The last resupply in California

Miles: 1647.7 to 1668.8 Mileage: 21.1 Day: 82 When we woke up, the other hikers were gone that had shared our campsite. We are such late risers compared to everyone else. We were motivated to make it to town by 1 p.m., however, because the only restaurant in the small village of Seiad Valley closes […]

When the sun returns, we put down miles

Miles: 1617.1 to 1647.7 Mileage: 30.6 Day: 81 Again we woke to blue skies. How long will this last? A couple of hours before the thunder clouds return, maybe, I thought.  But it lasted all day.  We started late, per usual. But given the good weather and the prospect of hitting the diner in town […]

Thunderstorms: day 2

Miles: 1585.5 to 1617.1 Mileage: 31.6 Day: 80 The day started cool and cloudy. Quite a change since so many days on the trail have started blue and cloudless — and mostly stayed that way. The rare day has clouded over by the afternoon, but not many. (The Sierras stand as the exception, as it […]

Trail magic and thunderstorms

Miles: 1561.9 to 1585.5 Mileage: 23.6 Day: 79 A deer walked through our tentsite overnight. It scuffed at the ground and stepped on some sticks. I was glad it wasn’t a bear.  I was tired in the morning but a 30-mile day will do that. It started off cooler than the last few days so […]

A single day’s respite

Miles: 1532 to 1561.9 Mileage: 29.9, plus 0.1 to water Day: 78 When we woke up it was still a little chilly. I took that as a very good sign for the day’s temperature. I even saw some cloud cover as I climbed out of the tent.  The lack of heat or big climbs allowed […]

So hot; so climb

Miles: 1510.3 to 1532 Mileage: 21.7, plus 0.6 to water Day: 77 On being woken by the alarm, I already wanted the day to be done. Ahead of us was a big water carry, a big climb and a hot weather forecast. We had a couple of miles to cover before the final reliable water […]

The heat rolls on

Miles: 1489.8 to 1510.3 Mileage: 20.5, plus 2.6 to Castella for resupply and 0.1 from camp Day: 76 We woke up with the alarm today. The goal was to make it to the store in Castella and the post office before it closed at 3 p.m.  The end result was that we made it just […]

A 2-bear kind of day

Miles: 1462.9 to 1489.8 Mileage: 26.9, plus 0.1 to camp Day: 75 I’ve seen five bears on the PCT so far. Richard has seen 1.5 of those.  The first, I’ve mentioned before. We were getting water near mile 500. The bear joined us for a brief moment; so brief, in fact, that Richard only saw […]

Bugs: our constant trail companions

Miles: 1437.4 to 1462.9 Mileage: 25.5 Day: 74 We cannot seem to get the hang of waking up with the alarm(s). The first one goes off at 6 a.m.; an arguably late start for thru hikers as it is. The second goes off at 6:30.  I would postulate that I hear one of them about […]

“The coolest day of the week”

Miles: 1412.8 to 1437.4 Mileage: 24.6, plus .4 to get resupply from camp store Day: 73 Before we even got out of the tent, it was hot. Early in the day, we got some hazy, lazy clouds that did little to shade us from the sun. We passed a day hiker who told us today […]