I’m done! And a bear stole my bear can!
I bid farewell to the PCT today in a bit of a sentimental moment, thinking, I will be back soon. It was a fine day of forest and meadows, and I’m enjoying relaxing by ward creek after a bit of a shorter day. Loved all the trial dogs I met and excited to be done tomorrow!
Incredible views today from sunrise and throughout desolation wilderness. I’m thankful to be hiking part of the PCT, and it really does not disappoint. Been doing better at making long distances and am beginning to “haul ass” (although I’m outpaced by PCT hikers every single time)
A very chill day at lake aloha today floating on nik’s pineapple, eating jalapeño chips and drinking beer, and eating lobster Mac & cheese :”)
I joined the PCT today for the next 50 miles! At the junction, I met shroomer, coyote, and some others from their Bay Area hiking group. They’re both triple crowners and have completed many other thru hikes, and I am in awe of this type of person and how the more I get into hiking, the more I find myself in this new community. It was really nice to hike (they are FAST) and hang out with everyone, and to break the solitude. Shroomer is incredibly friendly and engaged in a conversation with everyone who would. Some bad patches of mosquitos, but views were phenomenal today and I’m so happy to be in the stretch of Sierras that feels like home to me.
The solitude is getting to me :( It started as a pretty good day because I was walking south, away from the lake, and the landscape was looking more like what I was used to in the Sierras. Star Lake was very nice and I passed a lot of meadows and great, open views throughout the day. But morale has been getting low after lunch lately and while I’ve been doing big miles, I’ve just been pushing to camp. Wish I’ve been able to meet more people on trail.
Feelin clean and grateful I got to meet some people today! In the morning, I walked for a bit with an older woman who was hiking alone. It was the first stretch where I’d actually walked with someone and even if it was only a mile long, I’m thankful for the conversation. I got to my resupply pretty early and met Jungle Book, aka Maya, Ethan, Austin, and their dog. We grabbed lunch together at fox and hound and it was so nice really sitting down with people and talking to them. Then, pushed through the afternoon slog to the campsite of the night where I am at now.
It was quite a long day. My anticipated 16.6 mile day turned into a 20.6 mile day, but I still made it to camp at a reasonable hour. I’m proud that I’ve been capable of pushing all these miles. Notable things/people: - good views keep getting obscured by morning clouds, also it’s heckin cold - met a woman who got inspired by a bunch of backpacking movies to start backpacking, and this was her first trip ever & solo. Quite ballsy - had a good chat with Blake at the water pump as well, who attempted the PCT when he was 22 and quit due to the solitude - first taste of trail magic with the water cache in a very long and dry stretch - the most aggressive no littering sign I’ve seen - beautiful views of the lake
A long and lonely day today into the mount rose wilderness. Lovely views but also incredibly cold with the wind and being in a cloud, proud of how many miles I did but man those last 4 after lunch were truly painful, keeping myself occupied with podcasts.
Notable moments of the day: - Mike who kept pronouncing “Guthook” as “duckhook” - doggo who let me pet him - woman with 7 dogs - beautiful ridge views - fire ants trying to eat me alive - gray lake and croakers
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