PCT Field Notes

Near the top of Burnt Peak of the Sierra Pelona  Preface: This was a particularly mentally tough week that left me rather uninspired to write. My thoughts were much more internal and personal. This entry may be a bit boring and it took me a while to compile, but things did resolve by the next week. Hike down to Hikertown Mile 500. I descend from Burnt Peak into the Mojave today. The heat is on, but there are a lot of oak trees at the higher elevations. Looking down into the valley seems daunting, there is some real heat down there. I find a well flowing creek to bathe and do laundry. I’ve been pretty good about keeping my clothes and myself clean.    About 200 meters past there are some trail angels providing water and snacks. An Australian fellow swears we left on the same day and shows me a photo. Yep, that’s me. I don’t know how I haven’t been hiking with anyone from that day. The day is hot and I carry on. I’m headed to Hiker Town, a bit of an infamous hiker stop. It’...

Push it to the Limit The day starts strong, my legs feel ready for the 27 miles I have planned. Much of the trail out of the San Gabriels is downhill with a few uphills. The weather is cold most of the day and I try to keep as little layers on me as possible. Just warm enough not to shiver, but cool enough to not sweat. I rarely stop, stuffing cookies, Poptarts, and trail mix into my face while I move as fast as I can down the trail. My legs are learning new mechanics to move faster, I hope not to my detriment. About 24 miles in my body is exhausted, and my mind no longer works beyond connecting my feet to the trail. I feel strange thoughts enter my mind. Hiking fast takes mental energy, in ensuring form, pace, and foot placement. I had been monitoring some dark clouds all day, which finally manifested in some light rain, soaking the overgrowth that encumbered the last few miles. I arrive to camp a little after 7pm, nearly 12 hours on trail, which includes water filtering, eating, and ...

Soothing Aches Joe never showed up that night in camp. I figured he stopped just a few miles before. I’d later learn he went past the spur and went just past the camp. I guess I never saw his tent as I went down the trail that morning. Quickly after leaving camp, I descended shortly into a small, primitive parking lot for the campground I stayed in. There was Grizzly Gramp, Nevada, and Simon, an Aussie I’d been running into for a while. Once again, I did not get a photo of Nevada, one day it’ll happen. We gabbed for a bit, Gramp offered me some stuff, all I took was  some hand warmers, influenced by the previous nights. I played fetch with Nevada using pine cones, those puppy feelings still going strong. The day was pretty relaxed. Around midday I ran into some folks who had left a day before Joe and I did, relaxing by a stream. I set my feet in the water to relieve the swelling in my feet. I’m still managing some foot arch pain, but stretching is relieving, who would have thought....