SoCal-Style Thanksgiving

I don't think I will ever get used to sunshine, warm days, beaches, and palm trees for the holidays but this year we did get the pleasure of celebrating Thanksgiving with my sister in Los Angeles. After hearing horror stories of 11 hour drives on the I-15 during holiday weekends, we decided to leave early on Wednesday and make the drive early in the morning. I drank a little too much coffee and needed a pit stop, which isn't really as easy as it sounds when you are driving through the Mojave Desert. We finally pulled over somewhere about 40 miles past Baker at a desolate-looking mini-mart. It turns out that this isnot just a clean bathroom, but some kind of official Ron Paul mini mart. There was a sign in the bathroom asking people to please buy something, so I ended up perusing the sodas, only to discover that they specialized in vintage soda. Yay for Dad's root beer. Not much else was available, so we also bought a Ron Paul marketing kit and hit the road. Some interesting reading material, including: "Why Methamphetamine Should be Legal"!

Once in LA, we navigated the maze of freeways and made it to Woodland Hills. This is a northwestern suburb that is really close to Topanga Canyon and then over the mountains, the Pacific Ocean. We drove through the canyon checking out camping at Topanga State Park and then drove south to Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway. We got trapped in a crazy traffic jam and reversed to go north to Malibu. There was a fabulous park across the highway from what's got to be one of the mosst beautiful campuses in the world belonging to Pepperdine University with views of the beach. Pocky enjoyed a walk on the bluffs and we got to experience the wacky California doggie-poop bags (amazingly complex!) After Malibu, we met my sister and went out for a fabulous dinner in the canyon at Abuelita's and I got to FINALLY PLAY Wii!!!!

On Thanksgiving, we all got up early and had bagels and coffee to get us ready for the big day of cooking. We then proceeded to inventory whether or not my sister actually had enough pots, pans, and dishes to cook a turkey and numerous side dishes. It is hard to believe that three people, two cats (hi Honu and Velzy!), and a dog in a one-bedroom LA apartment were able to pull off an organized, well-timed feast, but we did! The turkey was really great and we had my Mom's oyster stuffing, my Nana's blueberry Jello salad, and Aaron's family's Eastern European cucumbers. There were two kinds of pie for desert and plenty of wine and beer. We played a friendly game of Texas Hold-em while the bird cooked and I got my first four of a kind! After dinner we drank more, and played the strangely addictive game Taboo. (Where else can you ponder which beast your relative considers to be the "yin and yang of animals"? That would be the panda.) My sister even updated her Facebook page and verified that we really are siblings.

On Friday, we had breakfast in the canyon at a great dog-friendly place and then took a trip to Muscle Beach in Venice. It was amazing. I have definitely seen some freaky people on the Lower East Side, in Vegas, and across the country- but Venice certainly has an inordinate amount of weirdos. We saw this super-tanned troll-like bodybuilder with nary a piece of clothing on jogging to the workout pen, several folks conversing with themselves, and a rich guy with a herd of dogs. Aaron got his fortune done and we invested in a few well-chosen bumper stickers as souvenirs. After picking Andy up from the house we headed to Ventura to check out their favorite break, Surfer's Point and to get my national park passport stamped at Channel Islands National Park. We couldn't leave without sampling some of the local microbrews at Anacapa Brewing Company who had an awesome nut brown ale and fabulous asiago cheese dip with beer bread that we noshed on. We even called one of our favorite uncles to spread the Thanksgiving cheer. A great night even though some us drank more than others!!

Saturday, we needed to head back to Vegas, but what is life without a little disc golf? We couldn't leave without getting out butts kicked at the Sylmar Disc Golf Course where we played 18 holes. I am still the worst driver on the planet- but I think my putting has improved. With a little exercise under our belts we left for Vegas and made it back to the I-15. We were SO glad we were driving the opposite way from LA because from Barstow to Baker (about 100 miles) it was nearly bumper-to-bumper traffic. What a mess. With a full moon rising over the desert we headed back into Nevada and into the neon of Vegas. Home from a great weekend.

Finally an E-Book Breakthrough?

Amazon has recently revealed its new wireless reading device. It is called Kindle and it sounds very cool. it's light and portable, it works wirelessly like a cell phone, so there is no need to find a hot spot or to do that annoying syncing with cords and software (like my least favorite technology combo- the iPod + iTunes), and it has this crystal clear "electronic paper" screen. In addition to never needing an actual computer, there is no service plan! Access is good- to 100 out of 112 of the New York Times Bestsellers and it provides newspapers, international news, access to Wikipedia, and popular blogs. So what does it cost? Well, $399. Not cheap, but perhaps this is the e-book breakthrough that has been talked about for so long. Could Kindle do for books what Apple did for music as mentioned in this review? I know I will never truly give up my paper books and the comfort factor, but for a portable and highly accessible device, the Kindle looks pretty sweet.

Democratic Debate Tonight at UNLV!

PJ 258
Originally uploaded by nicetry30

Yes, that is right! All day CNN has been broadcasting live from the field outside the library building. Free t-shirts, Express Yourself booths, press, press and more press! We faculty were just glad to get a parking spot and not be harassed too much by security.

Today at lunch there was a suspicious package that shut down Maryland Parkway, but all in all it has been a relatively smooth day. There are about a million people from the various candidate's supporting groups out in full force with signs and banners. I guess we should have made something like, "Librarians for the Cat-Friendly Candidate" to wave around!

Only about 1,000 seats in Cox Pavilion were open to the staff/faculty/student lottery, and I did not get a ticket. Too bad. But, there have been cameras and press crawling all over, so keep your eye peeled, I may yet make it on the national news!!

Las Vegas in the limelight for something besides OJ and lead-infused poker chips? I'll take it! Watch the debate and hopefully we can get this country back on the right track!

Rocking Out with the Old Crow Medicine Show

So, as most of you know, I complain a lot about living in Las Vegas. But this post is not going to say one darn bad thing about Sin City because I got to see one of my most favorite bands in the entire world live for the first time, right here!

