Looking Back @ PCT 2013

Cascade Locks, Oregon
PCT 2013

Snoqualmie Pass, WA to Skykomish, WA

Snoqualmie Pass to Skykomish, WA (9-24-2013 to 9-28-2013):

9-24-2013

PCT MILE: 2402.00-2409.73

-Left Snoqualmie Pass today

-Ate lunch at the Ardvark food trailer at the Chevron... OMG it has amazing food! While there, I saw Indie, Appa, Moist, Safari, and Puff in addition to all the other hikers I've been spending time with recently (Cookie Monster, Solstice, Explagrance, Golden Boy, New Orleans, & Chops). 

-It was great to see Appa and Indie; I hadn't seen them in a loooong time! I love those boys so much. I love everyone from Team Vortex! I was incredibly happy getting to catch up with and hug everyone. 

-The weather was shifting between sunshine, rain, and snow today! It was lovely, but frustrating because I had to keep adjusting my gear and my wardrobe to match the weather conditions. 

-I left super late in the afternoon. I decided to only hike in a short distance. The only campsites listed on my trail guide were a great distance from one another: the first was located just 7 miles north of me on the trail, while the second listed campsite was 18 miles away from me. Due to my late start and the weather, I stopped at the first campsite. 

-My next stop is Skykomish, WA so I can pick up mail and stay with The Dinsmores at PCT Mile 2476. This means I have 66.27 miles to go until I get there. If I can hike just 22 miles a day I should be there in 3 days. I hope I can hike fast!

-My forehead/eyebrow wound is doing okay. It hurts a little bit but its not reddening. I'm thinking maybe I should go see a doctor to inquire about stitches. I'm nervous this gash could leave an ugly scar on my face. And, with all the walking I'm doing, there is constant sweat pouring down my forehead and going straight into my wound. I'm sure it's not a big deal... but being out in the wild means I have dirt on my hands... so when I go to wipe the sweat from my brow I risk getting dirt and bacteria into my cut. Ugh... I hope I can keep it clean enough until I get to Skykomish, WA and see a doctor or at least consult WebMD. 

-It's so cold! It started snowing earlier. It stopped snowing and there isn't any sticking to he ground yet... but winter is coming to Washington! It's exciting and scary for me- mostly exciting though. 

-I likely will not catch up to: Safari, Puff, Moist, Indie, Appa, Solstice, Poolside, or Deep Dish. I hope I see them again... but they're hiking after than I am to Canada and they're not stopping in Skykomish like I am. 

-Behind me are Shady Acres, Apache, Gone Slow, Sharkrider, Rocket Llama, Giggles, Story Time,  Simba, and No Rush... I hope they catch up so I can see them all again.

9-25-2013

PCT MILE: 2409.73-2424.11

-Woke up to a mouse chewing on my trash bag. I scared him off. 

-Went back to bed because it was FREEZING outside. I couldn't stand the thought of getting out of my warm sleeping bag, changing clothes, and taking down my tent with it being so cold outside. I decided I'd sleep in a little and wait for the sun to warm things up a bit. 

-I finally woke up at 7:30am. It was still pretty cold, but not as bad as it was earlier. 

-Got on the trail by 9:30am. Apparently I move much more slowly when it's cold!

-Not feeling the hike yet today. I'm just feeling dull and sluggish- and my back and forehead hurt. 

-It's really foggy here- hardly any visibility- so I feel like I'm climbing mountains for no good reason. I'm just climbing, climbing, climbing, and all I can see is fog and the trail right in front of me... no pretty views are in sight even though I know they're surrounding me. Grrr

-Appreciation for both sides of the spectrum when it comes to the PCT: desert vs. mountains, inclines vs. declines, cold weather vs.warm weather, hiking fast vs. hiking slowly... etc. I was irritated at the cold and foggy weather this morning. I turned around a ridge and it swung me onto a ledge overlooking a beautiful landscape of mountains, lakes, rivers, and meadows with even taller and more rugged mountains in the background that were frosted with snow. There was blue sky and the sun was shining. What a stark contrast to the other side of the ridge! What if I had given up and just sat down on the foggy side of the mountain and been miserable when I could have persevered and kept going only to stumble upon such a perfect sight?! What a great life lesson: Keep going and never give up. 

-The clouds were a veil over the horizon. I saw stunning scenery when the veil was lifted. 

-Frustrated and I don't know why. Even with the beautiful scenery and weather, I just wasn't feeling the hike today. I didn't want to work or do anything really. I have no clue as to why I feel this way. 

-The weather was crazy today! Cold, overcast, foggy, rainy, misty, sunshine, hot, blue skies, marshmallow clouds... The weather in Washington is very fickle and can change in an instant!

-Love Hate relationship with the trail. 

