Ian,
Congratulation on a fantastic accomplishment.
You, Brett, Jeff, Michael, Aaron, Al, John, Sue and all the other JMT record seekers have taken this to an entire new level from the time I first "thru-hiked" the JMT in 1996 hauling a 75-85 lb pack and "Waffle Stomper" boots.
By 2003-2004, thanks to the "UL Revolution", I had my pack
weight down to 22 lb and thought I was as light as possible for a multi day trek in the Sierra.
However, as I said, you guys and Sue have taken this to an entire new level and I can't congratulate each and everyone of you enough.

Say Ian,....7.6 - 13.6 mph is a awfully fast start pace.
In a way, "FAST PACKING" (Speed Hiking) is a lot like
"SEX"......"Once bitten, forever hooked" and like in sex
a fast pace is important, but what is more important is how long you can keep it up.
Next time, whatever you are doing, try a little slower pace, but keep it up longer.

Hee...hee...hee...hee.....cough...cough...cough....

JMT Reinhold
Hee...hee...hee

Reiny, you are a riot! How about your sex reference?!?! You totally cracked me up!

I did love your post - perhaps not to that extreme...but it was AWFULLY good.

That was just too much fun on Reinhold's part. Couldn't contain myself. Sex reference was a... riot.

If you seriously think of breaking an existing JMT record...don't forget to bring a tub of "Glamour" vaseline. You might need it.

Ouch.

Edited by mpopov on 10/08/2009 23:29:03 MDT.

<"Reiny, you are a riot">

Sarah, you are the only girl besides "CATRA" to ever call me Reiny.

CATRA and I met on a moonlit summer night on top of Mount Whitney, in the summer of 2004.
I was sleeping in the Whitney Hut, on the eve of my "Sub Five Unsupported JMT" attempt and CATRA had just completed the first half of her JMT yo-yo, when she burst into the hut and into my life.
We both were lonly and needed each other...but soon she was gone and I was left there all alone.
Then shortly after midnight I was speeding down the JMT on shaky knees with CATRA on my mind.
Needless to say, I was unsuccessful in my sub-five attempt
and finished in 5 days, 7 hrs, 45 minutes.

JMT Reinhold
Still dreaming about CATRA.

RATS!!!......I woke up this morning and realized I just turned 69.....BUMMER!!!

Boy, that's getting up there in age...suddenly I feel old.
I guess that means my window of opportunit for a
"Unsupported Sub-Five JMT" is closing fast.

My wife is shouting..."THAT WINDOW SLAMMED SHUT LONG AGO.
Yeahh...Well...we'll see...but I tend to agree with her that at age 69 I am, perhaps, getting a little old for this extreme stuff.

Perhaps I should, instead, hang around the Sr. Center and play bridge and lawn bowl.
Yes,....I think that is what I will do.

JMT Reinhold
Your lawn bowling trail buddy

Oh come on Reinhold.
69 should be your favorite age?

69 isn't old anymore .... when you get to 89 you may have to look at supported trips instead of unsupported.

As they say, It's not the years, it's the miles. That is, as long as you lube and change the oil regularly.

There is going to be a time soon, and was supposed to be Kilian this year, when some super Ultra Runner comes along and takes the JMT Record down well below 3 days.

Since that day has happened yet, there is still a great potential to go after the Supported record.
In order to make this happen, there may be one last group effort.

While going Unsupported means carrying 15-20 pounds, it is not the option to get the fastest speed on the trail.

So the plan is to have 4 points along the trail that will act as a "HUB" for us.
We get there, pick up the next day’s food and have a hot meal. We'll also be able to change socks and have access to a blister kit and at best be able to pick up a rain jacket.

So we only have to have one day of food at a time and have the ability to sleep "if you want" or at least take a quick nap at a hub.

We will carry our own sleeping bag the whole time, or at least at best have 2 people at the 1st hub so we can pick it up at the end of the first day.