Last night was the show, and after calling all the hard core bluegrass junkies I know (unlike Denver, in Vegas that is basically two people), we made plans to meet at the Canyon Club at the Four Queens Resort and Casino on Fremont Street.

We walked around the casino, but we weren't in the mood for slots, so the club itself seemed like the nicest place to be. We settled into a table and ordered dinner and beer. Lots of beer. The place was dead for the first hour we waited at the bar before the show, so we got primo seats with a great view of the stage. There was this slightly crazy cocktail waitress that waited on our table and kept asking us repeatedly every time she brought our beers, "Are you mad at me?"

It was merely odd at first. Then, I got some cash out at the ATM (in Vegas your choices are $5000, $2000, $1000, or $500 at a time- unless you try hard to find the $20 screen. Even so, I still never get used to the fact that if you ask for $100 you get one bill) and I paid for a round of drinks. The waitress took 30 minutes to come back with my change! I think she honestly thought she might just "tip herself" with that big bad Benjamin. She couldn't have been too bright though, people in a club in Vegas who choose to drink Pabst Blue Ribbon are not the types to forget about their change!

At 8:00 the lights dimmed and the band came on. They started off with "Big Time in the Jungle", which got the crowd going strong right out of the shoot. Then they played a bunch of new songs and hits like "Down Home Girl" and "Tell It to Me". I think they were jazzed on playing in Vegas and kept riffing on the casino/Vegas/Gram Parsons theme during the between-song banter. They played two full sets and it was obvious after the first break, that they would be going out with a full on bluegrass mosh pit. These guys could ROCK! With the exception of a couple Modest Mouse shows deep in my memory, I have never seen a band play so fast! It was awesome.

The place was packed after the intermission with all varieties of rocks root weirdos, alternative cowpunks, and crunchy granola types. Where did these people come from? It's not like you seen these folks on the Strip or shopping at Prada! Apparently, they might have all been from out of state because Aaron determined that the couple next to us flew all the way from Billings, MT just to see the show.

So, bottom line is that I have satisfied one of my life goals by hearing "Wagon Wheel" performed live and I actually had a really fabulous time hanging out with friends in Las Vegas. Amazing. If you haven't been here before, I highly recommend Fremont Street. It is the Strip alternative and it is the Old Vegas. The Canyon Club was a good venue, the tickets were affordable, and the band was in fine form. Yes, I bought a t-shirt to commemorate my first OCMS performance and it is a gem! (Plus, I had a lovely hangover today, as an additional souvenir)

What are you waiting for? Go download some music!

Goodbye October! It's been fun!

Happy Halloween! The candy is ready, now I am just waiting to see if any of the kiddies show up before I eat it all! Reese's, Butterfingers and Whoppers are here for the taking...

This past weekend was packed with a bunch of different things. We left last week and headed up to Oakland, CA where I attended the Oral History Association Annual meeting and gave a presentation about the Nevada Test Site project I have been working on. My husband stayed with a friend of ours and went fishing on the Russian River. On the last night of the conference, I took BART into San Francisco and met my husband and our good friend, Andrew for dinner. I got to check out Andrew's really cool SF house on one of the notorious hills with the fabulous view of the city and experience a tiny bit of the hipster lifestyle. Off the dinner, we had a bit of trouble finding a parking spot, but once the car was situated, we ate a yummy dinner and drank several refreshing Lagunitas beers at Park Chow in one of SF's many bustling neighborhoods. After dinner, we continued our adventure with a driving tour through the Castro neighborhood and a stop at the Bi Rite Creamery where I had the best sundae ever (coffee ice cream, toffee crumbles, hot fudge, almonds, and whipped cream)! Then I was dropped at the BART station and headed back to my hotel. After my presentation, we hit the road to Roseville, CA where we met up with family for the rest of the weekend.

When we arrived in town, we were just in time for our niece and nephew's school Halloween carnival. Once the kids were in costume, we went up to the carnival, where we ate candy, walked around and checked out all the costumes and the kids won goldfish at the carnival games. After the carnival, we all went home and ate pizza (with wine for the grown-ups) and called it a night. Saturday was my official birthday and we spent it watching the kids' soccer games, hiking in the Auburn State Recreation Area along the American River, and catching up on news together before dinner. My relatives decided to take me to Folsom, CA (of Johnny Cash Folsom Prison fame) for my birthday dinner. The town is really cute and done up like an old western town with shops and stuff for tourists. After some browsing, we made a beeline to My Brother Vinny's for eggplant parmesan, zinfindel, and a fabulous view from the outdoor patio. It was a wonderful dinner, and afterwards we couldn't resist going over to Snooks just to make sure we all had plenty of sugar in our systems! Back at home, I opened my birthday presents (thanks guys!!!), ate some yummy apple/blackberry/sour cream pie and watched home videos on DVD (has it really been five years since our wedding???) On Sunday, we had a chill-out day and hung out by the pool, ran over to the mall, and cooked a tri-tip on the grill.

It was a great visit, but all too soon we needed to head back to Nevada. We said our goodbyes, loaded Pocky into the truck and headed out through Tahoe. On the way through northern Nevada, we stopped in Virginia City to walk around and look at the historic townsite. From there it was a long, drive through the Silver State. We got home and relaxed a bit before it was back to work.

Well, I just got my first trick-or-treater (a pirate)...so I guess I better get ready for the onslaught! It has been an awesome October!

Birthday Weekend in Vegas

My birthday and my sister's both fall in the month of October and since she just moved to L.A., we decided to celebrate this weekend and go out for a night in Vegas. They left after work and got in in late on Friday night after a somewhat hellish drive on the I-15. When they arrived, we cracked a couple beers, opened our presents, played dice, and ate the devil's food cake I made until about 1:30 in the morning.

