PCT Day 85

Start: 1308.4

Stop: 1336.1

Today’s miles: 27.7

Total PCT miles: 1186.9

I seemed to roll around a lot last night, but every time I checked my watch (I love my new watch!) a few hours had passed, so I think I slept ok. Once again, we were up, packed, and on trail by 7am.

Pretty much all of today was walking from one burn zone to the next. Most of the morning was spent on a downhill with pretty views. Even through the burnt trees, it was enjoyable. I didn’t have any of the same overwhelming sadness like I did yesterday. I was grateful, because these burn zones will continuing being an every day thing for quite a while. They can be so exhausting on my brain.. and I never know when they’re going to trigger nightmares for several days in a row. Hopefully these don’t.

We collected water at a pretty river and then headed uphill for a good chunk of the late morning. It sprinkled on us, just enough to prove the water really can come out of those big scary clouds.. and then it stopped. It had been hot and then unbearable, then back to just hot, and even a little cool. The weather was all over the place today.

We ate lunch sitting beside a pond on a slab of wood. It was nice and sunny, but no bugs at all. From there we climbed up and down and walked through some active logging areas. When we met the road to Chester, California.. we couldn’t decide what to do. We have plenty of food, so we didn’t need to go, and we had only gone 19 miles so we needed to push farther-but the rain clouds looked Ominous and honestly sometimes town just calls to ya out here.

I decided to stick my thumb out for 5 vehicles. If one stopped, it was a sign: we deserve town food! And if not-well, we didn’t I guess. No one stopped. I pouted, but we kept hiking. We continued through more logging areas until we came upon a wide river-slow if moving at all.. with cows on the other side and no bridge. It had fallen through. Awesome.

I took off my socks and shoes and put on my crocs for the wide trek. It got up to mid thigh in the middle of the river, and the river bed was thick mud, causing me to have to yank my crocs up with each step, but I made it across just fine. Margot went across barefoot (this water really looked nasty) and went a slightly different way, but made it to the other end safely, too. The herd of cows all left, mooing and glancing back at us every so often.. I guess no cow tipping for us today!

While we were sitting on the shore, letting our feet dry and getting ready to put our socks and shoes on, Switch, from awhile ago (the one that said he knew I was a nurse because I give off nurse vibes), appeared! He had already went north to the Canadian border and had just flipped back down to Chester to finish his hike in the Sierras. Small world! He powered through the water with his shoes on and then kept on trucking past us. He’s fast, and he’s still pretty dang hot, too. Forgive me, but I’m not blind over here.

After we started moving again, the majority of the the afternoon was spent climbing uphill. There were switchbacks of course, and the heat had cooled off tremendously, but it still had my heart pumping. Around 6:30 we made it to the midway point marker! Although, since I had to jump that 148 miles due to the fires, im technically not half way yet.. but close enough.. and as far as getting to Mexico this year, I am! I won’t be going back to do that 148 miles until next year more than likely, since I won’t have time before my trip to Egypt this year.

We took pictures and I ate my dinner sitting at the marker. Margot sat with me, but wasn’t hungry yet. When I packed up, we had our headlamps out and were ready to hike the next 7 miles regardless of the time. We got to watch the sunset while walking up to a ridge line and then down through the trees. It was stunning. We got swarmed by a bunch of hummingbirds.. which was incredible and had me laughing and talking to Paula. Even Margot indulges me and says it’s Paula when she sees them, too!

It got all the way dark just after 8:30, and headlamps were on for the next hour or so. We passed some green eyes, multiple times, which would cause me to stop in my tracks and hold my breath.. and every time it was a deer. Sneaky boogers. Which, thank god-I’d probably pass out if it was a mountain lion! We made it to camp around 9:35, and my feet were and still are throbbing.

We set up our tents as far as we could from the dead trees.. but the whole time I’ve been laying here with my feet propped up, typing this out, I’ve heard tons of cracks and pops from these dead trees. I’m praying none of them end up falling on or near us. It’s a little unnerving for sure-but when the whole area you’re hiking through for an entire week is a burn zone, it’s hard to find places without sketchy surroundings. It’s either *some* dead trees, a ton of them, or exposed ridgelines in the wind and potential thunderstorms that keep threatening us daily.

Fun times, huh? I really should be on a beach somewhere.. lol. Type 2 fun, living up to the hype! Ok, it’s 10:30 now and I’m absolutely wiped out. Goodnight, fingers crossed the trees stay put 🙂