Yet another Newbie

“Hi, All. I am "Yet Another Newbie". Just found this site a few days ago and thought I should make a proper introduction. I am new to BP, but have done a couple overniters. I have big ambitions tho and was planning a thru hike of the PCT, but now I am thinking I had better be more realistic and try the JMT for starters. (Ya, I know this is still ambitious for a newbie--but I am a determined kinda gal once I set my mind on something). Spring 2002. Any good advice on how best to prepare is well appreciated. As I mentioned in another thread, I originate from CA, lived in AK, and now in IL. Would also like to hear any input on nice rural areas in Western Nevada to consider moving. (Not desert). Has anyone here done the West Coast Trail? I think it is Victoria Island, B.C.”

“Go, girl! What does Muktuk stand for? Why western Nevada? Like, near California but has electricity? I'll see if the relatives in LA know of something.”

“Hey, I just wanted to welcome a newbie from a newbie. I am also from Illinois, central part. Talk to ya later. And good luck.”

“Muktuk; I hiked the southern most 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail with a guy who had never spent a night in the woods before he started that trip.

It's not experience so much as attitude. Then again if you have experience you won't need the attitude to get you thru a wet nite nearly so often.

Wisdom comes from experience, experience comes from screwing up.

As long as you can realize when you are about to get in deep doo-doo and you can still back out, it's a learning experience. Just get out and have fun.”

“I haven't done the West Coast Trail, but I know it is long and rugged. I thought I read somewhere on an internet site that you have to pay $75.00 to do the trail. Does anyone know if that's right?”

“I found info on the west coast trail at: www.sookenet.com/activity/trails/wetrail.html

There's a $25. registration fee, $70 park useage fee, and $25 if you take the ferries. This is canadian money.

The trail is doable from May 1 - September.”

“Hey there muktuk from that large recreation site just north of Illinois, sometimes called Wisconsin. Five days until the annual migration begins in earnest and America's Dairyland plates take second place to Land of Lincoln on the Northwoods highways and byways. Glad to see several Illinoisans on TT and using their feet, since we have more than enough jet skis up here already, LOL.”

“Hi, Muk..

Go check out my website:

www.qnet.com/~sierramel/

I can turn you on to just about any JMT advice you'll need.

You have my e-mail...

I talked to you about the llamas....

The JMT is about 10 miles west of my back door.

The JMT is also what I do all summer, every year.”

“Young & Creaky--
Um...

”

“Let's try that again.

http://www.visi.com/~wick/axe/muktuk.html”

“Markleeville (in CA).

Smith Valley.

Topaz.

Pyramid Lake.

The southern outskirts of Gardenerville, or Minden.

The Carson Valley.”

“So muktuk is Eskimo trailfood, eh?

Hello Ms.Muk!”

“Thanks for the warm welcome, Everyone. Now if someone could just tell me how to do LINKS I would be in high heaven! Hey Pekka! You Cheesehead, you. I'm jealous really. From what I've seen of WI, it's pretty nice. At least there is a variance in the elevation. I live in Northern IL (about 35 miles fom Gander Mountain). Walkincrow, attitude is one thing I am NOT short on! I am almost 40 and I am Pi**ed! I am done letting other people's fears and "concerns" stop me from going after what I want. I may be too stupid to be afraid of anything. Once when I was in Yosemite, 2 of us camped out on the trail. All we brought was our sleeping bags and a day pack. Well, that night we had several visits from a Blackie. My buddy moved his sleeping bag to my side of the fire and we watched Mama Bear rummage through his day pack to get the oranges he had left in there. Wasn't there a thread about this? Something about morons... Anyway funny thing is, I wasn't really scared, just fascinated. She was probably no more than 10 feet from us as she munched on his oranges. She kept looking at us and acted as if all was cool. When she finished she went on her merry way. If that doesn't scare me off of BP I don't know what will.”

“You got more courage than me Muktuk! Welcome!”

“I didn't know bears ate Tropical fruit. That's pretty interesting.”

“Are oranges tropical? This bear's parents had immigrated from Spain...she showed me her slides from her last trip back to visit relatives.”

“So Muktuk, now that we know what muktuk is why did you choose it for a TT name? Sounds kinda nasty. Why not name yourself after your dog or your hiking style, a character from a book, or use your real name? Muktuk sounds like pickled blubber of some sort. Tell us what yer motive was!”

“Well, Sunshine was already taken...That is one of my nicknames. MukTuk because it not only reminds me of life back in AK, but it reminds me how PO'D I am! And I have to be, to say "DEAL WITH IT!" to my fearful loved ones and hit the trail anyway! Can't you see why some call me Sunshine?”

“Sorry...
Wrong llama person.”

“OK, Mel, what does that mean? Llama people can't get fed up at times?”

“Darn it Joy I knew this one. I have actually tried the real stuff or has some others call it maktak. Once I saw that name " muktuk", I knew there had to be some AK. in that person. Hello newbie!!!!!, Muktuk. Why whale fat?”

