The Great Western Loop

Ryan:
I just wanted to thank you, Andy and all of backpackinglight staff for all of your effort in putting together one of the best podcasts I follow. I look forward to the updates that detail information on geological history, current conditions, and details of the trail. Also, it's so nice to get updates on Andy's mind frame and challenges he encounters and how he handles them.

Also, I love the song at the end of the Andy's podcasts. "I show them my backpack, walk away from the car, step on the dirt path on journey not too far." What song is that and who sings it?

Kelley, it’s actually “I shoulder my backpacking…” but that’s alright.

The group is Storyhill and you can find out more about them from their website here.

Ha ha ha…That's too funny. Yeah, I typically don't get the lyrics right…The real lyrics make more sense. Thanks so much for the info.

I'm still looking for the song. I was also told that Chris Cunningham, one of the artists in Storyhill, might have done this song as solo work. Do you know the name of the song?

But thanks for the Storyhill link. I'm digging their sound…and of course downloaded their most recent album.

yes, that's right. The song lyric was composed, as I recall, jointly by Chris and Ryan.

Ryan said the song would be posted for free on this website during the summer, but I never saw it. I could be wrong.

Andy's still walking.

I think about that on a daily basis.

130 new photos covering five weeks from July 7 to August 11. More are on the way.

** Ken **

And the photos keep coming. 74 new photos take take you from Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness through fire shrouded areas, Yellowstone National Park, and into Teton National Forest.

** Ken **

is it just me or does it seem like every time a new batch of Andy's photos come out it looks like his pack just keeps on shrinking?

Nah, he's still growing :-)

Over this period of time Andy shot his usual large number of photos. Looks like I selected about 25% this time around. The Wind River Range through Wyoming's Great Basin, and into Colorado.

** Ken **

72 more photos for your viewing pleasure.

** Ken **

Met up with him today on the El Oso road here in az, just to chat about trail conditions etc. to be expected and to give him some water. Had a nice lengthy conversation with him, he's really a great guy and I'm glad I made the journey to see him

Andrew –

That's cool you went out there to say hello. I don't know how many folks he's been running into on this hike but when they're few and far between I know he likes the chance to chat.

I met up with him and camped a night this winter during his Icebox hike and he was very excited for some companionship – especially someone who liked chatting ultralight stuff.

– Sam

Well he ran into another group of AZ hikers that I know of a two days before, but I could imagine with the unforgiving area he just traveled through that he was having his share of solitude

Hi Ken,

Is there a trick to viewing the new pictures in full size, when I go through them, they remain thumnails where they used to enlarge. The thumbnails look great, I wish I could see them in large scale.

Any thoughts?

Garrett

same here, using either IE or Firefox running under XP Pro

I just happened to be browsing with a Mac at work and thought I would check how the pictures worked for me. I'm having the same problem with the pictures only displaying thumbnail size when you click on them. Using OS X and Safari.

Adam

Actually this is a bug. I'm fixing it right now. I'll post a message to the forums when it is repaired. This is not computer or browser specific. Everyone is affected.

** Ken **

The problem some of you noticed with large photos not displaying at full size has been fixed. Thanks for catching that. It's something I really should've noticed when I posted the new code.

** Ken **

Ken,

Is it your intent that the "leftward pointing" arrow move us forward to the next photo (the one to the right on the same row or the first one on the next row) and the "rightward pointing" arrow move us to the previous photo?

The big arrows move you forward (right arrow) and backward through the photos. The Sort menu only affects how the thumbnails are displayed (oldest to newest or vice versa per index page).

So if you are viewing in "descending order" the left arrow causes you to move through thumbnails left to right top to bottom (like writing). If in "ascending order" the left arrow would appear to move right to left and bottom to top.

** Ken **

Thanks BPL, the coverage on Andy's trip rocks. Only a couple days to go. Good luck to Andy on the conclusion of one of the greatest backpacking trips ever.

One nitpick: the video update titled "September 7, 2007—Elk Show." is actually a large bull moose!

Congratulations to Andy on his expected completion today. I've very much enjoyed keeping up to date via your Podcasts, videos, and photos posted on Backpackinglight and your website.

If you put together a slideshow there's an outdoor retail store in Delaware that would like you to stop by.

Again, Congratulations! Phenomenal accounts, looking forward to a wrap up Podcast.

Garrett

THE GREAT WESTERN LOOP IS COMPLETE

Andy is sitting ten feet away from me here in Flagstaff, Arizona, the champagne has been spritzed, and the Great Western Loop is closed.

This has been a remarkable finish for Andy and I think for those of us who were able to be here for this moment in history. The day could not have gone any better.

We will have a great deal more to share with you in the next several days. Right now everyone, especially Andy, is savoring this wonderful moment.

** Ken **