PCT Field Notes

Jefferson I wake early and with energy, I have full confidence today will be a good day. Some of the other guys have already packed up and left, which is what I expected. I pass by Poppins’ tent as I leave, not a stir. I feel a little concerned, but not enough to do anything. There is a strong smoke on the east side of the land, likely from the fires. From here I can no longer see Mt Washington, yet the skies to the west are blue, unblemished by any cloud. It’s a mix of burn scar and forest, and going through a transition in the early morning, a hummingbird launches the most aggressive attack on me yet. “Holy shit!”, I yell as I wave my hands crazily in front of me trying to fend off the super sonic bird. And it’s off. My guts don’t feel too great this morning, and I don’t believe it from the hummingbird scare, but some kombucha I had the day before. Hopefully not another ailment brewing in my body. For the first time in months, an overcast sky rolls in. It’s mixed with smoke, which pr...

Ill Turn There were some odd noises in the night, then in the early morning the wood ducks were making a ruckus. I turn over in my sleeping my and I’m shocked at the extreme pain in my knee. I try to bend it and the pain is sharp, right above the knee cap. I’m slow to get out, Mother Teresa and Mayor have already headed out, around 6 am. The night before ill, like I may puke if I lay on the wrong side, and I feel tired from the restless sleep. I really did enjoy Charlton Lake, and it was interesting how the burn scar coming up stopped right next to the campsite. Further along the trail I see some elk tracks. I take some time to warm up my knee, but using it is difficult, as it also feels incredibly weak. I wonder if I tweaked it in some mid-slumber cramp. I decide the best way to address pain and the feeling of residual illness is to approach it the same way I approach a slow water filter, flush. I guzzle water throughout the day, having to pee nearly every half hour. I feel betrayed b...

A Social Change My legs and feet are still feeling a bit uncertain. My toes are getting progressively more numb with times of feeling like they are on fire, and what feels like being shocked on the outsides of my calves. Oh, how I hope I haven’t made a mistake with my shoes. The trail is low and easy, there’s very little climbing relative to NorCal. I come across Pippa, a girl I had met while in Pinecrest. It is always funny who you may come across. She’s headed south, doing some patchwork hiking. There are a few blowdowns but also, nothing compared to NorCal. But as I hop over this one log, I look down to see a natural basket of hornets that had made their nest right where I was hopping over. “Oooooooh shit!”, I yell as I speed past the log while I have a swarm of hornets buzz around me. Somehow I’m unscathed. Just up ahead is a canal, but the smell is horrid, so I continue 50 meters to see. Large group of people getting water at a spring. The canal, we assess, has sewage in it. Justi...