Hey Sacramento - time for a drink!

“PepperDog and Obi,
What time do you think you will be arriving at the trailhead? I should be there around 10 o'clock a.m. on Saturday.”

“What an idiot I am!

I can't make this one, as I'd already made a commitment weeks ago for Saturday night. And if I DON'T go, I'll be persona non grata for years to come.

Sh*t.

Sorry for the intrusion, there, Tahoe. Pepperdog, sorry about that. Wish I coulda changed this one.”

“Dang Obi, that is to bad! You know, the more the merrier and all that.
PepperDog, any idea when you'll arrive at the trailhead?”

“Gee, obi. Just because of the tent thing???

You can still come drink on Sunday...”

“Just found out 10 minutes ago that the first debate of the year is this Saturday... my son ( & my favorite BP partner) is on the HS debate team, and I\'m a judge.

So... looks like I\'m judging a debate challenge this weekend, and not backpacking.

Hopefully I\'ll see y\'all Sunday!”

“Damn - they're dropping like flies!

Those left on this trip - In an effort to reduce my pack weight I am going to ask my co-hikers to help out a little. I just plan to eat things that reaquire no heating or a cup or 2 of hot water. Anyone willing to promise me 2 cups of hot water Saturday night and Sunday morning? I would love to not need to bring a stove or pans. Also, what are we doing about bear proofing? I will have a small amount of food that will need to be secured Saturday night. Is hanging good enough for it or do we need bear canisters, if so, can I have a small corner of someone's bear canister?

Tahoe - trailhead at 10 sounds perfect. I think it will take me about 2 hours to get there.

Goodnight, all.”

“pepper, in all my travelin' in Desolation (quite a bit), I've always hung my food or slept with it. I've had one bear encounter in Desolation. We'd hung our food that night and the bear showed up in the middle of the night and didn't leave till morning. It mainly hung out up the hill where the food was hung. The food was untouched. Desolation bears are not nearly as savvy or aggressive as their southern sierra bretheren.”

“In my oppinion you have to worry more about them little critters that like to chew hole in all your clothes.....


....Its happened....”

“Pepper, we would be happy to boil water for you and store food in our bear cannister.”

“There are about 3 things completely out of my control that could stop me from backpacking this weekend, but even if I don't stay overnight I plan to do it as a dayhike and hang out with y'all on Saturday then drink with anyone else on Sunday.”

“Hope to see you at Island Lake. We are now confirmed as a group of four. We'll have three tents, all dome-like and neutral colored. Landscaper and I (and probably Up2Tahoe and Songbyrd also) are planning to cross country up Little Pyramid Peak on Sat. It's the unnamed triangle-shaped peak north of the east end of Island lake.”

“At least Landscaper and I and maybe Songbyrd plan on coming to the Chevy's event, too.

JVZ, I'm carrying your cell # along and will check in as we get near to see who's there and still coherent.”

“Just checked into the airfare for the weekend. If this is Alaska's idea of a sale, I'd hate to see their regular prices! Soooo.. it looks like I'll be drinking Oregon beers this weekend. Thanks for the futon offer Pepper! I'll take a raincheck!

Now... let's talk October! My schedule (and cheaper flights) is looking good around the 17-19? How is the hiking and drinking then? Or will you all still be recovering? Phadrus, can you move your days off ever?

Rockman - I thought I had a hiking problem, but maybe you're right... It's really a drinking problem disguised as hiking! ;-)”

“Gosh darn it! I'd really rather be going bp'g instead of watching the Temptations! I'm committed though to 7 other people and I'm the designated driver. Can you believe that one? Yea, I volunteered since my friend did it the last time so I was able to get typsy and flirty with boys we met on the trail. he he

LOL at Rockman! Approx. how many people are coming Sunday?

Anyway, gosh, we "almost" had ladyhiker along! That would have been great to see you again!”

“Ladyhiker, dear, I can, on occasion move my days off or take vacation.”

“LadyHiker, Landscaper and I (with a novice from my work and a few others) are returning to Desolation for a repeat of this trip on Oct. 10 - 12.

I also want to plan a trip for Nov 7 - 11, Fri - Tues. Tuesday is Veteran's Day -- read holiday, so I requested that Monday off work.”

“Looks like my fly fishing weekend will have me returning back to Sac around 6 pm on Sunday.

All Y'all should be drunk, passed out and the employees of Chevy's will have drug you off your bar stools. If not.. I may still swing by to say Howdy!

;op”

“I forgot about my wedding anniversary on the 27th...If I don't do something nice for it, I may never see another mountain.

I'm not sure about Sunday, I will know more in a day or two.”

“mtsteve, bring her along!! It would be fun to see you again. I know sacramento has no mountains but you'll still have fun :D”

“Pepper, will you be able to come to the mountains?”

“I am narrowing it down to a day hike. I don't think it is wise to carry a pack with a funky ankle but I want to get out. I may bring a dog or two to keep me company on my hike out.”

“Since I've never been there, I'm not sure where we'll set up camp, but let's keep an eye out for each other. Do you know if Tahoe is coming?”

“And maybe Pepper and/or Tahoe on Sat. JVZ, we'll call you when we get near Sac to see what's happening.”

“Driiinking iiiissss gooooooood”

“tahoe - are we still going to meet up at 10ish? I think it will take me about 2 hours to get there. I am assuming that your permit will stil be good for me dayhiking? Two friends of mine will also possibly be coming too for the day, I will know for sure later today.”

“pepper, 10ish is good. Yes the permit will be fine for that. Also, you can self register for day hiking at the Kiosk before the trailhead. The only reason you might want to do that is on the off chance that you run into a range on the way back out, and he asks for your permit.”

