Joshua Tree CRHT Run

Billings must not be that big of a travel destination as the flights are rather limited :)

on Friday there is a flight landing at 11:30 AM or 4:20 PM (couple later that won't work), Sunday they have a couple of early morning flights that won't work, but there is one at 5:15 PM

I'm strongly considering taking the day off of work Friday just to be able to avoid traffic and get out there to relax earlier. So the 11:30 AM could work good.
Adan will likely ride out with me as well; don't know if he can get the day off though. It would be nice f I could get you at 11:30 and we just head straight out.
A 5:15 return flight on Sunday would be fine. We could relax in the desert for the better part of the morning or until about noon and then head out to LAX.

Would letting you know by Sunday afternoon be too late to make the reservations?

Craig- no problem at all, I'm still not 100% at this point (but getting closer! :))

Mike

Craig- is Adan able to get Friday off? Still keeping an eye on flights

thanks

Mike

I have been having a serious west coast mountain withdraw since moving to PA. I have been doing a fair number of 40+ mile days lately so I'm pretty sure I am ready physically. Put me down as a very excited maybe. Have a lot of things going on with life right now. Seems like plenty of time to calm things down and take a trip. The R2R2R was a blast. Use Craig's mug everyday for my morning caffeine.

I've checked in on this thread with great envy and bitterness. ;-)

Really wish I could join you guys for this get together. Have fun out there.

I'll second Greg on the mug, it's a daily affair for me and my pressed coffee.

Mike- Adan said he's OK to take Friday off so a Friday morning flight into LAX would work. Any time works for me. Also check out Ontario airport; we would have to drive right past it in order to get to Joshua Tree.

Greg and Eugene- it would be great to get out with you guys again, we'll figure out something. I'd still like to get out to NM and check out the land with you Eugene. One of these days I'll make the drive. We still have to get you out here and into the High Sierra as well.

Keep us posted Greg, you're more than welcome to come out. I can hook you up with camping gear so you don't have to carry too much on a flight.

Craig/All,

I've been quietly watching the thread. I'd say I'm still very likely on this. I've been nursing an injury, possibly ligament, for a while and have been running less but I'm on the mend and as long as my body is feeling ok I'm still down. Short runs and some snowshoe trips have felt ok, so I'm optimistic.

David Wage expressed some interest in joining along if I go. Should we look into reserving a second camp site? David is still tentative as well, but if he does go it's possible we'll make the drive down Friday night for a late arrival.

Watch this thread is not working. Excited about this trip. My knee seems solid again and I hope to keep up with the pack this time. But we'll see. Getting Friday off shouldn't be an issue. Let's rattle them bones fellas.

Jacob…

You and David are more than welcome.
I have reserved one campsite.
They say sites are limited to six people, two cars, and 3 tents.
We'll be showing up with 4 people and two cars for sure, with Mike M. making the 5th person if he can make it.
I don't know if the rangers will stress about it, but technically, I think we'll need one more site if you guys come.

Our site is 81 for Friday, March 1st thru Sunday, March 3rd at Black Rock Campground.

If you can't reserve one, just come anyway and we'll figure it out.

Hope you can make it.

Gents- I've been patiently waiting for airline ticket (both to LAX or Ontario) to come down; I'm sure they have very legitimate reasons why they are going up and not down-much like the legitimacy attached with oil prices. I'll still hold out some hope that with a little over a month to go they still may come down.

Mike

we'll keep our fingers crossed that oil will drop.
maybe we should all stop buying gas for the next month.

I'm in boys! Found a good deal this morning and talked to Craig (flight comes in Thurday evening) and said it will work for him- thanks Craig!

Craig- I'll give you a shout a little later and email you the flight info.

<– stoked!

Great Mike !

… and you're looking alike a serious runner with your new pack :-)

Way to go, persistence pays off!

As for me, possibly out :(

I thought my knee problems were behind me. Went out yesterday to attempt a 22 mile run around town with a friend. Well, being on hard pavement really brought it back to my attention. 13 miles in I knew I would have to bail and ended up at Starbux after 18 miles to drown my sorrows in chai tea and scones. I'm fairly certain I'm dealing with lateral patella displacement… so I'm going to try some K tape and see if I can get it sorted.

