Date: 2005-03-12
To: Almost time to go!
Miles today: 0.0

2 days until March 14th...Where do I begin? My flight leaves in less than 24 hours! I have to package my maildrops, do my taxes, visit the bank, and put my car in storage. Despite how it sounds, these tasks seem pretty simple to me. I really do work best under a time crunch.I activated my Pocketmail last night and after playing with it, found that it doesn't work with my cellphone, nor does it work with my Mom's portable landline. It does, however, work with a standard wired landline telephone. All systems appear to be set to go. My gmail address will be automatically forwarded to my pocketmail address, so feel free to send me e-mail at: greenhiker at gmail dot com.My current packweight? 29.5 pounds! With that, I'm sure that my packweight will slightly change as my pack currently contains clothing that I will be wearing and I plan to pull a couple things out before I leave. I've also got some excess strap material to cut and sew down, which should save a couple ounces. With food and water, I'm hoping to be at around 35 pounds. My pack feels incredibly good on my back. Many of my family members have looked at my pack with trepidation and when trying it on, their comments have ranged from "I could do this for awhile" to "Do I look tough?" NOTE: The tough comment came from my Mom. Yep, you look tough alright. I didn't make it to Punch Bowl Falls last week, due to the time crunch. I probably could have, but I felt more inclined to spend time with friends and sleep. I did get a short hike in on Thursday at a local park. It was very hot out and reminded me that I was trading some of Oregon's best weather for what I expect to be cold temperatures in Georgia. The weather prediction for Dahlonega keeps changing, but last I looked, it was expected to be slightly cloudy. I can deal with slightly cloudy.I didn't spend much time at at my Aunt's apartment the last couple days. I don't know whether I was trying to wean myself from my cats or vice versa. I'm not too worried about Skipper, as he loves just about anybody. Maggie, however, well, I hope she does Ok until September. She was very sweet when I was getting ready to leave. It was difficult saying goodbye to so many people, especially with the heartstrings being tugged this way and that with each farewell. As such, I stealthily packed up at Aunt Mona's yesterday and cleared out while she was at work and cousin Mason was at school. I did, however, leave a note for them and talked to Aunt Mona on the telephone last night.On another note, Mt. St. Helens: Why do you mock me so? One tough rock. That's what I like to refer to it as. While summitting MSH doesn't require any technical training or unique climbing skills, its summit has evaded me for one reason or another. Sleep deprivation, low oxygen levels, icy slopes, a miserable rain storm, no available climbing permits. These are the reasons why my 3 actual climbing attempts and one additional attempt have been twharted. The first time I went up, I had a great time, discovered postholing, glissading, and the joys of using steps kicked by earlier morning climbers. 800 feet from the summit, my climbing partner was too tired to continue, so we turned back. The following week, on my second attempt, I went solo, the slopes were miserably icy, and I didn't feel safe, even with crampons, so I turned back. The 3rd time, a solo attempt, the weather was great, there was nothing but some patches of off-trail glacial ice and I thought I had it made, though a severe rainstorm with high winds developed near the top and forced everybody off the mountain. My 4th attempt was to be with perfect weather and I was with a friend who had previously summited MSH, though we were unable to get climbing permits in the raffle, so we ended up going on an alternate hike.I was set to try again at the end of September, 2004, though I found out that climbing permits were being revoked due to earthquakes in the vicinity. I didn't think too much of it and then MSH decided to spew forth ash and steam on October 1st, 2004. I saw my immediate summit hopes put on hold and guessed that it would be a couple years before climbing permits would be issued again. Now, after a few months of being relatively quiet, MSH decides to spew forth a massive 36,000 foot tall ash cloud, just as I'm loading my pack for the AT. I suppose it's just a way of saying "I'll still be here when you get back." I really hope that there isn't a massive eruption while I'm gone. I often see MSH from Portland and would regret missing (in person) such a rare, massive display of nature.