Month: July 2017

Today was an exciting day because we had some scenic hiking, beers, and a reunion. 

We got up early at our beautiful stream campsite and packed our gear. We only had 10 miles into Belden and it was supposed to be mostly downhill. 

On the way down we passed many cold streams and watery crossings. It was the first time in a while that we needed to cross logs to keep from getting wet since the Seirra. The descent often seemed to be more uphill than downhill. The elevation profile didn’t really capture the nuances that really felt like they added up. In spite of the varied terrain it was very enjoyable and interesting. 

We descended into Belden and were struck by how charming and quaint it was. It was, at the moment, this sleepy little town with only a few buildings and power station on the edge of a river. 

It had an inn, a saloon, an old garage, and a general store. I was at a loss at first as to how to behave but soon a few hikers came out of the saloon and started milling about and we got the gist. Sherpa tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to a hiker that just came out and instantly I recognized him. It was Crash! Our friend crush from way back in Idylwild.

It was so good to see him and we all went inside the saloon for food and drinks. Inside I noticed a couple drinking a Bloody Mary and I had to have one! Crash said he had never had one before so I ordered him one two. They were delicious, especially with some hot sauce. 

We chatted and laughed for a few hours and then decided it was time to start the climb out of here and say goodbye. Both of us had hard climbs ahead of us but ours was going to be straight up and it was HOT outside! We said our goodbyes and were on our way.  We will miss our friend. 

The climb was difficult but rewarding. The views were stunning and we headed to a campsite that was very exposed and had a terrific view of the sunset and lakes below. 

We made dinner at sunset and then turned in. Durring the night I noticed the moon rise and it was only a sliver of a waning crescent. It was so perfect and almost artificial hanging on the edge of the horizon. I closed my eyes and we slept like little hiker babies. 

Today we were really excited because we were heading to Chester and we were thinking cheeseburgers and milkshakes. We also were both out of Aqua Mira that we use to treat water and Chester is one of the few towns that stocks it. We woke up around six and packed up. 

We basically had one big uphill then it was mostly downhill to town. The climb felt short and it was a really pretty morning. When town is within 10 miles, it feels like time flies and we can crush miles! 

Soon we found ourselves in a flat forest of tall pines and then exited to a busy, two lane road. There were two hikers attempting to hitch on the other side of the road. We joined them and started attempting to thumb our way to town. 

It was a weekend so there was lots of traffic but they weren’t locals so they looked at us suspiciously and drove on by. Soon Phil and another couple showed up and there were now seven of us trying to get a ride. I was holding out hope for a truck so we could all get a ride at the same time. 

After about 30 minutes of awkward glances and funny hand gestures a fire fighter pulled over in his red truck and we all squeezed in the back and the cab. It was tight but we didn’t mind. 

Within minutes we were outside the cafe and on our way inside.  There I destroyed a breakfast and about 6 cups of coffee. Sherpa got lunch and also made it disappear in no time. 

We heard that the only affordable hotel in town was booked solid but we planned on trying to see if any rooms opened up after brunch and our resupply. 

We finished brunch and headed over to the grocery store to resupply. We only had a few days until Belden so it was going to be a quick resupply. Unfortunately I purchased an ungodly amount of food and so my bag was now very heavy. At the store we met up with Phil and chatted with him outside. He had already gone to the Inn and secured a room but said that there were no other rooms available and the owner didn’t allow sharing. 

We all walked together to the outfitter and got some Aqua Mira then Sherpa needed some ice cream so we walked to Pine Tree Frosty and stopped at the hotel on the way, just to double check. They were booked so we left Phil to enjoy his room. 

Pine Tree Frosty was fantastic and cheap. I was already hungry so I ordered food and Sherpa a milkshake. We ate and charged our phones then headed across the street to grab a shower and do laundry at the laundry mat. We decided we would hike out that night since there was no where to stay. 

The shower was out of order because no one had emptied the change collector so we were really bummed at first. Sherpa, true to form, did some research and found out that the RV park allowed hikers to shower for $5.  Soon we were both clean and had clean clothes. We were feeling a million times better. Back to the Pine for dinner to go and then the plan was to hitch out. 

While I was ordering Sherpa found us a ride from a sweet trail Angel named Vickie who’s job it was to stay in the fire towers and spot fires. Vickie was really interesting and knew a lot about the area. 

She dropped us at the trail and gave us hugs and we were on our way. We only had time for a few miles so we were able to enjoy ourselves inspite of the climb. We were heading to a campsite described in Guthook as “the best campsite ever.” 

