There's No Crying in Disneyland by Eva

This week a disc jockey on the radio shared about his trip to Disneyland. The disc jockey said that he observed a child there crying because she wasn't being allowed to push the stroller. There she was in the middle of Disneyland and all she could do was fret over some insignificant thing like her stroller! 

It reminded me of a book I read some months ago called Notes From the Tilt-A-Whirl by N.D. Wilson. The book challenged me to consider my life as a story full of excitement, love, sorrow, intrigue and all the things that make a great novel. I am the main character in my novel and it's written by God himself just for me- and the excitement of each new day is to find out what that day's chapter has in store.  I'm pretty good at enjoying my personal novel in the good times. But I often forget this in the day to day.  I know Loren is experiencing and fully enjoying his novel right now. Even though he may be suffering from a few blisters, sore muscles and mosquito bites, he continues to call me with an excitement in his voice because of all he is experiencing. 

This chapter in my novel is unique to any I've ever been in before. It includes lonely times, new challenges, disappointments, delicacies never savored before, trips to places I've never been before and an unshared bed. But it's my novel and as Wilson writes, "Scene after scene is given to you and the teeming universe in the audience waits for your reaction, for your line, waits to see if you'll yell at the fat-faced child who spilled the milk, or if you'll laugh and kiss a cheek... What will your character do when the petty things happen, when your car betrays you in the cold? When the pipes freeze?" and may I add, "When your husband leaves for five months to participate in a new chapter of his own story." 

So if you hear me whining because I miss my hubby, just remind me... There's no crying in Disneyland!

Etna, CA

I'm taking an unscheduled, unplanned, unapproved, but very welcome visit to Etna. I usually try to stick to my schedule, and I'm not a spontaneous person, but I needed a break from the long miles. I'm going to eat three meals while I'm in Etna and stock up on much needed calories. I don't have a resupply box here and I only need a few snacks to get to Seiad Valley where my next resupply box is. After that I'm only a few miles from Oregon!

1,600 Miles

Only 1,050 miles to Canada!

I've Been Busy Hiking

Since leaving Burney Falls State Park, where I spent two days with Eva, my goal has been to hike as fast as possible to reach the border of Washington, where I get to see Eva again! I hear Oregon will be easier hiking, but I'm still about 98 miles from Oregon. I have hiked 178 miles since Burney Falls and averaged 27.2 miles a day. It's been very challenging, and I  know I need to slow down a bit to save my feet and my sanity. I'm taking a day off and hitching 10 miles into a small town named Etna to wash clothes, shower, eat, and sleep in a bed. My right foot needs some ice and rest! I'll be back on the trail the next day and should reach the Oregon border in 5 days. 

The hiking in this area has been difficult with lots of altitude change and sections that had very little water. On the positive side the weather has been good and the mosquitoes are gone!

Wednesday, July 23-1,500 Miles and Counting

I've reached Castella and Castle Crags State Park. I am resupplying, thanks for the food and supplies Eva, and walking back to the trail to...you guessed it, hike! I hope to complete the next 160 miles in record time! I completed the previous section from Burney Falls State Park with an average of 28 miles a day. Shasta looms large as I get closer and closer.

Hiking 26+ miles a day takes extra effort and I'm finding it hard to write and take pictures. Hopefully I'll adjust just like I did to 20 miles a day.