“Thanks, Briar Rabbit. Gee, it's kinda like this. When you let well meaning people influence you to keep from pursuing your dreams then eventually your mind, body and soul turn to blubber. Every now and then, I just say "Enough!" and go for it anyway. Maybe I am just a wimp for not saying "I'll do what I want" all the time, but my loved ones opinions do matter to me. So I listen to them for awhile then, I eventually find that I have lost myself. And I turn to blubber. I am screaming to get out, like a butterfly from its crysalis (sp.)”

“Welcome! Please join the rest of us butterflies out on the trail.”

“Thanks for explaining Muktuk!”

“We encountered a Canadian couple that had hiked the AT from ME to NC... and were still going. Neither one of them had any prior experience. By the time I met them, they knew much more than me, I'm sure.

The orange incident was folley. PLEASE be more bear savy in the future.
"A fed bear is a dead bear".

Welcome, MukTuk.”

“Welcome to the funny farm and don`t let them scare you off.”

“Welcome, MukTuk... Hey, another midwesterner! Well, former, anyway... I used to live in S'Eastern MI. Now I'm in CA...

Bring it on!”

“I'm sorry MukTuk. We Sunshines are a lot alike. I turned to blubber, too but for different reasons. Now, I'm a new butterfly, too. Maybe you could be butterfly or a specific kind of butterfly. MukTuk sounded cool until I read what it meant. Maybe we can come up with another name. Give me some time to think.

Welcome aboard!”

“I think MukTuk sounds kinda cool, and I like the reason.”

“Welcome Muktuk!”

“Wow! Doing the JMT is not a small thing. One way to stack the odds in your favor, considering your lack of experience, is to get good light gear so you can have as light a pack as possible. When I did it we had monster packs, with a food drop every 7 days. It took us 28 days, but we climbed 17 peaks along the way, and fished, and had a couple of layover days.

I assume you'll do a bunch of weekend and 5 day hikes to figure what equipment and food you like. Sounds like an adventure. Go for it!!”

“Welcome Whale Fat, err, Muktuk!



Don't let other people's fears and concerns stop you from using that name.”

“Whew!! Thank you all so very much for you your words of encouragement! I really need it at a time like this. It's great to know that there are people out there who will give moral support and believe in you even when you are PMSing, going through the CHANGE, or just plain have an attitude! Thank you for not dissing this Newbie!”

“"When you let well meaning people influence you to keep from pursuing your dreams then eventually your mind, body and soul turn to blubber. " Dude! are you married or something?

Sorry if I opened a can of worms and keep the name and I promise never to Yankify it.

So where in Ak. did you live?

Alapitt= crazy, DT's
taaffaqti= drunkard”

“LOL, B.R.! How did you guess? We celebrate 10 years this fall. But, being a female, my parents were always somewhat more overprotective of me also. So when I turned 18 I joined the Air Force. That is how I ended up in AK. It was the "big city" of Anchorage, but still easy enough to get away. I stayed after my tour of duty was up and worked Civil Service.

It sounds like you were in the bush or something. I only know words like Cheechako, etc. Were did you live?

Are you the one who mentioned the Bush Company? I never went in there (LOL), but how about Chilcoot Charlie's? Double Muskie Inn? Bird House Bar? We were just up there in August (first time for me since we moved 7 yrs ago) and boy has it grown. We went down to Haines to look at property, too.”

“I spent this last summer in the Kotzebue area hangin with the locals and taking in what custom I could along with a few evenings in "Los Anchorage". Outside of Vegas I don't believe I have ever seen so many nudie bars in my life. I have driven that Haines to Squarbanks route. What a amazing drive to say the least. Haines is a cute little town. Sorry about the gender slip I quess I missed something.”

“Hi, Muktuk, welcome!”

“Hey, you sound like a very strong person (I mean inside). Keep us posted on your training program.
Nice to meet you.”

“*Chuckle, snort*
Let's just say I'm determined. (read stubborn).

Ya know, I have gained some courage just since finding this site and "meeting" all of you. I will keep you posted. I was reading Evergreen's thread and I am very excited for what she is about to experience!”

“I just saw Mel's "To the Newbies" thread from the 16th! I thought I'd rejuvenate MY newbie thread for your benefit, Mel! Hopefully Larry has all his hair cut by now and you are feeling less crabby. BTW, what is the latest on the llamas from Alturas?”

“Muktuk -

Welcome aboard! I just joined in the last week too..I lurk alot on the "other" boards..if you are interested in joining a women's only e-group dedicated to long distance hiking and hiking in general, e-mail me at lapb24@yahoo.com. ok?

Good Luck!! You'll need it with the crazies on here!!”

“Crazy???? My psychiatrist informed me that I am totally sane, and everyone else is mad, mad, mad I say, totally mad.”

“A true sign of sanity is questioning weather you are or not. Only the insane are convinced that they are sane.”

“I never claimed to be sane. The last person that called me sane, I stabbed them in the head 7 or 8 times with a trekking pole.”

“my head is still sore!”