“range=ranger”

“Hey, I won't be able to make it at all. Since the Public Hearing this morning some things have become urgent at work. I'll be working, lucky me.”

“Bummer!”

“talk about thread deterioration. At least the drinking part survived woohooo. So see you don't have to go out and get all stinky and sweaty to go drink beer/margaritas. I sure hope they have a tv there or Rockman'll kill me. See you all on Sunday and I'll leave the phone on for ya!”

“There will still be 5 of us out there. Tahoe - too bad I won't get to meet you.”

“Six. Mermaid is coming, too.”

“What time do you all want to meet a Chili's? Or is Chevys? Where the hell are we going? I feel like a little girl.”

“Let's see... The games start at 10:00...

Say 10:05?

No, okay, let's try noonish, how about. Chevy's by the river.”

“I will be there even if I have to drink loads of nyquil to get there :)”

“Phaedrus - I meant 5 hikers! Actually I will be day hiking with 2 friends and hope to meet up with wannabp etc.

I still plan to meet and drink at Chevy's on Sunday.

Free - make that dayquil.”

“hmmm i wonder what nyquil and beer do mixed together? hmmm”

“Doesn't look like I will be making Sunday...personal obligation are keeping me home.

Have a couple for me folks..”

“Guldurnit, steve. Ahwell, see you next time, then.”

“I got out for a great dayhike yesterday, too bad so many other people kinda dropped by the wayside.

I went with my friends Olive Oyl (she's been on one TT trip) and hear boyfriend, tripod guy. I had planned to get an early start but since I wasn't meeting anyone and had been to a party the night before we didn't make it out of Sacramento until 9:30 ish.

It was a perfect day for a perfect hike, enough climbing to make you feel like you were working but not enough to hurt. I had all 3 dogs along and they had a blast, although there was less water along the trail than I expected so I had to give them one of my bottles of water. We hung out at Twin Lakes for a while then pushed on to Island Lake. We found 3 tents which I think were probably wannabp and co's so I left them a note, we had a late lunch and headed back down the hill.

I really understand why they call it Desolation - pretty darn stark. If it had been just a little hotter it would have been uncomfortable but there was a nice breeze and I actually got chilly sitting in the shade.

The dogs are still crashed out, I guess they don't need their walkie this morning. I suppose I will be seeing you in a few hours. I know I earned a margarita!”

“Fun! yeah I like desolation earlier in the year when theres still a little snow up there but it is very pretty imho.

I hope you take a shower before you get to cheveys...theres gonna be enough hiker funk as it is lol :D”

“hyr guys I shad so much fun you all are a gret bunce :)


i know i ont remember most of it so somebody elde sill be in charge of the report :) I can now add more people met to my list of tters”

“Ok I remeber meeting peeprergod, rockman, PANTSCANDY LMAO um pehadruses wife, and rockmans wife (sorry cant remember names right now) we all had a dozzen or so drinks while waiting for peperdog and ladyhiker each and had a lot of fun talking tt and even I started talking with the beers I hda(i dont talk all that much without beers) I think I ,ay have learned something about snow ca,ping since we talked about that too- layering and such and whats his mane said I dont need to but a parka but I might freeze anyway ifn I dont use a thermarest or something...I TRIED to stay focused, I really did. The next thhing I know some of us had gone home and there were only three left so I cald home and made a eleventyth trip to the powder room while I waitexd foir a ride cause I can not see strait to drive home LOL”

“Hi, everyone. I'm sorry we couldn't get there in time. Stop-and-go traffic from before Placerville and we didn't rush to pack out.

We got Pepper's note. She picked our tents out perfectly. We got to the top of Little Pyramid Peak in two hours. Fantastic views down into Rockbound Valley and the east and west sides of Desolation. Steep, but otherwise pretty easy. We sat and studied the terrain and the map. Landscaper could see people on the surrounding peaks. We may start calling him Eagle Eyes.”

“Good Time, all! Next time, someone make Free stop before she ralfs on the bartender.”

“I did not ralf! I did find it funny however that cheveys was tapped out halfway during our stay. Seriously people, there was a lot of beer drinkin going on. I don't remember as much as I should I think. But everyone was really nice and we somehow managed to keep pheadrus from talking politics (although if you said the word 'Davis' he was suddenly all ready to make a speech LMAO) It was fun and i'd it again with you all any time (it was worth the headache) and I certainly would go hiking with ya!


p.s. Do you think chevy's would allow us back? I think we disturbed the whole restraunt....”

“Good times, good beer, good people. Looking forward to the future planed hikes. Real glad to hear you called home for a ride Free 8). Lets do it again soon.”

“Desolation, Oct 10 - 12, in at Wright's Lake again, staying at the first Twin Lake this time, cross country to the little lake above and between the Twins and Island. Hmmmmmmmm, that's on the way to Mt. Price. Maybe....... but we'll have at least one newbie with us.

Pepper, come again and stay the night. You're welcome to share our stove and filter.

We'll be looking for other Northern CA TTers. We saw one group last weekend and thought it might be Tahoe, but when I asked if they were from Trail Talk, it obviously made no sense to them.”

“JVZ, thanks for the cell phone number. It helped a lot to be able to call ahead. I bet it took us twice as long to drive home as drive there. Next time, I think we'll pack out earlier and try to beat at least some of the Sun traffic.”

“Rockman - I missed your wife. Was she already under the table when I got there????

It was great to meet a couple new people, Free24 (who is pretty much like one would expect (and I mean that in a nice way)), Wanderer, and the long-suffering Mermaid. And great to see Rockman, Phaedrus, jvz and Debbie again. We started to plan our "return to the 60's" microbus trip to the Winds.

Good time, good people, lousy service. One of these days we are going to have to go hiking together!!”