The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But So I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep …
Spring has arrived, and with it, a sense that the end is near. But in a good way!
My current project is a trail guide to the southern Los Padres National Forest. (Why yes, I am very excited.)
I’m approaching the guide as something of a follow-up to — and massive expansion of — Gagnon’s classic tomes, accounting for the myriad changes to the southern LPNF districts since the last edition of his guide was published 20+ years ago. It’s been (at times) an all-consuming endeavor. The start of 2011 marked the beginning of my final push to hike/chronicle the last stretches of this new book’s scope.
There’s still a lot of ground to cover, and so it’s a pretty ambitious schedule I’ve set for the next few months.
Some mornings are harder than others when it comes time to meet the sun and put boot to trail … only the pack meets each departure — no matter the weather and no matter the hour — with a consistently ridiculous glee and fervor, yelping and hustling for the best window every time I drop the tailgate. <Montgomery Burns> “Release the hounds!” </Montgomery Burns>
I’ve set this schedule to give myself plenty of time on the flip side to tie up loose ends, sort maps, refine historical notes, make those extra trips to the library, etc.
More particulars on the “what” and “when” down the line.
Until then, see you on the trail!
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