Last night was freaky. Hearing some screams in the woods, not for me. I high tailed to the next suitable spot and pitched my tent. I see the two Germans Fearless and Wigands tent a ways a way. I wake up at 4:15 to them packing up. Damn they’re getting an early start.
That’s actually a good idea. Let’s beat the mid day sun and heat. I sit in my sleeping quilt for another couple minutes hoping to fall back asleep. I don’t though. I wait just till it’s a little lighter out and I start packing up. Fifteen minutes later I’m out of camp by 5:45AM before sunrise.
I start off up the hill in my puffy, usually a bad choice but this morning it’s actually cold out. I get 2 miles in and drop the puffy, I’m running too hot, I cross a stream three times and note that’s the last water source for 17 miles.
I skip getting water as I left camp with 4 liters and haven’t sipped any yet. It’s still cool and the suns not on me yet. I climb up some more and come around a ridge and see a guy sleeping on the ground. Doesn’t look like a hiker but some desheveled looking guy with nothing but a jansport backpack like he was going to middle school.
I hiked 3 full 20+ mile days to get here. How did this guy get here? I say “good mornin” nod, step over him and keep walking. I have suspicions about that guy. I wonder if he was the one screaming last night at the last water source. I’m not interested in finding out.
I turn the jets on and get moving faster. My legs are solid, cool air in my lungs and right now I’m walking on a moderate slope. Let’s go. In my head I know the next water source is my target and I want to put space between me and that guy.
I keep checking my map to see where I’m going. Another mile, another mile, it feels like this water carry is longer than I thought. As I turn the corner to see a nice trailhead area with a chair and hundreds of gallons of water. There was also 5 Germans there. Reaper, Stumbles, Long Legs, Wigand and Fearless as filling up and chatting.
We chat for a minute and joke about how out numbered I am as the only American. They have a great sense of humor, and everyone of their English is actually great. They speak to each other in German for a minute and I tell them they can talk shit about me in English too. I don’t mind. Haha
Just like that they get going again. I regret not getting a picture of everyone here. I sit down and eat breakfast. It’s 10AM and I did 17 miles. Ramen noodles for breakfast today. I need to lighten my food bag.
After some ramen it’s some pocket snacks and then I’m gone again. Pocket snacks are when I take a handful of random stuff and just drop it in my left shorts pocket. I just hit that as I’m walking. You have to eat snickers bars before 10AM or they become like gogurts. Not for me.
After 3 miles I run into a woman section hiker coming SOBO. We chat for a moment and I warn her about that guy I saw. She’s meeting her husband at the water cache later on. She warns me it’s fully exposed the rest of the way so I should move fast and/or take shade when I can.
With that advice in mind I’m moving faster than I was before. Now also sweating a lot more I drank a ton of electrolytes last night. Need to avoid any chafing today. It’s like a blister, stop and address it immediately. Another mile and I’m in a groove on the downhill. I known this won’t last as there’s 2 big climbs before I get to my next camp.
I reach the bottom and see a Joshua tree, that’s my chance for shade. I pop out my tyvek and lay it flat. Soak in the breaks when you can she said. Here’s my seat for the next 45 minutes. Mandatory break, UV index through the roof and sunblock doesn’t fight heat stroke.
After my timer goes off I chug 3 big sips of water and move. I get almost to the top of the first climb and bing my phone goes off. It’s Coffee Break. “yo mouse you hanging with that meth’d out guy at the water cache?”
Wow he must’ve seen him to. Coffee break got to the first cache at Kelso Road and the guy was sprawled out laying down in the sun getting cooked. Wtf was going on?
I ask Coffee Break where he’s at now and he says a mile behind me. I’ll see ya at camp I tell him. The last push is a doozy, I text a buddy and tell him how much it sucks. He hits me back with the stats. Where I am today passing the 1000km mark I have climbed 76,000 feet of vertical gain which is essentially 14.4 miles of uphill. It’s getting easier luckily I keep getting in better shape!
I get to the peak and sigh. Wow look at that view, I stop for a minute and take it all in. Don’t move to fast I tell my self. It’s not a rush or a race even when I feel like I’m rushing to water because I straight up need it. Take a deep breath, soak in this moment and just enjoy it. You earned it.
As I look over I can see where I’m going. I see the end goal for today. Let’s go. I take my headphone out and enjoy the last bit of silence of the trail. I walk down the last bit of trail into a large area that has parking for cars and a nice water cache set up. Without these 2 water caches this section probably wouldn’t be possible to hike. It’s brutally up, exposed and no water.
I grab a spot to pitch my tent next to some Joshua trees for cover from the wind and then grab 4 liters of water. I’ll drink 2 liters tonight and probably grab 2 more tomorrow for the road before I leave.
Long Legs shows up and comes by and tells me and the others dinners at 6PM. He says it’s “a German 6PM” then he says that means 6PM sharp. Yes sir. I tell him I run on military time if you’re early you’re on time if you’re on time you’re late. If you’re late you’re an asshole.
I finish assembling my sleep gear and blowing up my sleep pad and head over to hang out for dinner. Coffee Breaks walking in now and I lost service before we could finish talking about that guy.
“Mouse wtf was that guy doing?” He says
“Dude I stepped over him on trail and said I’m putting miles between us!”- me
Apparently he was stone cold methed out. Coffee break said he was sprawled out in his underwear. He was telling him to go sit in the shade. The guy had no idea what he was doing. We both sat there and said someone should call the rangers before that guy ends up dead. No cell service though. Tough.
Apparently the guy also likes planters peanuts. He kept telling Coffee Break that at least. What a weird interaction.
Dinner time arrives and we make a circle to battle the wind. After dinner I inform everyone tonight’s the second night of peak time to see the meteor shower. Im going to leave my rain fly open so I can see it from bed again.
Coffee break says he’s cowboy camping to watch it. Right on.
As the suns setting it’s a beauty. I enjoy it outside my tent alone, really soak it in. Tried to wake up Coffee Break but he was stone cold out. After that I head in to my tent to get comfy and check the map for tomorrow. I think it’s 20.1 miles to Walker Pass. Stealthy said he might be there with his camper van doing trail magic. I had almost no service today though, so I’ll keep a positive hope for that! Nice.
After looking at the map and getting my game plan down it’s time for bed, 8:45PM. Past hiker midnight again. I kept waking up every few hours to watch the meteor shower. Honestly watching the night sky knowing how big it is makes me realize how small most things are.
The Pacific Crest Trail 