PCT SOBO DAY 29 – Hotter than hot.
12th August 2016
Blue Lake - Trout Creek
28.7 miles
3060ft up 6495ft down
Last night was hot. This morning was hot. I packed up and started walking at 6:10am. Drake and Strings were still sleeping I think. Probably not sleeping because it's impossible for anyone to pack up quietly. Everything designed for camping is incredibly noisy. The mosquitos were already out and irritating me.
I was aiming for a big day today. I was hoping the boys were going to do a big day too but that looks unlikely!A small morning climb resulted in a bit of a view. I think thats Mt Adams and lots and lots of trees. Miles of trees. Endless trees. And then I was back in the trees. To be honest the trees were a bit of a relief today. It was so so hot. It's got to be around 95°. The sun was scorching and the wind was like having a hairdryer blowing on you. Nothing nice about it.
That stupid man from last night was on my mind a lot this morning and I met a nobo section hiker who got a rant from me about it. It felt better to get it out, maybe I can let it go now. Descending through the trees I started to see a few nobos. A very polite morning of hellos, how's it goings and yielding to uphill hikers. Nothing more than that.
I saw a snake. A little black one. My first one of the trip and I jumped out of my skin.I really needed a poo for the first few miles but I couldn't be bothered to traipse off into the woods to find a spot. After about 7 miles I approached a trail head marked on my map, then I realised it was where I camped last year, and I realised there was a pit toilet there. Yes. There was a nobo in there taking his time but eventually I got to go and make myself a couple of pounds lighter
.3 more miles and I came across the much needed 'piped Spring' a handily placed pipe sticking out the side of the mountain delivering cold clear delicious water. It's here I made a bit of an error. I drank a bit and filled my bottle with half a litre. Half a litre would be enough. I didn't stay long because the biting flies were attacking me. Causing me to shout out in pain as they bit me.
3 more miles and I stopped for something to eat. I inspected the state of my hair. I ate my Cheetos and guzzled down my water. But I hadn't checked on the next water source and there was nothing now for the next 10 miles. 10 miles of hotness. Oh no. Well at least it was mainly downhill.
It was a long, hot, dry, waterless downhill and I took no photos. My only focus was to get to the water. I passed a lot of nobos coming up the climb. Eventually I could hear the water and by the time I crossed the bridge I was practically at a run. Last time I was here someone gave me a soda. The memory wasn't helping. Two people sat by the creek waved at me and I went down to the water. All I could manage was 'I'm so thirsty' before I dumped my bag, grabbed my bottle and chugged down half a litre of water.
I sat for a while and chatted to the nobos, Hammer Sign and I can't remember the other guys name. I had done 23 miles by 3pm. Not bad. I decided to have a little break by the creek as there was a little pocket of cool air so I lay down for a bit. I decided to wait there until 4 to see if the boys came. They didn't so I decided to move on and do the next 5.5 miles to Trout Creek.
The south side of Panther Creek everything changed. The tree were dripping with moss and that funny green fluffy stuff. And the mozzies were enormous. Every time they bit me it felt like a needle going in my arm. They love the elbows and the shoulders.
I eventually rolled into Trout Creek at 6:20 and found a nobo called Just Dave at the river. The camping spots were somewhat limited and he had his bag in a good spot. I asked him if he was staying and he wasn't. Great. I'll have that space. There were a couple car camping and when a nobo girl came along looking for a spot they said they would move their tent for her.
They said they would move their tent.
Idiot man from yesterday – you hear that? They moved and set their tent up next to their car so there was room for all of us at the creek.
Room for all of us.
The nice car camping lady came to tell me there would be a meteor shower tonight and there was a field over the bridge where you could see open sky. My sky is covered in trees. I really want to see it but I doubt very much I with have the inclination to get up in the night to look.
I ate dinner, a knorr rice side. I made the whole thing but last year I remembered I could only manage half. I couldn't finish it. I looked at the packet, it's about 1200 calories for the whole packet. No wonder I can't eat it all. That's going to make my rubbish bag heavy.
It's still so hot I don't think I'll need my sleeping bag tonight.