Matthew Alan Thyer's Blog, page 3

Overdue Update

I’m sitting on Ronald Reagan International Airport’s ticketing mezzanine. I’m here for a variety of reasons that differ depending on the elevation from which you examine my situation. 

Close up, I’m here because I chose to beat the rain on a bike ride in from the city. My plane doesn’t leave until five-something. This city seems intent on redefining the word “muggy” for us all, packing ever-increasing amounts of moister and heat into the air. Oh, and there’s another flood warning, best I made...

Advice to Novice Bicycle Tourists

Explanation as Introduction

I’ve been spending an increasing amount of time readying bicycle touring forums. One of the things I’ve marveled at is how much more interest there is in bicycle touring these days. When I was new to the pastime, if I talked about my interest, most people would stare at me as if I’d just delivered a message from Mars in fluent Klingon.

My 2017 Surly LHT 700c

In one particular subreddit, there are many initiates to bicycle touring. They most often make their i...

Let Me Tell You About Blood Flow

This is ostensibly a health update. While there have been a number of other changes ongoing in my life, I’m writing today to tell you about a big and important one that has a profound effect on all aspects of my day-to-day affairs.

More about why I’m not posting pictures from the PCT soon

About a month ago, I had a profoundly uncomfortable night. I crawled into bed and I could not quiet my mind. I was stuck in an anxiety thought loop that was edging me closer and closer to a full-on p...

Moving to Patreon

I’m moving day-to-day writing and posting to Patreon for at least the summer. There it’s been said.

Yes, there are reasons, and some of them can be made public. For instance, I really like feeling appreciated and valued for what I do. Yes, what I do is an odd hodgepodge of writing and weird video production, but that’s me and you wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t find that at least mildly interesting. Also, I’m otherwise “un-sponsored.” Nobody pays the bills, not even advertisers, he...

The Time You Have

“Do what you can in the time you have.” That’s my mantra.

Today I loaded up my ruck and the dog and we went on an 8-mile hike. Twice around the park adjacent to our house and four times down to the beach and back up again. 

I always start these sorts of training hikes thinking I can go faster or further than I can. I’m fatter now (just clocked in at 203 this morning) than I’ve ever been before in my life and I turn 50 next September, so I suppose there are reasons I’m slower than I used to...

Dharma Bum

“I see a vision of a great rucksack revolution thousands or even millions of young Americans wandering around with rucksacks, going up to mountains to pray, making children laugh and old men glad, making young girls happy and old girls happier, all of ’em Zen Lunatics who go about writing poems that happen to appear in their heads for no reason and also by being kind and also by strange unexpected acts keep giving visions of eternal freedom to everybody and to all living creatures …”

― Jack K...

Grab It

I’ve been walking most days when and for as long as I can. Right now I’m usually able to cram a good three or four miles in with at least the vase weight of my thru hiking pack.

In addition to this addition to my routine I’m also starting to journal with a focus on my up coming hike. My intention is to use these words to capture where I’m at, understand where I’m headed and sort out complications along the way. It will also serve as “research” should I ever decide to write about the hike in t...

Who Am I?

I’ve been searching for a solution to what I’ve somewhat facetiously termed “Old Man Funk.” The problem is that, post radiation treatments, either my sense of smell has changed or some odor producing element of my body chemistry has changed or both. I recall that my grandfather experienced something like this and my Dad may have too, although when they did or how they responded is a mystery to me.

I’ve responded by testing and isolating variables. I started a discussion on Backpacking Light ...

Garmin InReach Mini and Mini 2

Much about why I like the Garmin InReach Mini 2 has to do with what I’ve come to loath about the original flavored InReach Mini. This is also true for previous devices – elder cousins and siblings like the handful of FindMeSPOTs and ground-based EPIRBs – because I’ve owned and operated a beacon of one sort or another since the 2009 rescue of Tazul above Alaska Lake in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.

Back then I acquired a device after needing to leave Tazul’s side to get high enough I could get ...

Six Moon Designs Swift X 38l

The volcano made a visit

I’ve been using the Swift X by Six Moon Designs with the Flight Shoulder and Hip harness for going on a year. It gets used for daily training hikes as well as longer stuff, but I do occasionally change it out for one of its smaller brothers in my kit.

Considering my age and lessening tolerance for hardship this is probably what I’m going to carry next summer during my PCT hike. Gone are the days when I could walk out the door with a 20-liter ruck carrying only my f...