#ThrowbackThursday
This is part of a series of journal entries I have made while section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2013 over on Trailjournals.com. I am moving them here to Must Hike Must Eat and updating them with photos (and maybe fixing typos). Look for them on Thursdays or you can head over to Trailjournals.com and read as many as you would like!
http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/428078
Destination: White Pass
Today’s Miles: 0
Start Location: White Pass
Trip Miles: 148
And on the 10th day she rested…
Not a single mile today, I spent the day chilling, resting sore feet and stiff knees. I don’t have to be to Chinook Pass until Thursday and it’s only 30 miles away.
My sister Heather drove up from Olympia with my resupply. We hit the grocery store and restaurant in Packwood then headed back up to White Pass to stay at the Village Inn. (Much better than the Packwood Hotel.)
I can not say enough about this place and hope to come back to visit again. It is so tranquil, it will be hard to leave tomorrow.
Heather and I sat on the porch and chatted while my clothes washed at the convenience store. I stocked up on salad fixings and other fresh items, drank a whole thing of V8. Can’t stop eating, hungry again in a few hours no matter what! She brought me homemade gluten free cookies and it was good to see her.
I decided to add my “stove” here, see if it’s worth carrying. The soreness doesn’t go away, not sure if that is normal or not. Hobble, hobble. All the furniture is tall, makes it hard to get up into! As I enjoy the ability to go to the bathroom unmolested, the realization that the expressions ‘bite you in the ass’ and ‘cover your ass’ all had to come from trying to go to the bathroom in the woods. Talked with my son a bit, he made it safely home from NY. I, of course, interrupted a video game so I’ll have to get more details later. Check out is noon tomorrow, so I’ll get back on the trail around that time.
http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/428079
Destination: Chinook Pass
Today’s Miles: 12.50
Start Location: White Pass
Trip Miles: 160.50
Woke up to a misty mountain fog, but I knew it would blow off eventually. Ate a big salad with chicken and avocado with olive oil and more V8, polished off cookies! Took another nap! Organized my pack and checked out at 11:45.
Destination: Chinook Pass
Today’s Miles: 13.50
Start Location: 2315.5
Trip Miles: 174Leaving mile 2315.5 this morning at 7am, I knew I had another leisurely day. Not sure if it had to do with it but I felt really good today, not as sore as I have been. Not long into hiking today I could smell smoke and the skies were cloudy off in the distance. I knew there was a fire burning in Wenatchee (thanks, Joyce!) but this seemed to far south.Heading into the 18 miles or so before Chinook Pass, I expected to encounter more folks than yesterday as it is a popular hiking area with majestic views of Mt. Rainier. I was not disappointed on either count. The morning started off with what appeared to be a couple soldiers on an overnight followed by some Boy Scouts that had me laughing for several miles after.
They were 2 middle aged men and two teenagers. I came upon the first set and it appeared the older was trying to show the younger how to walk with his pack on. All of them had traditional heavy packs with large rolls of sleeping pads and full size sleeping bags hanging off them. Gotta pay your dues, I guess. What made me laugh was the next set, the teen with his pack. One would have thought he was straddled with the Cross of the Crucifixion; hunched over, arms hanging low and that oh so typical teenager look on his face like, “oh my god, I’m going to die, I can’t believe you are making me do this”. You know the one. It put a smile on my face because I’ve see it so many times.
I leapfrogged a few times with a thru hiker (one who starts in Mexico) named Charlie. Hard core ultralight, subsisting on energy drinks, Snickers, and convenience store jumbo bean burritos. Not his first PCT hike, he soon left me in his dust, I was too busy taking pictures. He did share that there was a fire burning in Yakima, which explained what I was smelling earlier.
I also spent the day waiting for another thru hiker to catch up and pass me, Anish. She’s out to break a record for the fastest unassisted PCT hike. She started June 8th in Mexico and hopes to finish next week. I didn’t see her but I’m sure she passed me this afternoon after I made camp. Not her first PCT either and a ultra marathoner by trade, she’s averaging 45 to 50 miles a day now. She has a Facebook page if you want to check her out, Anish Hikes. Hails from Bellingham area.
I made it to Dewey Lake at mile 2329 by 3pm and relaxed. Thunderstorms started about 4pm, pretty cool to listen to. Voices of families were also echoing up from the lake. I’m meeting family tomorrow to resupply and maybe they will hike with me.
P.S. Sure enough. I went down to the lake at 6pm or so and her shoeprints were in the dust of the trail.
First post: Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal July 20 &21, previous post Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal July 25, 26, 27, 28. Look to next Thursday for more of my journey on the Pacific Crest Trail!
For more information about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, visit here.
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