My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Thanks Clay..........I know you've been a follower of my travels almost since I first started posting here so I'm sure you've seen "my friend". I usually try to get him out each summer for some traveling and exploring. He has a very rare liver disease, it was diagnosed at (6) months of age, and he will eventually need a liver transplant. He is actually the longest living person that hasn't had a transplant with that particular disease. Recently doctors told him that his liver was enlarged and that they think he may have cancer. He's not feeling real good these days and we're anxiously waiting on some recent test results. He's an amazing person, everyday of his short life (he's only 21) he feels bad or is sick, he's a full time college student and works (25) hours per week, and he's always my inspiration when I'm feeling down.........therefore it's good to be home.
Sierra Valley
Wander
Been reading your adventures for a good month or so now and finally to the end. Amazing travels! Thanks for sharing.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Thanks.........I'll be posting up a new trip report fairly soon as I'm headed to Nepal and the Himalayas in March and April. I would imagine it'll be mostly pictures that I post since it's not a vehicle dependent trip (it's a climbing trip). Hopefully the moderators will allow me to post up here since I don't have Facebook or a blog or any of that kind of stuff. I should be doing a road trip beginning in June.......
conifers4
Suburban nomad
Fantastic
Cool thread. Glad I discovered it. Only read a couple pages thus far so it will take a while to catch up and I look forward to doing so. Please post here about your travels even without a vehicle! You don't need a vehicle to have an Expedition! I love reading about the things folks do outside of their vehicles.
Don't most folks intentionally NOT use overdrive when pulling a trailer? I always thought that was good practice?
Don't most folks intentionally NOT use overdrive when pulling a trailer? I always thought that was good practice?
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
To be honest I don't know the answer to that question. For the past (10) years I've always put the truck into tow mode, put the transmission into "D" and took off. If it's in "3" it tops out at maybe (60) mph as I recall. I haven't done anything about it at this point so I guess I'll deal with this on the road if it is or continues to be a problem.
I'm definitely going to post up some Nepal stuff on here. Several members and have mentioned that they'd like to see it and I know my friends and relatives will have a look as well. One month to take off........
I'm definitely going to post up some Nepal stuff on here. Several members and have mentioned that they'd like to see it and I know my friends and relatives will have a look as well. One month to take off........
unkamonkey
Explorer
The owners manual for my G20 says that if you are in the hills or towing, leave it in D.
When I drive passes like Wolf Creek or Trail Ridge, when the transmisson decides it's time to shift to 2nd, I just put it into 2nd and stay there until I'm mostly down the other side. None of the shifting every 20 seconds and a lot easier on the brakes on the downhill side.
I get concerened when I see vehicles with their brake lights on for 3/4 of the downhill side.
When I drive passes like Wolf Creek or Trail Ridge, when the transmisson decides it's time to shift to 2nd, I just put it into 2nd and stay there until I'm mostly down the other side. None of the shifting every 20 seconds and a lot easier on the brakes on the downhill side.
I get concerened when I see vehicles with their brake lights on for 3/4 of the downhill side.
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Sierra Valley
Wander
Just keep it an extension of this thread. Please post up!
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Gbail......thanks for the kind words. The plan is to be in Alaska for July of this year but I'll bet it would be an amazing place to be for the fireworks.......
Sierra Valley......yes that's what I plan to do. Thanks........
So it's a really shi**y day outside today so I thought I'd take some time this afternoon and get this thread back up and running. I'll be boarding a plane in (2) weeks with a stop over in Seoul, South Korea and then a flight into Katmandhu, Nepal.
On January 6th of this year I decided that I really needed to try and get into the best shape I could for this trip. So I took a trip to REI and picked myself up a Fitbit to monitor my exercise and food consumption. I'm also fortunate that my neighbor has a Masters Degree in Nutrition and owns an organic bakery. She's been working with me teaching me about food and I've pretty much transitioned into a complete plant based diet, doing away with all dairy and meat. I'm feeling great and have lost (15) pounds since I started training. The dogs and I have been averaging nearly (9) miles per day of walking, added in some cycling, and lots of push ups and crunches and what not.
So the plan is to hike the Annapurna Circuit......a hike of about (128) miles. I should also have time to get into some other stuff, possibly some real climbing......time will tell. One of the things I initially struggled with was the hiring of a porter. I'm not doing this trip with any support nor guide service, but after a lot of research on the internet I've decided to hire a porter. These people need work and from what I've read they can make (3) months wages in a few weeks. I think it might also be interesting to hang out with a local guy. I've been struggling with what gear to bring since the hike begins in the jungle and at the high point (ThorungLa 17,768') there will be snow. I've never done a climbing trip with so much variety in the weather. I've been trial packing and will be using a (44) liter pack for my porter (it'll weigh about (25) pounds) and I'll have a (34) liter pack for myself (not sure yet as to my weight). I'm getting quite excited as you might expect and I'm ready to roll...........