The Best Campsite Ever

I am daily reminded that our ability as human beings to communicate accurately and honestly is largely undermined by our own limited perspective and the drastically reductive spoken language. 

Hyperbole is intrinsic in our daily expression and we don’t have a light on our foreheads indicating to what degree we are exaggerating or oversimplifying. 

For those people I dont know well, I have learned to quarantine information presented until I have seen the described subject for myself. It helps temper my fear, anxiety, or excitement brought about by a piece of “helpful” information. 

Instead of taking stranger’s word literally I often simply register it and use it as insight into their human experience.  I think this has been a helpful tool to avoid unneeded disappointment or fear while helping me to understand perspective itself. 

The Best Campsite Ever was actually very typical in many regards. It was by a very small stream with lots of mosquitos. The sites were all taken and so we made our own though it was lumpy. The unique feature that I think pushed this site into the realm of exceptional for the enthusiastic Guthook contributor was the cell phone signal, which was excellent. 

This experience was only a small example but it was a good reminder to carry a healthy dose of salt. I have experienced many examples of exaggerated warnings that nearly prevented me from doing some of my most memorable moments of my human experience. This was simply an example of a harmless exaggeration in a positive direction. 

I try to use these experiences to reflect on my own interactions, warnings, and descriptions and find opportunities to allow others to experience the world through their own eyes without my reductive lenses. 

Regardless we set up an enjoyable campsite and watched a movie together on my phone.  After the movie, we fell asleep like little hiker babies. 

Today was very enjoyable and was a nice change from the last few days. Overall, the terain, on the trail itself, was a lot less of the rough volcanic rock we had been walking on and more on gravel and dirt. The surrounding area however had all the markings of a land once riddled with volcanic activity.  

We were also excited because our day was split up by the promise of lunch at JJ’s Diner. We started out early, getting up at 6 a.m. to make sure we were there before it closed, though our fears turned out to be unfounded. The morning hiking was pleasant and we had about 8 miles to the next water source, Lost Creek. Lost Creek was supposedly a beautiful and cold stream but only accessible by walking 7 minutes down a steep ridge and much longer back up. 

I promised Sherpa I would hike it for her so we wouldn’t have to carry water for 16 miles.  When we arrived I walked down the steep ravine wall and reached the bottom. The stream was unbelievably cold and clear. After grabbing 6 litres of water for the both of us I dipped myself into the stream and almost passed out. The water was so cold it took my breath away. Needless to say it felt amazing in the heat and my wet clothes were an asset on the hot and difficult assent back to the trail. 

On the way up my arms were freezing from carrying the cold 2 litre bladders. I reached the top after a few minutes and Sherpa was in tears, wracked with guilt for letting me get the water without helping.  I thought it was both hilarious and terribly sweet. I really didn’t mind going down and I enjoyed the stream. I also knew how much she didn’t want to go so I was happy to do it for the both of us. We are so different. 

She quickly recovered and soon we were on our way and chatting. The rest of the miles to JJ’s went smoothly and we arrived in a well groomed park just off the trail. Sherpa used the bathroom while I datum in the soft green grass. Then we both sauntered passed a gas station and then to JJ’s. There we ordered lunch, Sherpa a Soda and me a beer. 

After lunch we made our way back to the bass station for more snacks and to sit below a pine tree out back. When checking out I looked at Sherpa and said “want to buy a scratcher?” She excitedly said yes and so I gave the cashier $2 for a lottery ticket.  I had a good feeling about this moment and, sure enough, we won the lottery!

A $2 dollar investment turned into a $5 windfall. Big day for us! Of course we reinvested $2 more dollars of our return to see if we could go bigger. We weren’t so lucky on the second round, or so we thought. As I was leaving the gas station, the 3 hikers we had seen the last couple of days said that the restaurant had made a mistake on our bill and voided the check! Double jeopardy! What a day. 

After we snacked our last snack and packed our Pringles in our bags we took off to get the last 9 miles of the day out of the way. 

In the first mile, we came across some amazing lava tube caves and sink holes that I would love to come back to explore. We took a few photos and continued on. The hike continued to be relatively flat, wooded and enjoyable.  I am going to miss this section when we get back in the business of all day climbs. 

Three hours later we were pitching our tent on the edge of an old burned out forest turned prairie, in a beautifully recovering forest with a thick bed of pine needles. We ate dinner and reclined in our tent, and before long we were asleep like little hiker babies. 

Today was a great day for both of us. We had hiked our first official 30 yesterday and that only left us with 18 miles to the Burney Mountain Guest Ranch with the Burney Falls and State Park General Store at the half way point. I could tell it was going to be a rewarding day.

