Llama hikes - updated- 2-11

“Sounds like everything is planned and it is only Feb!! We will have nothing to discuss for the next 5 months!

I am going on this trip. I am at a 60/40 split as how many days to stay out. 7 vs 10.

I am able to shuttle from Sacramento to and fro. My vehicle will hold 4 very comfortably and all the gear.

You can get my email address from either Phil or Mel.

Happy Trails!”

“Does anybody out there have a copy of the e-mail I sent to the group on about 2-23?
10 Bears didn't get it and I can't find it.
If you can, please forward a copy to him via:
10 Bears

engineering@ccind.com”

“No problem, Mel... Sent, signed, sealed & delivered...

BTW, thanks for the Above California link... that's a great site!”

“Current fantasy REVISION A:

It sounds like 10 Bears will ride the rail to Santa Ana, meet with Nav and ride to Mels. At trips I will ride with Explorer back to the rail in Santa Ana or??
Again, please let me know if I have misread any posts and have strayed off trail.

Gentlemen your generosity is incalcu...incalcula...Huge!

Nav & Ex...Please let me know via e-mail if I am "official" on the caravan roster.

Thanks again. =8^)>”

“solitary -

That is my intended route, yes. So I'd be happy to take you back to the Ontario airport or anywhere in that vicinity.

10 Bears -

I can take you back to LA as well, but -- eek! -- the Santa Ana train station is way out of the way. It may be a good place for Phil to pick you up, but not a good place for me to take you back to. How about the train station in Ontario, or the train station in downtown LA?

mel -

I will try to get to La Casitas for group lunch. I don't want to miss out on the group bonding and strategizing, and I don't want to be an anti-social pain in the a$$. It all depends on whether I can get back to LA on Sunday (after being out of town at a wedding on Saturday) in time to get all my sh!t together so I can leave at the crack of dawn on Monday.

We'll see as we get closer. After all, we still have FIVE more months to plan, strategize, discuss, dream, obsess and get psyched!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Ex...
Ontario or downtown. Noooo problemo. What works for you, works for me. Do you have a preference? Let me know soz I can finger it out.

Many thanks for your generosity.

=8^)>”

“Regarding 10 Bears and the closest train station. Also consider San Bernardino. It may be even more convenient...not sure, just mentioning it.

Nonetheless, I am available to help if need be. Explorer doesn't drive through Orange County.”

“Ack! I must be brain dead! 395-15-10 is NOT my preferred route from eastern sierra back to LA. The better route is 395 to the 14 to the I-5. Taking the other route adds I woud guess about an hour to the trip. But if I'm the only one heading that way, it's not a big deal and I'm happy to do it -- especially since I would only have to do it one way! (And it would actually be preferrable to going to LAX and having to backtrack home, which ultimately might cost more time!)

10B - I've never actually been to the downtown LA train station, but I have a rough idea of where it is and I know it's close enough to be no problem. I have NO IDEA where the Ontario station would be. I know where the Ontario airport is, but I have no idea if one is convenient to the other. I suspect you'll have more schedule flexibility out of LA, but what do I know? Check the schedules and we'll work it out. (P.S. San Bernardino would be even more out of the way. It's further east than Ontario.)”

“Explorer - I thought you lived by LAX?

Anyway, I would think that there is a convenient train that intersects your preferred route home. Sounds like you go right by the LA station if you come in on 14. That would a straight shot to San Diego from there.

Still don't know about Solitary Hiker, do we?”

“Oh, is 10Bears trying to get back to SD? In that case the train from downtown should be the easiest.

I used to live 5 minutes from LAX. Now we live in Hancock Park, so I'm closer to downtown than to the ocean.”

“Ex...
Yep, back to San Diego. Iv'e never been to the LA station myself, but Union Station is supposed to be at the foot of Olivera (sp?) St...hmmm... I bet there is some great food there.

Anyway, if downtown works for you it works for me. I appologize for not making any suggestions of my own, however, I don't know where you live.

Lets keep the dialog alive and remember: I'm flexible. Trains run out of many stations in LA, and I'll work into YOUR itinerary.

Thanks again.

Nav...

Are we "official" for the caravan up from Santa Ana?

PS: I hope you had a good time with your grandaughter.

Current fantasy REVISION B:

It sounds like 10 Bears will ride the rail to Santa Ana, meet with Nav and ride to Mels. At trips I will ride with Explorer back to the rail in LA.

Sound OK?

Many thanks... =8^)>”

“IT'S OFFICIAL!
My Exploder will have 4 people going up, The Naviguesser, Mozark, Mo. Jr., and 10 Bears.”

“...And Phil will pick up Solitary Hiker at Ontario for the trip up. Not sure what he is doing on the way back yet. If he goes with Explorer to LA the we can talk about how to get him to the airport. Or he can go to Sacramento with any number of people who are already going to the airport.

Explorer - OK, so you don't live by LAX any more. That explains a lot. BTW. I'll bet that taking 395-15-10 doesn't add that much time. 395 is inconsistent at times, but since completing the 15 thru Ontario it really speeds things up. When the Foothill freeway is completed in a few years, that will really help.”

“Nav...uhh..snakelegs?

Coooool. I'll see ya in Santa Ana.