-Dilemma about today's hike

-OMG! What a day! It's been crazy for me- in my head mostly though. The hiking was nice, the weather turned out to be gorgeous, I was surrounded by waterfalls and rivers... but I just didn't want to hike. I decided to have a short day, to camp before a large climb, and to start fresh in the morning. It feels good to be making a decision that's best for me even though almost everyone else pushed on. Listening to myself is hard for me to do at times; I'm very happy I did it today. 

-Camping with New Orleans (Nolene, a potter, from South Africa) and Chopps (a dude from Chico, CA who turned down a helicopter ride during one of the forest fires this year).

9-26-2013

PCT MILE: 2424.11-2445.38

-Much better day today

-Sunshine and blue sky with great views 

-Lunch with Nurse Betty! It was fantastic seeing her! I hadn't seen her since the Mojave Desert! She said the next section is REALLY difficult. I'm a bit nervous about this. 

-Camped with Chopps and New Orleans again. 

-So much stuff to say, but I'm too tired to type. 

9-27-2013

PCT MILE: 2445.38-2457.56

-Panic attack because it snowed. The brown trail turned to white right before my eyes- as I walked up a mountain. It was beautiful, but everything got so white so quickly that I feared the snow might not stop and that I could be marching into a death trap. I told myself to keep going because I would be closer to town if I headed north, instead of marching an even greater distance to the town I just came from. I kept going and the more the trail descended, the less snowy it became. I felt relieved. 

-Next, I got to a sequence of river crossings. Some rivers were small, some were large but tame and had rocks thoughtfully placed for hikers to jump across on, and some rivers were totally dried up. And then, some rivers were grand waterfalls dumping gallons and gallons of water into a raging river tumbling over volcanic rock on the side of a mountain. I fell into the latter earlier today. I was carefully crossing the river by walking across logs and rocks, but at one point I stepped on a slippery rock and fell over into a pool of water. It was raining, cold, and foggy too. I picked myself back up, got back on the logs, and continued to cross the river. To my shock, my rain gear kept me almost entirely dry! Even my backpack stayed dry- all but one front pocket. I finished the river crossing and hiked until I reached some trees. I stood under a few low hanging branches of some huge tree and stared back at the rugged river I came from. I caught my breath, collected my thoughts, and told myself it was time to keep going. (The longer I stood there the colder I became. I HAD to keep moving to keep my body temperature up.)

-I wanted to walk at least 20 miles today so that I would only have to hike 10 miles tomorrow when I'm going into town. BUT, because of the rain, my snow anxiety, and me falling into the river, I decided to camp early, before some climbs and long ridge lines where camping would be a bad idea. I was afraid to ascend so late in the day and be fully committed to walking another 16 miles in the rain. 

-Found a nice spot, set up camp, collected water, got in my sleeping bag and dry clothing, put boiling water into my Platypus water bladder, warmed myself up with my warm water bottle, listened to music, finished reading a book, ate, rationed my food, drank some tea, and did whatever I wanted while I listened to the rain landing on my tent. I was so happy to not be out hiking!!!!!! And I was happy to be listening to myself and not trying to keep up with others. 

-I hope tomorrow is a good day with good trail and tolerable weather that I can stay dry in. 

-Considering getting off the trail, and finishing the last half of Washington for next year, as my grand finale to finishing the trail. I don't know what to do. I will take a zero-day in Skykomish, WA, think about my options and look at my maps to see if I'm up for what's in store. 

9-28-2013

PCT MILE: 2457.56-2476.00

-Just woke up (7:00am). It's raining and cold!!!!!! I DO NOT want to get out of my sleeping bag, much less my tent. Grrrr... I have recently learned that I am emotionally sensitive when it comes to bad weather! Many hikers have this "whatever, it's just wet and cold" attitude; they push forward with what seems like great ease. Yet I seem to lack the resolve to even get dressed! Ha! Everything is also covered in mud... EVERYTHING. I wish I could stay in my tent until the weather clears... but that won't be for about 10 months and I definitely don't have enough food or fuel for that long of a stay. I am only 18 miles away from civilization where I can eat a cheeseburger, drink a soda, shower, rest, do laundry, clean my gear, and assess my hiking situation to determine if I should keep going further into the desolate wilderness of northern Washington, or if I should return to the hustle and bustle and heat and traffic of Houston, TX. What polar opposites!!!!!!!! Ugh- this is a tough decision. Good thing I don't have to make it now. 

-Today I need to hike 18 miles which includes an instant incline over a mountain pass where I'm likely to encounter snow since it's over 5,000 feet elevation, then a steep decline, then another large incline over another ridge and mountain pass, and then a series of smaller declines and inclines until I stumble out of the woods onto a freeway where I will hitch hike 30 miles to Skykomish, WA. I doubt I'll be able to find a ride by the time I reach the highway, so I'll probably set up camp in the woods just near the highway and hitch in the morning- a Sunday which is hopeful in terms of people's willingness to offer rides.

