How Could I Forget How Awesome This Is??

*Day off in Big Bear:  another awesome mountain town*

We're still hangin' with Scott and Jason.  The boys have been fine company and have been keeping us motivated and smiling.  Together, we've enjoying (and working VERY hard) with some longer days and longer mileage than we expected early in this trip.  Jason is blogging - http://jasonreamy.blogspot.com/

It's all good!  Epic scenery, fun company and some Racoon Shenanigans have been the highlights of this section.  From desert to Mountain to desert to Mountain has been the theme as well with huge elevation changes.  Keith has been a superstar and has been having a good time (did I mention working hard?!?) and is sleeping like a baby while I toss and turn all night while we "cowboy camp" and sleep on our tarp under the stars.

Scott with his Hiker breakfast in Big Bear.  Oh yeah.  It's the little things that make you smile.

We are supposed to be hitchhiking here.  It didn't work.  Instead I got on the phone and called a Trail Angel who came and picked up 6 OF US SMELLY DIRTY-ASS HIKERS and took us direct to Sizzler for a mid-afternoon Sizzler Salad Bar Bender.  Oh yeah.

The desert is Astounding.

Jason and Keith enjoying some trail magic.  Cold soda's on the trail!  (this post is beginning to sound heavily food orientated...)

This section of trail has been particularly astounding because of it's diversity.  We went from 9,000 feet on Mount San Jacinto, to the Palm Desert at 1,000 feet.  Then we regained all of the elevation to Mount San Gorgonio at 8,000 feet.  Note:  the desert is NOT flat.  But it is sooooo Amazing.  The descent down to the Palm Desert was hard, hard work (12 miles of descending) to the bottom of the desert floor where it was 100F.  Wow.

A little perspective.  Keith and Mount San Jacinto.

We saw the Sunrise.

And the sunset!!

And then there was fragrant high alpine forests with amazing trees!

There are some crazy things growing in these mountains.

We are enjoying a well earned day off, feet up and relaxin'.  I've been to Big Bear 3 times in my life, and love this town.  Real people.

Next up:  3 days to Cajon pass.  We're feeling rested and ready.  It's a whole new hike for me:  the scenery feels and looks completely different, there are people and socializing on the trail (shocking for someone who spent 104 days hiking by herself) and we're loving it.

Idlin' in Idyllwild

 *Post Retroactive*  Day off in Idyllwild:  A great mountain town, with great mountain people like our friend Ken "Backwoods" Campbell....thanks to good people in good places our trip has been none to short of amazing.

The Keith and Leslie Adventure has started off on the right note.  Thanks to friends in good places, things have been amazing for our first week on the trail.

Phil and Callie in San Diego took care of us and we got to meet The Desert Tortoise!

Phil and Callie sent us down the trail excited and we were off.

Day 1:  all Smiles at Lake Morena

The desert in bloom.

It was cold in Lake Morena.  I got these "Party Pants" out of the "free to Hikers" box. The kept me warm in the early morning as we started hiking before 6AM.

Amazingly, there was an Ultra marathon going on in the region.  I met Scotty Mills the San Diego 100 Miler on trail!  We share a few mutual friends in the Ultra world.

Dave Super took care of us in Mount Laguna - a bed, a shower and fine company are ALWAYS appreciated!  Thanks Super Dave!

We made it to Scissors Crossing where my friend Special D took the time to help us out.  It was amazing.  He engineered a great place to stay and even took our packs for the day and met us down the trail as we hiked.  Awesome.  He even took us off the trail and played tour guide!  Amazing.  Thanks Special D.

We've picked up a few awesome friends.  Jason and Scott have been frickin' awesome good company.  We have 2 new best friends, in true Keith and Leslie style.

The desert has amazed us - every day has brought us out-of-this-world beautiful scenery and as a bonus:  the desert in bloom.  There is so much life in these hills!

PCT Dreamin'

Did you know?

We're off on another adventure! 

It's been a helluva' couple years of great adventures.  While we love and adore this incredible place we call home, we keep continuing to mix it up.  Whether at home or afar, Adventures are the stuff of Living.  We aspire to keep on, keepin' On.  Living that is.  And so we're off again.

What's been on our mind the last 2 months?

That would be the Pacific Crest Trail.

Yes, THAT trail.

Who says you can't do the same thing twice?

Ohhhhhh, the adventures we will have!  The Places We'll Go!!

Keith and Leslie are going hiking.

This time last year:  a hitchhike with a bicycle on the Navajo Reservation.

Keith Selfie:  Ski touring above Bow Lake

I've been busy organizing, packing boxes of food, buying some gear.  We are so ready to hit the trail.  Keith's been working hard at the lodge all winter, eating too much good food and drink, being a Powder Pig and skiing up a storm. It's going to be a shock going from winter in the Canadian Rockies to spring heat in the desert.  I'm ready.  He's ready.  We're Ready.

For an Adventure!!

Keith's winter job:  CMH Cariboos  Backcountry Heli-ski bliss!!

Really?  He calls this work.

Home Sweet Home:  Me making turns in the Sunshine Village backcountry

We fly tomorrow.

To San Diego.

We'll visit friends, who will take us to the trail.

We'll put on our packs. 

And we'll start hiking.

In the desert.

Being an Ass in Utah

I LOVE THE DESERT!!

These Canadian cheeks are going to be red.

Or pink.

I'll get SWASS.

*Sweaty Ass*

Home:  Tunnel Mountain Trail

We'll forget about winter.

We're soooo done with it.

Although we love it.

Monument Valley on the bikes

We shall sweat our Arses off in the desert!!

On the very beautiful Pacific Crest Trail...

If you recall.

I hiked that little trail in Aug-Sept-October of 2012.

A Very Remote Corner of Banff National Park

I LOVE OUR HOME!!!

I love Hiking.

I love my hubby.

I love to travel.

I love trails.

I love adventure!!

Our Pet Elk Mittens - our front lawn

I LOVE OUR ELK!!

Too bad we can't take Mittens.

Our Guard elk.

He's out with his Harem right now.

Life is Good.

Especially if you have a Harem of ladies.

Or are going hiking for 2 months in Southern California.

The Place Where Adventure Ideas Are Born:  our Kitchen

I LOVE COFFEE HERE!!

We will hike in beautiful places, on a beautiful trail, day after day after day!  Through desert and mountains and magical pine forests.  Mmmmm.

Before you know it, I'll be sitting here back in my kitchen dreaming of the next adventure.

But for now, there is the Pacific Crest Trail - for the next 2 whole months!

I can't wait for the adventure to begin.