To PCT mile 545.1 (stats here).
Today it would have been important to get up when the alarm went off. But I did not. I got up 5am, put my things in order super fast and ditched the idea of ordering the stuff from Amazon that I post poned previous evening. I thought I could do that when having days first break. It was important to get moving as the coming 25 mile hike along the LA Aquaduct would not give any shade and temperature would be pretty high.
As I did not have time to eat any proper breakfast, I raided the hiker box for some chocolade nut and raisins mix. While starting to hike quickly, I munched this. As one can guess, this was mistake. I do not handle eating and doing something physical at the same time well. Pretty soon I got some acid in my stomach. Nevertheless I kept good pace and was done with 10 miles by 8:30am. The route was flat, so one could keep good pace easily. After 10 miles I kept a break and finally tried to do the orderings from Amazon. I was annoyed to notice that the Western Mountaineering sleeping bag was not eligible for Amazon Prime. Also, I ordered some meal bars but with them I noticed that the "one day delivery" actually was two days. I was gonna in Tehachapi tomorrow, so this would be inconvenient.
While I was having break, Gina from previous evening went past me. She was supposed to start night hike, but started in the morning instead. Also, a previously unseen young girl blazed past me when I was already walking. The blister that I had punctured the previous day was giving me trouble, and I had too much water and food to carry.
After 17 miles of the Aquaduct there was the only water source for the stretch. Funny as the point of the whole construct is to provide water. I first just walked past the place, but Gina yelled this to me only after few meters. Besides the water source there was also a bridge, one of the few things offering shadow. The underside of it was full of hikers. I also joined and had a half hour nap. Somehow my nostrils were grown shut with dry mucus so I had trouble napping, and left before anyone else.
The rest of the hike was slow and hard. The heat was a bit much, the humming of all the wind mills around, and the failed arrangements with my gear ate my spirits. Talking to a dutch tractor driver, maintaining the wind mill roads, was one fun event during the day. Trailing a german couple from a distance and managing to catch up with them while they took a break, was another.
At the end of the day, there was also quite much climbing to be done. The beginning was flat, so I thought that I could do my first over 30 mile day. Trouble at the end, and the fact that I did not want to hike in the dark today, meant that I fell few miles short of this. But it was okay. I had a good camp site, and it was nice to fall asleep under the stars.
Today it would have been important to get up when the alarm went off. But I did not. I got up 5am, put my things in order super fast and ditched the idea of ordering the stuff from Amazon that I post poned previous evening. I thought I could do that when having days first break. It was important to get moving as the coming 25 mile hike along the LA Aquaduct would not give any shade and temperature would be pretty high.
 |
| The world is a dangerous place. |
As I did not have time to eat any proper breakfast, I raided the hiker box for some chocolade nut and raisins mix. While starting to hike quickly, I munched this. As one can guess, this was mistake. I do not handle eating and doing something physical at the same time well. Pretty soon I got some acid in my stomach. Nevertheless I kept good pace and was done with 10 miles by 8:30am. The route was flat, so one could keep good pace easily. After 10 miles I kept a break and finally tried to do the orderings from Amazon. I was annoyed to notice that the Western Mountaineering sleeping bag was not eligible for Amazon Prime. Also, I ordered some meal bars but with them I noticed that the "one day delivery" actually was two days. I was gonna in Tehachapi tomorrow, so this would be inconvenient.
 |
| The actual aquaduct. 20 miles of this. In blazing heat. But I expected worse. |
While I was having break, Gina from previous evening went past me. She was supposed to start night hike, but started in the morning instead. Also, a previously unseen young girl blazed past me when I was already walking. The blister that I had punctured the previous day was giving me trouble, and I had too much water and food to carry.
After 17 miles of the Aquaduct there was the only water source for the stretch. Funny as the point of the whole construct is to provide water. I first just walked past the place, but Gina yelled this to me only after few meters. Besides the water source there was also a bridge, one of the few things offering shadow. The underside of it was full of hikers. I also joined and had a half hour nap. Somehow my nostrils were grown shut with dry mucus so I had trouble napping, and left before anyone else.
 |
| The dutch tractor driver I chatted with. Small social contacts liven the day! |
The rest of the hike was slow and hard. The heat was a bit much, the humming of all the wind mills around, and the failed arrangements with my gear ate my spirits. Talking to a dutch tractor driver, maintaining the wind mill roads, was one fun event during the day. Trailing a german couple from a distance and managing to catch up with them while they took a break, was another.
At the end of the day, there was also quite much climbing to be done. The beginning was flat, so I thought that I could do my first over 30 mile day. Trouble at the end, and the fact that I did not want to hike in the dark today, meant that I fell few miles short of this. But it was okay. I had a good camp site, and it was nice to fall asleep under the stars.
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