Table for One by Eva

Resupply Station at the Mauch Home

The most important part of my job as base camp manager has been the packing and mailing of Loren's resupply boxes. Butter Fingers can carry no more than 7 days of food at one time. So you can imagine that 2,650 miles means lots of resupply boxes. Before Butter Fingers left, he prepacked all his non-food items including batteries, toilet paper, fuel canisters, cash, vitamins and trail section maps. He threw in a few food items but it has been my job to make sure he has what he needs to make it from one resupply box to the next without having to stop at a store to resupply. Many of you have been curious about what he eats. Here is my guide for packing each box...
Breakfast can be the following: 1. Two oatmeal packets with a zip lock baggie of raisins, almond slivers and an individually wrapped danish, 2. Pop Tarts with peanut butter and home made fruit leather, 3. Granola with powdered whole milk and a zip lock baggie of almond slivers, or 4. a giant individually wrapped cinnamon roll sold at Walgreens. Each breakfast also includes a package of hot chocolate mix.
Lunch can be the following: 1. Foil wrapped tuna packet with small packets of mayo, relish, mustard, a package of crackers and cheese and a cutie pie, 2. A Beef Stick with 2 cheddar cheese sticks and a packet of crackers and peanut butter, or 3. Granola Bars or two packages of crackers with peanut butter.
Dinner can be the following: 1. Freeze dried backpackers meals with a variety cracker mix or pretzels, 2. Stove Top Stuffing package with small zip lock of freeze dried chicken or sausage, and dehydrated veggies (peas, carrots, onions, peppers or any combo), or 3. Top Ramen package with a zip lock baggies of sausage, dehydrated veggies and peanuts. No matter what the dinner meal, all include a package of cookies or a brownie and a candy bar, then gummy worms or gummy orange slices to wash it all down. 
Snacks: In order for Butter Fingers to get enough calories he has to eat between meals. For each hiking day I pack him four of the following- crackers & cheese or peanut butter packets, chocolate bars/m&m's etc, cookies/brownies and a 1/2 cup of trail mix. As Butter Fingers has never liked water, I also send him Crystal Light packets with caffeine to add to his water bottles. 

We haven't had much luck taking food packaged in large portions and sending it in smaller portions. The large packages of pepperoni sticks from Costco molded before he could eat them as I had to open the package to put a couple in a zip lock. Because of this, I am always looking for pre-packaged single portions of items. The Walgreens cinnamon rolls for example were an exciting find. It might seem strange, but I have the most luck finding single serving, calorie dense foods near the check out stands of mini-marts and pharmacies. 

Together Again-By Loren and Eva

Mr. and Mrs. Butter Fingers

I'm at mile 1,424 in Burney Falls State Park, which is famous for the water falls you see behind the lovely couple in the picture. I have not seen the water fall yet because I am enamored with the ice cream and soda in the general store. I am hot, hungry, thirsty, dirty, and waiting for Eva to pick me up. I'm not walking another mile in these shoes!

When I picked Loren up at the general store, it was so good to see him. Unfortunately, besides dirty, he was also stinky. Funny that he didn't seem to be aware of it, nor did the other thru-hikers making use of the general store. The employees at the store diligently sprayed air freshener every time one of the hikers left the store.

Eva rented a room in the small town of Burney, 8 miles from the state park. She suggested my first task might be to take a shower. She is really catching on to what hikers are looking for in a motel because it had an excellent laundry room with a utility sink to pre-wash socks and wifi for updating my blog, photos, and videos.

Loren is pretty easy to please these days. I guess after sleeping on the ground without a shower for days on end changes your priorities. Things I look for in a motel is a laundry room, jacuzzi spa, wifi, a place close to the trail with nearby restaurants. Burney is a small town so no jacuzzi but I was able to get everything else. Judging from all the other hikers at the motel, most thru- hikers are looking for the same amenities.

Along with food and supplies for the next section of the trail, Eva brought me a new pair of SHOES! My old pair had holes in them and the mid-soles were so worn out that I could literally feel the tread pattern on the sole of the shoe. I was showing off my new shoes to some other thru-hikers in town and they commented on the unique tread pattern by noting that they have seen it on the trail for miles and had no idea they were following me. (I have seen only one other hiker wearing the same shoe style/brand as I am.) 

I've never seen Loren so excited about new shoes. I'm normally the one who comes home excited about the shoes I found that "I had to buy." Loren mentioned how nice his shoes felt several times over the last couple of days. We even walked on the road instead of the dusty trail when we visited the water fall so that his shoes would stay clean and pretty. They won't stay clean for long though. The trail is hard on shoes especially the hot lava rock areas where it can literally melt away the sole. I already have another pair at home ready for him when he needs them. A good pair of shoes is a thru-hikers best friend, unless you are Baja and have decided to hike the trail in flip-flops. This only because he couldn't do it barefoot which was his original plan.