We woke up on Saturday and decided to hit the road to Valley of Fire so that my sister could see some of the beautiful scenery that makes living here bearable. Aside from the usual road rage I exhibit when driving through the Spaghetti Bowl to get out of town, the drive to the park was uneventful. Aaron and Andy discussed politics the entire way, so I had to enforce a smackdown on all political topics, at least until we got out of Valley of Fire. We went to the visitor's center and drove the scenic drive, and then did a little bit of hiking, although we were limited by Pocky's bum knee and couldn't really make our guests truly suffer on anything epic-length. Next we drove down along the Lake Mead shore and into Boulder City for lunch at MIlo's and some beer. Erin set the pace by ordering two beers for herself in the first round! (She got an Pyramid Apricot and a Guinness to make her variation on a black and tan).

After returning home we relaxed a bit and then got ready to go down to the Strip. Don't ask me how we ended up at the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton...but somehow, my sister decided that it was a good idea and who am I to argue with someone on their birthday? We did the rides (which were pretty good and amusing) with live actors and lots of special effects. Then we hit the gift shop and the theme restaurant for some food and the featured cocktails. Our table started with a Borg Sphere, which included 10 oz. of liquor and came steaming in a massive fishbowl. We were all pretty loopy by the time we left. I even got harassed by one of the alien guys (Aaron says in was a Ferengi, but whatever)...

The city blocks in Vegas are very long and we ended up walking in a huge circle in a dust cloud looking for a place to gamble. One would not think it would be so hard to find such a place...but we walked through a construction site, past the closed (and soon-to-be-imploded Frontier) and past a strip mall with nothing but a very neon Denny's before we got to the Wynn. We walked around a bit, past the Maserati dealership, but once we were exhausted we went to the sports book to rest our feet and have some more cocktails. After a few drinks and a race that I really should have put some money on, since I kept predicting the winners, we went to the slots. Lady Luck smiled on Andy and he hit a nice hand on video poker, so that made everyone happy. Having accomplished our main objectives, we went home and played some Texas hold 'em before Erin made us go to bed.

This morning we got up and finished off the cake before heading over to the Peccole Ranch disc golf course. This gem is one of the only positive things we have found in Vegas, and makes our neighborhood somewhat more enjoyable. Little did I know, Andy is actually quite accomplished at disc golf and I ended up humiliating myself as I hit every single tree and light post on the course and kept calling the discs, "frisbees".

After a great Mexican food brunch, we said goodbye to my sister and sent them on their way. Unfortunately, they hit a major wind storm and had to drive through sand and overturned semis all along I-15 back to L.A. There is also a major fire in Malibu, near where they live, so they may not be making this commute again anytime soon. It was a great weekend and we spent a lot of time laughing ourselves silly, which I guess is basically the best part about having a sister.

The French Revoution is really like...high school?

Marie Antoinette

by Sofia Coppola

As a huge fan of Coppolla’s Lost in Translation, I had high hopes for this movie. And I liked it. As many have commented, it was highly visual and stylized and that didn’t bother me a bit. What was strange, was that the whole time I was watching this film I was wondering if Coppolla was making a movie about high school.

The similarities are there. The need to please parents (albeit in the form of a strategic alliance), the desire to fit in, the experience of being forced to do things, and the subsequent rebellion. The centerpiece of the film, for me, centered around this birthday party scene where M. Antoinette (played by Kirsten Dunst) stays up all night to watch the sun rise after a night of celebration. Flash back to those nights breaking curfew…

No, this film isn’t as great at Lost in Translation, but it has a different character. Perhaps this is a nostalgic meditation (that I relate to adolescence); Coppolla's fantastically costumed reverie, commenting on frivolity, youth, excess, and tragic self-absorption. A time period common in early adulthood, but one which, we (hopefully) overcome as we grow older and find balance and contentment.

See more about Marie Antoinette

Online Traffic School- the Fifth Circle of Hell?

Traffic
Originally uploaded by agutierrez04

So, I got a traffic ticket from a very wholesome (in a LDS kinda way) cop here in Vegas. He pulled me over after "failure to obey a traffic signal" (i.e. I ran a yellow light). As if there aren't fifty million other aggressive, dangerous, drunk, high, and enraged drivers he could be targeting at that very moment and possibly save a life!!! No, he doesn't pick the scummy meth-head in the piece of crap beater swerving all over the place- he picks me, driving to work at 6 am, in my nice clean Xterra to pull over. He gave me a lecture, a ticket, and told me I could reduce my offense and the points on my license by attending online traffic school.

So, here I am at the library (my home computer does not support the IE version I need for online traffic school) and traffic school does not support Mozilla. I have five hours of reading, quizzes and pop up boxes that say, "You must spend 17 minutes and 23 seconds in this section before proceeding". (Even though I got the questions right).

So, thank goodness I have a blog to post to as I fight to persevere in this very hellish form of boredom. Wish me luck.

P.S. I got a seventy-four, which is passing and I learned that there is a severe drunk walking problem in Vegas. If that doesn't surprise you, here is another terrifying fact- 25%, yes a quarter of Nevada drivers have been in a collision in the past year. Great.

Too Many Hours in the Airport

I'm on the way home from the LITA (Library and Information Technology) Conference in Denver, Colorado and have been in the Denver International Airport for about six hours. I just saw a rainstorm, a rainbow and the sunset and I am getting sleepy. My poster presentation, "Adventures in Digitization" went well and I talked to a whole bunch of interesting librarians during the past couple days. But, it is always nice to get home and I can't wait to see my dog.

It was rather weird being a tourist in my hometown and frankly, I got pretty annoyed with the rampant sports-fanatisicm! The Rockies, Broncos, and god only knows how many other local sports teams were playing this weekend and last night there were loud commotions all night long in celebration of the Rockies win. (Perhaps, I am just jealous because I was preparing for a presentation and not wasted beyond sense.)

I didn't get to the mountains, so this trip doesn't count as a real trip to Colorado. Nerdy librarians, fancy conference hotels, and a brain full of technology is definitely more work than play...but at least I got a decent breakfast burrito, which more than I can say for Vegas....

