PCT - Day 14: 5/2/2018 - Trail Conversations

Trail miles: 16.7 from 209.5 - 226.2
Miles hiked: 18.3

Landscape

After a group breakfast at the casino, we took a Lyft back to the I-10 bridge where our previous day had ended. We started hiking at 9:00am. Soon, Shank & Pocket Knife pulled ahead and Sabine fell back and for a while we hiked alone.

The first part of today’s hike was ugly. There was lots of litter, junk, bullet holes in signs, and generally evidence of the virus known as “people” everywhere.

signs of a virus known as 'people'

My spirits were lifted when Spooked caught up to me and started cracking jokes as we repeatedly crossed dirt roads in the Mesa wind farm while trying not to fall over from the gusts.

Mesa Wind Farm

I also caught up with Whiplash just past the wind farm where the landscape turned to more traditional hilly California desert. I even passed a rock that had a smiley face of natural holes in it today.

smiley rock

I had lunch about eight miles into our day with Shank, Pocket Knife, Whiplash, Spooked and his girlfriend (I forgot her trail name). We lined both sides of the trail during our lunch break. When others would pass through, we would hold our trekking poles up and give them a 21 gun salute.

After lunch we raced up a 1000 feet in elevation just to drop that same elevation on the other side of the hill. All told, we probably climbed about 4000 feet of elevation, but only gained 1800 feet total.

Trail Flowers

Our camp tonight is next to Mission Creek, which is the first time I have been able to soak my feet at the end of the day, and it was pure heaven.

I set up my tent on the “suburbs” away from the tent city where there are at least 15-20 people camped. I did commute into the city to eat my dinner with Shank, Pocket Knife, Who’s Your Daddy, Anja, and Opera.

Trail Family 

Conversations around meals are the greatest. We talk about everything. Topics range from who had to run of trail to shit after eating too much at the buffet, to what a bear with thumbs and trekking poles could do to people.

I also wonder how many ants died today. They were all over the trail for at least ten miles. Dozen of hikers walked through there today. Human on ant violence must end!

Left to right: Shank and Pocket Knife

Opera and I had a fun back and forth about chocolate. She told me that white chocolate is not chocolate. I told her that was blasphemy as I shoveled a handful of white chocolate M&Ms in my mouth.

Opera

For me, fun trail family moments are what the trail is all about. That combined with the beauty of the trail equals heaven on Earth.

Cactus Flower

Tomorrow we’ll climb 5500 feet in elevation. It’s supposed to be much warmer than it was today. I’m hoping to get an early start since this desert heat just kills me.

I’m laying in my tent right now listening to frogs. Frog sounds make me happy. I’ve been on trail for two weeks now. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings. For now sleep beckons, it is 8pm.

Campsite