Eva also delivered a care package from the Planet Kids Christian Preschool full of goodies along with notes and cards from friends and family. Thanks everyone for your love and support. Since I reached the half way point on Monday, July 14, I have been imagining what it will be like to finish the trail and return home. I am hiking faster now and I will complete the second half of the trail faster than the first half. I am 275 miles from the Oregon border and Washington is another 450 miles away. I hope to complete the 725 miles to Washington in 30 days. That is an average of 24+ miles every day for 30 days. I will meet Eva again when I get to Oregon/Washington border and we will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Then it will be a mad dash to Canada to beat the snow.

In case you didn't notice what I am wearing in the above picture, the shirt says, "Suck It Up, Buttercup." I got the shirt from a friend who read these two blog posts: More Burned Forest and Brutal Day. I love the shirt but I must admit, I would be doing more than a little whining after 1,400 miles.

Well...it's time to wrap up this blog post! I have enjoyed a zero day with Eva and I return to the trail tomorrow. It's getting late and she still has to give me a back massage. I am so spoiled!

Tuesday, July 15-Not All Hikers Are Created Equal

I am not a morning person. My wife is lucky to get a grunt or groan out of me early in the morning. By 8 am I can be civil and by 9 I can act interested in what's going on around me. By 10 am I can think and even enjoy social interaction. After lunch I'm fired up and ready to tackle anything you can throw at me and I enjoy working hard well into the evening.

Knowing this, it shouldn't seem strange that my preferred hiking style is similar. I'm slow in the morning and enjoy hiking alone. Sometimes I put in my earbuds even though I'm not listening to anything...just so people will be reluctant to talk to me. I just plod along and let people pass me. By 10 am I'm thinking about a goal or destination for the day and by noon I'm starting to catch people who passed me earlier. After lunch, watch out! I'm usually plowing down the trail and hiking faster than most people on the trail. I like to hike late and squeeze in "just a few more miles." It's not uncommon to be setting up my tent by headlamp and crawling into bed just as the moon rises in the east. I blog for a few minutes, read, and quickly fall asleep.

Monday, July 14-Half Way To Canada!

Today I reached the half way point on the Pacific Crest Trail. Above are pictures from the monument at the half way point. I've hiked 1,325 miles since April 24. That averages out to 16.1 miles a day when you include 5 "zeros" (no hiking) and 4 "neros" (less than 8 miles) in the total number of days. Since leaving Tahoe, my daily mileage has increased to 22 miles per day with no zeros or neros and I think it will get closer to 25 miles per day over the next few weeks. I have already hiked a 33 mile day and I'm planning on a 40 mile day somewhere in Oregon...just to see if I can. I plan to finish the second half of the PCT faster than the first half. I'm having a great time but there is no reason to dilly dally...Canada is calling my name!

Sunday, July 13-Heat, Uphill & Poison Oak

7,100 vertical feet of altitude gain in the first 20 miles of hiking from Belden. I started hiking at 6 am in an effort to beat the heat. The graphic above is a screen shot of a PCT GPS app on my phone. I started at the bottom left and hiked to the top right. The tent symbols are possible campsites, the tread symbols are road crossings (in this case a dirt road) and the drip symbols are water sources (a half full drip means a seasonal source that is not reliable). 

What you see above represents approximately 20 miles of trail and I hiked 24 miles today. I ended up camping in a location with no water. I planned for this possibility by eating dinner earlier at the last water source and bringing 2 liters with me for the evening and breakfast. The only downside to dry camping is I can't wash my feet and they are crazy dirty. I mean dirt is caked on my calves, the bottom of my feet and my toes. I had so much dirt in one shoe it had clumped up and I thought I had a rock in my shoe. My foot is actually bruised and sore where the clump of dirt was. I hope it feels better in the morning. In the morning, at the first water stop, I plan to wash my feet and socks. 

Tomorrow I reach the half way point on the Pacific Crest Trail! 

Lesson's Learned Off the Trail by Eva

After reading the book of Proverbs, I thought I too would share the wisdom I have learned over the last 80 days without Loren...

