PCT SOBO WEEK 4

Day 22 – 20.8 miles

Today felt better. I let myself sleep in a bit since I actually didn’t sleep super great. My body is tired and wants a break, but unfortunately, I can’t take one yet.

I meander through the first five miles sorta mindlessly. My shins both feel better but definitely still not good, and my feet feel mostly decent. I’ll take it.

Many water sources have been contaminated with norovirus here, and I’m a hypochondriac and also have a phobia of vomiting, so I opt to carry most of my water for the day. I filled up three liters at a source I found to be very safe and got on with the day.

Trail magic ahead! This was the talk of the morning. Right when I need it the most!

Ed was a wonderful man. He gave me fresh foods, chips, and White Claws. I found myself wanting to stay and chat with him, so I did. He had recorded some songs that he wrote about trail and they were honestly hilarious. I stayed for almost three hours before reluctantly leaving. He told me that Ally was there this morning, although admittedly, I have given up on trying to catch up or keep up.

I’m not sure if it was the White Claws or the warm breeze that got into me, but I came across a large lake and decided that I was going for a swim.

Suspended in the warm, crystal blue alpine waters, I felt weightless. I felt free. I felt like maybe I need to enjoy things a little more. This is going to be over one day, and much sooner than I want it to be. I won’t be here again.

Today, I decided to stop and enjoy the little things. To go a little slower, both by choice and because my feet are slowly going to shit and I’m hoping it doesn’t just continue to get worse. Either way, I found myself feeling like this is exactly where I need to be right now.

Growing up, I’ve always felt physically frail. I still do, often. Ed told me that I’m an athlete, and a lot of people say that, but I don’t see myself that way. I see myself as someone who is frail and has something to prove.

Today, I could have killed myself and done a 30, mostly because the number sounds good. But when you spend the whole day just walking, you miss out on Ed’s songs, the gentle breeze giving you chills as you emerge from a lake, the feeling of sand on bare feet, and quite frankly, a lot of the experience.

In my early twenties, I worked in a nursing home. I watched the dying process often in my job, and to be blunt, it totally fucked me up. For years I questioned the meaning of life, feared my mortality, and desperately searched for anything to make it all make sense.

The longer I’m out here, the more I realize that maybe it doesn’t necessarily have a huge important meaning or purpose. Maybe it’s just about taking the time that you have and spending it on something you care about. Expanding the horizons of what you thought was possible and taking a chance. Having a human experience.

Today, I had a human experience, and I think maybe for once, it’s all making sense.

Day 23 – 13.8 miles

Today started out rough. Throughout the night, sap dropped all over my tent, and a chipmunk harassed the shit out of me, so I just didn’t sleep much at all. I woke up in a terrible mood and it was cloudy, which wasn’t helping the situation at all.

I rushed through the day, just trying to get to White Pass. I ran out of food and gagged my way through my last bar. My body feels lethargic and weak and hates these bars.

I cried a few times, over nothing, really. My feet felt a bit better, but I can just tell that I’m kinda wiped out. I fell over literally nothing right onto my face and I couldn’t help but laugh. What a ridiculous day, I feel insane with all of these emotions.

I finally got to White Pass, and they were so wonderful to me. They had absolutely no gluten free options on the menu, but were able to find some gluten free bread and made me two delicious sandwiches that I absolutely destroyed.

I found Ally, but she was leaving. I wanted to leave too, but I am just not up to it. I really need to take a break. I found the Kracker Barrel to be totally overwhelming and just felt like I needed more solitude. Nothing against their setup, it was wonderful, just some days I really just need to be by myself.

I lucked out and found some condos that were being rented out and decided that it was definitely worth the money to have a proper recharge – both mentally and physically.

This last section was super tough for me in a lot of ways. But that’s what I’m doing all this for – to be challenged in new ways and to overcome. So tomorrow, I’m heading back out on some low milage and then I’ll be taking it a bit slower the rest of the way to Oregon.

At first, I felt weak for choosing “the easy way out” by renting a room instead of roughing it…. But I’ve been trying to be easier on myself. There is nothing wrong with taking a break and treating myself well, and I’m glad I made this decision.

