To PCT mile 909.7 (stats here).
I did not sleep that well. I went to sleep way too late, drinking cola and eating too much. Also, there was an elder guy at the dorm who, I dare to say, snores ten times as much as I ever. That did not bother me too much, though.
I got up at six with the determination of catching up with my blog. That I did, while eating some tortillas and ice cream. What a breakfast. The receptionist at the hostel was kind enough to allow me to stay after the early checkout time of 10am at the hostels living room.
Mikko and Susanna were able to squeeze in time to meet me by having coffee before they would be on their way back to Oregon. Even as it was sad to see Mikko leaving the trail for now, and obviously him being sick, it was great to meet them. I can't believe it has been already a month and a half when we started this adventure. Mikko and Susanna are the best.
I continued catching up with the blog at the hostel, eating a lot and badly, and checking my order with my shoes. A call to Hoka One One revealed that they do not deliver to Post Offices after all, apparently. Stupid that the order can go through. I cancelled the order and decided to check for new shoes here in Mammoth.
I stayed at the hostell for way too long, leaving 2:30pm. I headed to check the shoes and buy some deet. The mosquitos fee like too much to cope so I wanted a bottle. Just in case. I do not plan to use it except in "emergencies", meaning when I am just too pissed off. It turned out that the local mountaineering shop did not have shoes of size 16, which was hardly surprising. I decided to take a gamble and buy last years Altra Lone Peak 2.5 shoes with discounted price. My old ones were falling apart and I thought that if these are too small, then I really have an incentive to get new ones.
There was talk during the day whether the bus shuttle service was operating to the trail head. The smoke was still pretty thick. One guy at the hostell did some investigations and was able to figure out that they should operate, so I played along by that. I first had a connecting bus meant for mountain bikers to the Mammoth Main Lodge, from where the bus to trail departs. That went smoothly, but then I needed to wait for an hour. The trailhead bus should go every 20 minutes.
Finally I got enough and started hitching. It did not take long when an English woman stopped with her friend with a rental. I met with her in the hostel earlier. She ended her hike here in Mammoth and wanted to explore now the surroundings. She gave me a ride so that there was only 2 mile walk to the trailhead. Of course, once I started walking, two buses went by. And it was no use of trying to wave my pre-paid ticket to them.
It would be only two days to Toulomne Meadows. I carry again a bit too much food. Before starting the days actual hiking, I decided to eat some of the tortillas I prepared at the hostel. And two bananas. I really did not need the calories but did not either want to carry them or throw them away. I met the Korean Jun and some newzealanders at Reds Meadow, and after visiting the toilet, started hiking as late as 6:30pm.
I did not feel good. Somehow, a bit weak. Full of food, and my stomach acting funny. The smoke in the air did not help. I planned to do 5 miles and camp, but only got 3.5 before I was exhausted. I set up my bugnet and went to sleep, feeling strangely exhausted.
I did not sleep that well. I went to sleep way too late, drinking cola and eating too much. Also, there was an elder guy at the dorm who, I dare to say, snores ten times as much as I ever. That did not bother me too much, though.
I got up at six with the determination of catching up with my blog. That I did, while eating some tortillas and ice cream. What a breakfast. The receptionist at the hostel was kind enough to allow me to stay after the early checkout time of 10am at the hostels living room.
 |
| Where I stayed most of the morning. |
Mikko and Susanna were able to squeeze in time to meet me by having coffee before they would be on their way back to Oregon. Even as it was sad to see Mikko leaving the trail for now, and obviously him being sick, it was great to meet them. I can't believe it has been already a month and a half when we started this adventure. Mikko and Susanna are the best.
 |
| Meeting with these lovely people was the highlight of the day. |
I continued catching up with the blog at the hostel, eating a lot and badly, and checking my order with my shoes. A call to Hoka One One revealed that they do not deliver to Post Offices after all, apparently. Stupid that the order can go through. I cancelled the order and decided to check for new shoes here in Mammoth.
I stayed at the hostell for way too long, leaving 2:30pm. I headed to check the shoes and buy some deet. The mosquitos fee like too much to cope so I wanted a bottle. Just in case. I do not plan to use it except in "emergencies", meaning when I am just too pissed off. It turned out that the local mountaineering shop did not have shoes of size 16, which was hardly surprising. I decided to take a gamble and buy last years Altra Lone Peak 2.5 shoes with discounted price. My old ones were falling apart and I thought that if these are too small, then I really have an incentive to get new ones.
There was talk during the day whether the bus shuttle service was operating to the trail head. The smoke was still pretty thick. One guy at the hostell did some investigations and was able to figure out that they should operate, so I played along by that. I first had a connecting bus meant for mountain bikers to the Mammoth Main Lodge, from where the bus to trail departs. That went smoothly, but then I needed to wait for an hour. The trailhead bus should go every 20 minutes.
 |
| Mammoth Lakes main lodge and a long wait for bus. |
Finally I got enough and started hitching. It did not take long when an English woman stopped with her friend with a rental. I met with her in the hostel earlier. She ended her hike here in Mammoth and wanted to explore now the surroundings. She gave me a ride so that there was only 2 mile walk to the trailhead. Of course, once I started walking, two buses went by. And it was no use of trying to wave my pre-paid ticket to them.
It would be only two days to Toulomne Meadows. I carry again a bit too much food. Before starting the days actual hiking, I decided to eat some of the tortillas I prepared at the hostel. And two bananas. I really did not need the calories but did not either want to carry them or throw them away. I met the Korean Jun and some newzealanders at Reds Meadow, and after visiting the toilet, started hiking as late as 6:30pm.
I did not feel good. Somehow, a bit weak. Full of food, and my stomach acting funny. The smoke in the air did not help. I planned to do 5 miles and camp, but only got 3.5 before I was exhausted. I set up my bugnet and went to sleep, feeling strangely exhausted.
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