PCT Day 7 – Lifted Up

Last night I was full of nervous energy about the climb out of camp this morning. I kept waking up. By 3:45 I was awake for good even though my alarm was set for 4:30. What could I do? Well my mom always said when you don’t know what to do you can pray. It would take my mind off my own anxieties and think about those I love and those in trouble. It calmed me down.

Into the night

Eventually the alarm goes off and I jump out of bed. I wolf down a protein bar some prunes, a liter of water and hit the trail. It is 5am. The stars are out. And I am walking by the light of my headlamp.

The hiking is quite pleasant. I am maintaining a steady pace and the trail is cushy.

I few nights ago I dreamed that my cell phone has secret powerful features. This morning I discover one of them – when I pull my phone out and look down at it, the phone’s flashlight turns on. I have never noticed this before. How does the phone know that I need a flashlight. However, when I put the phone away, the ground stays illuminated. How is this possible…oh wait. The light on the ground is from my headlamp, not the cell phone flashlight. I should not be out here unsupervised.

Pleasant surprises

The trail has been well cared for here. I love these stone embankments to stop erosion.

As I am looking at the stonework, I see some movement off trail. It a beautiful female timber rattler about 20 inches long.

There are some nice flowers here too

Perspectives

As I climb I can see the canyon I descended yesterday. My trekking pole is pointing to the top of the canyon where I camped last night.

The next view shows the Feather River as it makes its way toward Sacramento.

The last view shows my destination up 5000 feet to a ridge that traverses the Bucks Lake Wilderness and toward the road that leads to Quincy.

All through the burn these hard white branches scratch at your arms and legs like skeletal fingers. But before they died these “scratchies” were actually quite beautiful bushes. Here are the living and the dead side by side.

Personalities

This is Spaceman. He is from Oregon and has hiked up and down the PCT including one thru-hike. This time he is slowing down to enjoy it more. He has a very peaceful vibe.

I meet Uber and Touch Up at lunch. Uber is thru-hiking. He is from Kentucky and is very curious about alligators. Touch Up teaches university level organic chemistry in the California school system. One of the student groups she leads specializes in beer chemistry. Kids these days have all the luck!

These two tell me about a friend that is close behind them – a man named Bullwinkle. I tell them I am going to have some fun with him. Two hours later when I see him on the trail I pretend to know him from the beginning of the hike. I tell him about the place we met. I tell him my name again. He say, “Yes now I remember that name.” When I tell him I’m joking he can only manage a weak smile. He is beat from a 36-mile hike yesterday. I feel sorry for messing with him.

Treats

At the end of my day I reach the parking area on the road to Quincy. I discuss my options with a former thru-hiker named Taro. As we talk a young lady drives up with gourmet doughnuts! She is Linen (her real name) and she has brought her pack with her to start a hike on some local trails. I still need to find a camp so I say good bye and amble down the trail.

Surprise

I find a spot near the trail close to the road. Before I can drop my pack, have a startling encounter. Walking down the trail toward me is a bear. It does not see me. When it gets a little too close I scuff my foot on the ground so he hears me. He dashes into the brush and emerges up the trail running away.

What you don’t see is that he stopped up there and turned to look at me. Then he walked off slowly. He knows I am here now. Is that good or bad? Time will tell.

Final cuts

I am so tired, it is hard to write the blog. I took too many pictures and I don’t know what to choose or what to say, so I will just plop them in tomorrow’s post so you won’t be too disappointed.

• August 3
• Starting marker: 1286.8
• Ending marker: 1267.9
• Miles hiked today: 19
• Uncharacteristic moment: When I failed to talk to the bear. I always talk to animals. I’m Doolittle!