Day 24 – 6.3 miles

I woke up to the rain, but thankfully I was in a nice cushy condo, so it didn’t even matter. I lazed around in bed for an hour, enjoying a slower start to the morning. I made myself a hot breakfast, took and shower, and did some stretching. I stubbed the dogshit outta my pinky toe (that I suspect is broken/something is amiss with it) in the middle of the night, and ironically, my toe isn’t popping and painful anymore when I move it…. Divine intervention.

At 11:00, I meandered over to the Kracker Barrel to kill some time and enjoy more food. I ate and ate and ate, and it’s clear I had not eaten enough on trail. I will work on that.

Jerret and Alex showed up, so I was stoked to see them again and went over to their table to visit. Joe Dirt (who I met near Tehachapi) and Conway arrived shortly after. We drank beers and shot the shit for a few hours, and I really didn’t want to leave.

But I did. The rain stopped and I took my chance, my plan was low milage today anyway. I read about a dirt roadwalk shortcut and went for it, but missed the turn somewhere and had to route find back to trail (just as it started pouring rain). I got soaked and felt irritable.

Until I saw a beautiful herd of elk, and then I was also back on the PCT. I entered Goat Rocks Wilderness and the rain stopped. Thank God, I hate the rain. I realized I might be more of a desert person, actually.

The terrain was super interesting and I entered a large field of lava rock. I found one for my Poppa and plan to send it home to him, he lost his rock collection when their home was lost to the Camp Fire, so I want to help him get a collection started again.

I spied the most delicious little spire. It caught my eye immediately and reminded me of a certain scramble in Lassen that eluded me last year because I was too scared of the down climb. Fuck it, I’m gonna scramble it, or at least try.

I dunno if it was the FireBall shooters or the fact that I miss feeling terrified on spicy, class three terrain (lookin at you, Mount Broderick), but I picked a line and started climbing.

Aspects of it scared me, but I continued on. Deliberately and cautiously, testing every hold before committing. I got to the crux of the climb, a scary class three chute with some loose rock. I took some deep breaths and told myself I can. And I did. I yelled “yeah!!!!” at the top, just like those annoying college dudes do at the top of a waterfall. I was pumped.

The down climb scared me, per usual. But I was slow and steady and got it done without incident. I got back to my pack that I left on the side of the trail and continued on.

I wanna do more of this, I felt like myself again today.

Day 25 – 16.9 miles

It rained off and on throughout the night. I also heard mountain goats at one point but couldn’t see them through the darkness. Somehow, everything was dry this morning though, probably thanks to the strong wind the developed overnight.

The day started in dense woods, not my fav but it was alright. Soon, I passed by the Goat Rocks Wilderness sign. I’ve been looking forward to Goat Rocks since last year.

The weather was iffy, still sprinkling periodically and quite cloudy at times. I accepted that today might not be super interesting if the clouds obstruct every view, but will still summit Old Snowy Mountain regardless – if nothing else than for the bragging rights.

The climb into the peaks of Goat Rocks was grueling. Super steep through scree and talus. It hurt my everything. I took it slow, I really wanted to take it all in today.

I meet a German fellow and he says he’s met me before, but I can’t remember. He tells me I gave him and his friends a ride from Chester and it all comes back to me. What a small world.

The views come into view, and as suspected were clouded over. I found a small piece of obsidian. The wind would pick up, and for a moment, the clouds would dissipate and reveal the awe-inspiring views around me. Goat Rocks sure is special.

The clouds would clear for around 30 seconds at a time, so I would completely stop and take as many pictures as I could. I already enjoy looking back at them. Right before the junction to Old Snowy, I met Snow Leopard. He was the first person to make it through the Sierra and I could have talked to him for days, it’s not like I was rushing to get to the peak to not have a view anyway.

Alas, miles must be made, so I said goodbye. I turned to the Old Snowy junction, and I was in talus hell up to the peak. My feet were pissed, I really need new shoes.

I arrived at the peak, I couldn’t see a damned thing but was happy I was there regardless. I have bragging rights now, suck it.

