PCT Day 16

Day 16

14 miles

I sleep in and gradually get up for 7:30 am. I’m getting use to sleeping in beds, they’re beginning to feel quite nice. I collect our clean clothes from the dryer as Poptart refills our water. Sue and Mike both had to go to work early so we eat breakfast with their daughter and her son. Breakfast consists of picking random food from the side such as chocolate, crisps and sweets. I munch and read the note left from Sue and Mike.

We get a hitch into Wrightwood centre from a woman who was taking her dog to be groomed, he was pretty hyped to see us. Bouncing all over her car, us and our packs. We head to the hardware store first to collect Poptart’s box and I desperately need new shoes. I check out the shoe section and find some merrells - size 4.5 - it’s so cool that they do half sizes. They cost 70£/90$ and it’s the most money I’ve ever spent on shoes. They’re sandy coloured and fit perfectly, it feels like I have new feet.

I bin my 25£ trainers hoping my merrells are rub on my feet.

Food is the next stop and spend about 35£/50$ on food. It only just all fit in my bag! A few hikers amble about town, eating outside the food store, wandering the hardware store and poking through the hiker box.

We get a hitch out of town from a guy who was going on holiday to Australia soon. We chat merrily about life and he kissed both our hands before leaving. Poptart is trying for big miles so she set off at great speed and I just dawdled with my heavy bag of food. I walk through the pine forest and chill for a bit using wifi and eating my smartie cookies. I’m not hugely motivated, the heat and heavily bag aiding my break.  When I eventually get going I descend through the pine forest and find myself at the base of the steep 6000 ft ascent. It just zigzagged constantly. I take a moment before I begin the epic climb. A hiker box sits at the bottom where I use some suncream.

My right heel aches a bit after last night's race to the end so I take it easy and head with a speed of 1 mile an hour. I take several breaks up and I’m overtaken by roadrunner and Alex - later to be known as Puss in boots. I meet them at the top and what a view! I chill inside the roots of the wally tree and eat food with Roadrunner and Alex. Clouds lay beneath us to the side and vast verdant wilderness surround us on all sides. It’s bliss. So beautiful and enchanting. We chat about Carrot Quinn and the future burden of bear boxes They walk on and I remain there happily as a crazy fell runner appears having just run up the climb. He nods at me and continues down the path….

It’s about 6 miles to the next water source. I hike on and trail through the green pine trees and rocky route. My new shoes not letting any stones in. I ascend occasionally which allowed me to see the white fluffy clouds still. I see the fell runner again as he had turned around and proceeded to then pass me again in the opposite direction.  Eventually I reach the spring named Little Jimmys Spring. I collected my water and reach camp. I hear everybody before I see them and there are quite a lot of us - Poptart, Road runner, Puss in Boots, 2 Canadians high on weeds and another couple. I setup my tent - just the inner, pleased to be done for the day and head over to the communal fire and eat some pasta. We chill talking of the generic hiker talk, all eventually peeling off to bed after 8pm.

Day 17 here

PCT Day 15

Day 15

Miles: 28

Man it felt so good to sleep in an actual bed. As soon as I pulled the covers over me I sank into a deep sleep. The room was so dark and must have been well sound proofed against the roaring free-way. I woke up a few times thinking it was time to get up due to the misleading darkness. My body use to the sun being it’s alarm clock. When we do wake we are slow to mobilize, getting out and heading to Mac D for breakfast. I got my usual pancakes with golden syrup and a large refillable drink, they taste good. I don’t want to know how much sugar I just consumed…

The next water cache isn’t going to be for 26 miles so I drink loads. We head out for 7am and chat briefly with Globe and Namastay under the bridge where they slept. Then the long ascent begins. It’s so foggy and the visibility is terrible all morning. I can hear freight trains but can’t see them hidden by the damp clouds. It’s a long slog up but feels good in the cooler weather.  I ascend 15 miles going from of 3500ft  to 8200 ft. Then the sun comes out at midday and I have an amazing view above the clouds. It's so dull and dismal a few feet back and right here it’s stunning. I then get a phone signal and chat to the folks back home. I sit there on the trail for a good hour. I air my feet which feels good, a habit I’m always doing now whenever I stop. Soon I realise I have to continue and hikes on. The sun is now beating down and I’m beginning to wilt. It takes me ages to hike up the beast. Poptart and I had planned to camp at highway 2 and hitch into town the next day.That was only 3 more miles, then as I’m eating my cold, soggy noodles, surveying the view I get a message.

She says a trail angel is picking us up in 2h about 8 miles from where I am. Bummer!

I scoff my food and begin to pack up just as the blond shadow arrives on time. A guy who's happens to hike passed me at this time everyday. He is a faster hiker than I so I figure he must hike half in the day, half in the night for me to always be headed somehow in the late afternoon. His name I find out is Eric. We chat briefly and he confirms my 8 mile hike. He leaves me to pack up and I jog out ten minutes later. I then hike pass him 2 miles down the trail. The scenery at dusk is amazing and I’m missing it all. Rushing and stumbling to catch up. A part of me isn’t sure (looking back) why I was so eager to catch up. I could have easily just solo camped and hitched into town the next day…it's not like I hadn't slept in a bed and showered recently.

