More Pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail – Series No. 6

Good News!

We heard from Donovan this morning, June 18th. He has already past Muir Trail Ranch, and called us from Red Meadow. He was about to have breakfast, and then he will be on his way to Yosemite. Yea! He should be in Tuolumne Meadows this coming Friday or Saturday. We never know exactly where he is on the trail. He has been going at a pretty fast clip, and has had more 30 mile days. How these hikers manage that is a marvel to us.

Well, no sooner did I type part of this, and Donovan called us from the General Store in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite national park.com That was yesterday June 20th. So, as I was saying he is really making good time. He sounded pretty good, but tired and one of his hiking poles snapped

He settled into a campsite in the backpacker’s campground, and when he called us later he had a fire going and was about to crash. He said the weather was fantastic! He’s been eating everything in sight, and said he was going down into the Valley Saturday, today, to do laundry and eat pizza and drink beer, and lay out next to the river somewhere and relax, before hitching a ride back up to Tuolumne Meadows.

He mentioned he didn’t want to stay too long down in Yosemite Valley, too expensive and he has acclimated to the higher elevations, and wants to hang out in the Tuolumne area until we meet him.

He had a bear encounter coming down through one of the passes. Said it was “all good”. Didn’t want to make too much noise, so no picture, but the bear was pretty good size, and a beautiful honey color. He or she gave Donovan a good look, and stood up and then went on its way. Donovan said it was “great!” The kind of encounter you want to have!

These pictures are just random and the last we will put on from the Pacific CrestTrail until we meet the Wizz Kid in Yosemite. Pcta.org

I thought we would put some of my favorite pictures on, so some may be duplicates from our previous post.

Again, thanks for reading, and enjoy, and if you have been on the trail God speed and stay safe!

Donovan’s Mom, Anne

More pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail – Series 5

These pictures are still from the first part of the trail, up to Tehachapi and include one of the Trail Angels.

Right now, we are not sure where Donovan (Wizz Kid) is on the trail. We think he is somewhere near the Muir Trail Ranch, where he will be getting is next supply container and another pair of shoes. The ranch is open now for pick ups for P.C.T. Hikers. It cost more because they have to pack in supplies on horseback up to the ranch. They have great information, so I have included their website: http://muirtrailranch.com/

After stopping at the Muir Trail Ranch Donovan should be on his way to Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite. I know he plans to hang out there for a while. It has to be one of the best parts of the journey.

We plan to be up there soon, and hope to meet him at the Tuolumne Meadows General Store. We will be downloading new pictures, and can hardly wait to hear about Donovan’s experiences on the Pacific Crest Trail.
I am looking forward to seeing him, and also finding my old campsite. I look forward to putting my feet in the river no matter how cold, and relaxing in God’s country.

Thank you again for reading, and God speed to all out on the trail!

Donovan's Mom (Anne)

Pacific Crest Trail Update: Series No. 4

We finally heard from the “Wizz Kid” Donovan today. He is in Independence along with other hikers picking up supplies. He is doing great. Still having some shoe issues, but sounded fantastic. Hiked in Kings, and said the weather has been good, and scenery spectacular. He has taken tons of pictures and all kinds of video.

He wants everyone to know he is doing fine, and as he always says, “it’s all good!”
We hope to hear from him one more time before he takes off towards Muir Trail Ranch.

Again, the pictures we are putting on are only up to Tehachapi. We can hardly wait to get his latest memory card so we can download his pictures from the latest sections. For now, enjoy what we have, and God Bless all of you out on the P.C. T.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Trails from Donovan’s “Wizz Kid’s”
Mom

People Pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail: May-June 2008

All the pictures are only up to Tehachapi. When Donovan sends us the next memory card we will be able to post from Tehachapi on. We will continue to post more great pictures in the near future. Enjoy!

People Pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail:

This series is dedicated to the hikers that Donovan “Wizz Kid” has met along the trail.

He left Kennedy Meadows June 6th, and would have left sooner except for the fact that he was stuck there due to the “shoe ‘ blow-out’ problem.” He finally received his emergency shoe package, and is well on his way towards Kings Canyon.