I started my Unsupported trip with just over 15 pounds, (without water). Ten of that was food.

A sleeping bag a ground cloth will weigh less than two pounds, so I will be looking at carrying 7 pound less food, and a pack weight, (without water) around 7 pounds.

I'm not too sure that I will even be one of the ones going for the attempt but will at least help out

Edited by awsorensen on 10/25/2009 01:30:06 MDT.

Seems like a great way to drive the psyche of the athletes challenging the record. A group attempt like this should drop the record by a massive amount, good luck !

Extreme Bingo! That's a good game for us oldsters.

Aaron
I think this is a really interesting idea except for one major hurdle.
Organized race events are not allowed in the National Parks and I'm sure the Park service would frown on this venture and quite possible try and put a stop to it.
My suggestion, if you are serious, is that you keep it a bit more under the radar.
p.s.
while I'm way past my prime for that sort of speed, I might be interested in some support capacity if the timing is right.

Art

Hey Art,
This is just people going on a hike with a backpack on.
You have to get your own permit anyway, so as soon as you do, it is all good.

A group of hikers doing the trail in 3 weeks would put a 100 X larger imprint on the trail than us.
I believe that is the point of what something organized would do?

Even the people at the hubs would not need a permit as they would just be considered day hikers.
Doing the hubs and going about it in a group start is actually much safer than one person being out there going for the attempt themselves.

I'm sure this is the reason a few people out there that may want to try an attempt won't do it. There can be big changes in the weather even in the summer and loosing the ability to stay warm while going solo and not having enough gear is not safe.
Plus the factor of a possible injury while going for an attempt is greater. It's not like they can just pitch a tent and wait for someone to come along to help.

Aaron
I like the idea and agree the impact would be minimal.
Its just that the Feds could have a different view, even to the point of having someone at the summit revoking permits for everyone up there. They sometimes get very prickly about rules.
Low Key ...

Edited by asandh on 10/21/2009 13:10:33 MDT.

Aaron said....Oh come on Reinhold.
69 should be your favorite age.
---------------------

Ohh "YES" Aaron....69 is my favorite age...I have been waiting 69 long years for this.
Besides, I have been told some things get better with age and I just may be one of those rare gems that get better with age.

I'm so excited about this...I can't sleep...I can barely wait until I'm 70, knowing im getting better every day.

JMT Reinhold
Your excited trail companion

I'M AFRAID WE HAVE CREATED A MONSTER!!!!!!!!

JMT Reinhold

The JMT is like a beautyful woman..."once bitten forever hooked".
I got "bitten" in 1996 and every summer since she has been calling me.
I call it the "JMT Fever"...there is no cure...the only relieve is to hike the trail.
I am not the only one.....there others...just like.
Take the JMT record speed junkies...Brett, Jeff, Ian, Michael, Aaron, John, Al, Brian, Peter, Buzz,...they all have it...it is abvious...I call them "The Herd".
Even Brad Alan Lewis, whom I have met more then once on the JMT, is aflicted by the "JMT Fever" and as a result, like me, is drawn to that beautyful lady year after year.
Alan, the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal winner in the double scull is a very strong and determined person, but not strong enough to withstand the lure of that beautyful lady.

The "HERD", as I call them, is calm now...but come summer
the "HERD" will become restless and anxious to stampede down the JMT again.

JMT Reinhold
Your "JMT Fever" suffering trail companion

Brett:

I have been reading your training logs. Thank you so much for your input and generosity. Looking at your pics, I was hit by the perpetual "I've seen this guy before". Then it hit me again. I saw you wearing your black gloves in one of your pics and remembered seeing you (or someone incredibly similar to you)on Sept 3rd in the vicinity of Bubbs Creek; poss by Vidette Meadow. I do believe now that you were on your 1st day -- N/B on your wat to Glenn Pass. My wife and I were on our way to Forester Pass. I asked you for weather information. You seemed incredibly focused and did not have much info to pass. Had we known... we would have cheered you on!! Good job!