Richard

Useless fact: I named my left quad "brute-force" and my right quad "ignorance". Alternative fact: originally from the UK, I've lived in the USA for over twenty years. I've spent most of my trail-time in the western states of the US, but also hiked in Scotland, Canada and New Zealand. I planned on being in the PCT class of 2020, but had to postpone. My 2021 SOBO attempt was interrupted by fires and closures. In comparison, my 2023 CDT thru-hike was almost problem-free. --Richard, aka "LowRange"

Posts

Cowboys and Idiots

Cowboys and Idiots

Picture the scene: it's the year 1493. Christopher and his good friend Amerigo have returned, bringing the first cows to the New World. Here's part

Aug 27, 2024 : Richard
Silver City, Golden Arches, Final Footsteps

Silver City, Golden Arches, Final Footsteps

From my campsite, it was less than ten miles to Silver City via the Walnut Creek alternate. A nice, easy road-walk on a warm, breezy morning. My

Mar 19, 2024 : Richard
Surviving The Gila River Alternate

Surviving The Gila River Alternate

I'd worn a hole in both pairs of my Darn Tough socks by the time I'd hiked 2,400 miles. One reason I decided not to replace them was the hardened,

Mar 12, 2024 : Richard
Hanging Around in Pie Town

Hanging Around in Pie Town

Lunch at Asian Super Buffet was probably the best $16 I've ever spent. Afterwards, a couple of pounds heavier, I walked a few hundred yards to check

Mar 5, 2024 : Richard
Old Boots, New Mexico

Old Boots, New Mexico

Within a day of entering New Mexico, the scenery started to change - lower elevations meant no more alpine tundra. Instead, the trail wound its way

Feb 27, 2024 : Richard
I Think You Should Leave

I Think You Should Leave

Less than an hour from camp, I reached a clearing in the trees and felt direct sunlight for the first time in 36 hours. Under normal circumstances,

Feb 20, 2024 : Richard
Juan Day at a Time

Juan Day at a Time

The rain stopped not long before I got up, and it held off for most of the day. Wet, overgrown trail meant wet feet for the first few hours. There

Feb 13, 2024 : Richard
To Creede, or Not to Creede

To Creede, or Not to Creede

If you read enough FarOut comments, sooner or later you'll see one that falls into the "scaremongering" category. In reality, things are rarely as

Feb 6, 2024 : Richard
Exposed Ridgelines and Scary Weather

Exposed Ridgelines and Scary Weather

I was up and out of camp earlier than normal, and soon arrived at Highway 34. The consensus in the FarOut comments was that permits were necessary

Jan 30, 2024 : Richard
From Warm Wyoming to Cold Colorado

From Warm Wyoming to Cold Colorado

By midday, downtown Rawlins was getting hot. I was eager to leave, but the "No Pedestrians" sign at the 6th Street bridge meant walking back to the

Jan 23, 2024 : Richard