Start: 1944.5
Stop: 1959.8
Today’s miles: 15.3
Total PCT miles: 1812
Today was a fun one! The whole waking up bit sucked, of course. It was cold and very windy-but no one else was moving at 6am, or at 6:30.. I finally heard someone packing around 6:40 so I started, too. As I was getting out of my tent, I saw Strider! I went over to talk to her and she was planning to go into Kennedy Meadows South for a little while today too, so I told her I’d meet her there.
I finished packing and was the last to walk out of camp by maybe 5 minutes. The trail was easy going, but cold-even in my new gloves my hands stayed numb for quite a long time. The sun did shine on the valley way sooner than when I was high in the mountains, so I was happy about that.
It was a quick 7.5 miles to the road and then almost a mile to the general store everyone was going to. I got there around 10:30, everyone clapped when I walked up-it’s what you do when any hiker shows up there, like with Reece Witherspoon in “Wild.” It’s the same place. I congratulated the folks I camped with last night, because now their hike is complete, I said hi to Strider and her tramily member, Hobble-it, who reconnected with her in Independence and they’re finishing the trail together in a few days at Walker Pass.
Then, I went inside and got a Mountain Dew and a beer. I had to wait until 11am for the restaurant to open for food-but that was ok. We sat at talked and laughed a lot, then a line formed at 11 to order.. food is very serious hiker business after all. I ordered a double cheeseburger, fries, and jalapeño poppers. When it all came out 30 minutes later I devoured every single bite. My burger was gone before I had even realized I ate it all.. how is that even possible? Like, I went for a napkin and forgot while I was gone that I ate it already, as I was looking for it. Weird.
I ended up sitting awhile longer, enjoying the atmosphere, then got another beer and Mountain Dew and hung out some more. Close to 1pm I got my stuff together and said my byes to hike out. Hobble-it and I hiked together for a few miles before she got ahead of me. It was easy terrain, but the bushes of the desert were scratching at my legs and I was walking slowly through the real overgrown stuff so I wouldn’t rip my skin open. I still have a ton of scratches, but only one opened up. Why is my leg skin so fragile? Maybe I need to get pants again soon if the whole desert is going to be like this.
I made it to our stopping point by 5 something, and at first almost just kept hiking. I need to get to Walker Pass sort of early on Tuesday to help my odds of hitch hiking all the way to where Marquis is. But I’m torn because I’d like to be there when Strider and Hobble-it finish, too. So, I set up camp with them and decided I’ll figure that part out later. They both hike faster than me, so even if I camp with them, they’ll probably be at Walker Pass and get a ride before I’m even there to congratulate them. Ha.
We ate dinner together and now it’s dark before 7:30. I think I’ll try to fall asleep here soon and then get up when they do at 5:30 to start packing.. well, they get up earlier than that, but leave by 6, I can leave by 6 if I wake up at 5:30.. soooo, we’ll see. That’s my plan. And I want to get 25-27 miles tomorrow so I have less to do on Tuesday morning before all the hitching madness. Man, I hope that goes smoothly. Sorry it’s a short one, just lacking the words today, I guess. Goodnight y’all.