We woke up at 6 and were walking by 7 with only a few bug bites. I was really plugged into the BBC space podcast all morning, as I was most of the day the day before.  The podcast isn’t “good”,  it is really just a random collection of broadcasts by the BBC that they must have simply tagged as space related. That being said, it has really spiked my curiosity by frustrating me with a lack of detail. I am realizing on this trail an old desire to become a scientist is still very much alive in me. I am not sure I could stomach the public sector though my conscience really protests against the private sector.  The first BBC podcast I listened to was about the history and significance of the study of Infinity. It was such a poor podcast in some ways because it was so high level and elementary but it was sufficient to leave me wanting more. As I have been listening it has been very easy for me to see how math, science, art, and philosophy have always been intrinsically linked and I am eager be a part of that development.

My favorite topic they discussed was Zeno’s paradoxes. Especially the Dichotomy argument, where essentially if you attempt to go from a point A to a point B, you will have to go half the distance of A and B. And in order to continue to get to B you will have to go half the remaining distance, and so on. It raises so many wonderful questions about our conscious finite and unconscious infinite experiences that have still yet to be fully answered. In fact, the phrase “and so on” in it of itself is an amazing feet of human consciousness. The fact that we can contemplate a summarized and approximated version of infinity is both striking and beautiful to me. It also has special significance in a seemingly never ending walk each day that suddenly comes to a close.

After just 3 hours and 3 podcasts we arrived at Burney Falls and we were not disappointed. First, because of hiker priorities, we went to the General Store for ice cream, soda, and a real bathroom! After we were refreshed and relaxed we walked down to the falls and wow what a gorgeous scene that awaited us. It was like out of a hidden corner of Hawaii or something to that effect.

We took a few pictures and hit the road to the ranch. Unfortunately as soon as we walked a mile away I immediately had to go to the bathroom again so I broke off on my own and Sherpa on her own.

I caught her a few hours later at a wonderful trail magic with snacks and lemonde! I really needed it because we entered a section of hot, red, volcanic rock and with little water. I only had one sip left of water to get me through the next 3 miles which I was planning on rationing. Apparently Sherpa was in the same boat. We stopped for a few minutes and then gobbled up the next couple of miles to the Ranch.

The Ranch was .3ish off the trail and when we arrived it was very hot and so we were eager to get in the shade. Immediately we were greeted by the owner and manager with ice cream. The best part of all was seeing old friends. Rise, Shine, and Snake Bite were there to greet us and as always they were there with smiles and hugs. Which when you are smelly and not fit for society feel so welcoming, friendly, and kind. They are all sisters and I am amazed at how well they have supported and strengthen each other throughout their trail experience.   They seem as though they are not sisters so much as really good friends. It was the highlight of our experience at the ranch to sit and talk with them.

We soon settled in and washed ourselves and our clothes. Then we sat down for a wonderful potato bar and salad dinner then spent some QT at the pool. After the pool we were just about to get in our tents when we saw 2.Toe and Yote! We were so excited to see our trail family again. It is not the same without them. They have only been a short distance behind us this whole section bumping into all the Nobos we have seen only a little while after us. We helped point out all the amenities and then turned in.

Once in our tent we chatted for a while and fell asleep….. like little hiker babies.

This morning was very peaceful leaving camp and walking over the bridge heading south on the trail. The moon had made a major appearance during the night and woke us both up. It was as if a single headlight was being held over our heads at 45 degrees and shining right into our eyes. You could have read a newspaper in our tent. I was awake for about 45 minutes but not disturbed by it at all. Lately my anxiety about being able to fall asleep after waking in the night has been low because my body is so tired that I am confident that if I can settle my body, my mind will follow.

We were walking through dense trees littering giant pine cones and several times we encountered deer on the trail that were only mildly amused that we were near them.  We both love deer sightings and so we stick around as long as they do. It’s really fun to watch how excited Sherpa gets. That being said, we didn’t take a lot of additional breaks with the exception of Sherpa trying to figure out how to make her bag feel better. We had hoped that swapping her bag out would correct what seemed to be a bent frame causing it to drift to the left of her back. It turns out that this bag model appears to just not fit her well and so she is constantly dealing with discomfort. She is, as always, full of determination and finds a way through the struggles. All hikers experience a measure of pain daily on the trail so learning to manage it is par for the course. Though it doesn’t make any individual case any less stressful or difficult.