More about the techie stuff over at my digitization blog...

Just a Thought

Is it just me or is Elton John the single most over-used artist when it comes to soundtrack music? I swear the last three movies and at least two or three TV programs have featured various tunes by the guy. What exactly does "Bennie and the Jets" trigger in our collective unconscious?

BTW...I just finished watching the movie adaptation of Augusten Burrough's memoir Running With Scissors, which I highly recommend if you don't mind your comedy a bit dark.Here's the synopsis from the library (it's a bit hard to describe):

Running with scissors is the true story of a boy whose mother (a poet with delusions of Anne Sexton) gave him away to be raised by her unorthodox psychiatrist who bore a striking resemblance to Santa Claus. The story of an outlaw childhood where rules were unheard of, and the Christmas tree stayed up all year round, where Valium was consumed like candy and if things got dull an electroshock-therapy machine could provide entertainment. The funny, harrowing and bestselling account of an ordinary boy's survival under the most extraordinary circumstances.

I'll keep pondering the Elton John thing while I reserve a couple of Burroughs' other books from the library....

If I Could Go Anywhere: Contrasting Travel Styles

There are friends of mine that covet a week at the all-inclusive as their ultimate travel fantasy. A decadent, indulgent, and over-stimulating experience like no other the all-inclusive is an American dream come true. Can't choose just one entree from the all-lobster menu? Well, have a couple! The drinks flow freely, the activities are at your fingertips, and aside from deciding whether to sleep, lounge, or eat there really isn't much to worry or stress your brain. Thing is, vacations like this are expensive and I am cheap. Been there, done that. There has to be more to life.

Another travel staple is the family vacation, which can be done in a variety of really fun ways (cabins, cottages, anchovy-can ski condos, etc). But the most perplexing of these is the timeshare. I realize my friends with kids have different priorities when they travel. They don't want to fight with their children in restaurants or have to be crammed into a hotel room for hours and hours on end. For these folks, the timeshare is a nearly perfect solution- space, multiple rooms/suites, and kitchens to give the tots their cereal and naps perfectly on schedule. I respect the folks and their kids and pretty much it makes sense that they travel to their timeshares and have a merry ole time. But joining up with a cult-like corporate entity and collecting travel promotions so I can afford deluxe accommodations at a new premier property is not really my thing. Once again, you pay out the nose and get Preferred Customer lines instead of authenticity and character for your trouble...I'll pass.

I like backpacking. Not really the Euro-rail thing, or the eco-tourism/safari thing but the sore muscles, sun-burned face, need a beer and some tips on the fishing/ski conditions/secret hot springs gig. So there's my bias. But there are some other types of travel that have made it to my life list, despite my aversion to the timeshare and the all-inclusive. Nothing too original here, but I've restrained myself and mostly excluded backpacking destinations for this list. I'm still amazed that more people don't embrace really cool trips when they drop serious dough on a "vacation", but as the saying goes: to each their own.

My Kind of Travel
1. Train trip through Copper Canyon
2. Hiking the Na Pali Coast Trail in Hawaii
3. Going to see the polar bear migration
4. Hot Springs tour in Iceland
5. Horseback trip from pub to pub in Ireland
6. Trip to Sweden/Scandinavia and through Poland/Western Europe to visit all mine (and Aaron's) grandparent's countries
7. Driving our Toyota to its final resting place as far as we can possibly get on the route from California to Argentina
8. Floating down the Mississippi in a houseboat or canoe
9. Volunteering in Africa, Tibet, or some other far-flung place
10. And if money truly were no object: I'd stay at every single National Park historic lodge including the Ahwanee, Timberline Lodge, El Tovar, Old Faithful Inn, Crater Lake Lodge, and the list goes on and on.

My Newest Addiction

Blame it on my co-worker's husband who was showing off his flip-flops with the built-in bottle opener. I had to ask where he got them, and now I have a brand new addiction.

If you like outdoor gear, hate paying full price, and don't mind the randomess factor you've got to check out this website. Steep and Cheap is a web site dedicated to getting rid of gear bargains. They feature one item at a time. When it is gone, it's gone. That's how you get addicted... Luckily they offer RSS feeds, so now I can monitor the deals all day long at work and pounce on them when they offer something fabulous like the Women's Marmot Precip Jacket for 75% off. Love it.

Who Are These Blogging Librarians?

Well, I'm coming up on one year and four months employed as a professional librarian. I find that people still have some pretty wacky ideas about who librarians are and what we do as a profession. Here are some facts that most people don't know about librarians:

• Being employed as a librarian typically involves completion of an undergraduate degree, an ALA-accredited masters degree in library or information science, and in many cases a second masters degree in a subject specialty. That's a lot of schoolin' (and student loans).
• At my institution, librarians are classified as assistant, associate, or full professors. Yes, we are academic faculty with the same responsibilities as the rest of the teaching faculty. We are expected to excel in the three areas of teaching, service to the library/campus/community, and to publish to meet the requirements for tenure. And we have to do this working 12 months a year, 40 hours a week. (Sadly, even tenured faculty librarians do not get summers off!)
• Librarians are your voice on the front lines of information policy. We have a code of ethics as a profession to defend your open and free access to information in any format without judgment. We defend intellectual freedom, fight censorship, and protect privacy. Heavy stuff.
• The next generation librarian is hip, focused on transforming libraries into the future, and very tech-savvy. We also tend to be blogging our experiences. Several librarians in my graduating class are at the cutting edge of technology and libraries and maintain fascinating blogs (Pegasus Librarian, Goblin in the Library) covering everything from copyright to Ruby on Rails, marketing to paper preservation.
  
• A recent survey of the "biblioblogosphere" reports on the demographics of blogging librarians. Apparently, the majority of us are: female, 31-40, Midwestern, MLIS degreed, work in academic libraries, and are blogging for the first time.

Interesting stuff! So, now that you know more than you ever wanted to about my chosen profession, I ask: "have you hugged your librarian today?"

