Gathering of Gear Geeks 2012: Pointe Reyes National Seashore
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BPLers Gathering of Gear Geeks: Pointe Reyes National Seashore October 19th-21st, 2012
Photos Document the Afternoon of the 20th to the Morning of the 21st.
Trail Head: Pointe Reyes Hostel via Limantour Road to Coast Camp Site #13: 2.8 Miles
Daytime Temperature: 65-60 F
Evening Temperature: 50-45 F
Website: Pointe Reyes National Seashore Park
Guide Book: Camping & Backpacking the San Francisco Bay Area by Matt Heid WIlderness Press
Carpooling with Danny & Kristin
Danny Hiking along the Fire Road
Entering into Coast Camp
First View of Campsite 13
For When You have Too Much UL Gear
Meet and Greet
Checking out Amy's MYOG Creation: Love Bird Quilt (prototype for possible future sales???)
Note: Far left, Jane…the grey haired fox returns once moreTyvek House Wrap Neo Air Duel Pad Holder
Home Make Quilt Attachment System
Similar in Concept to the Katabatic System to Tie the Edges of the Quilt to the PadsAmy Demonstrating her Quilt wtih Wide Foot Box to Two People
Snug Enough for Two
Amy Pointing Out Tie Out for Closing Draft Point Between Two People
Filling a stuff bag with a little extra clothing or gear, the weight of the bag tied to this point would pull the middle section of the quilt down to prevent a draft being created between two people.
Danny & Kristin Trying Out a Quilt for Three
Planning for the near future, Danny and Kristin are looking at ways to take trips with a little BPLer on the way.
Amy
Emily and Casey with a Handful of Little Trouble Makers
It was great to see Emily & Casey with their darling kids, who we have had the pleasure to see growing up at each GGG that they have attended.
Casey's parents also came with them but I failed to get photos of them….great to see them too.
The Sun is Setting- Dinner Time!
The weather was quite good…clear, sunny skies. Though there were strong gust of wind to contend with just until sunset.
Surprised that so many people who had signed up were unable to make it out. They were sorely missed…always good to see old friends and to make new ones.
Matt enjoying a Boil in a Bag Meal
Sunset Coastal Dinning
Perfect Campsite Wind Screen
Stephen's MYOG Wind Screen
Clever little design that Stephen came up with the night before using light weight sheet metal of some sort. The two pieces were measured in grams and may be less than one ounce.
Stephen comments: Wind screen is stainless shim stock, .003" thick as I recall.
Warm Metal Glow
There are two parts two this wind screen. The lower portion that is not glowing red is a reflector that is like a "pie pan" that has slots/holes for the stove's burner and piezo electric ignition system.
The upper piece was a strip of metal that had a slot cut at one end to allow the two ends to be rolled together into a circle and held together. This then was simply dropped down onto the pie pan reflector to act as a wind screen and to funnel the flame/heat to the base of the pot.
Close up of the Windscreen in Action
MSR Titan KettleKen's Hilleberg Unna Shelte
Danny & Kristin's Double Rainbow Tarptent
Marc's Mountain Laurel Designs Cuben Duo Mid
Mountain Laurel Designs Duo Mid
Stephen's Six Moons Design Lunar Duo
Losing the Sun
With the sun coming down in a golden glow that filled the sky, we pulled on our insulated layers to keep warm. With hours of friendly conversations and funny stories to share ahead of us I was appreciating haven taken my Montbell Thermawrap pants and down Alpine Jacket to keep me toasty warm.
Typically, these would be items that would take into winter time, but with house of standing around or sitting in the darkness of night, they were welcome items to have.
Casey and his 2 yr old daughter, wrapping people around her tiny little finger
Chris and Julie's Gift of Charcoal
They came over to our campsite in the evening time and lite up the charcoal and fired up some nice Adel Sausages to share with everyone.
Rowan also came out in the late afternoon and spent the evening chatting with us.
Unfortunately, I was neglectful in getting photos of them taken….though their company was greatly appreciated.
