a preserved meadow with a round knob on the other side and a swift moving stream at the edge of our hill and the meadow. The stream is just big enough for kayaking. The big city of Portland is minutes away on one side and the Cascades minutes away on the other. I see some enjoyable day hiking in my retirement (there-got back on topic!)
Last edited by Tom_H on Tue May 30, 2017 7:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
). Anyway, a friend hired me back in '11 and that was fine until the mgmt upheaval once again, and I and my friend got laid off. I found another position; he did not and landed a job in Boston. So, this was the third time for me. It's not the Bill & Dave company it used to be.. Really sad.. It feels ok. Then I get this call from a room mate from 25 years ago. They laid off everyone in two US sites that I worked with; but kept everyone in Ireland.