Here's a map of the hike that I copied from the internet...........
Sierra Valley......yes that's what I plan to do. Thanks........
So it's a really shi**y day outside today so I thought I'd take some time this afternoon and get this thread back up and running. I'll be boarding a plane in (2) weeks with a stop over in Seoul, South Korea and then a flight into Katmandhu, Nepal.
On January 6th of this year I decided that I really needed to try and get into the best shape I could for this trip. So I took a trip to REI and picked myself up a Fitbit to monitor my exercise and food consumption. I'm also fortunate that my neighbor has a Masters Degree in Nutrition and owns an organic bakery. She's been working with me teaching me about food and I've pretty much transitioned into a complete plant based diet, doing away with all dairy and meat. I'm feeling great and have lost (15) pounds since I started training. The dogs and I have been averaging nearly (9) miles per day of walking, added in some cycling, and lots of push ups and crunches and what not.
So the plan is to hike the Annapurna Circuit......a hike of about (128) miles. I should also have time to get into some other stuff, possibly some real climbing......time will tell. One of the things I initially struggled with was the hiring of a porter. I'm not doing this trip with any support nor guide service, but after a lot of research on the internet I've decided to hire a porter. These people need work and from what I've read they can make (3) months wages in a few weeks. I think it might also be interesting to hang out with a local guy. I've been struggling with what gear to bring since the hike begins in the jungle and at the high point (ThorungLa 17,768') there will be snow. I've never done a climbing trip with so much variety in the weather. I've been trial packing and will be using a (44) liter pack for my porter (it'll weigh about (25) pounds) and I'll have a (34) liter pack for myself (not sure yet as to my weight). I'm getting quite excited as you might expect and I'm ready to roll...........
Here's a map of the hike that I copied from the internet...........
Couple of things to think about when hiring a porter: how is their English, do they have a set route or schedule, do they have arrangements with specific tea houses?
I did the AC trek a couple of years ago. No guide or porter. Along the way I fell into a loose group with a few other people who were on a similar pace and ended up staying at the same places along the way. We were all independent except for one woman who had hired a porter to help with her load, and she was constantly fighting with him about where/when to go, where to stay. We decided in Manang that rather than spend the traditional rest day acclimatizing to instead take the side trek to Tilicho Lake (amazing, I would highly recommend it), take a rest day there hiking up to the lake and back down, then next day take the short cut on the way back and rejoin the main trail at Yak Kharka. Adds some time to the trip but well worth it. The woman with the porter had to spend severl hours arguing with her porter to get him to make the detour. Other villages we stayed in, he tried very hard to get her to stay at specific tea houses.
trail to Tilicho Lake base camp
I did the AC trek a couple of years ago. No guide or porter. Along the way I fell into a loose group with a few other people who were on a similar pace and ended up staying at the same places along the way. We were all independent except for one woman who had hired a porter to help with her load, and she was constantly fighting with him about where/when to go, where to stay. We decided in Manang that rather than spend the traditional rest day acclimatizing to instead take the side trek to Tilicho Lake (amazing, I would highly recommend it), take a rest day there hiking up to the lake and back down, then next day take the short cut on the way back and rejoin the main trail at Yak Kharka. Adds some time to the trip but well worth it. The woman with the porter had to spend severl hours arguing with her porter to get him to make the detour. Other villages we stayed in, he tried very hard to get her to stay at specific tea houses.
trail to Tilicho Lake base camp
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Chris325i..........Yep, all of those suggestions will be taken into consideration for sure. I've done quite a few trips over the years and have some past experience with porters. I really want to do this trip on my own terms and the bottom line is that if I'm not happy with the porter, I'll pay him off and go on my own. Regarding the tea houses, I won't have any preference (as long as it has a shower) so that's one place I'll negotiate with the porter. I'm really trying to limit my weight and I doubt it'll be a problem if I do have to fire the porter and have to carry all my own gear. I may hike up to Tilicho Lake as you've suggested since I've read good things about that hike. That's an awesome picture you posted. Here's a few of mine on a trip in South America with porters.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
I can't help but wonder if this will affect my plans. It's still (10) days to my departure but I wonder how backed up the flights will be...........
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31736672
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31736672