PCT day 74 – Big miles. Big smiles.
It was very noisy this morning. Everyone got up earlier than us. I slept so well.
I discovered that some creature had eaten / run off with my pee rag! At least it was only the pee rag. I was hiking by 7am to try and escape some of the heat of the day.
I caught up to Ladies Man 7 miles in and we sat and had some food and Growler came along. Eventually the ants drove us back on to the trail.
I got a call from Cool Breeze to say he was at a RV park with his mum and when are we getting to Sierra City because he can come and pick us up! My lower back is really sore so I liked the thought of not sleeping on my air mattress tonight! I caught up with Growler and suggested a 28 mile day to reach a soda and a bed, surprisingly she wasn't that keen. I was keen, we had been taking it easy since Echo Lake doing between 15-20 miles a day so I felt like I had a big day in me. At 1pm I had 15 miles to go and I guessed I would make it to highway 49 by 7pm.
There was hardly any water in this section and I was so dehydrated. A couple of stream marked on my gps app were dry. I got to a river and filled up my bottle and just squeezed it through the filter directly into my mouth. I drank a litre in around 1 minute 35 seconds and then had the most outrageous stomach ache. There was a sign suggesting trail magic for today only, but I never found it.
The terrain was pretty easy going, not a lot of up and a lot of down so hiked really fast and got to the road at 6:05pm. 3 miles an hour for 5 hours straight. Phew. Only twice I had to stop, once for a urination and once because I thought I was going to pass out from the heat! There are hardly any pictures from today because I was moving too fast!!
I sat by the side of the road and waited for Cool Breeze. I had no service on my phone so couldn't tell him I'd arrived early. After telling him I would arrive at 7, having actually arrived at 6, he eventually turned up at 7:30 – no faith in my hiking ability!
My body pretty numb so I just led in the dirt by the side of the road. While I was waiting I got offered 2 rides, given water and had my picture taken by a trail angel (Pipers mum) who lives near the half way point I think. Never want to see that photo!!
When Cool Breeze shows up he brings soda and a tub of Haagen Dazs. Yes.
We get back to the RV park and Mumma Cool Breeze gives me a big hug. I get a shower and a steak dinner, she also has made me a special batch of brownies without nuts in because she remembered I don't like nuts. I feel spoilt!!
I am exhausted and so dehydrated that my urine was the colour of caramel. No joke. Here is a picture of the person that hasn't walked anywhere today, taken by the person who has hiked 28 miles...
