PCT Day 54

Start: 423.6

Stop: 433. 8

Today’s miles: 10.2

Total PCT miles: 621.7

Sometime before falling asleep last night, I had to creep out of my tent and use the portapotty one last time. The stars were simply incredible. To be in a town and the light pollution be nonexistent is pretty amazing. I stared awhile before crawling back inside my quilt and going to sleep.

I slept sooooo good! I was actually awake before my 6:30 alarm went off. I didn’t pack though, like I originally planned. My quilt was a little damp from condensation so I left everything up, but got my dirty clothes and wallet to head to town for chores. The three of us left our dirty clothes first in line, Marquis stayed with them to put them in once he was able, and Margot and I got quarters from the store and walked to the shower house at the campground in town.

Margot went first, and while she was showering, Mads came in. We all chatted while the room steamed up from the hot water. After Margot, I got my 5 minutes in the hot shower. I really cannot wait for real conditioner. I don’t like these 2 in 1 shampoo conditioner combos that make my hair look fried. Whatever, the hot water felt fantastic and I cleaned as much as I could without a washcloth and only 5 minutes to make it happen.

I walked back to town afterwards, leaving Mads to shower next. We finally got our laundry in, then Margot and I went to the little cafe for breakfast while Marquis went for his shower. I got biscuits and gravy with eggs and bacon.. plus coffee and a huckleberry mimosa. Quite nice if I do say so myself! I was actually so full from that meal that I couldn’t eat lunch!

We resupplied, packed our stuff, and still had 2 hours to kill before the shuttle. It was weird, we kept getting finished with things way faster than I thought we would. We sat around talking with everyone, until it was time to pile in a truck for a ride back to trail. We were slow to get moving at the trailhead.. but once we did it was easy going. Smooth, calm trail.. mostly in the shade of the forest. Many people hate when we walk through thick woods, but I enjoy it. Just not the mosquitoes.

Before I knew it we had made the 10 miles we were planning on. When I got there Marquis already had his tent mostly set up, which told me he didn’t want to keep going.. so, I slowly started scouting out my place to camp, too. There were already 2 other tents set up. I was starting to put mine up when Margot appeared. I got water to filter and sat near them to eat dinner.. the only flat space for my tent is on the other side of a tree.

While sitting there another couple appeared.. they were going to set up on top of my tent, but thankfully they went down a bit farther.. like where she originally pointed would be closer than I was to Stache that night.. and that was a bit much. As I’m laying in my tent now, people are making excessive noises with their water bottles and I’m finding it very annoying, even though I haven’t been in an irritated mood today, so I don’t know why I’m finding their normal end of day racket so infuriating.. but atlas I am, and it makes me smile all the same because I know my bestie Lauren would understand my crazy. As I lay here, not tired at all yet, but with my earplugs in because I might scream if one of them flops their water around like that again.

Anyway. It’s only 7:30 and I’m considering going to sleep, earplugs in place. Or reading some of a new book that I have on my kindle app. Maybe my sudden irritation will be gone when I wake up, you know, after I get some more sleep. Haha. Man I’m such a weirdo. Oh, well. Sweet dreams, y’all.