EISPIRATEN

General-average-nothing special-weekly workout pattern is three days of bicycling and two of stairwalking. Bicycling for aerobic fitness, stairs for fitness and to get my legs used to the 'pounding' of hiking up and down hills. If I have something special planned I'll generally up the bicycling mile...

I could use a coyote of two in my neighborhood. We've got two 'cat people' that refuse to get their precious fuzzballs fixed, so we're overrun by cats every spring. I typically send at least one litter to the pound (I've got a quiet backyard with no dogs or kids), and the pound personnel are getting...

PackerGreg wrote: ↑Year round for taggers and tree carvers.

Is there a bag limit, or is it just catch-beat 'em sensless-release?


Haven't looked at the regs in a while, but I'm pretty sure the archers' deer hunting season extends into the gun hunting season.

Name/Avatar: Just a play on words with an appropriate pic. Formerly used 'phydeux', but that got 'nixed' by the MFF software when I tried to update my profile (no good deed goes unpunished?). No pics of me available, I'm wwaayy too fugly. Occupation: Environmental Health & Safety. I've worked fo...

The older versions of "Trails of the Angeles" used to have some petty good 'overview' history of the area (the older the version, the more detail it has). The latest version seems to have deleted the history of the Mt. Baldy area (but left in the areas above Pasadena/Monrovia/La Canada). S...

A few in the San Bernardino Mtns are well shaded. Start in the pre-dawn hours and the temps should be quite cool too. In the San Gorgonio Wilderness, try the lower half of the San Bernardino Peak Trail (from Angeles Oaks to about Limber Pine). Its shaded, on the north side of a ridge, and STEEP for ...

Termites are practically a 'gimmie' here in Southern Calif. with our temperate climate. Paraphrasing the old motorcycle adage, "you either have 'em of you're going to get 'em." If you've got a house, it probably has a wood frame that's enclosed by drywall and stucco, which makes an ideal p...

That sucks. Hope they don't get into your sleeping bag(s) too! :shock: Seriously, if you're in an apartment building I'd move, telling the landlord the little buggers make the place uninhabitable (check your lease). Pretty useless to treat only your unit if the bugs are in all the units in the build...

As mentinoed above, try the north side of the lake. The Vistors center (actually the Big Bear Discovery Center) is there, and you can get a map and tourist info. If you're in the vicinity of an AAA office (and are a member) get a copy of the San Bernadino Mtns Vistors Guide; it'll show you streets, ...

Going out on alimb here, but I'd say Hikin Jim's picture was taken in late fall/early winter on Seven Mile Road at the north end of Soda Lake at the Carrizo Plain Natl Monument.  I believe the high point on the right (in the background mtn range) is Mt. Pinos.   FYI:  Was out at Carrizo yesterday co...

ADA ramps might not be feasible. Maybe this would work for the steeper sections?:

Typical for today's news reports, its somewhat vague as to where it applies, so you'd have to read the legal opinion to find out. I'd think its for local city/county park trails, not federal wilderness areas. It would be interesting to see how the USFS would handle access on the Ski Hut trail if the...

Its simplicity reminds me of the SVEA 123; self priming, only one knob to turn, no regular maintenance required. I occasionally use my 30 yo one on shorter trips or as a secondary stove on car camps. It really draws the interest of folks who have never seen one before. Not sure if they even sell the...

Just keep at it at a pace that doesn't do futher damage (or re-damage). Doing a dayhike on Baldy at any time of year is more than most folks in the flatlands can do. If there's a silver lining, at least it was an accident instead of aging. With an accident you know you're gonna be screwed up for a w...

Easy place for a winter overnight experience would be up on Mt. San Jacinto via the Palm Sprins Tram. Its pretty easy to get from the Tram to Round Valley/Tamarak Valley for the night, and you could also hoof up to the San J summit or Wellmans Divide (both great viewpoints). The Tram costs about $22...

You can also look on bikeforums.net. Look under the regional discussions forum for Southern California. The GMR/GRR is very popular, should be plenty of info for ya. And the GMR/GRR is going to be used as the 'epic' hillclimb in this year's Tour of California (May 2011). They'll be going all the way...

I'll take things back if they fail prematurely or don't work as advertised. I returned a 25F REI-brand sleeping bag after one trip - the thing wouldn't keep me warm at alomst 50F. Exchanged it (and some cash) for the next model. FWIW: The new 'Euro' rating system they use on bags is confusing. Make ...

Never made it to Boy Scouts. Got kicked out of Cub Scouts for playing with firecrackers, M80s, and making our own fireworks from stuff we got at the local drug stores and hardware stores. Those were the good 'ol days, when a kid could have some real fun! When I think about all that stuff I did back ...

The REI in Huntington Beach is almost a joke, and its tiny. I go in there to buy basic bicycle stuff more that climbing and hiking gear. There's more floorspace devoted to bicycles than climbing gear! The old REI in Carson also had a big rental/repair department. There was a older gal working back t...

Same thing has happened over the last 30 years (yeah, I've been around that long). The Station fire may have allowed more debris to travel down into the canyon than in previous high rainfall years, but it should clear out in a few years.

If you wanted to go, this would be the year. Word from relatives over there is the whole place is freezin' over solid - lots of snowfall, deeply buried water pipes are bursting, traffic's a mess from all the slipping and sliding on the icy roads, plants that would normally survive the occasional per...

The City of L.A. doesn't seem to publish one (you'd think they would, since its a city park and fairly large?). Something like a Tom Harrison map showing all the fire roads would work great. After doing a short hike on Tuesday from Los Feliz/Ferndell to Mt. Hollywood (major 'wimp' hike with my wimpy...

Nice shots. Q: Are those cacti in front of the barber shop real? Look somewhat fake, but definately an eyecatcher. Never found a lot of good MTB area out there. Too much soft sand for me. Cyclocross bike with bombproof tires is my choice. Try riding the road from the west entrance up to Keys View fo...