The first half of the day was pretty smooth but toward the latter half we began a climb that we would  be on for nearly the remainder of the day.  It was hot and humid and we were slogging our way for a sold two hours before we stopped at a cold stream called Butcherknife Creek for lunch.  Halfway up the climb to our rest spot, we encountered some Nobos that said their was a sign for trail magic / beers and we should ask around in the parking lot. I really didn’t feel like stopping midway up a difficult climb to get beers because I knew it would make me feel even more sluggish. Sherpa on the other hand was disappointed because she was excited about the prospect, though when we arrived there was no one obviously handing out beers. So we hiked on to our lunch target. During lunch, we both were really able to dig into our food bags because we had slightly over-packed for this stretch heading into the Burney Mountain Guest Ranch.

The stream was wonderful and refreshing and we both really enjoyed lunch and washed ourselves in the stream. I even laid down flat in one of the deeper pools and the water left me breathless. It was so fresh and so cold we couldn’t get enough. We also saw smallish snake bathing on a rock that we politely asked to move after taking a poor picture.

After lunch we packed up and began tackling the last 6 miles of our slog. It was hot and sticky but we were grateful to be on the last leg of our journey for the day. When we approached the top we decided to keep our target destination which would put us at 26.5 for the day. Anything over a marathon feels good these days.

We just had over a 2 miles to camp and we descended into our first big views of the day and it was very pretty. I was thinking that I was grateful we weren’t walking this section in midday because of its exposure.

Soon we reached the junction to Gold Creek and I noticed that we had 4G! So exciting to have a little internet. I quickly checked Facebook and the gram and realized I had nothing to do but it was exciting to get a little worldly comfort. I switched it off and we walked the .2ish to the stream. We were both very tired so we made camp and got water at the very overgrown stream as quickly as we could. The bugs started picking up so after dinner we jumped into bed and soon, after some chatting, we were asleep like little hiker babies.

I didn’t sleep very well last night so I slept in very late for me on this trail until 8:30. Wolf Bird of course had gotten up at 6 something and gone to a coffee shop. I went and joined him for a bit and then we eventually returned to our hotel to shower and pack up before check out. We were feeling a little paranoid at having to clean the room before leaving due to the crazy owners. We had to go grab the owner to have him examine our room for cleanliness in order to get our cash deposit back. It was such a weird policy and after he checked our room and gave us our money he felt the need to justify his actions and basically started another argument with us. This was the worst hotel I’ve ever stayed at and in reading the reviews after the fact I found out I am not alone in thinking as much. 

After that Wolf Bird and I went to do laundry while Yote and 2.Toe worked on their town chores. The laundry machines were making a noise in a repetitive beat and Wolf Bird rapped for me with them. We then stopped by the outfitter and grabbed some Burger King before hitting the road. wolf Bird is doing a Burger King resupply where he is packing out three burgers to eat for dinner in this section. Interesting choice I must say. 
We texted Tony, the trail angel who drove us into town, and he picked us up and drove us back to the trail head. He is a super nice guy and only has two more working days as a highway patrolman until retirement! Congrats Tony! 
Yote and 2.Toe weren’t ready when Tony was going to pick us up so we got on trail without them. I imagine they were probably only an hour or two behind  
Unfortunately upon starting up the trail I discovered that I am having the same issue I had with my old pack but with my brand new pack. I just couldn’t get it to sit right and got super frustrated at how no matter which way I adjusted the straps it still seemed to irritate my back and shoulder. Not sure what I will do about it. 
We had a big climb to start of the hike out of town. It was about 230 and really warm and humid out. We chatted as we walked and it helped the miles fly by. We passed a few northbounders as we walked. One girl, Nature Monster, was asking about how close she was to other nobos. It’s funny because to us it seems like there are sooo many northbounders–we see at least 20 a day. But they all tell us that they feel the trail is very empty and some miss being around so many people as it was earlier in the trail. We have only met three other people total heading south but have been told by nobos there are a lot of people going our direction. It doesn’t feel that way but to me that is really nice. It has been hard adjusting to always having many people around both while I’m hiking and at camp or in town. One of the best parts of choosing to flip and go south for a bit has been having more solitude, which was something I enjoyed from the Appalachian trail. I think the people along the trail are what makes the trail so special, but I prefer having the option to be social or have solitude, rather than constantly having people around me. 

We ended up walking until about 830pm, about 16 miles out of town. Not too bad for a nearly 3pm start. We camped a bit off trail near a parking area for a trailhead. There were a couple campers in the parking lot but we were the only PCT hikers. We went to bed a bit later than usual and in the morning I discovered I had a nighttime mouse visitor get into some of my food. We also were awakened in the night by the moon. we hadn’t put our tent fly on so the incredibly bright light from the moon was in our eyes! It was so bright in our tent. The moon was casting shadows! Luckily we admired it but were able to fall right back to sleep.