PCT: missed my window to make it to the kickoff

Hi Becca,

Just a _little bit_ of news.

I just got a new prepay cell phone plan with TMobile for my smartphone
($30/mo, 5GB 4G data then unlimited slower data, 100minutes voice,
unlimited texting - seems perfect for my upcoming needs downloading
maps etc. and maybe doing a better job keeping in touch...)
So you may see another # (707 596-0719) when I call, and OK to "reply" to
that #, though I'm still unsure about retrieving msgs on that.  Best if
you initiate a call, to continue to use my Google phone# 707 636-4468,
especially if you have to leave a msg. Calling the Google# you'll
get forwarded to my new cell# automatically, but if I don't answer,
you'll be leaving a message on my Google account and I'll see it in my
email, which I expect to be checking regularly, from my smartphone.

I'm very unhappy that I am still here in Santa Rosa! I missed my "window"
 to make it south in time for the PCT "Kickoff" event this weekend.

I've been just totally disorganized and paralyzed with overwhelm here.
 Very unfortunate!

I'm also actually still unsettled about what I do with my car.  I've
been trying to verify the price quote I got at the Julian Car Storage
place - as I recall, it was under $3/linear ft per month, or about $50
for my 18ft car.  But I've been looking at alternatives for later in
the hike or just "more accessible" places - and got a quote of
$118/month plus $20 initial processing fee from a place in Palm
Springs, and the Palm Springs airport long term parking is $7/day.
What a range!  Anyway, if the Julian Pricing is correct, Julian it
will be, maybe for several months! Otherwise, $140/mo is more than I'd
want to pay, and for $210/mo I am in the ballpark to stay at
campgrounds.

The other issue is whether to continue beyond where my spreadsheet
left off, at hwy 74. The section north of there is the San Jacinto
range (Idylwild would be the next resupply point) which climbs to
9000ft into deep snow probably still when I would get there end of
May.  So I may skip that, and skip the equally high San Bernardino's
as well, and (though not as high) skip the San Gabriels as well, to
instead start at the north end - the lower-elevation Angeles NF and
work south from there, back thru the San Gabriels. Then maybe San
Jacinto and finally the San Bernardinos.

Or, do what my original intent was, to do all the lower-elevation
passes & valleys first this May - close to the car, even some as
out&back day-hikes, ignoring the low-elevation resupply points.  Then
later do the larger higher chunks, (which do include some significant
resupply points) and try to find a way to skip the already-done
passes.  But that again creates a problem!

...Although... earlier today I just proved to myself the feasibility
of a simple way to mount my bike on my car - it's mounted there at the
moment.  (But I still also have to demonstrate that I can mount my
backpack on my bike.  I've got an idea for that involving my ski poles
- hope to toy with that in the next day or two.)   Getting this worked
out might then allow me to "stash" the bike at some middle-elevation
back-roads at the edges between low passes that I can do early-on, and
then again to skip those parts when coming down from the higher
elevation chunks. - at the risk of losing the bike to vandals, of
course, unless I can arrange "secure" bicycle storage - which might be
easier & cheaper than the car storage possibilities.  But again, more
work to arrange all this.

I'm beginning to think that I should just leave the car behind and
catch a ride (craigslist or whatever) to san diego, take the bus to
campo, and just go straight thru. Well, again, if the Julian storage
pricing is correct, I could just leave the car there.  Unless I could
find a place for the car up here.

Maybe in a few more days I can get this all sorted, you think?.