Thought I would share some camping stories from Donovan’s family since he is now hiking in my old camping territory.

My earliest memories were camping in Sequoia with my parents and my grandmother Grace. Having a bear in camp is nothing new. I can remember my father sitting on one of our army cots with his rifle, while the rest of us were in his 1945 something with the suicide doors. I was standing on the funny little pull down rail seat in the back looking out the window and listening to the dogs parking, people yelling, and a bear snarling in the camp next to ours. Bears and dogs usually don’t mix. Any way, this rogue bear completely tore up their camp and injured one of the dogs. He then proceeded to come over into our camp, where my dad stood up shouting. The bear climbed up the tree right next to our car. It was not a happy bear, and slapped at the bark on the tree and kept crawling. The sounds are something I cannot describe. The rangers finally came and the bear had to be put down. This is one of my first memories, and I think from what I was told I was only two years old.
Every year until grown, I spent summers with my grandmother in Sequoia, and then she decided Sequoia was too crowded, if you can imagine that. So from then on we stayed in Kings Canyon and sometimes up in Yosemite. I was about seven the first time I really remember being in Kings. My grandmother, Donovan’s great grandmother could chase any bear out of any camp. She was only 5 ft tall, but a power house. She had her arsenal of rocks, flashlight, cow bell, and was pretty good at banging on pots and pans. She would yell out, “ Go Bear, go away bear!” We always hung our old ice box up in a tree, a good 50 feet from our tent, etc.. She tied bells on to the rope and the ice box. The bears did their darnest to ride that ice box down to the ground, but never did. They would sit up in the tree, and swing at the ice box. Back then you could hear the bears coming along, going on their nightly feed fest to each garbage can, and if you didn’t have a clean camp, look out. Grace would tell other campers not to leave things in the stream at night. That is how we kept things cold. She taught me well, concerning the bears, never to feed them, etc.., and to stay clear of “mother bear and her brew” as she would call them. Over the years she chased many a bear out of camp, along with me trying to follow her lead. Of course these days the bears are not afraid of us, and it is best to stay clear.

My favorite story, which my sons always liked to hear was the time in Kings, while camped next to Sheep Creek, a bear decided to make the end of my sleeping bag a place to sit and enjoy his snack of a watermelon someone had left in the stream. My grandmother, Grace, crawled up on her knees and whispered in my ear. I always slept outside under the stars on a pine needle mattress. Any way, she said to me very softly, “Annie, wake up.” I did, and was trying to figure out why my grandmother was on the ground and why she had her arms hooked under me, and why she was trying to pull me out of my bag. Then to my surprise I saw this huge shadow at the end of my sleeping bag. I managed to scoot my way up and out of my bag with my grandmother’s help and we crawled a few feet away, before the bear even noticed us. He really didn’t care about us, just the watermelon. Grace started banging two pots together, and yelling “Go Bear!” He finally went on his way.

The moral which I have never forgotten; be careful where you decide to sleep, and never have your food any where near you. We always had a very clean camp, but the times were different. In that case it was food from another camper, and I always like to think that the bear just wanted a nice soft place to sit and rest and eat his snack. I was nine years old!

Thanks for reading, and more pictures from the P.C.T. will be posted in a few days!

Donovan’s (Wizz Kid)

Mom

More pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail: Series No.3

More pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail:

We heard from Donovan and he is in Kennedy Meadows. He actually got there Tuesday, June 3rd. All is good!

He blew out his shoes, and we have mailed him some more which should arrive tomorrow. He really wants to continue on, and is just waiting for the emergency shoe package.

Checking the P.C.T.A., they have a report of a fire 5 miles north of Kennedy Meadows, but the trail is open, and the hikers are being aloud to continue on.

He is anxious to get to Mt. Whitney, which he intends to climb. There is a family history regarding this.

My grandmother Grace, Donovan's great grandmother hiked to the top of Mt Whitney with my father, Peter, and his brother when Donovan's grandfather was very young. I have never made the climb, but I am very proud that my son, Donovan is.

For now, here are more pictures for all of you to enjoy, and Donovan "Wizzz" thanks you for reading!

Our next post will be of people on the trail.

Donovan's Mom