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Interested in helping out?
To allow others to get more involved in my hike, I am looking for people who are interested in supporting me financially in my hike by sponsoring various pieces of gear.
Everyone who sponsors me will get a framed photo of me using the piece of gear out on the trail (Yes Matt, you too), as well as having complete access to my website and getting email notifications of updates to my website. For those who sponsor some of the larger items, I will be giving a 2008 Calendar with all the photos from my trip on it as a little way of saying thank you.
Below are the items I am looking to get sponsored for, with a little information about each item. If it still available for sponsorship, the cost of sponsoring the item will be displayed. Find something you want to sponsor? Contact me, and I will put you down!
Click "Sponsor or donate" below to sponsor an item via paypal if you wish. Otherwise, to sponsor, you can send check or cash. If you don't want to pay right now, but still want to sponsor me, send me an email and I will make sure to put you down for the sponsorship anyway.
Western Mountaineering UltraLite Sleeping Bag Available, $330 This ultra light sleeping bag (1lb, 10oz) is the top of the line down sleeping bag. For a weight to warmth rating, this bag is at the top of its class. The 20° rating should keep me warm in everything from the cold desert nights of Southern California to the occasional snow flurry in Northern Washington. |
Spare Battery for my Cell Phone Available, $10 I take a cell phone with my to keep in touch with family and friends. Its nice to be able to have a spare battery so that I can talk without having the phone die every few minutes. |
Highland 65mm Ice Axe Sponsored by the Bujnak Family This item has the potential to literally be a lifesaver. This lightweight axe will be constantly at my side as I traverse the icy mountain passes of the Sierra Nevada's. Concerned about my careering 500ft down an icy slope to my death? Sponsor this item then! |
8gb iPod Nano Sponsored by Sam and Dee Dale Sometimes the quiet of backpacking can drive a person a little crazy. With no human sounds for days on end, a person can start to go a little mad. This iPod should be a great comforter in those times of too much quiet. |
Desert Hiking Shirt Sponsored by Mark and Tonya Dale The long sleeve ultra light shirt is a great item to have along, especially for those times when the Southern California sun starts beating down more than a person who has short sleeve only might like. This will keep me from getting sunburned, and in the colder areas, provide a nice water-wicking base to keep me warm. |
Osprey Aether 85 backpack Sponsored by Sam and Dee Dale The osprey Aether 85 is the largest of the Osprey ultra-lightweight Aether product line. This pack will carry all my possessions and means of sustenance for 5 months this summer. This is probably the most important piece of gear that I will be carrying. Want to help out in a big important way? Here's your chance! |
Therma Rest Z-Lite sleeping pad Available, $90 (3 @ $30/ea.) Sleep is a very important thing. I usually spend about a third of my day sleeping. Most of the gear I bring is for use during the day, this is one of few items to be used the remaining 1/3 part of the day. Having a good quality foam pad is key keeping warm while sleeping, which is essential to a good night sleep. Keep me from freezing at night, sponsor this item! |
Marmot DriClime Windshirt Sponsored by the Bujank Family The Pacific Crest Trail follows the crests of many mountains. Crests of mountains are cold. And windy. Those flimsy little "keep-me-dry" kind of shirts just don't cut the wind. This light weight wind shirt will keep me warm when I stop (I do have to stop at some point during the day). |
DuoFold Technical Briefs Sponsored by Matt & Danielle Dale I have to wear underwear out there, and we all know, "cotton kills" so I've got to have some special hiker-type undies. I really don't know what more I can say about these. |
Silva Tech4o Solar Panel Sponsored by Bit Vision Computing I will be powering a cell phone, iPod Nano, and a camera out there. The power has got to come from somewhere (and you can't always expect to find a currant bush to plug into). This lightweight solar panel will unfold and strap to the outside of my pack when I need to juice up my phone to make a call or power up my iPod to catch a few songs. |
REI/Komperdell Peak UL Carbon Fiber trekking poles Sponsored by the Rein4cments Hiking poles are said to remove up to 20% of the stress off the knees. I'm have no idea if thats true, but I do know many people say that they really help. I figured these would be useful for everything from setting reducing the load on my knees and feet, to setting up a tarp overhead to keep the sun off me in Southern California. These poles have cool built in shocks. I guess that means they'll absorb a little of the impact when I use these to defend myself from the mountain lions. |
