CAL GEYMAN ‘83 TAKES ON THE PACIFIC COAST TRAIL
The Rowing Association got a chance to catch up with Cal Geyman ‘83 as he took a break from hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT spans 2,650 miles, starting and terminating at the Mexican and Canadian borders.
Geyman competed when Rowing was a club sport and Sunday “teamwork and camaraderie” meant cleaning the football stadium with the Women’s Team after home games. Cal was one of those guys that rode his bike from campus to the boathouse and back, rain or shine, every day for four years. Cal would get off the water, rush back to campus to make an 8:00 class, scarf some food along the way, and then promptly fall asleep. Cal was voted Most Valuable Oarsman by his peers in 1983, and while one of the smaller guys, was known for his team–leading erg scores and tenacity. No one worked harder than Geyman. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine, Cal spent his 30–year career practicing with Kaiser Permanente in Denver. Cal is married with 2 kids and living his retirement in Missoula.
The Rowing Association asked Cal about his experience with The Pacific Coast Trail.
TRA: Most people would fly from Mexico to Canada or at least drive. Is it any coincidence that the guy who rode his bike to practice every day chose to hike that distance instead?
Geyman: I left the boathouse in ‘83 but still loved rowing, so I bought a single to scull the reservoirs around Denver for many years. The reservoirs around Denver weren’t that exciting, however, so when I retired, I decided to pursue some new adventures.
I started by building a plane, an RV–9 kit plane, which I’ve since had to build again, as an airlock in the fuel supply of my first plane disabled the fuel pump, and I crashed. I suffered a brain bleed, a detached retina, and several broken bones. Both of my legs had fractures, and I couldn’t walk or bear weight for several months. Walking was still tough after a year, and I had to lean on shopping carts for support. Hiking the PCT was actually how I chose to complete my rehab.
TRA: So, you were struggling just to walk again, and you decided to do the 2,650–mile PCT??
Geyman: Yes, it was nine months after the crash, and I was maybe able to walk a mile or two, though it was challenging. So, I signed up for the PCT. It helped me focus.
TRA: Tell us about your experience on the PCT?
Geyman: I started hiking the PCT in March ‘24, which allowed me to do the SoCal desert section in perfect conditions. I developed IT band (leg pain) and foot troubles and had to restart twice, going home for several weeks of rehab mid–hike. I was able to complete 750 miles over two months in California and part of Washington. I felt bad not being able to do the whole thing in one go, but at age 63, it was harder than I anticipated.
Half of the hiking crowd were 20 to 30–year–olds, though I mainly bonded with the older crowd, the 55–65–year–olds, of which there were plenty. Most of us older folk were happy to last two months or more on the trail. Not many 60–year–olds were able to make it the whole way due to injury (in the Sierras) or inability to hike 20 to 30 miles a day. You really need to step up the pace once you hit Oregon if you want to finish by mid–September and avoid snowy, wet, and freezing weather.
I did apply to hike it again in 2025 and hopefully will be better prepared. My fondest memories from the trail were cowboy camping (sleeping bag on the ground without a tent) and the friends I met.
TRA: Great to see you still have the same tenacity that made you a leader in the boathouse. Any thoughts looking back on that?
Geyman: A big Hello to all my fellow oarsmen who rowed under Coach Whitford. I hear the new boathouse is amazing, and the program is now competing well on the national level. Congratulations. Rowing is a great sport and a great part of Stanford.
Pictured: Stroke–John Kauffman, 7– Lance Campbell, 6–Dave Bennett, 5–Marty Johnson, 4– Bill Clark, 3–Cal Geyman, 2– Willy Seavey, 1– Dan Corner, Cox– Leigh–Ellen Louie
