[pct-l] permit weight savings, New Balance, Trail Pass and thru-paws

[mark v]

All joking aside, you'd best ask your
canine/side-arm/etc. question to the proper authority.
 Try the Wilderness Office Of Furry things (WOOF) or
the Bureau Of Wascally Wilderness Officers, West
(BOW-WOW).

I just printed  my campfire permit, and planned on
saving weight by writing down all my
possibly-necessary addresses, phone numbers, and web
addresses on the back of the left half, and by
memorizing and discarding the right half (which are
just the instructions part).

As i hoof it down the trail, i am planning on trying
out 2 different pairs of shoes:  Saucony Excursion TR
and New Balance 811.  I'll bounce one pair up while
wearing the other and then switch.  Then, when i come
to a decision which i like better and i know how my
feet have swollen, i'll order more of one of them.  Is
this asking for trouble?  I like the Saucony from
experience, but i don't know whether they'll
accomodate my foot swelling even though i got them a
size and a half bigger, and i don't know if they'll
hold up at all.  The New Balance are new to me.  They
feel almost as good, but i have no experience in them.
 I'll put some miles in on them, but i just don't
think i'm  going to have a decision yet come May 2nd. 


What are people's experiences with New Balance 811
expected life?  Especially wearing through on the big
toe or the heel?  That's where i wear out shoes.

Regarding Trail Pass, 2 questions:  should i worry
about a lone female hithching from Lone Pine to the
trailhead (to hike in and meet me on the trail)? 
Also, from the guidebook map, the trails around there
are a bit confusing.  Anyone have an explanation of
where we'd meet or a link to a better map?

Hard to think about hiking when i'm sick, but hard to
think about anything BUT hiking these days...



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