It's a Grind Rocks. Starbucks Doesn't.

This weekend I have been trying to work on the CDT GPS project, which requires me to use my work laptop and a decent wireless connection. I have been trying to poach free wireless from my neighbors, but it has been spotty at best and after losing my work a couple times, I decided to spend Labor Day morning at a coffee shop to try and get something done. If you live in Las Vegas, here is my advice: skip Starbucks and go to It's a Grind.

Starbucks: Corporate. Requires a credit card to sign up for their T-Mobile hot spot, requires purchase of a pricey beverage, and at the Sahara/Fort Apache location has very little seating with no electricity. Plus the clientèle totally annoys me. Big-sunglass clad women in designer sweat suits rudely demanding non-fat, sugar-free caramel, two Splenda, extra shot, vanilla lattes and screaming at their bratty little children...you get the picture.

It's a Grind: Still a franchise, but at least we know the owner and over-the-top friendly employees by name. Dog-friendly patio at the Desert Inn location (biscuits and water are provided), FREE wireless, plug-ins inside the store, and six great kinds of fresh-roasted coffee. Plus they are featured in the hilarious Showtime series Weeds, which is practically reason enough in and of itself.

Neither store comes close to the legendary coffee shops that I seek out in real cities, (insert favorite local shop here...) but if you have a choice I strongly suggest choosing It's a Grind over Starbucks- especially if you are in the Summerlin/Lakes area of Vegas.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Un-named lake to Big Hole Pass

It was freezing waking up on our last morning out. I was cold and there was definitely frost on the rainfly. We packed up and pretty much skipped breakfast so that we could get on the trail and head out of the woods. I think we were all dreaming of the hot springs and a good meal. The night before we had eaten some lentil curry, the worst meal of the trip, and my stomach was not thrilled with it. I was definitely looking forward to some real food.

We still had about 2 miles to the divide above Fourth of July Creek, but it was beautiful trail, much like what is common on the PCT. After the Divide, we were on a narrow ridge with the trail traversing a rather steep drop-off. There were rock retaining walls and good trail the whole way (sort of like in the Goat Rocks or North Cascades PCT sections). At the high elevation of the day we had a fabulous view into the Big Hole Valley and Aaron got a decent shot of me frowning into the camera.

We then began a huge descent from 9,000 ft to about 5,000. This was less of an ankle/knee killer than I had expected, but still a little hard on the joints. We took a couple of breaks to get water and have some snacks, but the trail was very different in character. It reflected the elevation change and their were more blowdowns, shrubs, and grasses and less of the super-straight tree groves found a bit higher up. We followed Big Sheep Creek for several miles and continued to descend into a valley where the trail seemed to get worse and worse. At the lowest elevation, we all met up and talked a bit about the plan for getting out to the road. Tom's car could only handle so much weight, so we needed to make two trips to accommodate all the people/gear. Aaron proposed that we try to hitch into Wisdom and then into Jackson so that Tom could go back for Jon. This was really no fun for anyone: us standing in the sun waiting for a ride, Jon sitting at the trailhead, and Tom driving the endless dirt road twice. Unfortunately, we had no choice...to make matters worse, the last 4 miles to the car were less than ideal. From the low point, we had to tackle a 1500 foot climb up the worst "jeep road" (impossible to drive a jeep on) I have ever seen. It truly was the most horrible hike of my life, so far, beating the 26-mile day up and over Mt. San Jacinto (current PCT record-holder) and most of Pennsylvania (AT record holder) . I have been forced to tears on much better trails. The road (I do love roads, after all!) just plain went straight up while following a creek drainage. I tried all the tricks in my arsenal (counting steps, only looking at the rock directly in front of my foot, yoga breathing, singing Lucinda Williams songs, etc) to make the climb easier, but it just took the spirit out of me. Once again, everyone was waiting for me and I was totally at my wits end. Note to whom it may concern: that is not a trail. It dishonors the name National Scenic Trail! Reroute the trail, anywhere else! Please.

After the road from hell, there was a nice newly created Real Trail to try to butter up angry hikers and placate them before they quit hiking for good. After reaching the Big Hole Pass Road we had a short .9 of mile walk to the car, which was slightly anti-climactic. Everyone tried to yogi a ride from a pickup driver at the pass, but he was headed for Idaho and we had to stick to the plan. Maybe it was the hitching and the car shuttles, and the general mellowness at the end of the hike, but I was disappointed that we didn't have a more celebratory mood. Luckily, about 20 minutes after Tom dropped us at the highway, we got our first hitch into Wisdom with a nice hippie guy with a canoe and a black lab. Then from Wisdom, we grabbed a soda and got the very first truck headed to Jackson to stop for us. It was a rancher who talked to us about managing three cattle herds and what actually goes into making "grass-fed, all natural" beef. He and Aaron could have probably talked about guns for about a hour longer, but we quickly made it to Jackson. It even came up in conversation that he knew one of our friends in Yosemite, what a small world! Thanks so much for the rides!

When we got back to the lodge, there was a decision made to get our truck that night, rather than in the morning, so we headed off with Tom to retrieve the Xterra. I had forgotten that this actually involved HIKING up to where we left the car, in the dark, without any warm clothes. It kind of sucked, but the truck was there. We didn't get back to the lodge until 10:00. They had stopped serving food at 9:00 and it was kind of a bummer, especially since Jon's wallet had been locked up in our car! I'm used to being really psyched to reach the end of the trail with my hiking partners and to going out for a feast! By the time I got back to the lodge, I was cold, hungry, and sore with no hopes of a feast besides the packets of Doritos behind the bar. But, even though the kitchen was closed, luckily the hot springs were open!

