Day 100 – 30 Jun 19. Walking With Others and Reunions

Today 39.9 km (24.8 mi), Total Distance 2019.1 km (1254.6 mi) 10 hours 50 minutes (0735-1825)

I had a bit of a sleep in today but I guess as this is becoming my normal time it is no longer a sleep in. I packed up everything inside the tent, went and got my bear bag then had breakfast looking out over the view.

I did laugh that I especially positioned the tent to get the morning sun and it was cloudy so there was no sun. It was still warm though and I started out with my sleeves rolled up for the first time since the desert.

I climbed back down to the track and then up to the road and across a tiny snow patch too get back on the trail.

Now it was on a lovely trail along the side of the hill then up and into a lovely open bit with flowers and great views then back into the forest. Then I was along the side of the hill slowly dropping. I could hear frogs and then saw a lake way below me. Either the frogs were really loud of the valley amplified the sound.

The trail dropped down nearer the lake and to a saddle where there was a tent with no sign of movement.
Now I climbed a little bit and came into the open again. I saw a pack in the middle of the track so kept my eyes focussed front. A pack in the middle of the track, or just off to the side generally means the person has gone off trail to go to the toilet, or they have been eaten by a bear/mountain lion.

Just as I was approaching the pack a guy came down to the trail. He introduced himself as Bolo. He had been off trail for 11 months and had been back on for two weeks to finish the second half of the PCT. I walked behind him and we talked for around 20 minutes before I decided to continue ahead. He had bad blisters so was walking a little slow. He had intended to start slowly and ease back into the trail but met up with a nice group who he decided to stay with, though this meant straight into longer days.

As I left he mentioned two of his group were ahead which sparked my competitive nature. Just as we started walking together there were a couple of snow patches over the trail and then nothing

I continued on the trail which was still in great condition. It stayed along the side of the hill, slowly dropping. I came out at a sealed road and there were two hikers across the road.

As I approached one of them yelled out “Homemade” and I looked closer and saw it was Cro Magnum and Uke. I had last seen them at Brenda’s House in Tehachapi where they cooked the lovely burritos for my last dinner.

We stood there talking for ages, took some photos and then started walking. I went in-between them and stayed with them for the next few hours which flew past.

The trail stayed perfect, mainly going slightly downhill with a couple of very small easy ups. The conversation was flowing continuously. We caught up on what we had been up to and some stories about our adventures.

They had gone through the Sierras to Bishop Pass and then decided to flip up too Truckie (I-80) which was 200 miles up trail. This would let them have time to get to Canada before the weather started turning then return back to Truckie and walk back into the Sierras to where they left.

We talked a lot about how happy we were to be on dirt and our reactions to seeing snow. We also laughed at the advice we were being given by the southbounders on the snow conditions, and how they were either exaggerated on how hard it was or completely missed telling us about snow ahead. I really enjoyed the company and this was the longest I have walked with anyone on the whole trail. They were going a nice pace, slightly slower than my normal pace but not slow enough that I felt the need to push ahead.

Uke spotted a 2000 km sign made with branches so I did not have to make my own this time. I asked Crow to take my photo by this milestone. This is as far as I got in Norway in 76 days and I was at this point in Te Araroa trail in 79 days.

We stopped by lunch near the first watercourse for ages. Bolo arrived and then their mystery trail buddy who was the one in the tent I finished. He always gets up much later and races to catch them up. It was a fun lunch and just as I was about to leave the two young guys who I met yesterday arrived and they knew Crow and Uki I stayed another few minutes then left.

The next hour and a bit was a steady downhill through the forest with the occasional switchback. It was a 2,500 foot descent from the ridge down to the Middle Fork of the Feather River. I found it funny that this major stream did not get its own name.

Just before the bridge I came across a girl around mid 20s with a big pack. We recognised each other but last time we met was before Warner Springs, a long long time ago, when neither of us had trail names. She is now called Genius Fingers as a result of having her second finger longer than her first which was discovered by her trail family when they were talking about it. As a side note I am the same with my second finger bigger than my index finger and my second toe is bigger than my big toe. She had exited the Sierras at Cottonwood Pass and flipped to Donner Pass.

She continued across the bridge while I did some videoing and then I crossed the bridge. Now it was a 3000 ft climb. I quickly caught and passed her and powered up the hill. The gradient was easy and I was feeling really strong. At the top of the first part I crossed a road and the track was flattish as it followed the hill around, crossing a small stream all the way to Bear Creek.

Just short of the creek I did my 1730 distance reveal and was at 22.8 miles which surprised me. I thought it would be less.

I continued to Bear Creek which had a bridge across it. The access to the water looked difficult so I continued another 0.7 miles to the next creek and filled up my water. I forgot how annoying it is to have to filter water having had the luxury of not needing to in the Sierras. Now that I do not know the source of the water I am back to filtering it.

Now it was another mile, steadily climbing, to reach the campsite. There was one guy there already and he warned me abut the mosquitos.

Sure enough they were everywhere as I was putting up my tent and I was glad to get into the shelter of my tent. I only got a few bites, mainly when I was looking for a place to hand my bear bag. I found the perfect place, a thin tree which had bent over. I actually managed to get my rock bag over on the first attempt.

Once in my tent I chatted with the guy that was with me. He had made it to Kearsarge before flipping North as the rest of his group were not continuing and he could not find anyone to continue with.

A little later the two guys arrived. They had stopped for a swim in the river which is how I passed them. 10 minutes later Genius Fingers arrived.

Tonight rather than the sounds of a river to fall asleep to I have the whine of mosquitos. At one stage I counted 32 of them on my front door. They do not seem to have discovered the back mesh yet.

Visits: 460