SUCCESS!

Well, I survived my first overnight backpacking trip!

Hurray!

Here's how it went down.

Pack in the truck; starting at about 3pm

Since all of the Sierra was still socked in with snow and other assorted weather-related problems (down trees blocking roads, etc.) and I needed to get out and try backpacking, I ended up at Henry W. Coe State Park near Gilroy, CA.

I didn't know how well my knees and back would handle the trip so I planned on walking a nice, easy 3 mile road along a nice valley.

Plenty of water, to be sure. Here, anyway.

A couple of pretty flowers along the way.

Ooh! A new friend!

My plan was to hike the three miles along the old road to right before it started an ugly climb up a steep hill to get to the pond near the top. I would evaluate whether or not I could continue on. If I didn't feel I could continue, the map seemed to indicate I could camp fairly easily at the end of the road and then just return the next day to my truck.

Well, I got to the end of the road and felt fine. It was about 4:30 and I decided I could get some of this bug-filled water and continue!

Getting water from a bug filled horse trough without bugs is hard. I should have remembered I had a bandana with me.... Good thing I'm pretty.

I was thrilled to feel good enough to try for the pond two miles further. But it was up hill. Like steeply uphill. It was brutal. 

I told you it was really just an old road.

The junction to Redfern Pond. I actually whooped with joy here.

The views were pretty, to be sure.

Redfern Pond. My stop for the night!

My first backpacking camp site!!!

The sun setting at Redfern Pond. It was delightful.

I didn't have a water filter yet (didn't know if I was gonna like backpacking enough to buy one) so I boiled the water I got at the bug-filled trough. I made dinner with some of it and left the rest in the pot covered for morning coffee.

I called my partner 'cause up on the ridge I got cell service. Yay!

And that night, at about 10pm, an magnitude -7.0 Irridium Satellite flare occurred. That doesn't mean much, I know, but it was nice and bright.

The next morning was foggy and a little cold. And I was a little paranoid about the water and whether or not I had boiled it all. Like maybe there was one molecule of unboiled water harboring some man-killing bacteria or something. So I boiled the water again for a minute before making coffee with it.

I took a walk around the lake in the fog in the morning.

I sat in my chair. Sipped my coffee. Had another cup. I watched the other campers leave. Finally, I was alone.

But I had to get moving. I guess.

I packed up my stuff, took a last look around and headed off on the trail back to the truck.

But not the trail I had taken to get to the pond; that would be boring.

The trail continued to be an old road, nice and wide and relatively easy. But then.

Then.

It started down hill. Like a lot. A ton. About a 18% grade down. I went slow. I had to. Surprisingly, people had come up to Redfern Pond this way the night before.

Right after I stared the steeply downhill section, I met an older couple on their way up. They were out of breath and straining hard. I told 'em that that was the steepest section yet on my way down; meaning, "It's easier from here, guys!"

They didn't tell me how long they'd been climbing up.

Turns out a damn long time. This trail needs switchbacks badly. And I hate switchbacks. Everybody hates switchbacks. But this trail needs 'em.

A mountain biker passed me on the way down. He said he didn't like that particular trail that much. I said, "Hiking it ain't much fun either." And then he was gone.

Eventually, I reached the nice, easy, flat road "trail" I'd walked down the day before. I set up my chair and rest in the shade. I never realized hiking downhill could be as exhausting as hiking up. (Ok, it isn't; the hike up was tons worse.)

I passed other mountain bikers casually biking along the road/trail. I ran into other groups of backpackers. Some looking even more out of shape than I was.

And then I made it to the truck.

My first backpacking trip was done. I liked it and hated it. But I did it. And it felt good to have done it.

There were cows.