Alison (Catwater) hooked us up with a ride and we left town at 8am with Big Al.
We were excited to get back on the trail, town is great, but the trail is better. This is our last section of desert, at the end of this section we will be at Kennedy Meadows – the start of the Sierra. We hiked the first 9 miles to the highway with Catwater and Aunt Jemima, through the endless windfarm and oh wow it was windy! I struggled to stay on the trail at times!
I felt amazing being back on the trail, I was so happy in that moment, nothing in the past mattered, no concerns about the future. Just pure contentment.
We walked 9 miles to the highway and took a little break. We saw the untraceables being dropped off by JetaBlue, a trail angel who also maintains a cache at the highway and leaves apples for hot hungry hikers.
After the highway we had a 2000ft climb, it felt surprisingly ok given that we had taken nearly 2 days off. Julien whizzed past me, until now I had only ever seen him in a town.
We took a break under a tree, we had hiked 18 miles but it felt like we had only done 10. Although you wouldn’t think so looking at these sleeping beauties…
We only had 4 more miles to a tent area but when we got there it was no good, way too windy. So we carried on to do a 25 mile day and I feel fine! (Although the last mile I was more than ready to stop!) We camped in a small spot which we thought was going to be ok…
If you liked that, then you might like this...
Adventure with purpose.
785 million people globally don't have access to clean water. That's 1 in 10 people. In 2020 this is not ok.
I fundraise for Just a Drop in the hope that if I walk thousands of miles for clean water then the people who need to won’t have to. Find out more
You answered my previous question about Trail Angel, Jetta Blue. You did meet her…
Loading up her car with 3 hikers and a dog…. (her dog!)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ms976561rq5birk/2015-05-13%2017.23.16.jpg?dl=0
and she was always getting selfies of her with every hiker she could… 🙂
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2etol3elsq8836g/2015-05-13%2017.24.03.jpg?dl=0
Ok, now I understand where you were in relation to me.
You all still had that 9 mile stretch to do to Highway 58, which Swiss Army and I did on the 13th.
On this morning, I was heading up the hill early. Root Beer Sue, after dropping Eeyore off, came back and gave Cyprus, Oaks, Travis and myself a ride to the trail head. Jetta Blue was there too dropping of some other hikers.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/te1g029igtjmcw5/2015-05-16%2006.33.49.jpg?dl=0
This was the day I had serious doubts that I would make it. 2 Zero days seemed to put me in more pain and discomfort than hiking. You said you felt good, and I was absolutely miserable! My bad back was really acting up, and my leg and sciatica pain was killing me. I set a message to my wife, that I was heading up to the trail, but this might be it, the end of the adventure, as I was in so much agony, I did not know that I could make it.
An hour later, motion lotion kicked in, the pain went away and I did 26.51 miles. Motto, when pain and rigor mortis sets in, get moving! At my age, stopping too long is dangerous! 🙂
Eeyore wasn’t having a good day either. I found him like this and took a picture to send to his wife. He had a knee acting up, was having the same doubtful thoughts I had had a couple hours earlier, but after this short rest he still made it about 24 miles too.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3g04kqk91pt15kk/2015-05-16%2009.50.03.jpg?dl=0
and yes it was WINDY as you have noted. Especially on that 2000 feet climb up the ridge.