Thanks again”

“Explorer,
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm assuming that once we return back to the cars after the 10 day trip you will leave to go back to San Diego from Lone Pine immediately. Rather than you ride out of the way via 395/I-15/I-10/Ontario to give me a lift I think I'm going to try another route. Assuming that I can get a plane ticket back through SAC or RNO I'll catch a ride north with anyone headed that way. If I can't get a car ride I can always ride the bus to Reno. Doing it this way allows me several advantages. It will allow me some time to decompress before I have to get on the plane coming back. If I decide to come out after 7 days I can catch rides with either 7 or 10 day trippers. If I come out early I could stay at Mel's and drink beer and fish Hot Creek for three days before the 10 day folks come out. Plus I have friends that live in Davis and Reno so if I need to stay over a night before catching the plane I have shelter. Thanks for your kind offer for a ride. See you in July.”

“10Bears -

I checked the map and Union Station will be very convenient to our return route to LA. And yes, it's close to Olveira St.

solitary -

After Phil's comment I ran the 2 routes through mapquest and find that going "the long way" adds a whopping 24 miles to the trip. Totally no big deal, so don't bail on me on that account. But to answer your question, yes, I expect we'll hit the road pretty much immediately after getting back to the cars (and a farewell lunch, presumably). So, I remain flexible if you decide to join us. (P.S. I'm heading back to LA, it's 10Bears who's heading to SD.)”

“mel -

I got the permit app and everything is good to go! Question, though: I notice that you put down as 2nd and 3rd choices the same trail on 1 day and 2 days earlier (in the unlikely event we don't get our first choice entry date). I'm assuming your thought here is that you would pick up the permits on the earlier day and we'd just proceed according to plan anyway, telling any pesky rangers that we'd spend the extra night at Chicken Spring Lake or something, right? I was just wondering whether there might be any benefit to listing our 2nd choice as New Army Pass trail on the same day. Just thinking out loud here -- you're the boss so let me know.

I will fax the app before dawn on 3/1 -- but it is interesting to note that the instructions seem to indicate that all applications faxed or mailed on a particular date will get considered together. It's not like they come into work on the morning of 3/1 and start processing whatever's on the fax machine; they must wait for some time because they give equal weight to 3/1 postmarks and 3/1 fax dates. Just an observation -- I still intend the pre-dawn fax attack.

Also looks like they don't mail permits anymore, just confirmations. Permits have to be picked up by 10am on trip day. Or, I assume (hope) the day before is OK since we'll already be at the trailhead the morning of our entry date.”

“Explorer...
Union Station it is. Thanks again. I'm really looking forward to July!
=8^)>”

“~~~ GRIN ~~~ Is it July yet??”

“that Above California link is awesome....thanks Mel
this is WAY too early to be getting so psyched..I am having trouble being in the here and now for thinking of the there and then.”

“Duh! I've been found out! Drat!”

“i-am-om

Did you get my email? I sent you a little note last week about travel plans.
It sounds like the southern connection is coming together. Not that we have to worry, it is a few months away.....”

“Ex....
There is method to my madness.
Practice.
On the permits you keep the same entry point. You don't need a second choice. The DATES are the important thing.
I would explain further, but it is too complicated for this spot.
Suffice it to say that my judgement is a collection of years of experience dealing with obtaining permits by mail.
Tomorrow is "P" day.
If anyone of other "Our Glorious Leaders" have questions about the permits (make SURE you read all the FINE print).....
E-MAIL ME IMMEDIATELY.
Tomorrow, we sail.

Tonto”

“mel - hokie dokie!”

“More instructions about the permits to follow in your personal home e-mail.
I'm going to try to get out the new maps tomorrow.
Thank you all....

Tonto”

“I just want to add a big "Thank You!" to "Pete".
Pete (lurking about) is responsible for locating the great link to "Above California" and some of the other great information we'll be using on our trip.
Pete, you're just going to have to come along with us, one of these days!”

“pepperdog.....just sent you an email......looks like i am good to go with shuttle offered by Wanderer and Wanderer II ...
sorry it took so long for me to reply , i am looking forward to spending time with all you wonderful folks.....”

“Took my filled out application to Kinkos at 5:45 a.m. They have been trying to send it for over 2 hours and it still hasn't gone thru (busy signal). They are still trying.”

“The eagle has landed! Or, at least, it's been faxed. Got it through at 8:50 am.

Phil - I had the same problem. Constant busy signals from 1am to 2am, then it started ringing and just kept on ringing. This happened several times. I think their fax machine ran out of paper. When I tried again this morning, I got a series of busy signals, even a bunch of "all circuits are busy" which gives you an idea how many people are trying to get through. Finally got lucky at 8:50.

I don't think the time really matters. All 3/1 applications, faxed or mailed, are considered together, then the 3/2 apps, etc.

How'd the rest of the leaders do?”

“Mine is in the mailbox across the street from my house.
Mail pick up is about 11:30.
The wilderness reservation office is in Bishop, about 30 miles down the hill from my house. My request for a permit should get there tomorrow.”

“My FAX went thru at 7:56 a.m. I was happy. I will watch my VISA account on line to see when it is charged. Hopefully sooner than later.”

“I tried at home, busy, busy, busy.
Went to work, busy, busy, busy. Got thur about 10:00am.”

“Well, hot damn!
Our permit requests are in.
Now all we have to do is WAIT!”

“Sorry 'bout the busy signals, folks -
I've been talking to my girlfriends.
;ob”

“You bad thing.

Time for a new llama thread.
It takes too long to go through all the comments on this one.”

“null”