PCT Day 88

Start: 1367.3

Stop: 1383.8

Today’s miles: 16.5

Total PCT miles: 1235.3

I slept incredibly well, although I’ve noticed while on trail I just can’t seem to manage to sleep throughout the night without waking up here and there. It makes sense in the tent, but even in comfy beds I wake up every few hours, which is very frustrating to someone who in normal life sleeps like the dead.

We didn’t get up until 8am and then had to pack all of our stuff and get ready to leave by 9, when Denise would be back to pick us up. Also during this time of packing, I got messages from my girlfriends Stacey and Jessica about our trip to Puerto Rico in January-so, I booked my flight for that while shoving my food bag in my pack and panicking a little like I always do on “leave town” days. Once again, I bought too much food.

Denise appeared right at 9am, Pebbles (girl pebbles, not our Marquis Pebbles) and Chris/(BigBuck I think?) were riding back to the trail in Belden with us, so they were there too, loading their packs in Denise’s van. I snagged some cream cheese from the breakfast stuff in the lobby of our motel and got inside the van. Todays breakfast: a jalapeño and cheddar bagel (I bought a pack of them from the grocery store yesterday), cream cheese, Margot’s left over pizza from last night, and a Mountain Dew. The obvious breakfast of champions.

The drive through the canyon back to the trail seemed longer today, the stops for construction workers longer than when we came in, but I was glad. I was suddenly filled with dread over the climb from Belden, especially now with a fully loaded pack. We said our goodbyes, hugged, and took pictures with Denise, and then Margot and I waited a few minutes before starting up the road. Pebbles and BigBuck got their water and headed out quicker than us. I checked a few things on WiFi first, talked with Andrea (she’s getting us our microspikes for the sierras and she was booking us a hotel in Sierra City, God I love her so much!).

When we finally started up the hill-the 4,000 feet of elevation gain in 8 miles-I was hot and miserable. The gnats had already started flying into my face and sweat was dripping down my back. It was a long morning, switchbacking up the mountainside in the sun. Thankfully, the higher I got, the cooler the temperature got.. and then there were rain clouds shading me from the sun, right as the trail became exposed ridge line walking. It was beautiful, and I was so very grateful for the wind and clouds.

Once the views started to open up more and more I started asking Mother Nature to forgive all of my irritated rantings from before. I was now happy and content, even hiking uphill for several more miles. Then, the trail was still open and exposed but more up and down instead of just up. It was a welcomed change. I didn’t even stop to eat lunch, never getting hungry after all the food I ate in Denise’s van.

Before I knew it, I was walking up on Pebbles and BigBuck with their tents set up. It was a few minutes before 7pm, the sun was still up, there was water flowing nearby.. no way?! I was thrilled! I made it to camp finally before sunset and early enough to relax a bit before bed. Success. I put up my tent, got water to filter, unpacked my stuff, then went to eat dinner bedside Pebbles and BigBuck. Margot got to camp about 30 minutes after me and immediately joined me for dinner, then set her stuff up.

It’s cold up here, I closed one side of my tent because I’m shivering. I have my warm jacket on and I’m considering my leggings too now, since I’m still shivering in my quilt after being in it long enough to type this out. Maybe it’s time to ball up and get toasty warm, or maybe in need to close my other vestibule? I’ll give curling up a chance, first I think. Condensation sucks. Ok, goodnight! Hope y’all are enjoying your heat wave back home! Ps:it’s already dark at 8:38pm. Ridiculous.