To PCT mile 1399.8 (stats here).
I got up 5:15am. During the night, I woke up few times as I felt rain drops on my face. I was not sure if it was water from the creek next to me, or from the sky. In the morning it seemed clear that it was from the sky. I waterproofed my stuff and started hiking 6:05am. I should consider practicing my tarp skills again and have it ready to be set up quickly.
I felt pretty confident in the morning and as the whole day would be very flat, or gradual downhill, I thought briefly that I could make it all the way to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch, which would make it a 40 mile day. After 2 hours and doing some calculations, I decided that I do not want to do that. Also, as the day progressed, it was getting really hot. Even hotter than in the desert.
Early on, I met with an Australian couple who were hiking in the opposite direction. They told that there were 2 separate trail magic spots ahead of me. I was glad but at the same time, this hindered my hiking. It makes you hurry, in order not to miss the magic. And hurry is not good, you should be free of that feeling here.
The first magic was at a lookout spot. You could see Mt. Shasta from there. The magic was 2 half empty plastic bags with a gatorade, apples and some granola bars in it. I took few items and admired the views. Not long after a guy pulled with his car to the same spot. He stroke a conversation and offered me few beers and snacks. Could not say no to that. Drinking those two beers, and letting the day progress 1 hours more, really killed my pace. It was now blazingly hot, and the next 10 mile stretch was out in the open, traversing a cliff next to a valley.
I only were able to progress a mile before I needed to look for shade and take a nap. This is the first time when I actually do so. The spot was not great, but the nap provided some well needed energy. Weirdly, when I got up, Bandit happened to appear. I was happy as I could now just follow him, getting to a good pace that I lost.
I had forgotten all about the second trail magic, but that followed soon after. It was amazing. Three coolers full of soda, snack bars and crackers. And oranges hanging from a tree. The sodas were cold, which was the most important thing. Water in your bottles becomes really hot almost instantly in these temperatures and drinking unpleasant.
As we got out of the trail magic spot, a thunder storm front appeared. There had been heavy clouds in the horizon the whole day, but now it had developed to a storm. It seemed to come towards us, so we tried to run away. You could see how the valley next to us got hammered with rain. Eventually, we only got few drops and the clouds steered then away.
I already had the need to take a crapper when I got to the lookout spot in the morning. Having the few beers made me forget to utilise the parking lots pit toilets. So I needed then to do my needs on a rocky surface in the afternoon. It is a nuisance to find a suitable spot on such an area when you need to go.
It seems that we really are getting scarce with water once again. The days only water source, besides the magic and that I utilised since the start, was this 500 gallon water cache, operating on donations. I took my share from there, a picture from the info where to donate some money for the good cause, and decided to do a 30 miles today.
Strictly sticking to 30 miles was stupid. My tent site was crappy, on a rocky uneven surface. Bandit stayed on a perfect spot 3 miles earlier. You should not prioritise meaningless numbers over a nice camp site.
I got up 5:15am. During the night, I woke up few times as I felt rain drops on my face. I was not sure if it was water from the creek next to me, or from the sky. In the morning it seemed clear that it was from the sky. I waterproofed my stuff and started hiking 6:05am. I should consider practicing my tarp skills again and have it ready to be set up quickly.
I felt pretty confident in the morning and as the whole day would be very flat, or gradual downhill, I thought briefly that I could make it all the way to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch, which would make it a 40 mile day. After 2 hours and doing some calculations, I decided that I do not want to do that. Also, as the day progressed, it was getting really hot. Even hotter than in the desert.
Early on, I met with an Australian couple who were hiking in the opposite direction. They told that there were 2 separate trail magic spots ahead of me. I was glad but at the same time, this hindered my hiking. It makes you hurry, in order not to miss the magic. And hurry is not good, you should be free of that feeling here.
The first magic was at a lookout spot. You could see Mt. Shasta from there. The magic was 2 half empty plastic bags with a gatorade, apples and some granola bars in it. I took few items and admired the views. Not long after a guy pulled with his car to the same spot. He stroke a conversation and offered me few beers and snacks. Could not say no to that. Drinking those two beers, and letting the day progress 1 hours more, really killed my pace. It was now blazingly hot, and the next 10 mile stretch was out in the open, traversing a cliff next to a valley.
I only were able to progress a mile before I needed to look for shade and take a nap. This is the first time when I actually do so. The spot was not great, but the nap provided some well needed energy. Weirdly, when I got up, Bandit happened to appear. I was happy as I could now just follow him, getting to a good pace that I lost.
 |
| Days best trail magic. |
I had forgotten all about the second trail magic, but that followed soon after. It was amazing. Three coolers full of soda, snack bars and crackers. And oranges hanging from a tree. The sodas were cold, which was the most important thing. Water in your bottles becomes really hot almost instantly in these temperatures and drinking unpleasant.
As we got out of the trail magic spot, a thunder storm front appeared. There had been heavy clouds in the horizon the whole day, but now it had developed to a storm. It seemed to come towards us, so we tried to run away. You could see how the valley next to us got hammered with rain. Eventually, we only got few drops and the clouds steered then away.
 |
| Did not rain on us, but something surely gots its share. |
I already had the need to take a crapper when I got to the lookout spot in the morning. Having the few beers made me forget to utilise the parking lots pit toilets. So I needed then to do my needs on a rocky surface in the afternoon. It is a nuisance to find a suitable spot on such an area when you need to go.
It seems that we really are getting scarce with water once again. The days only water source, besides the magic and that I utilised since the start, was this 500 gallon water cache, operating on donations. I took my share from there, a picture from the info where to donate some money for the good cause, and decided to do a 30 miles today.
 |
| Late shift, again. |
Strictly sticking to 30 miles was stupid. My tent site was crappy, on a rocky uneven surface. Bandit stayed on a perfect spot 3 miles earlier. You should not prioritise meaningless numbers over a nice camp site.
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