We all got into the springs and soaked which did wonders for my outlook on life. Jon brought Aaron and I a much-needed beer and we did manage to toast our accomplishment. I think we (Team Bitterroot) did a great job. Not many other teams were assigned 60 miles with a 3-mile road walk to start! Special thanks to Jon who had to do all the GPS and camera duties himself. He did a great job and his account of the trip (along with his other adventures) can be found on his blog, My Life & Travels. After the soak, we had a couple beers at the bar and reunited with the missing link: Skot (who had been put to work chopping vegetables for dinner that night). He was off to Missoula in the morning and we heard he had performed some ceremonial rites at Miner's Creek to express his frustration with Backpacker. It was good to see him again, and I wish him the best of luck and nothing but happy trails.

Besides making new friends and helping map the trail, one of best things about coming to Montana was discovering the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge. This is truly one of what we call "the last outposts" (the Big Island, Taos)...kind of in the vein of David Milch's Deadwood and John From Cincinnati (please don't cancel it!!!). It's what Jackson Hole was before it was ruined. Though the Big Hole Valley is haunted by the Nez Perce/U.S. Army battle, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. I will definitely be back.

I've very glad that I did this project. It was a bit weird at times, but Aaron and I have gained so much from our hikes on the long trails (not the least, each other!!) and we have benefited from the maps, trail work, and general kindness of so many people including trail angels, volunteer trail crews and land managers that this is the least we can do to give back. Not long ago, I was telling my co-workers (who don't really get the backpacking thing) about the unique relationships you form on the trail. There are people I consider friends that I have hiked with. But, in contrast, there is really no one that I have backpacked with that I don't consider a friend for life. So, thanks to the team, the lodge, the forest service, and the firefighters. Thanks even to Backpacker Magazine. This was a great trip.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Little Joe Lake to un-named lake

In the cold morning, we motivated quickly so that we could all warm up a bit. Down the trail a ways we ran into three hikers (two thru-hikers and one section hiker) and stopped to chat with them. Jim from Livingston, MT mentioned he was low on food, so Aaron lightened our packs and gave him some of our dehydrated food and couscous. They said that they were hanging in there, but they did not seem overjoyed about the trail in Montana. The section we were doing was unusual, in that the trail was good and the route was scenic. We felt lucky to be on one of the best sections and it made the first day well worth it. After climbing up past Lena Lake, we made our way to the Slag-a-Melt Lakes and took a break. There was a quiet, calm deer that checked us out and we got a few nice pictures of her. The climb above Slag-a-Melt was very nice and we made our way up to another saddle with awesome views. We continued into a bowl with huge peaks on either side and a short traverse around a really steep section. Then, we regained all the altitude we had lost, climbed again, and reached the Divide. There was a little marker showing the MT/ID border, which we had been walking along for the entire section. Then, the trail descended and began yet another ascent to another saddle. The grade was good, but there was still a lot of climbing. At the saddle, I thought we were one place, but we were not as far along as I had thought. This happens when you go up and down multiple times and there are no signs to identify things. I guess I should have paid more attention to the GPS/map conversations. Anyway, we stopped at an un-named lake because we had very few options for water in the last 14 miles to the car.

The lake was right up against a steep scree slope and was partially dried up. We had to walk across the lakebed to get to the nicer camping area, it reminded me of hiking Mauna Loa, and the guys explored the swimming possibilities. Tom voted yea (of course!), Jon, nay (too sea-monkey-ish) on the water quality. This was a nice peaceful camp and for the first time in the trip I felt like we all had a chance to talk a little bit. We were even able to perform a tricky Therm-a-rest repair with the kit I always carry and Tom's expertise. Believe it or not, Tom actually was the chemist behind the glue in the repair kit! Tom regaled us with his stories from the gear-researching/developing trenches and Tom and Aaron discussed and tried to come up with a required reading list for Jon's outdoor education. (They should have just asked the librarian!) A nice night, if only we had carried a little extra for a nightcap.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Hamby Road to Little Joe Lake

We left from camp with another uncertain section to hike (about 4 miles), but it turned out that the trail was easy to follow and no problem to navigate. There was a steep descent to Miner's Creek Trailhead, and some of the switchbacks could use some work, but all in all I was expecting much worse. We got down the hill, and got some water in Miner's Creek where we officially began the second section (according to the book) of our hike. This section was reputed to much more scenic and the trail was supposed to be well-constructed. After a short break, we headed up to climb to the top of the pass.

The trail was beautiful, with lush greenery from the snow runoff and the trail was easy to follow and wide enough in places for two to walk together. The climb was a good grade up to the Rock Island Lakes, and then the trail steepened. Up until this point, I felt pretty good despite doing this hike literally off the couch. Work, the Las Vegas summer temps, travel to presentations, and stress over tenure, has seriously cut into our hiking time and in this section I could feel it. Everyone had to wait for me, yes I was the slow girl in the group. How Aaron is able to bust out the miles (remember Half Dome And Long's Peak?), I will never understand. He is a hiking machine. Oh, well at least I made it up the hill.

Over the saddle was Little Lake, and the views were worthy of a John Denver song. This is more like it! Yes, the CDT in all it's glory. We continued down along a good trail traversing the slopes and working our way through the valleys. Tom saw a bear, but as he was in the lead, it was scared away and long gone by the time the rest of us caught up. Gorgeous views, and Jon got lots of great pictures. Check them out. We stopped a bit early in the afternoon, slightly under our target of 12 miles, but there was a nice lake and we were all tuckered out from the climb. We made camp and as we were cooking dinner and messing around, Jon and Tom spotted another bear across the lake. I think it was less than interested in us, and went on to other pursuits, but we practiced good bear/food etiquette nonetheless. After I had crashed for the night I heard whispers and the sound of digital cameras going off. It turns out a herd of elk had come through the area, waded into the lake, and made their way up the steep ridge we had hiked down. Amazing! The wildlife has been awesome on this trip: deer, bear, elk, marmots, grouse...very cool.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Skinner Meadow to Hamby Road

Day Two had an auspicious start because when I woke up, I did not hear the tapping of raindrops on the tent and that meant that I did not have to break camp and hike out in rain. Yippee! We had some tea and some oatmeal for breakfast and the team seemed to be in good spirits. (Aaron was serenading us!) We packed up and hit the road looking for the place where the CDT branches off into the woods and becomes a trail again. The walk was pretty good, in forest finally, and we actually we able to walk along together and chat as a group. It was totally interesting to talk to two guys who were bad-ass mountaineers, because they have a different perspective on hiking than long-distance hikers. They seem a bit more goal-oriented (duh, they need to get to the summit!) and they definitely hike with a sense of purpose (kind of like a race or a bad weather day on the long trails when we skip all breaks because it's too miserable to stop). Thru-hikers (even me, when I am in hiking shape) can hike pretty fast, but they are always open for random conversations with someone going the other way, detours, or for a long lunch and siesta. So, it was cool to see the different styles.

