A guy who earned his trail name before he stepped foot on the trail — he goes by Out of Order in honor of his pack being lost in the flight across the country — is having quite an adventure. Best thing to do is set aside a few minutes and read it all from the beginning.

This quote should get you in the mood:

In the future, it is a good idea to know how your shelter works before trying to set it up in the middle of a snowstorm with fifty mile per hour winds.

He was hiking with gear lent by Girlscout (PCT2006) when he got caught in the blizzard that vexed many a hiker last weekend (all came out OK, wetter but wizened). He’s a writer of some talent, and plans to put it to good use by becoming a lawyer, after he’s finished the hike (there’s a guy w/his priorities in order, though good luck with those legal briefs after you’ve spent a summer on the trail).

For all you PCT trail journal junkies, I have a batch of fresh crack: The AZDPCTKO page of hikers’ trail journals, and this page at the previously undiscovered postholer.com.