PCT Day 32

Day 32

Miles - 20

I wake at the crack of dawn feeling excited to be getting back on the trail. It’s still dark and quiet. A golden haze lingers on the horizon through the trees trying to overpower the dark blue sky. I get up and pack up quietly as not to disturb Snakebite and the others. It’s a little after 5am by the time I get walking. I refind the trail and have fun walking on the sand. Everything is so still and quiet. Only a few birds are up. After a mile I come across a campsite which acts like a gateway into the Sierras. Cars, tents and campervans are dotted here and there. I nod at the lone early risers of the day and hike on.

I enter the Sequoia National Park which consists of ups and downs through Rocky and sandy pastures.  I pass a few who hiked out last night and begin the gradual ascent. The sun is rising slowly over the stoney valley edge which has pine trees clinging to it. I enter a blackened forest and the heat begins to hit. The path levels off for a bit then begins to climbs and I start to suffer. It’s so hot and there is no shade. I trudge along sweating, head down and wishing of shade. Eventually I reach a beautiful meadow encased by hills on either side. It’s the first I’ve seen so far on the trail and the first of many! I wade through the grassy scene before heading back up into the pines.

It’s a slow hike up and I come across an open rocky area and can see a bendy blue river below in the verdant valley. Black cows laze around in and out of the river. Which I’ll be drinking in a few mins. I brave the tree-less walk and head to the river. Yep the water tastes just like cows even with flavoured powder. I can taste cows and see swallow poop from under the bridge sail by as I collect my water yummy. I head up into the trees, where a father and son and Australian guy and French woman are chilling. I sit down, eat and people come and go. I chill and nap slightly.

It gets to 4pm and I chill briefly by the river as trios of scouts accompanied by leaders roll up. I eventually head out for 4:30 and make slow progress, the hill is hard. I’m so tired and I pass a few people and a few people pass me. I’m stopping every few meters and even in the shade of the trees and lateness of the day it’s warm. Blue and I leaf frog for a while then pitch our sleeping bags 2 miles from the top - so tired.

It is nice to have finally entered the Sierras and I look forward to seeing more in the next few weeks.

Day 33 here

PCT Day 31

Day 31

Miles 0

Up early I sit on the bench next to the store and update my journal. I’m the only one up apart from the odd hiker who wanders to the bathroom. I see a bike resting against a tree and decide to take it for a spin. I have no idea who it belongs to but it looks like it hasn't been used in a while(not that it makes it ok). I take off and speed down the hill. It feels great to be speeding along freely and weightless. There are no cars so I own the road cruising along. I return after half an hour and see another hiker on the bench now. I nod as I return the bike. Thank you to the bike owner who ever you are.

For breakfast I chow down on real milk and cereal and chill again for the day. This is my fourth zero day. I don’t feel bad and see it as a big break before I tackle the next section through the sierras. Slowly everyone from last night wake up nursing hang overs. Throughout the day more people arrive, others leave, Kyle arrives, everyone gets hiker magic and free chilli dogs are served. I soak my feet. I rummage through the numerous hiker boxes which are filled with stuff people have ditched in last minute attempts to lighten their loads. We then find some light romance novels and take turns reading them in our best French/British/Australian/German accents - Snakebite is particularly good at this.

I paid for my 97$ tab - which included a bear canister and pack my bag ready to head out bright and early tomorrow. My bag is brimming with the cannister…..

Then a small water fight breaks out as the store sold water guns. I eventually go to bed for 10ish. I actually aimed to leave that evening but that never happened.

Day 32 here

PCT Day 30

Day 30

Miles 0

I wake up and get up early at 6am. I sit on a wooden bench, write a letter home and watch the others slowly wake up. By 9am there are a enough people and we all head to Grumpy Bears, the owner of the restaurant down the road for breakfast.  There we treat ourselves to all you can eat pancakes and scrambled eggs and bacon. It tastes awesome but I can only eat 2 pancakes before I’m stuffed.

Afterwards we head back and all relax for the rest of the afternoon. I need a bear canister and instead of buying one you can hire one. Grumpy Bear said to come back at 1pm to see if the post had returned any to him. So I walk down with another hiker to see if any bear canisters had been returned but none had so I’ll have to buy one. We walk back slowly under an umbrella then we get a lift back from a kind local where we are able to sit in the hatchback. Back at Kennedy Meadows people slowly walk in and a few hikers hitch in. I see a few familiar faces and it’s a hikers birthday. Their parents posted two huge parcels with party hats, cakes, a few gifts and sweets. Then a local who lives down the road invites us over to his to play disc golf and continue the party other there. He is amazing at disc golf. It’s really hard to get the heavy Frisbee into the basket but great fun. Then Snakebite and a few others arrive as night falls.

Day 31 here