Vicarious Hiking, Anyone?
Monday, July 11, 2011 at 5:28PM Today I got to do, for the fourth or fifth time, what I consider to be the world's best hike. This is a highly subjective rating system. Granted, the Big Sur coastline is world-class scenic. But I'm giving this hike big points for ease of getting to the trailhead, and comfort of accommodations at the trailhead.
You see, the trailhead is my front door.
Every once a year or so I like to walk out my front door about 15 minutes before civil twilight (about an hour before dawn) and keep hiking until I get all the way up the coast to the Ragged Point Inn. It's about 20 1/2 to 22 miles, depending on whether I follow the shoreline out onto the point(s). Today's hike was about 21 miles.
People ask me all the time how I hike 21 miles in one day. I have several answers.
Answer #1: I walk down the hill to the ocean, make a right, and keep putting one foot in front of the other until I see the Ragged Point sign.
Answer #2 (a bit more detailed). I pack two lunches. Fill a 3-liter water bladder with homemade sports drink. Put a few essentials in a daypack. Put on sunscreen, Coolmax sock liners, LL Bean smartwool extra-heavy hiking socks, my boots, and a highway safety vest. I also have a bike flag that can stick up a good four feet over my pack. Because a good part of this hike has to be done on the highway shoulder.
If that sounds anything less than quaint and scenic, rather than continue picturing whatever highway you're picturing, picture this one instead:
I walk out my front door and down Moonstone Beach Drive by headlamp. By the time I run out of Drive, and have to get on the highway for a stretch, it's civil twilight.
Going through Hearst Ranch country, I pass a lot of cows, horses, and...sometimes zebra. Hard to imagine, I know. But they're a leftover from the original Hearst zoo. Today, sorry. No zebra.
I pass some seals:
And then some even more interesting elephant seals (please see video for much more on the elephant seals):
When I get to the lighthouse, I'm about 2/3 of the way there. Unfortunately, that leaves about seven miles left to go.
San Carpoforo Creek (the site of the actual land feature of Ragged Point) is always a welcome sight, because it means I only have a mile left to go.
Now for the bad news. It's the hardest mile in the history of the world. It goes sharply uphill, which, after 20 miles of hiking, you tend to feel. It has no shoulder to speak of. Very little margin for error. This is where the flag and the vest come in really handy. This is where I say a little prayer that the drivers are paying attention.
And then there's the most beautiful sign ever, and the first blue sky I've seen all day:
It's a nice place to sit and wait for my ride. And my friend Nancy brought my Ugg boots (the hiking boots have got to go after 21 miles) and a blanket to wrap up in (it was surprisingly chilly):
But, for those of you who still don't get how I do 21 miles, here's answer #3. I don't ever tell myself I can't. And I just don't stop walking.
Catherine
Okay. It's morning, and I've managed to post an extremely extensive album of photos from yesterday's hike on the My Photos page. Here are all the photos (that I deemed worth keeping) from Yesterday's Ragged Point Hike:
Hope you enjoy vicarious hiking half as much as I enjoy hiking!
Reader Comments (10)
I would like to think that I could hike that distance, though I've never tried. You are so very fortunate to live in such a glorious location.
I'm sure you could. It's just a matter of doing some conditioning first, to make it more fun and less painful. Most people could with a little practice. Thanks for checking out my post!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful day through your words and pictures. Amazing!
Amazing feat. Amazing feet. Great pictures. Love that glimpse of blue sky at the right dramatic moment!
The ele-seals put on quite a show for you!
Wow- no wonder you write such wonderful stories with so much inspiration around you. It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it. My son (who is 14) has just completed his Duke of Edinburgh award. Amongst other things (voluntery work etc) he had to do a 15 mile hike with a group of friends - 10miles on one day and five the next. They had to plan their route, find their way and carry all their gear on their backs -(his pack weighed over one and a half stone!) They camped out over night and cooked for themselves. No adult intervention. I was so proud of him!
They are quite a hoot when they get going.
I can well imagine you would be proud of him. That requires a lot of courage and skills, to find your own way and take care of yourself overnight! What a great experience for him.
Looks like a wonderful hike... I think I'd have to get some practise in before I did a hike of that length. I think you'd love the countryside around here... there's plenty of walks to do (and plenty of hills!).
Is that area called Cambria? Do you know what it means? It's the classical name for Wales (a Latinised form of "Cymru").
I would just love to get to Wales someday. While I'm still in hiking shape. First of all, I know it's green and gorgeous. Second of all, I could meet a puffin while I was there! Little side-trip out to one of the islands?
I do live in Cambria, and I knew it was a Welsh name, but did not know it was a name for Wales itself. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me to get to Wales!