There was even more relentless talus on the way down, and I grew impatient and grouchy. So I forced myself to take a break and eat something…. I might have just been hungry.

I committed to doing a lower milage day today cause that climb honestly kicked my ass and I just felt lazy. And boy, am I glad I did! The last few miles of the day were completely breathtaking, and I even found an awesome ridge top stealth camp that overlooks everything. It’s windy as shit, I sorta have a windbreak, but this might be my favorite camp (until the wind rips one of my stakes out anyway).

Day 26 – 22.2 miles

It started pouring rain around 5:30 a.m., and it was every excuse for me to sleep in. For once in my life, that tactic actually paid off because it quit around 7:30 a.m., and packing up is much better when it’s not raining.

Right off the bat, the scenery was just incredible. The clouds really make things more dynamic than I feel like they would be otherwise, I dig it. Although, I hate the weather here, I have to say.

I pass by some incredible basalt formations and I think about our LoveJoy basalt back home, it’s a really special rock.

I get into the green tunnel and stay there all day. But the trail is flat and smooth, which is a nice change of pace from yesterday. Sometimes I think too smooth of a trail hurts my feet worse, though. Because the day couldn’t really be that easy, I get nailed four times in the ankle by a hornet, I’ve stepped on a nest or something. Also, I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again (hopefully for the last time on this trip), bee stings hurt so fucking bad.

The sun pops out around noon, and I manage to dry everything out. The spot I’m taking a break at vaguely smells of carcass, I wonder what died, I try to make a joke to other hikers, but it doesn’t land and then I just feel awkward.

I meet Spironi in the thick of the mosquito apocalypse. He comes at me with a weird question right off the bat, but he seems hella cool, so I don’t really mind. He asked, “Where are you from?” super directly, like he had seen me before or something. I replied with “Paradise, CA”, and he told me he had just listened to a podcast about that.

In his typical fashion, he asks another very direct question. He asks why I went back. Which nobody ever asks, so I told the truth. Because I’m resilient and if there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s how to get knocked down and get back up – every time. And sometimes maybe I need to tell myself that more.

I found a nice camp, but felt horrible the last mile, but that’s ok, I just don’t think these kinda days are gonna feel great, especially when I desperately need some new shoes.

Day 27 – 20.6 miles

Today was a bit boring. The views of Mount Adams were nice, but I’m just ready to go to town, the cloudy mornings in Washington make me feel sluggish and I hate the weather here.

It makes sense as to why everything is so green, but the rain wears me down.

I slowly putted through the day. Stopping periodically to take in a view. At one break spot, I heard what I thought was thunder, but turned out to be a small rockfall on Mount Adams! It was intimidating and awesome!

My mood dramatically improved throughout the day as the sun dominated the once cloudy sky. I even found a nice spot of cell service where I could call my mom and grandma. It was really nice, despite the incessant biting flies (I just wore my rain gear, worked out great).

I’m really enjoying the change of pace and I still made good time getting to camp despite doing a bunch of fuckin off. Maybe I’m finding my groove out here, I felt pretty darn good today.

Day 28 – 0 miles

I wake up to it raining AGAIN. I’m so glad I’m going into town today and don’t have to hike in this bullshit again, I am beyond sick of this weather.

It makes me really appreciate the weather back home, even though it gets horribly hot, I would rather have that than all this moisture all the time.

I arrive at Trout Lake and am happy to eat some food. I am even happier to know that I can finally take a day off to rest.

I witness someone’s hike end, and the reality hits me that it’s a very real possibility for things to not work out. I feel thankful that I can continue, and to take it as an example to listen to my body when it tells me to slow down. I am privileged to be able to do this without any time constraints, and should take advantage of that fact.

I meet Conway and Alex at the taco truck for dinner and it’s fun to catch up with them. Davie Crockett also shows up, and we all socialize for a bit. It’s nice to see familiar faces when I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of NOBOs.

I ride the loner bike back to my hotel and enjoy a nice quiet evening to myself. I love spending time with me. It’s funny, cause I am alone all day every day, and then when I get to town, I just wanna be alone more.