PCT 

June 3, 2011

• Pancakes for breakfast (again).  GRENADE told how he jumped on alcohol fire (and hence got his name).

• MR. FUCKING GENTLE SPIRIT doing gigs on the way.  He has a car and musical instruments and electronics aboard.  Today he drives two hikers to Tehachapi, for example, who walk back to the car with the keys, while he walks to Tehachapee.  And nobody has to carry a backpack. Classic slack pack.

• SPOON MAN up and around (older, tall, beard).  GOURMET just showed up.

• Everybody slack packing, others planning on night hiking after Hikertown along the Los Angeles Aqueduct.  I won't leave here until I confirm with Hall that he's mailed everything to Kennedy Meadows.

• Said goodbye to STORY TIME.  Going to be a new bunch of hikers today.

• Last night Mr. F.. GENTLE SPIRIT was wearing his sleeping bag as a long jacket with armholes - haven't seen that one before.  Also had on a pith helmet, and one jazz shoe for tapping on pedals.

• Hal confirmed with email that all is good for my K.M. packages, so I got a ride from the Anderson's helper (along with three other hikers) to the trail, and I started walking around 10:30.  Easy, comfortable trail, pack no problem (even with 4 1/2 liters of water).  Kept walking until after 7 PM.  Missed the campground (Upper Shake) - went past it 2 miles.  Stealth camping in clearing above the trail - very windy but clear.  Hope the others don't worry about me too much.

  496, 18 miles, 5300 ft

• Only 22 miles to the Country Store and Hikertown.  Go for it (especially since a package awaits me).

• GRENADE was one of the other hikers: got name because he dove on a fire started by a tipped over alcohol stove.  Got some burns and holes in his equipment, but he put the fire out.

• Made it to Hikertown around 6:30.  Strange place: two Rolls Royces in front (one reputedly once owned by the British Royal Family), large common room, washer & dryer, hot showers, etc.  Also there: SEAHORSE & CHILI DOG, 8 MILE (with burned forehead), 4 Brits.  Got in on a cheeseburger delivery, then slept in tiny doll house.  Package Hal sent to The Country Store was forwarded to HikerTown (thank goodness) - because The Country Store had stopped its business about two months ago.  In the package: Steripen, Marmot windbreaker, pills, etc.  Yay!

Jun 4, 2011

• Hitched to store for breakfast, and supplies to get me to Mohave/Tehachapi, then all day along the LA Aqueduct, partly with NOODLES ROMANOFF.

• Stopped at Angels GOOD SPOT and WANKA beside Cottonwood Creek Bridge; 8 MILE arrived soon thereafter.

• Clouds, threatening rain.  Hike farther?  If not, 24 miles to Mohave/Tehachapi turnoff.  And I need fuel.

• In stones on trail: 20%.

• Hiked to 536.5, 18 m, 3500 ft

• Tomorrow: 22 miles to hitching point.

Jun 6, 2011

• Remember to submit $50 hospital bill.

• Zero day - shin splints hurting too much.

• Ordered from REI: Brooks Cascadia shoes, to be sent to Mammoth Lakes.

Onyx/Lake Isabella   650

Kennedy Meadows 705

Lone Pine  744  (take 2.5 mile trail, then hitch)

• OK: provision at L. Isabella: 90 miles -> 5 days @ 18/day.  Go for 6 days because of bum leg.

floss

safety pins

download books on tape

air out Lunar Solo tent

• ML fee: $453.24 - huh?

Jun 7, 2011

• Ride to trailhead with BUCKSNORT, as arranged by phone the previous afternoon (found his phone number in the post office PCT registry).

• Need:

coffee

cold cereal?

dried cranberries?

Doritos?

few more energy bars

socks

• prescription

• ATM

• batteries

• hard candies

• iPhone app for reading?

Jun 8, 2011

• OK, off today (gulp).  Still some pain, and threatening clouds, but two zero days is enough.  Met BUFFALO JUMP SLY at Kelcy's (the breakfast place in Tehachapi) - may see him on trail.