Room at Summit Pass Lodge Sponsored by Lynne DeRyder (aka Grammy) This beautiful lodge located in scenic Snoqualmie Pass, WA is known for being a great hotel for hikers. Nestled in some of the rainiest parts of the PCT, this lodge can be a nice respite from incessant rain. A great chance to dry out gear, and enjoy a long deserved rest. This lodge is less than 300 miles from the end of the trail, so it will be the last rest before the long push through the cold and wet Northern Washington. |
Brasslite Turbo II-D and Cooking kit Sponsored by Cedar Creek Publishing After hiking for a long day, eating nothing but nasty tasting energy bars, and broken crackers with beef jerky, a hot meal can be a refreshing change. This stove will allow me to prepare everything from the scrumptious Macaroni and Cheese to fine delicate flavors from alfredo Pasta Roni. This item includes a stove, a titanium pot, a pot cozy, and windscreen— a complete cooking setup. |
Polar Pure Iodine Available, $11 Giardia lamblia is a flagellated protozoan parasite whose infection causes giardiasis, a type of gastroenteritis that manifests itself with severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The symptoms usually manifest themselves about seven to ten days after ingestion. Giardia is a major cause of intestinal disease worldwide and the most frequent non-bacterial cause of diarrhea in North America. Nonetheless, the basic biology of this parasite is poorly understood. Don't let me be a host for this poorly understood bacteria. Sponsor my Polar Pure so I can drink clean water. |
DuoFold VariTec Tee Available, $54 (6 @ $9 ea.) Lightweight t-shirts designed to wick moisture away from the body. They come in cool colors like brown, and green-brown, and brown-green. These will be my primary hiking shirts, keeping me covered from the deserts of Southern California, to the forests of Washington. |
Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 Sponsored by Mark and Tonya Dale Some people just throw a light weight tarp up between two trees. I, however, prefer not to have bugs crawling on me and stuff, so I've decided to take a tent. One of the lightest free-standing tents out there, the single person Seedhouse (where did they get that name?) offers the comforts of a much heavier tent (full vestibule and 22sqr ft footprint) with the weight of a much lighter tent (2 lbs. 10 oz packed). This will be my home for an entire 5 months this summer. |
Western Mountaineering Flight Vest Available, $160 For some parts of the Sierra, and in Northern Washington, the trail can get really cold. This light weight vest by Western Mountaineering is one of the lightest, and warmest vest. The down filling will keep me extremely warm in the coldest weather, all for the low weight of 5.5 oz. With this jacket, I'll never be cold again (Ya. If I don't get wet. Washington is not that rainy, right?) |
One meal at Callahan's Lodge Sponsored by Venturing Crew 462 This Lodge just outside of Ashland is said to have great food, and is very hiker friendly. A good place to celebrate crossing into Oregon, and the second half of the trip. Maybe some of their mouth watering stroganoff or tasty spaghetti would be a great way to re-energize. |
Carbon Fiber Poles for tent Sponsored by Cedar Creek Publishing Replacing the aluminum poles in my tent with these after-market carbon fiber poles save almost 5 ounces. It seems like a lot of money for 5 oz, but it will be nice to shed these pounds with no loss of any convenience. |
Manzella Expedition weight balaclava Sponsored by Venturing Crew 462 I heard somewhere that like 75% of body heat is lost through the head (same place I heard 84% of statistics are made up on the spot). Regardless, it is important to keep my head warm. And I've got a lot of head that needs to be kept warm. This light weight balaclava will be used to sleep in, as well as hiking during the cool early mornings. |
Food for one week Sponsored by Matt & Danielle Dale. More weeks available, $70 Food is a good thing to eat. I like to eat. Therefore, I like food. I like food so much, I need food. Can you help? This $10/day buys everything from crackers and peanut butter to foil packed tuna. Its really amazing how yummy some normal items taste, when eaten out on the trail. |
Food for one day Available, $10 Basically, the same thing as food for a week. Except its not for a week. Its for a day. So divide everything I say to the left by seven. |
Leatherman Squirt S2 Sponsored by the Folke Family This is a knife. Its got three screwdrivers. And lots of other cool stuff. Like a nail file. For when my nails need to get filed. Maybe to look less scruffy. And I heard I can use the pliers to trim my beard (or was is the scissors? Hmm.) This tool will be a good light weight repair tool. At 5.5 ounces its much lighter than my current Leatherman Wave multi-tool. |