1. The modem and router are not the same thing and my modem is hidden behind my printer. Who knew? (Loren: Actually, it's the router that's behind the printer, ha, ha.)
2. Weeds grow to an astonishing height if not taken care of.
3. iCloud does not have an unlimited amount of storage.
4. You can get close to elk but keep your distance from moose.
5. A 7 mile hike is too far for a dog when they add at least 3 more miles running up and down the trail. Poor Holly!
6. The City of Modesto will send someone out to investigate an overflowing street drain even on a Saturday.
7. Adding a dog door can be a costly idea. Just start by cutting a hole in your wall and forget all the other online ideas. Trust me!
8. Falafel is yummy.
9. Listening to a book on CD can make a long drive seem shorter. Check out your library for an endless supply of them.
10. A hummus plate with carrot sticks, broccoli, marinated olives, grapes and pita chips makes a wonderful dinner on a hot summer night.

Saturday, July 12-Resupply in Belden

Here is the ridge where I slept last night before pounding down over 4,000 feet to my destination. It was a very quiet night, with a gentle breeze and only a few clouds in the sky. 

I'm at the Braaten's home in Belden, CA where my resupply package was mailed. The Braatens are a very nice retired couple who moved here specifically to be PCT trail angels. I arrived about 10am and I've showered, sorted my gear and food and will take a half mile walk down the highway to a campground store with a small cafe and laundry facility. I have a bed at the Braaten's home for the night and will be back on the trail first thing in the morning.

Belden is at 2,200 ft. in a narrow canyon along Hwy 70. The whole town is nothing more than a small "resort" with lodging, a small store, a restaurant and a bar (all in one building) It's hot here and there is really nothing to do other than go swimming in the North Fork of the Feather River. I have been reading, resting my feet and stretching, but a swim does sound nice...

Trains run through town day and night so it's not an ideal place to sleep. There is no AT&T cell phone service here and no wifi. I need a sign that says: "Will Work For Internet Access." Verizon is king again in Belden. I hope when I get back on the trail I'll have better luck getting service. It's funny, but when I have no phone service in town I feel more isolated then when I'm all alone in the wilderness on a ridge line with 2 bars and 3G.

Friday, July 11-Bucks Lake

After getting rained on all night, I did my best to get up and get moving by 6am. My tent was drying out in the first rays of the morning sun and then another cloud blew over and soaked everything again. Bummer...

I took a detour from the trail today that added a few miles to my hike but also brought me in contact with real FOOD! The idea of eating a burger was all consuming and overwhelmed my senses. It involved an 8.5 mile road walk to Bucks Lake. The walk was pleasant and there was very little traffic. 

I arrived at the restaurant an hour before they opened so I made good use of my time and wrote this blog post, charged my phone, used the restroom, and emptied the trash from my pack. There is no cell service here and no wifi. :( 

I've noticed that I had far better phone reception and access to wifi in Southern California especially in the desert section. It seems the further north I go, the harder it is to communicate. In the last town, Verizon worked but not AT&T. The store had wifi for hikers but it was painfully slow. I was able to text Eva and get one blog post to Eva for proofing. 

I'm having a burger, onion rings, and then will visit the store for soda and ice cream! Then I'll hike another 12-15 miles so I can arrive in Belden Saturday morning. I'll be back on the trail Sunday morning heading for Burney Falls State Park, where I'll meet Eva for the first time in a few weeks! She has my new shoes!!!

I'm so excited to see Eva and get my new shoes! 

Thursday, July 10-33 Mile Day

The last few days have reminded me of the desert because there were very few water sources. Here is a picture of a spring about a half mile off the trail. It was very cold and refreshing. It was one of the nicer places I got water. 

Today I hiked until almost 10pm and ended up covering 33+ miles...and they were not easy miles. At 4pm, after a long hot descent, I reached the middle fork of the Feather River and began a 4,600 ft climb out of the canyon. I stopped at a nice creek crossing 2 hours later and washed my feet and socks and filled up my water bottles.

I thought I would hike for maybe an hour and then stop for the day. The trail climbed along a steep ridge for miles and there was no place to camp. I just kept going and going hoping that I would find someplace flat enough to camp. Eventually I stopped to eat a snack and put on my headlamp. I have hiked early in the morning with my headlamp, and watched the sunrise, but this is the first time I have hiked into the darkness and had to choose a campsite in the dark. At first I planned on cowboy camping (no tent) because it was so late, but after a few minutes of looking at the clouds, I decided to setup my tent. It didn't take long to confirm that was a good decision because it started raining before midnight. I got up, put on the rain fly, ate a bag of M&Ms and went back to sleep.