It’s close but I think I’m going to make it. I jog on the flat and cringe on the uphill. I text Poptart how close I am but get no reply. I reach an abandoned ski resort with creaking ski lifts and random shacks. I criss cross a dirt road which is a good sign that I’m reaching civilization again.  I’m half a mile away when a car appears which beeps at me. I’m saved. I still descend pretty fast when the driver a trail angel called Mike gets out and tells me to slow down waving his hands. He loaded my pack into the boot and I clamber in, my feet are pounding with blood. I sit back relieved knowing I can rest easy.

We chat to Mike well Poptart does and I’m just so happy that I made it but also exhausted so zoned out a bit in the back. I hear them talking of his home where we can shower, be fed a proper meal, sleep. We zoom down into Wrightwood where he points out shops where we can find food, collect mail and I can buy the new shoes that I so desperately need. We arrive at his house, a family home. His dog greets him but is very distrusting of us. Then we meet Sue his wife who is rocking her grandson to sleep. She invites us in and ask what are our priories; food, shower, sleep? Those in that order! We eat a chicken dish with carrots, onion, pineapple. Mac and cheese is also on the menu which it tastes so good. I get a second helping, my body thanking me, I thank the Trail angels. I swing my legs to and fro from the chair, my feet aching from my bad shoes. We chat to the family and I gain my trail name of Yorkie. We finish up and are shown to our bunk bed and where the laundry is. I shower first and it's amazing. Even though I showered a meer 24h ago it still feels awesome after a day out in the sun. I sit in the bottom of the shower and let it rain over me, feel little guilty with the drought in California. I clean my feet which are filthy and blistered and massage them. I chill in our room, laying on the top bunk relaxed. We head to sleep at 9 ish.

Day 16 here

PCT Day 14

Day 14

27 miles

I wake up before my alarm and assemble my things slowly. Some of the others are already up but Poptart and I leave first. We fill up at the water cache and hike on. It’s a little windy but once we enter the hills it dies down and we ascend gradually. The sun slowly rises and we take a break 10 miles in. Some of the others from last night pass us and then we regroup at the next water cache. I down a 500ml bottle, thirstier than I realised. We hike on and reach Silverwood Lake. I really fancy a swim so head down to the blue lake. Poptart hikes on eager for more miles.

I eat chocolate and go for dip. The water is so refreshing cool, goosebumps instantly line my skin and I dip down to submerge myself. I rinse my clothes as a few other visitors enjoy the water. Families and couples are swimming and enjoying picnics. There's a cold breeze  coming in so I sit in the shallows and wash my feet and legs. I have no idea how they get so dirty with my trousers on. I retreat under the lifeguard box and chill there out the sun. I pick through my food when a lady approaches me and holds up a sandwich and some watermelon. Amazing! The Trail provides! Fresh fruit is always appreciated on the trail. My clothes dry within the hour and I decided to make a move.

I brush my teeth at the water fountain and sort out my feet with fresh plasters (band aids). I set off at half 1 and it’s so hot. I see a road which looks like a shortcut on my map and head up it. But after 30 minutes it becomes too overgrown to continue and I have to turn back. I keep my head down as I battle the heat. I ascend and take frequent breaks along the way to try and cool down. I drink my warm, flavoured water and survey the scenery before me. I’ve climbed quite high.

I keep a good pace and get a new blister but the thought of Mac D drives me on. I check my phone - a lot as I get towards the end of the day. Both my half mile ap and GPS. I’m so close. A hiker passes me and I try to match his pace but I can’t. Only 2 miles to go. I drop under power lines and can hear the road. I’m close. I see a wooden sign for Mac D -  0.4 miles away. I speed up considerably and can see the guys who overtook me earlier. I vault inside and order a large ¼ pound burger meal and down the various flavours of drinks they have on offer. We don’t have free refills in England so I indulge.

A guy asks me about all the hikers who pass through here and I say we’re all hiking from Mexico to Canada. He stares gob-smacked for a moment and admits he’s impressed. I then get talking to two other hikers called Globe and Namaste. They were taking the trail easy and going with the flow. They had spent 3 days at the hot springs a few miles back. Both cool guys. I eat a mcflurry and get a call from Poptart who is spending the night in a hotel and says I can join her. I head other there and sneak in. I wash my days clothes which takes ages and in the end they don’t actually come clean. Then I wash myself. I hang my clothes up to dry in the bathroom and hobble around on my poor feet. I stretch a bit which I think helps. Poptarts spend the evening on the phone as I catch up with the online world. I watch the end of the latest GOT episode and chill. It’s 10 pm when I head to sleep.

 

Day 15 Here