To PCT mile 279.2 (stats here).
I actually got up at 4am this time. The night was a bit chilly and I needed to put my gloves on and rub my hands every now and then so that I could disassemble my camp. I ate one meal bar and were underway already 4:30am.
It did not take long to a faster hiker to catch up with me. The young dude was really going ultralight, and the night was cold for him. We both were to go to Big Bear City for resupply. I actually did not have that much to buy, stocked still with food, but wanted a break from the grind and possibility to write something as I am really falling behind with the writing.
The hiker named F (I kept forgetting his actual name all the time and still cannot remember it) made me to keep record pace as well. After 8 miles together and 2 miles before the highway we departed when I absolutely needed to answer to the call of the nature. I was hoping to hold it until in the city but just could not. Whatever problem or need you have out in the trail, it is best to deal it with immediately. Otherwise you just make it hard for yourself. Guess this applies to every problem in life. The trail of life?
The famous 10 miles by 10am was done already something like 8am. It did not take long for me to get a ride to the city from trail head, when a lady stopped and picked me up, even as she was originally going to the opposite direction. It was a holiday weekend and the amount of people on the move was high. Memorial Day is the occasion.
I was stupid enough to go to the grocery store before I ate anything. I only needed few items but ended up buying too much. Some bars, bananas, nuts, smashed potatoes, crackers, tortillas and peanut butter. I ended up donationg some of the bars away, but still ended up having food for about 6 days in total. I have been eating too much here so far and carrying more than reasonable.
After groceries I went to Starbucks in order to do some writing. As a stroke of luck, I saw the friend of Bob's son, who was doing some studying there. He promised to give me a ride back to the trail head. I cannot say that I haven't been lucky here. Zack is a very nice guy and we had nice talks while he was driving. Everybody has a pickup truck here, so it seems.
In the Starbucks I did not manage to write that much as I kept talking to other hikers. Most were there to utilise the wifi and charging their stuff. I didn't even drink the coffee as it was huge, and even a small amount gave me a buzz. The half a jar of peanut butter with tortillas that I ate at the parking lot did not help with the feeling of getting burns to my stomach.
Back at the trail head, more familiar faces appeared. Gotham with his ankle problems managed to crush 20 miles before noon which is a good accomplishment. Micah from the same starting day appeared and went forward after a zero in BBC. I felt all the food in my stomach and in my backpack, but power hiked quickly to punish myself through a fire closure area, and managed to do over 20 miles for the day. Over 20 miles is good. That is what most people aim for.
The water situation at the end of the day was worrisome because it turned out that there was no water source for the rest of the day, and until a 10 mile marker of the next day. I had 5 liters after leaving the city, but threw most of it away as I understood the situation incorrectly. I carried 2 liters as a backup from a suspectible water source to my camp site. But as before, the water was no problem. In the evening when it is not hot, I end up drinking very little.
Before reaching the campsite I met a nice gentleman named Larry, a former pilot and a mechanical engineer, who chatted greatly about airplanes and space.
The night was gonna be cold up where I was, but I did not change the habit of cowboy camping. Few miles before the camp site, F decided to hitch back to BBC and a hostel as he was worried that the night might would be too cold for him. Let's see if it is too cold for me.
I actually got up at 4am this time. The night was a bit chilly and I needed to put my gloves on and rub my hands every now and then so that I could disassemble my camp. I ate one meal bar and were underway already 4:30am.
 |
| The actual trail. Maybe too few pictures of the thing itself so far. |
It did not take long to a faster hiker to catch up with me. The young dude was really going ultralight, and the night was cold for him. We both were to go to Big Bear City for resupply. I actually did not have that much to buy, stocked still with food, but wanted a break from the grind and possibility to write something as I am really falling behind with the writing.
The hiker named F (I kept forgetting his actual name all the time and still cannot remember it) made me to keep record pace as well. After 8 miles together and 2 miles before the highway we departed when I absolutely needed to answer to the call of the nature. I was hoping to hold it until in the city but just could not. Whatever problem or need you have out in the trail, it is best to deal it with immediately. Otherwise you just make it hard for yourself. Guess this applies to every problem in life. The trail of life?
The famous 10 miles by 10am was done already something like 8am. It did not take long for me to get a ride to the city from trail head, when a lady stopped and picked me up, even as she was originally going to the opposite direction. It was a holiday weekend and the amount of people on the move was high. Memorial Day is the occasion.
I was stupid enough to go to the grocery store before I ate anything. I only needed few items but ended up buying too much. Some bars, bananas, nuts, smashed potatoes, crackers, tortillas and peanut butter. I ended up donationg some of the bars away, but still ended up having food for about 6 days in total. I have been eating too much here so far and carrying more than reasonable.
After groceries I went to Starbucks in order to do some writing. As a stroke of luck, I saw the friend of Bob's son, who was doing some studying there. He promised to give me a ride back to the trail head. I cannot say that I haven't been lucky here. Zack is a very nice guy and we had nice talks while he was driving. Everybody has a pickup truck here, so it seems.
In the Starbucks I did not manage to write that much as I kept talking to other hikers. Most were there to utilise the wifi and charging their stuff. I didn't even drink the coffee as it was huge, and even a small amount gave me a buzz. The half a jar of peanut butter with tortillas that I ate at the parking lot did not help with the feeling of getting burns to my stomach.
 |
| Another kind of burned down stuff. There indeed is a lot of burned forest all around, even if the area is not closed as this is. |
Back at the trail head, more familiar faces appeared. Gotham with his ankle problems managed to crush 20 miles before noon which is a good accomplishment. Micah from the same starting day appeared and went forward after a zero in BBC. I felt all the food in my stomach and in my backpack, but power hiked quickly to punish myself through a fire closure area, and managed to do over 20 miles for the day. Over 20 miles is good. That is what most people aim for.
The water situation at the end of the day was worrisome because it turned out that there was no water source for the rest of the day, and until a 10 mile marker of the next day. I had 5 liters after leaving the city, but threw most of it away as I understood the situation incorrectly. I carried 2 liters as a backup from a suspectible water source to my camp site. But as before, the water was no problem. In the evening when it is not hot, I end up drinking very little.
Before reaching the campsite I met a nice gentleman named Larry, a former pilot and a mechanical engineer, who chatted greatly about airplanes and space.
 |
| Big Bear Lake. The lake and the town. |
The night was gonna be cold up where I was, but I did not change the habit of cowboy camping. Few miles before the camp site, F decided to hitch back to BBC and a hostel as he was worried that the night might would be too cold for him. Let's see if it is too cold for me.
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