We had a couple of creek crossings during the morning (but we didn't have to actually ford since there were log bridges and rocks to hop across). We also had a bunch of trail/jeep road intersections, but the combo of GPS, good maps, and my trusty guidebook all combined to make the decisions easy enough. On one of the jeep roads, we were cruising along making good time when Tom spotted a guy on an ATV ahead. Apparently this guy was not fond of us treehugging types and as he sped by he said, "Oh good as least the wolves will have something to eat!" I was pissed at the guy, but as Jon said, "you don't mess with a guy carrying a gun wearing camo on a back road in Montana." Indeed.

We stopped for a nice long break at an old cabin where there was a pretty meadow. Aaron had made his own homemade beef jerky and it was definitely a hit. What a savings from buying the commercial packages! We also brought cheddar cheese and Triscuits which are always yummy (thanks Southwalker for teaching me this valuable lesson in the Whites). Tom turned the team onto his favorite- smoked gouda...(fancy pants!) but I didn't get to try it. It sounded rather delish, so I'm making a note for next time.

After lunch it was a quick hop, skip, and a jump to our destination for the night, Hamby Creek/Hamby Road. Tom really liked camping by water (sounds like a certain couple we knew on the AT: Hello Chick and Weird!) so this place fit the bill with a nice creek to soak the tired feet in. Unfortunately, it was near a jeep road, but there wasn't much we could do. Aaron made the most amazing dehydrated minestrone with Chris Zinda's garden-fresh zucchini and Parmesan cheese. It was awesome! Aaron you rock at dehydrating- maybe you can give Mary Jane's Farm a little competition. Tom wasn't big on cooking, but Jon showed off his JetBoil stove, which I have coveted since I worked at REI and all the good-looking Wisconsin climber guys would come in and buy them with their little climbing hardware thingys and Powerbars. I am going to get one. It is like a more evolved Pocket Rocket!

My new boots were bruising my ankles, so by this point, I was beginning to experience some of the familiar pains of backpacking. I soaked the feet and tried to elevate them to reduce the swelling, but I figured it was the price I had to pay for wearing brand new boots to a 60-mile hike. A good second day covering about 12 miles.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Goldstone Pass to Skinner Meadows

Well, you all know how much I LOVE mornings, but I was actually kind of excited to get out and start hiking. Our $10.00 camping fee included the hot springs and the lodge generously offered campers a $5 breakfast with the usual bagels, fruit, juice and cereal. We stuffed some food in our mouths, double-checked to make sure Skot had not had a change of heart, and loaded my truck with the gear. Why is Aaron constantly tying things to the top of cars? He has a real talent for that!

It is a good thing that we had some enthusiasm, motivation (and at least on my part) blissful ignorance, because the start of the hike was a little rough. We parked on the questionable 4WD road below the pass and decided to hoof it up to the start of the official trail. Oh, yes Cory had to walk a road- for almost 3 freaking miles, uphill! You can imagine my mood. I hate walking on roads ever since the AT out of Damascus, VA and I tried to keep a happy face, but I am sure it was pretty obvious that I thought it was a lame start. There were some decent views, and the road did actually get rather gnarly, so in the end there wasn't a whole lot we could have done to avoid the road walk.

Finally, mid-morning we made it to Goldstone Pass. It is extremely handy to have a nice guy with a GPS hiking with you because he can make relevant announcements like, "this is the official Continental Divide" or show you nifty little maps on the screen that alleviate a lot of arguing over which way to orient the map. He can also provide tips like, "We are on crack and walking completely the wrong way!" I liked it. Though I am sure that Jon was annoyed with the team's incessant questions along the way, a variation on, "are we there yet????"

After arriving at the nondescript pass, and snapping a couple pictures, we headed into the woods where we promptly hit a cliff-like ridge and huge drop-off with a view of a distant lake. No time like the present to jump right into our navigational duties, so Tom planted his hiking staff and made his way down this super-treacherous scree field. That is what mountaineers do. I, on the other hand stood there looking around for a trail, like a real trail (you know switchbacks and stuff), until it was obvious that everyone would abandon me if I didn't move it. So, I started down the hill and actually had no real problem, despite my normal clumsiness and tendency to twist my ankle.

After the lovely descent, we were on our own to find a route to Cowbone Lake. It really wasn't that hard to find, seeing how we had a general direction to walk, but it was an exercise in group dynamics to see how four people make decisions on where a non-existent trail is. We found the lake pretty fast and Jon, being the over-achiever that he is, ran a 1/2 mile back along the lake to try and map the "true" route for the project. Reminded me of Grizzly on the AT!

Cowbone Lake is well-named. I was shocked to find actual cow bones scattered all along the lake shore. Apparently a herd of cattle fell through the ice many years ago and the bones you see today are from this unlucky herd. I think the place was haunted. At the lake we met Larry- a CDT thru-hiker. He had that thru-hiker glint in his eye (maybe from hungriness, loneliness or from that weird distance you get when you are psychologically and physically removed from civilization for months at a time). He was using the Jonathan Ley maps and taking the shortcuts, like the bushwhack to Jahnke Lake. This seems to cut out some of the ubiquitous road-walking and probably keeps the thru-hikers sane. Larry was not phased in the least by the trek down the ridge, in fact he said most of the CDT was like that.

