I started small with Santiago peak, via the Holy Jim trail in March, Mt Wilson in May, Cucamonga Peak twice in June, San Bernardino Peak in July, and San Jancinto last weekend. Other planned hikes are Baldy tomorrow (8/21), next Sat (8/28) is San Gregorino via Vivien Creek trail, and San Gregorino via South Fork on Sept 11. On the weekends when I can't get to a high elevation peak, (all a 1.5 to 2.5 hr drive one-way for me) I hike in Crystal Cove State Park/Laguna Coast Wilderness (part of the OC Park system). The top "peak" is about 1,000 feet above sea level. The trails are geared for mountain bikers, no switchbacks, and quite a few dirt maintenance roads. I was able to get a 16 mile hike in one Saturday with a overall gain/descent of 3,800 feet as I went up and down all the ridges/canyons a few times. The trail names are B.F.I. - Big Fat Incline (use another word that starts with F, and you get the idea), I Think I Can (get up this hill), Rattlesnake Ridge, Poles (the maintenance road that goes straight up a line of utility poles), Mach 1 (for the speed the bikers can reach), and Elevator - because looking down from the top looks like an elevator shaft straight down. There are a few more, but these are my favorites.
I relied too much on my marathon and 1/2 marathon training in 2006. I only hiked Baldy once, a month before my Sept 2006 trip, and I think the lack of training hikes contributed to not making the summit.
And I must add, my marathon and 1/2 marathon pace put me in the last 25% of the people to cross the finish line. However, since 2005 I have completed 3 full marathons and 12 1/2 marathons. I may not be a speed demon, but I have finished all that I have started.
I have seen a few people in the back of the events with the below on the back of their shirts:
I'm slow
I know
Get over it
Last edited by wazzu; 08/20/10 04:12 PM.
