the cast of characters

We recently went on a 60 mile backpacking trip. I will get around to blogging and showing all the picture from that but school started today, my house isn't that clean, and I also started babysitting this week so it will have to wait for more time. Today I thought I would add some notes about the people we met while out backpacking. They were quite a crowd.

While hiking up Bishop Pass I was surprised to see a woman jogging alone with her giant dog. By the end of our trip I was surprised to see any woman actually with a man. Apparently when you are hiking along the John Muir trail and you are a woman you hike alone. We met many women who were all alone going 250 miles. All I could think of were reasons this may not be the best plan.

We saw two old men hiking up the same trail they had gone down the night before. One had such a large belly in front. He said he was on a day hike but we couldn't understand why they were hiking up when they should be hiking down. I hope they eventually found their way?

We met a woman hiking in a skirt (yes she was hiking alone.)

We saw another woman hiking in flip flops, tee shirt and shorts. (This was near Muir Pass in the evening. The trail consists of about 8-10 miles of above tree line hiking among the rocks and snow and she was in flip flops.)

We saw "captain underpants." A little boy was hiking down the trail with his dad in only his underwear.

Naked man laid down amongst his wife, daughter and son-in-law with nothing on at all.

The John Muir Trail hikers have their own club which you do not belong to if you are hiking less than 15 miles a day. We wonder how they can possibly enjoy anything when hiking that much.

We saw another man hiking down Muir pass with only a fanny pack on... I wonder what his plan was?

There were several who were out hiking in jeans. (Jeans are not suitable for backpacking unless the year is 1970. We have better fabric these days.)

I'll add to the list as I remember...