• First three hours through wind turbines.  Very windy at times.  After crossing highway 58 a real uphill slot.  I am packing food for about 5 days, plus 4 1/2 liters water (my max: 2 l platypus, 1 l PowerAid bottle, 1 1/2 l in water bottle), plus 5 Heets, each 12 oz.  But took two Vicodins, wrapped my left shin in the Ace bandage the hospital gave me, and voila! No pain at all!  However, overall I felt I was really slogging uphill, aches all over, so why rush it?  Found a spot relatively flat just downhill of a big juniper bush, with a nice view of some wind turbines & Mohave further on, with some of its mothball air fleet nearby.  No clouds, windy but warm.  I am very fortunate the weather is moderate (in the 70's) and windy; the guide says this 15 mile uphill stretch is "hot hot hot" - and no water either.  (Although I passed three water caches between the trailhead and hiway 58).  Here's hoping tomorrow's next 8-10 miles of uphill are just as moderate.

 570.5, 12 m, 5240

• Big question: do I stop at Onyx/Lake Isabella, or try to make it to Kennedy Meadows straight?

• 6 PM: JACOB passed by - we chatted.  He's been working halfway up Lake Chelan in Washington.  Stehekin, the "town" at the north end, is the last piece of civilization before Canada, 80 miles away.

Jun 9, 2011

• Red blinking lights at night: wind turbines.  Windy all night; only pitched tent; no fly.  Did fine, and nicer views.

Started day with 2 Vicodins, 4 Ibuprofen, and 1 sweet.  Started walking at 7.  Feel really good, no pain.  Feel much stronger and happier, too.

• 7:30 Passed first very empty water cache.  This stretch is thus about 20 miles without water, then, immediately following, an 18 mile no water slog.  Thank goodness it isn't hot (as it almost always is this time of year).

• Christo inspired by wind turbines?  His umbrellas were near here, I think.

• Easy, clean, gently rising grail, on flanks of hills of sagebrush, juniper bush, spread far apart.  Hazy clear sky.  Fog/smog in plain east of me.  I am above the stuff.

• What is the name of the junk food in bag that has so many fat calories?

• 1:00 PM Spring is flowing, and DAN showed up!  Blisters all better.  Then GOURMET and daughter.  Tanked up - next good water in 18 miles.

• rough day.  Lots of food in pack, and fully watered.

  586.5, 16.5 miles, 4760 ft

• Slogging along, pack feels heavy, always adjusting shoulder straps.  Shin splints don't hurt, but both feet are tender, and my energy level is low.  So stopped for Mac 'n Cheese at 4 PM, got me going a little better, but then very nice campsite 20 yards off the trail beckoned me.  So here I will do Onyx/KM calculations later.  Pitched tent with no fly again, under bushes and trees.  GOURMET said he slept cowboy stile last night, and woke up all wet, but I was dry, except for my shoes, which I had left outside the tent.

• Where does the moisture come from anyway, here in this dry desert?

• Can hear wind turbines, some are very close.  Sound of distant jets.

Jun 10, 2011

• Up by 6:30.  No gaiters today - feet get plenty dirty with them, so why bother>?

• Last afternoon my Topo Maps app gave direction of trail opposite of what it really is; this morning OK.   Hmm...

• 7 AM Pack feels lighter, no shoulder pains, very slight shin splint ache, feel great, strong.  What is it about mornings?  Cool, clear, slight wind, hum of turbines (they lulled me to sleep last night).  Sure a lot of them - 3 days now, always some in sight.

• 7:30 Walking thru shadows of spinning rotors.

• 7:45 BIGFOOT JIM (from Seattle) passes me.

• Good deed: picked up others' used t.p. around my campsite.  I really did this.

• 2 PM: Ah, Spring water.  Met ROCK LOCKS (cute!) and will probably meet her partner MR. FOX soon (they had napped at the spring).

• 2:30 ROO RAT and MARMOT just showed up.

Stopped at 6 PM:

  607.5, 21 miles, 6280 ft

• Lake Isabella by Sunday night, must cover 45 miles in 2 days.  Tight.  Shin splints a problem (the Ace bandage really helps), bunt two starter blisters on left toes.  Wrapped them with duct tape, but that may not work.  Have to watch them, be careful.

Jun 11, 2011