We left the lake and continued on. In the afternoon we passed, about 7 ATV'ers (and their dust), another alpine lake, a smattering of old miner's cabins, and encountered yet another boring road walk. The major bummer about the road walk was that we were actually, literally, walking right back to the car. About a mile from the actual vehicle, we veered into the road we drove up on and walked that for a mile or so, and then camped in a pull-out next to a cow-field. Yes, folks it's just all part of the trip! You never know what you're going to get on a long hike, but I'd say this is not the sexy trail section they should use to advertise the CDT!

Our first night camping. Well, we might have had wonderful conversation about the meaning of life, or found world peace, but it started raining and it's hard to do that when everyone is zipped up to their ears in their bivys and tents. The rain was a good thing for the fire, though, so it was a bit of a mixed blessing. I spent the whole night praying that a rogue ATV/redneck rig wouldn't run me over. Too traumatized from Strange Piece of Paradise, I guess.

Backpacker CDT Trip- Jackson, MT

In 2001 while working for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, I first observed the amazing feats that a few dedicated volunteers could accomplish with masterful planning and efficient project management. I'll never forget how in one weekend VOC somehow met their goal of planting 1,000 trees, fed hundreds of hungry volunteers, and kept the whole project going despite a rain storm and windy weather. I was hooked back then and to this day consider myself a pretty big cheerleader for volunteering. With this rosy attitude, we took off on Saturday morning to drive 12 hours and 841 miles to Montana for the Backpacker Magazine CDT project.

My first impressions were a bit on the surreal side. Granted, we arrived at 1:30 am to a dark valley full of smoke and a town that seemed to consist of a neon-lit bar, some tractors and a mercantile store from about 50 years ago. It was pretty easy to identify the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge , being the focal point of the whole town and we were able to camp in the back yard and have a quick Moose Drool beer, before calling it a night.

In the morning, we met up with the first of our teammates, Skot Phrea from Texas. Skot had arrived in the area from the Kerrville Folk Festival and been hanging around a while. By the time we met him, his charisma had already made him a legend at the lodge. You meet lots of characters on the road less traveled and Skot was definitely one memorable guy. He was well read, possessed exhaustive knowledge of music, and seemed to be able to make new friends or run into old ones with remarkable ease. It was good to meet Skot because he shared our initial concerns that Backpacker had only sent the team one set of maps (is that a best practice?) and that our contact was mysteriously hard to follow up with. It is true that in the application Backpacker insinuated that this trip was a chance to get "loaded up with some free gear", but we were focused on an excuse to get out of Vegas and we never expected much. Really though, better communication would have been helpful. The first morning we sat with Skot on the lodge porch and tried to determine if we had just wasted a heckuva lot of gas to drive somewhere that was burning to a crisp. Aaron and I took matters into our own hands and made a trip into Wisdom, MT to the local diner Fetty's and the command center for the fire, where we were cleared to hike by the Forest Service. (Who, unfortunately, didn't really have much of a clue about our team or the trip. I guess they had bigger things on their minds like raging forest fires!) All that remained to do, was to meet up with the other two members of the team.

Back at the lodge, we spent a few hours talking to the lodge employees and speculating about the guys we had only briefly e-mailed with. Occasionally, we looked anxiously down the main drag to see if a Honda station wagon was approaching. Early in the afternoon, Tom and Jon arrived from the West Coast and we were all in the same place for the first time. Due to the spotty communication, failure of Backpacker to facilitate regular updates, and some general apathy, our team was probably not destined to win the Most Successfully Bonded CDT Team award. In fact, the atmosphere at the lodge was rather tense and uncomfortable. Skot was concerned about whether Backpacker was coming through on what he perceived to be their "end of the deal". Aaron and I were obsessing about the maps. And Tom and Jon were probably wondering what the heck they had gotten themselves into. My memory of the first hour of our team's illustrious start centers around a little table with a small pile of Sharkies, some maps, and four stressed out/road-weary people with not a lot to say to each other. Jon, probably the smartest one of us, kept himself occupied with his gear and combated the tension with a smart-ass comment here and there, ostensibly to keep the mood a bit lighter.

Nonetheless, the show must go on. And after Skot decided that he had better things to do than go hike in smoke without the promised new socks, we regrouped as a team of four and started planning the car shuttle. We scoped out the roads to Big Hole Pass and caravaned down some endless dirt roads to leave the car off the trail (near the sign above). Mostly, the drive took us through the ranch land below the Divide, we swerved past a cow or ten, and then ascended slightly to the rolling forested ridge of the Divide. The car parked, we headed into Wisdom and stopped for dinner.

Dinner was at the Antlers (Note: I think that was the name.) where we were waited on by what had to be one of the sweetest women in the entire world. This is a woman that had the patience to process 108 separate charge cards so that the firefighters in town could each have their own check. She is a saint. We ordered burgers, salads, sandwiches, and sodas and with the comforting effects of food, finally got a chance to converse as human beings. We got to know more about Tom, a seasoned Cascades mountaineer and former gear developer from Tacoma, Washington who was quiet and smart and shared many of our liberal political views. Jon, when he wasn't devouring one of his many menu choices (he's a graduate student that burns a LOT of calories being somewhat more motivated that the rest of us mere mortals), told us about his work with the Corvallis, OR Mountain Rescue Unit he volunteers with, his recent move out west, and his work and studies in geophysics at Oregon State. Things were finally starting to come together.

After dinner, we headed back to the lodge and had a couple beers at the bar. Jackson locals were truly amazing. There was the flirty-cute bartender with a penchant for cheesy country songs, a cowboy poet whose ranch brand was "FU", and Inga the stoic Scandinavian proprietress of the place. Skot was there carrying on conversations that varied from Townes Van Zandt, to recipes, to quoting the Bible. Jon, Tom, and Aaron and I soaked up the atmosphere and chatted a bit before leaving Mr. Phrea at the bar to crawl into our tents to sleep.