Category Archives: Gowns & Alterations – kinda stuff

Gown No. 5 on the PCT

By RonUlrich | Published May 10, 2012

Gown No 5 on the PCT was donated by Krista Talley of Vancouver, WA

Gloria Vanderbilt
Size 12
100% Poly
Made In China
Original Weight 3 lb 8.8 oz

A Poodle Dog Bush infestation on the PCT may require me to remove the ‘uniform’ from time to time.  The PDB which usually appears in burn areas, is a skin irritant worse than Poison Oak, and has been known to cause blisters that send hikers to hospital.  If the dress made contact with the bush, which can grow as tall as I am and lean clear over the trail making it unavoidable, will remain on the dress and transfer to all that touch it.   Since this is problematic, I’ll just remove the dress as necessary when passing through burn areas.

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Gown Number 3 Miles 210 to 265

By RonUlrich | Published April 30, 2012

Gown No 3 - Back

Gown No. 3 !  Brought to you by Shannon.  This long trained beauty is the longest train I’ll pull behind me on the PCT.  It’s rather heavy, so it’s only going 55 miles or so, but it’s going to be an intense 55 miles… From the desert floor (and heat) back up into the mountains.

Shannon and I spent our Freshman year in High School together, and the reunion was an unexpected and wonderful moment.  I’ve had a lot of fun with this gown.

I have a few more things to say but I was just informed my ride to the Post Office is leaving, so I’ll have to play catch up (as I always do)…

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All But One – Ready to box them up….

By RonUlrich | Published March 12, 2012

It’s 11:47 p.m. Sunday March 11 – I just finished the 25th gown – which means 25 are ready to be boxed up. (YEAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!) – What about the 26th you ask? yeah – that’s a problem…. I have 4 sitting here. One I’ve crossed off the list, it’s all beads. 8 lbs of beads. Although beautiful. One is a strange stiff material and I can’t do anything with it. It’s fun, but there isn’t a way for me to gather it up so I can see my feet when necessary…. One is vintage, and far too small on the top (that’s my excuse for I’d rather wear …. ) The One I want – It was only ever on loan. But I want it. Can’t buy it. Have to dry clean it when i return it. So what if I just steal it, hope I end up famous….. and can pay her when the hike is over?

Darn decisions… If you saw the 4…. You’d want me to have this one too… =-P

But while I make the decision, I can finally start vacuuming up the thousands of beads that didn’t stay put on the table.  So many had to be removed to avoid abrasions on my back, and critters from eating them on the trail.  The threads are very strong, but generally, if one bead falls, an entire string of them falls off as well…  What a labor of love this has been..

I am so far behind (as ALWAYS) on blogging, but I breathed such a sigh of relief that I felt I should post a bit about this moment….

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Gown No. 6 “Vomit Gown”

By RonUlrich | Published February 14, 2012

Gross, Eh?  It’s a terrible name to attach to a wedding gown, but alas, that’s what it was dubbed from the beginning, and so it shall be.  This was given to me by a friend who shall remain nameless.  It was handed to me in a trash bag.  It hadn’t been cleaned since the wedding day, and although we’re just not sure what they mystery stain was… We still coined it the Vomit Gown.

The good news is that regular ol’ washing machines work wonders on polyester stains.  All that’s left is staining on the lace….
Poor girl, I can only assume, with the amount of dirt on the bottom of the gown and train, that the reception took place in a barn.

But here it is… The before and After….

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Gown No.4

By RonUlrich | Published February 14, 2012

This gown came to me after visiting with a friend.  Her cousin Geri was in town, and after the hiking26 discussion took over, she offered it to me.  It’s incredibly beautiful.  Somewhat heavy, and it’s getting special care from me, to make it hikeable… it’s going to be heavier than I’d like, but the bead work is excellent, and it’s worth caring for, while making sure the beads aren’t left behind as trail trash…

 

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