Lucky Joe

IMG_0120, originally uploaded by matthewluotto.

[ picture of Matt Luotto at the starting point of the trail. More pictures at Flickr.com [click to visit] ]

Hello All,

I’m currently in another resupply town called
Wrightwood. I’m a full week ahead of schedule now, so
I’ve decided to take a few days off altogether. This
weekend, I will be hitch hiking to Pasadena, where my
old buddy Peter Girard will pick me up and take me to
Hollywood. I have never seen his place there, so I’m
excited about that. It will also be a great idea to
slow my pace down, as I don’t want to risk an injury
so early in the trek.

For the last few days, I have been traveling with two
other hikers: “Beef Stew and “Stretch”. As most of
you know, we all have trail names here. Mine is now
officially, “Lucky Joe”, as I have been extremely
lucky hitch hiking into and out of the resupply towns.
I like the nickname, so it seems like this is the one.
I feel pretty lucky just to be here and to be feeling
as strong as I do. My traveling companions have also
been great. Beef Stew just happens to be carrying a
book by the same Buddhist author as me. As I happened
upon Chogyam Trungpa at the last minute (it was a gift
from a dear friend) I immediately felt a connection
with this guy. As it turns out, we have spent several
nights laughing until it hurts about all kinds of
truly strange stuff.

The third member of our party, Stretch, is a
bio-engineer from Seattle, WA. Despite being really
skinny, she can eat more food than most bears. Part
of the pleasure of the trek, is the constant hunger.
Meals never tasted so good. We cook as the sun goes
down, just before crawling into our bags and passing
out. After 20 miles (minimum) each day, we can eat
most anything and sleep anywhere.

The other day, we saw a rattle snake strike a mouse.
After the critter stopped convulsing, the snake
extended it’s jaw and swallowed it. All this happened
just off the trail, as we were passing - just before
sundown.

So far, the longest stretch of trail without water has
been about 22 miles. We each had more than 5 liters
of water, which barely covered the distance, since
most of those sections were through the desert, on
very hot days.

Today, I still have to take a shower and hopefully, do
some laundry. Beef Stew used his cell phone to call a
Trail Angel - someone who is know on the trail to be
welcoming to passing hikers - and she said she would
be by this library before long. So off I go.

This has been the trip of a lifetime so far.
I especially want to thank Jacquie for doing such an
excellent job on my back pack. It has performed much
better than I thought it might. Very durable and
extremely well put together. Also thanks to Rufus,
who dropped me off at the border and gave me the best,
absolutely priceless advice.

Peace,
lucky joe

Hey Digant,

Hope all is well.
Thanks again for everything.

So far, I am well ahead of schedule.
I have been logging 25 mile days,
which is much better than I expected
for so early in the trek.
The hills are much lower in elevation
down here than in the sierras,
so the climbs are gently and short.
It’s more rambling through the desert
than climbing.

So, I’m already getting ready to leave
the town of Warner Springs,
which means that I am 3 days ahead of schedule.
I also began a day later than anticipated,
so effectively, thats 4 days ahead of schedule.
Also, I expect to be in Idyllwild (the next
resupply) by May 5, so that will be 5 days
ahead of schedule.
I’m going to have to sit down
and figure out some new numbers
at some point,
but for now, lets just say
I will plan to gain at least one
more day per stop.

I have met some really great people
on the trail already.
After 4 super hot days
in the dessert, I was invited to get a shower
and spend the night in a hotel.
All of us hikers band together
when it comes to the resupply towns,
because it’s easy to start feeling like
a dirty, scruffy dessert rat.
Right now, I’m staying in a fairly
posh resort, complete with hot springs
and showers. I would never have kicked down
the cash for this place myself,
but my trail companion, “Deackon”
paid for the room, so I bought him dinner.
The mineral bath was great for the
award winning blisters on both of my feet.
I’m really hoping that I’m not such
a tender foot, after the next few hundred miles.

I will write more later.
thanks again,
Matt Lucky Joe L.

Hello everyone,

I am honored to host this blog for Matt “Lucky Joe” Luotto. I hope it will help me deliver updates in a more timely manner. I hope Matt himself will be able to visit and add posts. In the meantime, I plan to login on is behalf and post a few photos and videos. Photos are hosted on Flickr and videos are hosted on YouTube.

Please feel free to register and add your own comments for Matt!

– Digant