Matt Putting out the Embers Before Turning in for the Night
Dawn of a New Day, View from a Bivy
Home Sweet Home
2007 Mountain Laurel Designs eVent Soul Side Zip with Silnylon 2.0 bottom
Still going strong after all these years…having done the JMT, Tahoe Rim Trail, and other adventures. Perhaps the only bivy I may own.Mountain Laurel Designs Soul Bivy
Rise and Shine…the only other bivy there
Marc Gets Lite
All Fired Up
Alcohol Stove Breakfast
Fruits of His Labor
Shuffling off to Wake Up
Heading to the restrooms…nice pit toilets. There are also garbage cans there.
Easy Living
View from the Restroom to Site 13
Marc's Cuben Fetish- Blast Pack ???
Ring Leader Ken
Bearikade Carbon Fiber Food CanisterKen H. deserves full credit for starting the 1st GGG and helping with the 2nd one, but it has been Ken T. who has been the driving force to not only organize these gatherings. Ken T. has thoughtfully put time and effort to make sure these events go smoothly and add little touches to make them all the more pleasant.
Danny & Kristen Enjoying Breakfast
Matt Breaking it all Down
It is Kinda Ultra Light….well, lighter than a full size keg
The Look of Love
Danny and Kristin were nice enough to let catch a ride with them so that I would have to take my chances driving in my 1994 Saturn.
Really enjoyed having time to chat with them and to get to know both of them a little bit. They have authored a number of articles on BPL too. With the short time that I have spent with them, one thing is clear- they are best friends and deeply in love, which is a joy to see in this day and age.
Dave: Bike Your Own Hike
Heading Out….we pass a large group of mothers and daughters
Not Something You See on the Trail Everyday
Chasing after Dave to Try to Catch a Ride
Taking the Short Cut Back
Danny's GoLite Jam2 Pack1.8 Miles Back via Fire Lane and Laguna Trail
Matt Leading the Pack
Ken to the left in green shirt. Danny to the right in green.Actually, they are pausing to stare at me after I was stupid enough to run up ahead of the group to take this shot. Nothing like starting your morning hike gasping for breath and dying on the trail!
Nothing to See…Move Along, Move Along
Ken with Ultra Light Frisbee
Ken's BPL Mobile Love Shack
Ken actually lives many hours north of the Bay Area….closer to the Oregon boarder and has logged many hours driving down to the GGGs that he organizes.
Rare BPL Bumper Sticker
Ken was nice enough to give each of us one of these from his limited stash that he had
Marc Dumping His Pack
Matt
Love This Shirt!
Other photo essays by Tony:
BPLers 2012 GGG: Henry Coe State Park, CA.
BPLers 3rd Annual 2011 GGG: Henry Coe State Park, CA.
BPLers 2011 GGG: Henry Coe State Park, CA.
Special Video Made by EJ Documenting the 2011 GGG
Backpackers Gone Wild: BPL 3rd Annual SF Bay Area Gathering of Gear Geeks (GGG) Jan 26-27, 2011.BPLer's 2010 GGG: Point Reyes, CA. 2nd Annual Trip
BPLer's GGG: San Francisco Bay Area, CA.; Mt. Diablo
BPLer's GGG: Yosemite: Hetch Hetchy Resevior to Rancheria Falls
BPLer's 2009 GGG: Point Reyes, CA
High Sierra trail to Mt. Whitney
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park: Deadman Canyon
Yosemite: Glacier Point to Red Peak Pass to Lake Merced
Yosemite in Winter: Crocker Point & Dewey Point
Yosemite: Lake Vernon & Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Photo Essay by Linda Vassallo: Mt Whitney Summit Hike: A photo essay
Trip Report & Article by Jeremy Pendrey: Hiking The Diablo Trail: A Conservation Success Story
Photography and Backpacking Article on Hike It. Like It.
Good times this weekend. It was nice to see some of you again and meet a few others. And thanks again for organizing, Ken and for getting the pictures up so fast, Tony.
What time did you all head out on Sunday morning? We slept in and when I walked over just after 9am it was a ghost town.
Here's a few of the pictures we took:
Saturday started off pretty foggy, but once it cleared up in the afternoon we took a walk on the beach. It looks nice, but it was quite windy.
We found a little cove to hang out in for a little while to escape the wind. I think it's the gap in the cliffs towards the upper left in the previous picture.
Sunset from campsite #3
Nighttime
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