Wednesday, July 9-Sharing The Forest

The forest north of Sierra City has numerous dirt and gravel roads and they seem to be popular with people who own trucks and GUNS! Apparently someone is not happy with Sierra County, because there are huge bullet holes in the sign. The sign below warns drivers in the forest to swerve when being shot at to avoid being hit. :)

During dinner tonight I heard gun shots for the first time while on the PCT. They were loud, close, and made me wonder which direction they were shooting. I think it's too early for deer season so I'm not sure what they were shooting at. 

As you can see I bumped my head today while getting water. I had to scramble down an embankment and I hit my head on a branch. Don't worry, It only hurts when I think...

While stopped for lunch today a young woman named Bananaboat hiked quickly by me announcing that Coppertone is camped at a dirt road about 5 miles up the trail. Coppertone is a trail angel meeting hikers along the trail and is famous for providing root beer floats. I arrived about two hours later and enjoyed  my second root beer float on the trail. He also had fruit and chairs to sit in! It was a great morale boost on a hot, dry, and dusty day!

I hiked 25 miles today in about 12 hours  and am on track to meet Eva soon. By the time I see her, I'll have completed over half of the Pacific Crest Trail and be approximately 300 miles from the Oregon border. 

Tuesday, July 8-The View From Mile 1,205

After resupplying in Sierra City, I hiked another 8.5 miles, and watched the sunset as I ate dinner: pasta primavera, Oreo cookies, and a Snickers bar. It was quiet, windless, and I was all alone to enjoy the sunset. I hiked a total of 20 miles today even with a 3 hour town stop. I didn't get a chance to wash clothes or shower, but that will happen at the next resupply, when I stay with trail angels near Belden, CA: Laurie and Brenda Braaten. 

I am managing some blisters, but I think what will really solve the problem is some new shoes. My shoes have holes in them and when I walk on pavement, I can tell there is zero cushion or support. I think my green super feet insoles need replacing too. They are the same pair I started with 1,200 miles ago and they weren't new then. My gaiters are also in shreds. It's time for a footwear extreme makeover!

I forgot to mention in a previous post that I met Sugar (my hiking partner in the High Sierra) on the trail the day before I hiked into Sierra City. What is strange about our meeting is that she was hiking SOUTH! She was meeting her boyfriend in the Tahoe area in a couple of days, and rather than relax and hitch a ride there, she decided to hike BACK 60 miles! That's  crazy!!!  For those of you wanting to see a picture of Sugar, you are not alone. She does take pictures on the trail, but she hides in the picture with only her hat or part if her head showing. She is the "Where's Waldo" of the PCT. 

It's 9:15 pm and I'm already in bed and my eyes seem as tired as my feet. Tomorrow I plan to knock out 22-25 miles so I better sign off now. Blessings! 

Timber!

Today I spent most of the day hiking through a section of forest that was being logged for timber. It was dirty, dusty, and generally unappealing. I hiked 93 miles in the past four days, averaging over 23 miles a day, and I have the blisters to prove it. I will arrive in Sierra City tomorrow by 1pm and resupply for the next section. I hope to rest for an hour or two, but I need to keep moving.

I camped at a developed campground for free at the manager's invitation. He saw me hiking near the campground and said I could stay at the host campsite. The host didn't show and the site was empty. A picnic table, water spigot, and pit toilet was like Heaven. The down side is that everyone in the campground thought I was the host. One woman wanted me to help her find her lost dog. Other people wanted to pay me for their site.

I'm in Sierra City now and just finished eating the biggest breakfast burrito I have ever seen. It's time to resupply, rest, and then get back on the trail. I have a deadline to meet Eva at Burney Falls State Park. That's 227 miles away. She has a new pair of shoes that I REALLY need. 

Peter Grubb Hut

After a 24 mile day and 6,000 feet of altitude gain, I'm camped at the Peter Grubb Hut. It is about 7 miles north of I80 near Truckee and it is the only hut style camping on the PCT. I am staying in the hut with 6 other people. Four are on the first day of their hike and the other three are PCT thru-hikers who I have seen regularly for the past few days. The new hikers seem too excited to sleep and the thru-hikers are too tired to talk. 