Digital Photography Package Sponsored by Lynne DeRyder (aka Grammy) To document my entire trip I am hoping to be able to take a lot of great pictures. I need to purchase a light-weight, high-quality camera to capture all the breath taking scenes that await me on the Pacific Crest trail. This package includes the cost of a camera, 4 media cards (2 to have with me, 2 to send home at any time), as well as rechargeable batteries, and a protective case. This item is perhaps the most important item in the sponsorship list when it comes to capturing memories. |
First aid kit Available, $50 First off, no, I will not be using the one pictured to the left. Its just a generic picture designed to get you inspired about first aid kit. My first aid kit will be a little different from the usual, including things like superglue, duct tape, dental floss, gauze, and many other exciting items. The duct tape and superglue will primarily be used when the rocks I slam into at the bottom of the mountain cut into me (I'll be sliding because nobody sponosored my ice axe yet, so I won't be able to stop myself from sliding.) |
Toothbrush Sponsored by Venturing Crew 462 Teeth get just as dirty while hiking as not. Its true. So I need a toothbrush. Can I count on someone for help with this? Maybe a dentist wants to sponsor this? Or my girlfriend? Someone who cares about my oral hygenie. Its only $9, a small price to pay for un-furry teeth. |
Round trip on Vermilion Valley ferry Sponsored by Venturing Crew 462 After trudging through the Sierras for 10 days, the Vermilion Valley Resort is a nice rest. However, it is on the otherside of a big lake. To get the the resort (where I will be resupplying) a hiker can either trudge 5 miles around the lake, or can simply hop on a ferry and cross to the resort— enjoying a nice sit down on a fun boat ride. However, the ferry ride costs $16. Want to save me a 10 mile round trip from one side of the lake to the other? Sponsor this so I can enjoy a nice boat ride after a long hike instead of a slow hike around the lake. |
One night stay at Vermilion Valley Resort Sponsored by Lynne DeRyder This hiker-friendly resort is a very popular stop for PCT hikers. Nestled in the middle of the Sierras this little resort offers a much needed rest. There is a resteraunt, store, and laundry services available. After a long hike through the Sierras this might be a very well deserved break (and great chance to do some laundry!) |
Shipping costs for 1 resupply Available, $30 I will be sending food to a number of places where purchasing food is impossible. I will be shipping food, instead of purchasing, at Kennedy Meadows, Vermlion Velly Resort, Burney Falls State Park, Crater Lake, Olallie Lake Resort, Timberline Lodge, Skykomish, and Stehekin (so a total of $240 is needed for all). In addition to paying for food for these resupplies, I will need to ship the items to these spots. Shipping is not cheap for heavy packages of food, so I was hoping I could count on some help for these costs. And no, I will not be taking pumpkin pie like the picture shows. Not my fault. |
New Balance Running Shoes Available, $255 (3 @ $85) Unlike most hiking trips, I will be wearing running shoes and not hiking boots. Instead of wearing heavy, not breathable boot, I will be wearing these shoes. They will dry quicker, and keep my feet better ventilated. These running shoes will also provide comfort that cannot be matched by boots. Be a part of perhaps the most singly imporant piece of gear. Having happy feet is key. |
Superfeet performance insoles Available, $35 Having a good quality insole that protects the foot against too much damage while hiking. The Superfeet insoles are a good insole for heavy-weight loads. The form fit causes pressure to be dispersed evenly to all points on the foot instead of putting to much pressure on one area. |
Silk sleeping bag liner Sponsored by Mark and Tonya Dale Having a silk sleeping bag liner not only adds about 10° of warmth while I sleep, but will also keep my sleeping bag in better shape. I will be carrying this for the parts through the Sierras and some of the colder parts of Oregon and Washington. |
Princeton Tech EOS headlamp Available, $45 Seeing in the dark is something that takes a lot of skill. While I know that having this skill would be cool, I do not. So, to make up for my lack of skills, I have decided it would be a good idea to take a flashlight. This light is a LED headlamp that is really bright, and fairly light weight. Since I wear it on my head, I can hike, and do other things with my hands while I'm using it. |
Mountain Hardwear glove liners Available, $30 You might ask yourself, "Why is he staring at his hands that way? Thats really freaky." And I will tell you. Its because I'm really worried about having cold hands while I'm out hiking on the trail. Actually thats not the reason. I really don't know the reason. However, if you sponsor this item, you will help keep my hands warm so I won't have to have funny looking frowns due to a frostbite setting in in my hands. |
