Day 63: Hot dog magic

Day 63 – 6/23/16

1038.30 to 1060.91

Total miles: 22.61

Today was all about getting 10 miles in as fast as possible. In 10 miles was trail magic. Mad Dog’s sisters would be at highway 4 with real food! We left at the usual 5:30 and we were moving. Even with the climb we are able to do almost 3 mph in the first hour.

We reached the top of pass and I had service. I called my mom. Mostly so that I could get her to bring me my flip flops and civilian clothes for Tahoe. As I was asking she said she had all that plus deodorant. Too bad she won’t be there to pick me up so she can experience  how bad I smell. I talked as I walked down the mountain.

I caught up to 5 Star and Mad Dog and I put on my music and started hauling as up the mountain. I was determined to get my hot dogs. I came to a trail junction to a parking lot or to continue on. I waited for them to catch up since I didn’t know where Mad Dog’s sisters would set up.

5 Star and Mad Dog catch up and we head down to the parking area. They are not there so we wall down the road back to the PCT and see them. Mad Dog’s sisters, Marty and Carey, are already set up and some hikers are already there. It’s only 9:30. I barely set my pack down before I’m handed a hot dog. I get some chips and a cup of soda and sit on a rock. I devour that hot dog in seconds. I immediately go for a second. I eat some carrots and a banana. I grab an orange and put it in my pack for later. I go for a third hot dog.
We sit around talking and enjoying the food for a few hours before we get the guilty feeling that we should be walking. We get up and start getting ready. We thank Marty and Carey and say goodbye. Thanks again! You made my day!

We start off down the trail again. My stomach full of food. I’ve gorged myself. We make it maybe a half mile before I say I have to stop and lighten the load. All three of us go separate directions and release the hounds. I feel much better and we set off again.

The landscape is much different now. Green rolling hills and not much snow or none at all on the distant mountains. I think to myself how we are finally done with snow possibly.

We cross over a pass and off on a distant mountain is a cell tower. I check if I have service and I do! I sit down and check my email and go through the comments over the last several days. One mentioned a snow on the trail warning from the PCTA. I click the link and see that there are some bad snow crossings only a couple miles ahead. A guy slipped down a snow chute and had to be rescued. Crap… Here I thought our snow days were over. I told 5 Star and Mad Dog and fear mongered.

We set off for the sketchy snow patches. A mile later we saw them in the distance as we switchbacked down and made our way over to them. They were not too bad. We could avoid going over the snow. We did see where someone slid down on the third one. Also saw a sun visor in the snow.

We continued on and made our way to our camping spot. We did get confused since it showed us off trail. Apparently the trail was rerouted and the navigation apps never updated. That was confusing for a few minutes. Our camp spot is OK. We wanted a somewhat windy spot since it helps with the mosquitoes. Except they still swarmed and the ground is hard as a rock. Couldn’t put my stakes in and had to use sticks and rocks. The good part is I have service!

This is what I’ve been dealing with