PCT Day 18

Day 18

26 miles

We wake up and were all ready for 5 am. The other two go on up first and I trail behind. It was a monotonous hill and I luckily signal half way up allowing me to listen to Apocalyptica which takes my mind off the hill. I find a dirt road and walk on for a few miles before descending down to the PCT again. I meet a hiker called Walken - named because of his impression of Christopher Walken. We’d met briefly last night before he’d decided to night hike. We hike up the hill talking of America, England, hiking, eating and the campsite coming up ahead.

Once at the top we chill for a bit on the log and eat lunch, ready to walk the 13 miles down to the campsite. We keep talking of the campsite which is quite commercial with showers and pizza delivery. The sun is warming up slowly and I can feel it warming my face. We zigzag descending the hill and alarm a rattlesnake. We both jump and dart away. As the day goes on we get slower and slower and the miles take longer to complete. We go down and make it to the ranger station where a volunteer is working. There is a choice of pop cans and chocolate bars. I donate a 1$ and down a coke and Mars bar. The guy who seems lonely comes out to talk and has loads of valuable info about the trail and the surrounding area. We then chat in the shade for 20 mins about America.

It takes us ages to head to KOA campsite. I bash out the first 4 miles then slow down, the zigzagging back, round and down teasing me. As the crow flies the campsite is a mile away but on the trail it’s like 6 miles. I take off my shoes and chill and wait 15 mins for Walken to catch up. We walk barefoot for the next 2 miles and take a break, put our shoes on and get on the road then get to the campsite! It feels good to be there. We find Roadrunner and Noah - Rocky’s friend and leave our bags on the wooden bandstand which has plugs! We head to the shop and I buy a twix ice cream and chocolate muffin. Then Pussin boots arrives and we ordere pizza. I get a medium cheese pizza which tastes epic! Then go for an amazing shower my feet grimey as and then I get into my sleeping bag for 10pm zzz. I feels good to be still, well fed and soon to be asleep. I don’t set an alarm as I plan to take the morning off. I know I’ll still wake up early though.

Day 19

 

PCT Day 17

Day 17

34 miles

Waking at 5 am I can hear Roadrunner and Puss in boots moving about. It’s till dark in the morning twilight. I can see Puss in Boots red head torch flickering between the trees. I could hear them dismantling their tents and then they were gone. Poptart was next and then I was next. I was swift to pack my tent and sleeping bag away and I was soon descending through the pine forest, the path ladened with rocks. My trusty Yucca stick setting the rhythmic timing that goes with walking.

It was a beautiful morning and the moon drifted lazily in the pale blue sky. I headed down to the road which lead back up to the trail but I decided to hike on the road. It was quicker and meant I would not have to go up or down needlessly. So off I went. It was actually quite nice walking along it at 6am with no traffic. Steep drop were on my left and a flat row of clouds lay in the distance. The trail crossed the road again but I stayed on the road. I headed through two tunnels and saw a stoney drain leading under them. I arrived at a picnic site, had breakfast and walked on, the next water source was coming up in a campsite. I pass a derelict ski lifts and old ski resorts as the sun slowly got warmer. A park ranger stopped to ask If I was OK, then said water was a mile away. Maybe he thought I needed help since I was walking along the road.

At the campsite I re-plaster my feet, brush my teeth, ate snacks, brush my hair and then Poptart and Roadrunner arrived. We chat for a bit then I walked on. I return to the road and eventually rejoin the PCT where I meet the 400 mile mark. I cross the road and chill at a car picnic place to devour a Mars bar. Walking on I pass a car with a lone Korean man who gives me some wine rice bread which is pretty tasty and I made my way back onto the trail. I walk up a few hundred feet and I’m pleased that the sun is omitted by clouds. I walk into a rattlesnake and retreated 3 steps back. It eventually moves after a minute but still rattles at me as it passed. Then I met a bigger one on a verge just above the path. I hop, skip and jump when I hear it, as you are a bit disorientated and unsure where they are at first. Luckily I saw no more.

I was about ten miles away from the water source - 34 mile day! I push on, the thought of snakes making me forget I’m climbing. Then I arrive into a beautiful green and flowery meadow and startled a trio of deer. I got signal and chat to a friend and send a few emails, 6 miles to go. I zigzag down out of the valley and eat gummy rings as I go. I’m getting close and very eager to end my 34 mile day. Down and down I go till I’m a few miles away and Blond Shadow turns up on time. I can see him behind flicking in and out of sight. I get to the water pump and filled up. Blond Shadow catches up and we chat for a bit before he night hikes on. I chat with a few hikers when Poptart and Road runner arrived. They haven’t seen Puss in boots all day. We cowboy camp in front of the fire station and I wake up at 2 am due to the big spot light of the moon in my face.

 

Day 18 here

 

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