the next walk

[» veldstra]

salutations from the northern reaches of manitoba. Flin Flon to be exact. i apologize for my recent lack of participation. i have been in the bush for a few months. planting future forests, and pondering what to do next...

Currently i am working on a plan for the next walk. a sort of next step after "walk the rock." tentative plans are being laid for a cruise along the 101 through california. described as one of the best driving roads in america, it seems to be quite an appropriate stretch for a walk for the cure from cars.

i say these plans are tentative as i am a little worried about being somewhat transient in america. i have heard of strange vagrancy laws and am worried how the state police would react to a traveller who has all the markings of a HITCHHIKER.

in short it would be fabulous to know a bit more about california. the road, the people, the hazards, and the law. any information would be beneficial. i am doing my own research but am itching to hear a local's opinion of a trip like this.

[» Scott]

I wouldnt worry about the man out there. Just dont fall asleep in the open, otherwise you are fine. =)

[» veldstra]

well i have left the far north for a bit. back in ontario, working at a fire base. Its a pretty sweet gig. there are lots of helicopters around, and plenty of neato things to learn. The hugest plus is that i don't have to bend over for 8 cents.

thanks for the good word there scott. To be quite honest with you i am a little leary of the US. the cities are so large, and there are so many people everywhere. However it is necessary to broaden one's horizons, and i have viewed many a canadian vista. it is time to dip into that pop culture ocean that is the United States of America.

currently the plan is to start walking sometime near january. I have to still work out a few dates and must make a few apperances here and there. But the new year is the projected start date. Start walking out of Crescent City and head south for the mexican border. sounds easy enough eh?

one more question any rare points of interest?

[» veldstra]

i have done a little investigating. California is HUGE. wow. a few thousand kilometres thats for sure. a little daunting if allowed. but not entirely unfeasable. I am excited to say the least.

in my exploratory journey through google maps, i noticed that the 101 is pretty straight. not quite the twisty coastal highway i have read about. It looks a little more like an interstate from space. which has lead me to believe that it is not the route that i would prefer. that fabeled highway on the coast, the one all the porche, and lotus drivers flock to. thats the one. in places it appears to be intact. but there are long tracts of shoreline which appear to have no road cut through. good thing i plan on walking. afterall there is no 4x4 that can compete with bipeadal transit. legs will get you over anything. except for maybe lava.

Rumour has it that california is pretty expensive. I see that as my largest obstacle. it aint the land of bolongna sanmiches and $1.70 tins of ye ol chef. From what i here San Fran is one of the most expensive cities in the US. This could prove hazardous to this frugal wanderer. Infact in preperation for this very fact i have come up with an alternative plan of skipping to mexico. Where it should be perfectly feasible to live off of $10 a day. but that would be a last ditch. I am preparing for the most expensive walk yet undertaken by myself. The budget for my first walk across British Columbia was a mere $800, i was broke before i finished. Newfoundland saw me get home with $15. this year i am planting trees until the snow flys. this aught to be a financially sound trip. and with any luck i should be eating spinach salad and oranges all the way.

hopefully this is whettin your appetite for some more written wanderings. Lord knows i've been jonesing to write more. Perhaps i should think about journaling a little about the adventure that is know as "tree-planting" ooh that would be most excellent. a lot has happened this season. crazy stuff. fires starting on the block, quads falling from helicopters, one of the barenaked ladies visiting camp, all sorts of random wierd stuff. Not to mention that craziness known as fire-base camp. its been a great summer of experience. but a lax summer of digits to keyboard. good thing winter is on its way.

[» phong]

take the 105 in CA- that is the twisty beautiful one.

[» veldstra]

yeah phong, that twisty road has been luring me for years now. i got a taste about 3 years ago. have been hungering ever since. I have been doing a little sleuthing and have found a trail. Yes a trail hugging the coast from the Oregon border to Mexico. Coastal trails are the best really. I tried to contact them didn't even get a mailer daemon. It wasn't the warm greeting i was expecting. Not nearly as friendly as Betty, Tony. and Terry at the Newfoundland trail association. they sent me a map and all sorts of propoganda. Then again this is California. This is the big time i guess. i must be a slice of processed cheese floating in a puddle of brie, to these peoples.

So long story short. the plan is still hatching. January is the month. It'll be here soon enough. tree planting passed by so quick. Only a few more months of driving some ridiculously heavy machinery and then.. free-footing it... 1200 miles baby, thats 1 931.2128 kilometers. 2 months and 2weeks. booyah pie's cookin!

[» phong]

10,000 blessings upon your journeys-
may the road lead to your heart's center.

[» Scott]

I wish you the best of luck brother. This is something I am interested in doing as well...The coast walk, or maybe even the Appalachian walk from Mexico to Canada...

Either way, reading your post is making me want to go hiking even more!

Make sure you hang out a bit in the redwoods!

Good luck!

[» veldstra]

Its getting to be almost a week till mobilization mode. Well in all honesty i am always mobile. I am not one for the static lifestyle. As much as i might wish for one every once and a while.

January is just around the corner now. I am a little aprehesive about walking California now. its pretty daunting. 1200 miles. but really that is only time not really any sort of obstacle. just something to endure and time is one of those things that just can't stop happening so i am pretty sure its not that big of a deal.

to date the plans are to follow the coast From the Oregon border- South. From what i have read january is the wet wet time of year for the nothern forests. In my opinion this is probably one of the best times to hang out in the forest. The rain keeps all but the swarthiest of tourist at bay. Not that i don't like people. But crowds can be a little much at times. They tend to mute the forestial beings.

I intend to post the entire catelouge of events here on the pod. keep your eyes peeled for the "Californian Saunter"