Here are some pics from the last few days. 

Before crossing the I-80, I treated myself to a meal at Donner Ski Ranch on Donner Summit Road. A tri-tip sandwich and fries were calling my name. I also charged my phone, emptied my trash bag, and used a real restroom with indoor plumbing! Amazing!

I've stepped up my miles over the last few days and am closing in on the half way point on the trail. I'm going to keep hiking faster because Linda C says I need to come home ASAP.  : )   I've paid a price for all those extra miles...my first blister. 

I'm truly missing my friends at the church and think of them often. Today was Sunday, and I was thinking all day about the services and what everyone was doing. I hope everything is going well and am praying for everyone: pastors, assistants, business office staff, worship arts team, maintenance, preschool, IT, media, audio, graphics, lighting, Kids Space, Nineveh, Without Permission, Cross, Learn The Word, Youth, Fitness, Men, Women...am I forgetting anyone? 

Thanks again for reading and following along on my journey. Blessings! 

Guest Blogger-Ben Brown

I hiked with Pastor Ben for 76 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail. Here are his comments: 

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail for 1.5 days now, I can honestly say this is intense stuff. All those day hikes I did growing up look like child's play compared to this hike. Here are some observations so far on the trail...

1) Hikers are all over the place one minute, no where to be found the next. Where do they all go?!

2) The shortest distance between Point A and Point B is not the objective of the PCT. The trail twists and turns like crazy. At one time today, we switched back south for quite a while. It looked like we were headed back to Mexico!

3) Snow can be in the weirdest places. We've seen a lot of it in small pockets along the trail, even at lower altitudes in the middle of summer. There were a couple small patches that seem to just be hanging on. Why hasn't it melted yet?!

4) Fifteen miles is a LONG way to hike in the high Sierra. I wish I was in better shape!

The experience is challenging yet rewarding. It teaches me a lot about what I can endure, in some of the most extreme conditions. It causes me to reflect on things that are most important, like faith and family. It's producing things in me that I know I'd never experience if I didn't step out and hike 76 miles in 5 days.

Seriously, I think of James 1:2-4...
"Consider it a great joy whenever you face various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must finish its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

Things I've Learned After 1,000 Miles

I never get tired of pop tarts or hot chocolate.

I can hike in shorts when it is freezing, but if I don't have gloves, my fingers go numb.

Put on gloves before your fingers are numb. It's hard to put them on when your can't feel your fingers and they are stiff. 

Make absolutely sure there are no other hikers around if you are too lazy to walk off the trail to pee. (Trust me, it's embarrassing, especially if it is someone of the opposite sex.)

You can't eat enough when you are hiking 20 miles a day every day. Calories are your friend. 

Sunscreen with moisturizer is amazing!

Dirt is not the enemy and it washes off easily. It is also a decent sun and/or bug protection in ample quantities.

Mosquitoes are the enemy. They can drive you crazy! Carry 100% DEET or cover yourself in mud. 

After carrying a backpack for two months, sometimes I forget it is there.

Your body can do amazing things. You can always hike one more mile.

The wilderness is to be respected, but with the right gear and experience, it is not a scary place.

I can hike alone and be happy.

Music makes me hike faster.

Take your shoes off at lunch and breaks to let your feet, socks, and shoes air out and dry...your feet will be much happier.

Lip Balm is also good for chafing...don't borrow a hiker's chap stick without asking, "where have you used this?"

Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night when it is raining is a bummer. Don't drink too much before bed.

Foods with the highest fat content are your friends on the trail. 

Hiking 1,000 miles will give you legs of steel, but your upper body looks like a wet noodle.

You can hike through snow in trail running shoes, but be prepared for some cold toes.

After hiking 25 miles in one day, going to bed at 8PM is normal. So is sleeping 10 hours.

More to come...

Sonora Pass

Below is where I camped the night before Sonora Pass.

It was high on a ridge with a near vertical drop, just three feet behind my tent. I used plenty of stakes and rocks to make sure my tent wouldn't blow away in a high wind. It turned out to be a cold, but relatively calm night, with no more rain! 

