To PCT mile 1995.1 (stats here).
I forgot to put my alarm on so I got up not until 5:45am. That's what happens when you do too long days. I was able to be really quick in disassembling my camp. It was nice to cowboy camp for a long time. There were no bugs and everything was easier and faster than when dealing with the tight bugnet.
In order to make it to the Youth Camp before 6pm, I decided to do my hiking in 2.5h pieces and maintain at least a 3 mph pace. I thought that it would not matter really if I would not be there 6pm and miss the free dinner. More important would be to be able to have a shower and do laundry, so the next day in Sisters would be devoted to catching up with the blog and have it easy.
In the morning I was really fast. It was mostly downhill. The few uphills I went quickly. The surroundings were stunning, containing high peaks around and some volcanic fields with obsedian rock. In addition, there were few lakes and lots of green forests. Lots of variety.
I had my breakfast after 2.5 hours. I decided to eat the whole contents of the Talenti jar in one go, which turned out to be a mistake. My stomach was full and the pace thus dropped. Because of the lack of sleep and the mornings effort, my legs felt heavy. I was still confident that I could stick with the plan. As I neared a highway, I started to encounter a lot of south bound PCT hikers. They are plentiful now. You see more of them than fellow north bounders. Few of them informed me that there is some trail magic at the highway. I dislike getting this information. Especially if you get it 5 miles before the spot it is happening at. It makes you rush to make sure that the angels do not leave before you get there. And it will be also less of a surprise. Or that you get disappointed if they have already left.
When I was a mile from the highway, the actual lava field started. This meant walking on volcanic rock, which was really tedious. I hated it, especially as I felt a bit rushed with the days schedule. I did not see any trail magic at the highway, so I walked along it to a parking lot. There were lots of people enjoying the day, but no trail angels. Feeling a bit annoyed about doing the extra walking, I headed back to the trailhead and continued walking on the rocks. After a while, there was a dirt road and the trail angels had their setup there. Another hiker with a trail name Bandit was also there. He was not the Danish fellow I accompanied earlier, but an elder guy from Singapore. There was also Dodo from Israel. I got treated a veggie hamburger and a soda.
Having the trail magic, and being slowed down by too much food and the rocks, I was behind my schedule. The lava field would continue and I felt disheartened by all this. I decided to have my chocolate coffee break at the next marked tent site, just before the final ascend before the Youth Camp. Luckily, this was also a point where the lava field and walking on rocks ended. I felt energised by the drink, and put some upbeat music on. I worked out a really good pace and noticed that I can easily make it to the camp after all. As the trail felt really easy after the rocks, my mood improved.
The Youth Camp was something surreal. It was like straight out of some American summer movie. Full of kids in this Christian environment. The hikers were treated really well, having an own building with the possibility to take a shower, do laundry, put food in a fridge and so on. You got three meals a day and the place accepted donations as a compensation.
I took a shower and put my laundry on. After that it was time for a dinner. The taco salad with beans and avocado were really tasty. I intended to catch up with my blog a bit, but socialising took priority. I thought I could then concentrate on the blog the following day. Bandit had an arrangement where he would be picked up by trail angels to Bend, and I could get a ride to Sisters which was along the way. This would happen 11am which was kind of late, but it would give me the possibility to have breakfast as well. I decided to take this chance.
I forgot to put my alarm on so I got up not until 5:45am. That's what happens when you do too long days. I was able to be really quick in disassembling my camp. It was nice to cowboy camp for a long time. There were no bugs and everything was easier and faster than when dealing with the tight bugnet.
 |
| From a top of a steep climb, towards an obsedian volcanic area. |
In order to make it to the Youth Camp before 6pm, I decided to do my hiking in 2.5h pieces and maintain at least a 3 mph pace. I thought that it would not matter really if I would not be there 6pm and miss the free dinner. More important would be to be able to have a shower and do laundry, so the next day in Sisters would be devoted to catching up with the blog and have it easy.
In the morning I was really fast. It was mostly downhill. The few uphills I went quickly. The surroundings were stunning, containing high peaks around and some volcanic fields with obsedian rock. In addition, there were few lakes and lots of green forests. Lots of variety.
I had my breakfast after 2.5 hours. I decided to eat the whole contents of the Talenti jar in one go, which turned out to be a mistake. My stomach was full and the pace thus dropped. Because of the lack of sleep and the mornings effort, my legs felt heavy. I was still confident that I could stick with the plan. As I neared a highway, I started to encounter a lot of south bound PCT hikers. They are plentiful now. You see more of them than fellow north bounders. Few of them informed me that there is some trail magic at the highway. I dislike getting this information. Especially if you get it 5 miles before the spot it is happening at. It makes you rush to make sure that the angels do not leave before you get there. And it will be also less of a surprise. Or that you get disappointed if they have already left.
When I was a mile from the highway, the actual lava field started. This meant walking on volcanic rock, which was really tedious. I hated it, especially as I felt a bit rushed with the days schedule. I did not see any trail magic at the highway, so I walked along it to a parking lot. There were lots of people enjoying the day, but no trail angels. Feeling a bit annoyed about doing the extra walking, I headed back to the trailhead and continued walking on the rocks. After a while, there was a dirt road and the trail angels had their setup there. Another hiker with a trail name Bandit was also there. He was not the Danish fellow I accompanied earlier, but an elder guy from Singapore. There was also Dodo from Israel. I got treated a veggie hamburger and a soda.
 |
| Ominous terrain. At this very spot, the rocks were not bad at all. |
Having the trail magic, and being slowed down by too much food and the rocks, I was behind my schedule. The lava field would continue and I felt disheartened by all this. I decided to have my chocolate coffee break at the next marked tent site, just before the final ascend before the Youth Camp. Luckily, this was also a point where the lava field and walking on rocks ended. I felt energised by the drink, and put some upbeat music on. I worked out a really good pace and noticed that I can easily make it to the camp after all. As the trail felt really easy after the rocks, my mood improved.
 |
| Great varied terrain! |
The Youth Camp was something surreal. It was like straight out of some American summer movie. Full of kids in this Christian environment. The hikers were treated really well, having an own building with the possibility to take a shower, do laundry, put food in a fridge and so on. You got three meals a day and the place accepted donations as a compensation.
I took a shower and put my laundry on. After that it was time for a dinner. The taco salad with beans and avocado were really tasty. I intended to catch up with my blog a bit, but socialising took priority. I thought I could then concentrate on the blog the following day. Bandit had an arrangement where he would be picked up by trail angels to Bend, and I could get a ride to Sisters which was along the way. This would happen 11am which was kind of late, but it would give me the possibility to have breakfast as well. I decided to take this chance.
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