Wyatt & Jason | Dashboard Confessional - The Best Deceptions

Mt. San Gorgonio Expedition | Post #2

So, it's the 18th.  We (I) leave for San Gorgonio on Friday, the 21st.  Earlier today, I got a text from Jason informing me that he isn't able to make the trip.  We were texting back & forth on Saturday & Sunday... he had a 101deg. temp.  Then, by later Sunday afternoon, it had risen to 103.1.  This morning, his fever had subsided to 100deg.  He said he was having trouble making it the +/- 50 yards to the park to let the dogs out... there is no way in hell he's gonna climb 4,000' to the summit by the weekend.

I guess I am, once again, taking a trip with Jason's friends, sans Jason.  Last time was a trip to J-Tree with a great group of "kids".  I was the elder of the group by not less than 10-years.  I still had a great time, however, it would have been even better if Jason had made the trip with me.

So, I'm going solo - with Tristan, Rodney, Chuck, Clive & Philip.  Fellow members of the IAS and my personal guardians.  As, I think, I've noted in the previous post, most have not only camped in the snow, they've been to Mt. San Gorgonio in the snow.  I think I'm in good hands.  We'll see.

We had our last pre-trip meeting tonight at the Stadium Brewery (packing on those last important lbs before the ascent).  I think I've got everything covered.  I still have to make a last minute stop at REI for cramp-ons, snow shoes, gators and some other misc. items.  We're meeting at Tristan's office in Norco and driving, all together, on Friday afternoon.  Hopefully, we'll make base-camp by Friday before it gets dark.

I'm apprehensive but I'm excited and I'm looking forward to a new kind of challenge, unlike anything I've undertaken before.

Mt. San Gorgonio Expedition

San Gorgonio Mountain, also known locally as Mount San Gorgonio, or Old Greyback, is the highest peak in Southern California at 11,503 feet (3,506 m). It is in the San Bernardino Mountains, 27 miles (43 km) east of the city of San Bernardino and 12 miles (19 km) north-northeast of San Gorgonio Pass. It lies within the San Gorgonio Wilderness, part of the San Bernardino National Forest. Spanish missionaries in the area during the early 17th century named the peak after Saint Gorgonius.

Since it is the highest point in a region which is separated from higher peaks (e.g. in the Sierra Nevada) by relatively low terrain, San Gorgonio Mountain is one of the most topographically prominent peaks in the United States. It is ranked 7th among peaks in the 48 contiguous states and 18th among overall.

I am fortunate enough to have been invited to join a group called The International Adventure Syndicate... or, the IAS:

Disclaimer: International Adventure Syndicate is not an organization, it is a collection of individuals seeking outlets from their everyday existence. All trips are self funded, uninsured and all liability for each member is assumed by that party. Strippers and beer are optional and may be funded by group activities such as tree pruning, the sale of International Adventure Syndicate Cookies and sponsored events.

Qualifications to join the syndicate are, being able to walk, drink beer and have a sense of humour. And Rodney is gay and a former member of the Village People if you were wondering, he was the Cowboy wearing arseless Chaps.

So, having said that, the date is set for January 21st - 23rd. The total elevation gain is 4,620 feet.

The approximate miles traveled will be 18.6 (to and back).  Our plan is to backpack about 6.4 miles to our base camp at Dry Lake, at 9,000', by late afternoon on Friday the 21st.  We'll set up our camp for the night, eat, lie and exaggerate about our past adventures and try to get some sleep before the next day's hike.

On Saturday, we will hike/climb approximately 2.9 miles and climb approx 2,430'.  That is equal to 838' elevation gain per mile.  The majority of the elevation gain will be about 1,000' in elevation in what will appear to be nearly vertical or a 60 to 70 degree pitch.  Saturday's hike is expected to take approximately 4 - 6 hours, up & down, depending on snow levels and how much Jason drank the night before.  The summit is at 11,503'...  Due to snow levels, I'm told that the trail from base camp to the summit is non-existent and we will, therefore, climb straight up to the summit, rather than the silly, round-about way of using the trails.  Again, there will be A LOT of snow, so cramp-ons, perhaps snow shoes and ice axes will be needed in order to reach the summit.  This is what I'm told.

I've never hiked in the snow (except to retrieve skis and poles that I discarded while rolling down the ski hills).  I'm looking forward to the challenge but I'm concerned that I'll never know what it's like to be warm again.

I'll post more pics here when (if) I get back from the trip.