This is part of the trail I hiked north to Sonora Pass. It was a cold, windy, and overcast day. We stayed high on the ridge for most of the morning and then dropped down to the pass in the last mile. Although I camped alone, there were other thru-hikers also hiking to the pass and about 9 hikers arrived there in the span of about 2 hours. When I arrived at the trail head, where the trail crosses Hwy 108, there was trail magic in progress! The food included baked potatoes with butter and cheese, homemade mac & cheese, homemade baked goods, fruit salad, yogurt, and lots of candy. I had a huge portion of everything! As you can see in the picture, there was a massage table and hikers got a 20 minute massage for sore legs and backs from a certified masseuse. It was pretty amazing! 

After getting a massage and eating for over an hour, I dragged myself away from the trail magic and hitchhiked 10 miles down to Kennedy Meadows. I showered, washed my clothes, repacked my gear, and ate a big dinner at the cafe. (I was on my way to eat dinner, thinking to myself... if only I had a newspaper to read during dinner and BAM there it was sitting on the table next to mine.) The small resort advertises wifi, but it wasn't operational and there is ZERO cell service in the area, so I called Eva from the pay phone. I had a huge breakfast at the cafe and then hitchhiked back to Sonora Pass to meet friends from Modesto. Three people will be joining me on the hike from Sonora Pass not Echo Lakes/Lake Tahoe. It will be fun having friends to hike with.

A Trail Birthday

Today I turned 52 on the trail. I'm celebrating with pop tarts, cookies, pastries, and candy bars. And that is just breakfast! Just as important as what I am eating is what is eating me...mosquitoes to be exact. I've been bitten so many times I think I have donated a pint of blood. The good news is the welts aren't too big, don't itch much, and don't last long. Maybe my body is just getting used to it.

Besides the topic of food, which is high priority on thru-hiker discussion lists, we also talk about miles hiked, and today, on my birthday, I completed 1,000 miles! 

I didn't stop too long because of the mosquitoes, but I did manage to get this picture.

Another exciting thing happened on my birthday: RAIN! The night before, I went to bed and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I left the rain fly off my tent so I could see the stars. At 3AM I woke to rain on my face. I quickly got up in my running shorts and t-shirt and put on the rain fly. It continued to rain until almost 3PM. Below is a picture of Dorothy Lake shrouded in clouds and mist. 

I have camped there before but it was special to see it under these conditions.

I hiked to within 6 miles of Sonora Pass and camped on a ridge with dramatic views in all directions.

Overall, it was a great day! I shot some video, but I can't upload it now so you video lovers will just have to be patient.

Thanks for continuing to follow along! 

You Choose The Title

I attempted to cross a river this morning. Below are some possible blog titles that tell the story. When you read the titles, no further explanation will be needed. You pick your favorite.

• Just Another River Crossing
• I Don't Want To Take Off My Shoes And Wade Across
• Hopping From Rock To Rock Is An Option
• Look, That Guy Just Did It And It Looked Easy!
• It Only Looks Easy...
• Trekking Poles Offer A False Sense Of Security When Crossing Rivers
• Slippery When Wet...
• A Morning Bath!
• Just Keep Swimming, Just Keep Swimming
• Is That Blood In The Water?
• It's Normal To Bleed More In The Mountains...Right?
• Mosquitoes are Like Sharks...They Can Smell Blood!
• Is It Just Me Or Did It Get Really Cold?
• How Long Was My iPhone Under Water?
• Which Is Easier To Dry Out, An iPhone Or A Roll Of Toilet Paper?
• At  Least I Had An Audience!
• We're Not Laughing At You, We're Laughing With You
• Anyone Have A Dry YouBandaid?
• Are You Sure Your Name Isn't Butter Feet?
• Squish, Squish, Squish, Squish...
• I Need A Pop tart To Brighten My Day

PostScript:

I dried out my phone for two days before trying to turn it on. (That took a lot of self control.) On the morning of my birthday, I hit the power button and PTL I was back in business! The toilet paper is another matter...The boo boo on my knee is healing nicely and the hikers who witnessed the event have been sworn to secrecy. All is good on the PCT!