Hi Everyone

[Wandering Daisy]

Finally got to internet- did two 8-day loops from Big Sandy trailhead in the Wind Rivers, figure-8 back to my car to pick up food (no cell coverage at trailhead). Very busy trails. Got into the CDT "bubble" and met some interesting people. Two very severe hail storms, one put a moat around my tent then rained like crazy flooding the floor. Luckily I was camping next to my car and just dried things out the next AM. Other one at Baptiste Lake, not as bad, but the backpackers down at Grave Lake got slammed. Still 2 inches of hail on the trail at 11AM!

Been in town for 4 days, hung up trying to get tires. The Big Sandy Road ate my tires! I have an odd size tire, trucker strike in Denver, long story short- now have 2 new tires, getting the other two on way home at end of August. Stormy few days so being stuck in town is not that bad. Two backpackers struck by lightning Tuesday- one died and one still in hospital.

Hope everyone is having a good summer backpack season.

[giantbrookie]

Sounds like quite an adventure. Sorry to hear about the two backpackers struck by lightning. Glad you got in two 8-day trips. I'm envious. 8 days is the total number of days I've spent in the High Sierra so far this summer, spread across three trips.

[balzaccom]

It sounds as if our adventures don't quite match up to yours, Daisy! Hope we get to read the full report when you are back and ready to post it!

[Silky Smooth]

I see some fun trip reports in our future coming Can't wait, glad your safe! Lots of rain and thunderstorms here in the sierra.

[Wandering Daisy]

Got home yesterday. In summery it was a "monsoonal" year-warmer and very humid- almost coastal. That did play havoc with a lot of my plans, resulting in "dialed down" trips, staying closer to trails and avoiding chances getting into locations where bail-out would be difficult. Even in late August the mountains were lush and green and still full of annoying mosquitoes. But wildflowers were wonderful. Between rain and mosquitoes, spent a bit too much time in the tent. My "hike in morning, fish afternoon" strategy did not work well- fishing mostly a bust. Morning fishing would have been more productive. I will have to re-think this. I was amazed at how popular the CDT has become; ended up in both the "south-to-north" bubble early, and the "north-to-south" bubble later. Add that to my PCT "bubble" experience and I felt I was floating in the sea of thru-hike bubbles! But met some really nice and interesting thru-hikers. It will be a while but will eventually get out some trip reports.

[robertseeburger]

Glad to hear you back! Cant wait to see your trip reports..
I am heading to the winds next week. Just south of where you were..

[giantbrookie]

Welcome back! Sounds like some challenging adventures what with scary thunderstorm activity and associated deluges, plus the tire-eating roads. For fishing, perhaps the hike first, fish later strategy is not optimal, but I think the majority of us do it for multiple reasons: First although we don't tend to exert ourselves too much fishing, standing and casting for long periods of time tends to zap our hiking strength a bit and we're not at our best if we start out after an extended fishing session, or at least I'm not. Second, dunno about the Winds, but in the Sierra thunderstorms tend to be at their worst during afternoons and/or evenings so doing the hiking and getting over various passes, as well as (ideally) being able to set up the tent before the fireworks and deluge start is advantageous. Accordingly, even though I am very fishing-centric with my trips, I will tend to stick with the hike-first, fish-later strategy, except when I'm doing a fairly short move to the next campsite.

I look forward to your report(s). You have already produced a quote-for-the-ages: "...I felt like I was floating in a sea of thru-hike bubbles!"

[Wandering Daisy]

Trip reports now being added. See below Beyond Sierra sub-forum.