Day 9-13 – The Dick Smith Challenge
Originally published on Mason Hikes the PCT 2017.
The Dick Smith Challenge… Oh, how I wish I didn’t know what this was. If only my curiosity in the Idyllwild campground hadn’t drawn me towards that comically large book in the hiker box. If only I hadn’t read the inside cover challenging me to carry it to the next town. If only I wasn’t stupid enough to think “Hey, that’s a good idea!” If only I had just put it down instead. Unfortunately, none of those things happened and I ended up with this lovely bedtime story for the past five days.
It’s a behemoth of a book, measuring about 11″ x 14″ x 1.5″ and weighing in at over 5 lbs. Naturally, someone thought it would be funny to get it from town to town on the PCT and wrote a message in the front cover.
When I read that, I was captivated and immediately started planning how it could work. I discovered that it would fit into my pack with everything else, so I would have no problem carrying it, but I needed a team. I told a few other hikers about it and received mixed reactions:
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“Oh that sounds pretty cool!”
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“No way.”
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“You’re adding MORE weight to your pack!?”
I found a few people willing to help, but as logistics started working out, I realized that I was leaving a few days before them and couldn’t realistically hand it off. I still wanted to accept the challenge though, so I decided to do it alone on a 90-mile section with 19,000′ gained and 18,000′ lost over about four days. 😵
I made it, I didn’t die, and I actually did my highest mileage day so far while carrying the book, but despite how amazing the story and pictures contained within, I hope to never see this book again. It was fun while it lasted, Dick, but I simply can’t carry you around anymore when there are other important things like food to pack. I hope the book eventually makes it up to Canada, but I’m certainly glad that I won’t be the one carrying it. I’ve added my name and left it in a hiker box in Big Bear City.
Farewell, Dick.