I don't want to be 'that guy' who shows up and ends up walking the last half of the thing. I'm bummed because I feel like my hydration and fueling routine is working really well, the damn knee.

Just shaved my leg, got some tape, and set up a Doc appt. Hoping to still join you guys but I don't know at this point. I'll touch base again before the date of. David and I will get a second campsite if we make it down.

Jacob – I'm pretty sure there will be some walking going on whether you show up or not, so don't let that be an issue.

"I don't want to be 'that guy' who shows up and ends up walking the last half of the thing."

"That guy" is the one that organized this trip! So don't worry about it.

I'll go the distance just fine, but my running is hardly in a place to do the whole thing continuously right now. I just got sick, missed doing a bigger run this last weekend, will likely not be well enough (we'll see) to do a long run this weekend and will do a long backpack instead.

I fully intend to be in last place.

And I fully intend to fully enjoy myself while walking well into the evening as well…

I'm stoked to just get out, hang with friends, and spend a good long day on my feet in the desert. That's all I want out of this.

I think you guys are pretty modest. Though, as I sit here looking at my shaved knee I feel like I've been convinced that, as long as I'm able to walk, I should just make my way down there regardless.

I'm pretty sure I'm that guy too (despite the glossy photo and fancy pack! :))

I think I'm going to use my fancy pack w/ the addition of a 1 liter platy hoser (which fits rather nicely)- that gives me 74 oz of liquid (one bottle will be Perpetuem), which I'm thinking should do me 18 miles (4-5 hours???)- does that sound about right? Don't want to be that northern guy that they find his skeleton in the desert :)

I'll be with all of you in spirit. I'm sure I'll be able to feel the vibes coming from your J-Tree camp. Pour one for me.

@Jacob,

I hope your knee cooperates. Looking forward to the photographs you take. Just make sure you properly set the white balance on your camera, Mike really likes orange. ;-)

Just got your airline confirmation Mike.
All the times are good so we're on.

^ good deal :)

Eugene- wish you could make it, I've got a couple new orange bits I was saving just for you :)

Mike

Haven't really studied the course yet (yes I will before run day).
I am right now assuming 1 water drop. at Keyes Rd ? is this right ?
where in the mileage is that drop ?
Just trying to figure the most I'll have to carry.

Also, Craig you said you had done this before.
How well marked is the route ?
will I have to stay awake the whole time ?
I know desert trails can be preety faint at times.

That's right Art, easiest place for a water drop is in the vicinity of Keys road and Ryan campground at the intersection of the CRHT.
That mileage is almost exactly halfway. If I remember right, we'd have about 17 miles back to camp from the drop.

The route is pretty well marked; there are mileage markers on it….you guessed it, every mile.

Just passed the mile 28 marker we'll be looking for a trail junction and hang a left to Upper Covington Flats and avoid going down into Lower Covington Flats. There is a sign at the junction, but if it's dark and you're doing the zombie shuffle, you could blow past it.
This is really the only turnoff that I can think of that could mess someone up if they miss it. Otherwise, it's pretty straightforward.
You can see the junction here, the only one shown on this map between Ryan campground and Blackrock:
http://www.joshua.tree.national-park.com/map.htm

There's a GPX download here which appears to include the notes for each waypoint. No GPS here, but posting for posterity.

http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/410883

I'm still learning as I go when it comes to hydration/fuel for these longer runs. On my recent 18 mile run/limp I went through about 50 oz of water, 4½ scoops of MD, a couple of nuun tabs and a couple salt sticks. That was about 3½ hours of in-town running. I felt good (aside from my knee), and the only thing I might change, if anything, is drinking a little more. For this run I don't think I want to carry less than 2L.

edit: forgot to add I was munching on some Frontier Bites also.

I need to get a vest or pack. I might see about picking up a Nathan HPL 020 today and see how I like it. I might want to carry a couple of 10oz bottles in addition to the bladder, plus a light shirt and pants or tights, and some snacks. Do you guys think this is reasonable for the Nathan or should I be looking at something like a UD Wasp? I'm probably leaning toward REI so I can exchange it if we don't get along on some trial runs. Just wondering how much capacity I should have.