On a side note - I'm doing some basic conditioning to prepare for the upcoming trip.  On Sunday, I hiked up to Aliso & Wood Canyon park to go up to the Top of the World, above Laguna Beach.  Unfortunately, the park was closed and the trails were completely destroyed due to the last couple of months' rain.

I did, however, go through the park, anyway.  I stayed on the asphalt Water District access road.  I did 5.99 miles in 1 hour, 53 minutes and 44 seconds.  That includes the 10 minutes I sat taking pictures of a bobcat that crossed my path and another 5 minutes listening to a Park Ranger explain that the signs that are posted that read "Park Closed" don't mean that it's kinda closed, or sort of closed, or closed to everyone but Brad... it's means that it's really, really closed and get out.

Wyatt's "My Apocalypse" cover

Wyatt built this guitar.  He's been learning how to "tap", instead of picking.  Which, actually, is pretty cool.  The sound is a bit off from the video.

Gazela - Philly to New Bedford, Mass

My son, Wyatt, and I recently had the amazing opportunity to crew aboard the 1883, Portuguese tall ship Gazela Primeiro from Philadelphia to New Bedford, Massachusetts and back to Philadelphia.

We worked as crew.  Which means we work.  There are no passengers on board.  We were on "A-Watch", which was the 4-8 watch.  We worked from 4am to 8am.  We had off from 8am to 12noon.  We did "Ship's Work" from 12noon to 4pm.  Then, we had our second main shift of the day, from 4pm to 8pm.  Then, we had off, again, from 8pm until 4am.

Working as crew, we had the opportunity to do just about every job on board.  Shift work consisted of:

1. Helm (Steering the ship)
2. Fire Watch (walking from bow to stern, below decks, through the engine room, through all the storage holds, etc. looking for fires, leaks or anything that wasn't normal)
3. Deck Ready (basically a free deck hand to help Cook with galley duties or helping with deck washes, etc.)
4. Lookout 1 & 2 (posted on top of the galley, looking for other ships, small boats, things that ought not be floating in our path, etc.)
5. Runner (running back & forth from lookout to helm to report any of the aforementioned hazards)

We also had the opportunity to go aloft to assist with sail handling, furling, mast & yard scraping.  the top of the masts are at +/- 96' above the deck.

JTree

Joshua Tree (JTree)

I've started a regular trek to Joshua Tree, California. In the past 6 months, I've been, at least, 5 different times. Sometimes my son comes with me and other times, I've gone with friends.

The landscape is surreal and pretty unforgiving. The rocks, although they appear smooth, upon closer examination, are rough and, quite often, sharp. However, the shapes do make for some interesting climbing.

There are snakes (rattlers and rosey boas), tarantulas, scorpions and these wild looking lizards called Chuckwallas (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuckwalla). We've seen all of them, too. Fortunately, we've not had any problems with any of them... so far.

I think for me, as with many other people that car camp, from what I've seen, the whole experience is about the absolute disconnection from the daily grind. There is no cell service. There are no internet cafes. There are no liquor stores or pharmacies or, good or bad, no hospitals. It's about waking up when the tent gets too warm from the quickly rising sun in the morning. It's about a good, fattening breakfast of eggs & bacon or sausage, or both. Perhaps, some Bloody Marys or Screwdrivers (I KNEW I brought the OJ for a reason!). It's about campfires in the morning and evenings. Day hikes & night hikes (Skull Rock!).

But, for me especially, it's about a well thought out, excessively provisioned dinner. Steak. A lot of steak. Marinated flank steak. Seasoned rib-eyes. Tri-tip. Even the occasional Ahi steak can make it's way into the cooler. Cooked over the open flame on the campfire. Baked potatoes wrapped in foil and thrown directly into the hot coals and trying not to forget that they're in there when the steak is ready to eat. Asparagus seasoned with pepper & seasoning salt - thrown onto foil and placed over the fire for just a few minutes. Perfect.


We've stayed in the same campground every time (Jumbo Rock) but in a different campsite every time, too. So, the place takes on a different appearance every time we're there. The people, much like a Trojan Football game tailgate, will happily help you out if you need something. If you've forgotten, or run out of propane; no problem. If you need bread or hamburger buns; again, no problem. If you're walking through the campground and you've run out of beer... all you need to do is ask - and sometimes you don't even have to ask!

The sunrises are as equally impressive as the sunsets... and, usually, much more quiet and peaceful. It's an incredible feeling to wake up as the sun is just coming up and making it to a high rock to bear witness to an amazing sunrise. The breeze is blowing a cool air over the rocks but one can feel the heat starting to emanate from the desert floor and from the rocks.

I can't wait to go again.