-I've been rationing my food just in case I don't make it into town tonight. I have 2 packets of oatmeal, 2 packets of tuna, 1 payday, about 10 pixie sticks, 4 powdered breakfast pouches, hot chocolate, 1 peppermint tea bag, 3 instant decaf coffee packets, and about 1/4 cup of crumbs from a bag of cheetos given to me by another hiker. Wow! I feel kind of pitiful right now, but its funny at the same time. Good Lord- please get me through today! I'm going to return to my strawberry oatmeal and my morning cup of coffee mixed with hot chocolate that my momma sent me. Thanks mom! 

-The trail turned into a series of streams and waterfalls. If there was a slope, water was running down it. I was drenched and wading through puddles of water, mud, dirt, twigs, and leaves. I felt pretty miserable... yet I still had many moments of joy. 

-I wonder if the Cascade Mountains got their name because all of the cascading waterfalls that are liberally scattered throughout the range? Or is it because of the cascading lava that once formed the mountains? I've got no idea... but waterfalls are EVERYWHERE up here! It's breathtaking- even in miserable weather conditions. 

-Ran into Sierra Bum and Shady Acres. It's Sierra Bum's birthday today!

-Hiked up onto a ski resort... at the top of a ski lift. I eventually saw tons of buildings (the resort) below me in the valley. I assumed everything would be closed, but the closer the trail took me to the buildings, the more clearly my eyes could make out a neon blue and red "OPEN" sign buzzing in a window. I followed the trail to the highway and cut over to the resort. It was open... AND it had hikers inside!!!!!!!!!!!! Appa, Indie, Moist, Shady Acres, Sierra Bum, and a few others were there. They had hiked north, but had to turn around because the weather was too harsh. Lady Killer and his wife offered some of us rides to The Dinsmore's trail angel home in Baring, WA (near Skykomish, WA). I took one of the seats and got to The Dinsmore's Hiker Heaven in the evening time. 

-I am relieved to be in town and so happy to see everyone. Even Safari is here!!!!!!!

-The Dinsmores have practically turned their garage into a "hiker shelter" with bunk beds, old couches and chairs, a wood stove, electricity, a porta potty, showers, laundry, tv, movies, rides to town, and whatever other help we may need. They are 100% volunteers who help us out of the kindness of their hearts. What lovely, wonderful people. I love them!

Packwood, WA to Snoqualmie Pass, WA

9-18-2013 to 9-23-2013

9-18-2013

PCT MILE: 2303-2312.98

-Woke up and did errands in town (Packwood, WA) with Rainbow

-Straightened my hair and added my cold weather gear to my pack. -It was amazing to feel clean, put together, and prepared before stomping off to conquer the wet woods again. This last section was really tough... but I learned my lessons and Im learning how to operate here. This is a challenge, but I like it. 

-Kitten is this hiker-dude from Detroit, MI. He is really calm, but super joyful, smart, and silly... just overall good vibes. He got his name because all he really wants on the trail is to have a kitten sitting atop his pack purring and playing while he walks the PCT. It's an outrageous idea that makes everyone chuckle when we think about the logistics of actually carrying around kittens on trail. We realized that we would have to breed miniature-kittens (like toy-dogs) so they would only weigh so much. And, to cut back on weight, we would toss the older and heavier kittens out and get a new, lighter-weight, baby kitten. I love thinking about this. Lol. 

-Rainbow drove Kitten and I back to the trail and away from the comforts of town. I updated my blog and called home to talk to my mom and dad.

-My mom and dad have been so supportive of my journey... They are taking care of my dog Sadie, they mail me gear and food as I need it along the way, they send me my bills, they flew out here to see me, my dad has started hiking again to hike with me, they purchased some of my gear, and they follow me on my SPOT device. Wow. This trip would have been so much more difficult, if not impossible, if it weren't for their help. I love you mom and dad!!!!!!!

-Hiked just under 10 miles today. I began hiking at 4pm and ended at about 7:00ish. I wanted to hike longer but it was getting darker and colder with every step. I decided to camp at a certain spot I knew was up ahead per my maps. Kitten had set up camp. I camped there too and we just chatted while we each made dinner from the comfort of our tents. 

-It's FREEZING here! And it's only going to get colder with every day.  That's incentive to hike really fast- to get your body warm. 

-Saw an elk today! It went barreling through the forest. Elk are HUGE! I bad no idea how big they are- like the size of an SUV or truck. 

-Good night!

9-19-2013

PCT MILE: 2312.98-2334.06

-Woke up early and was hiking out at 8:30am. Yay! I finally got up, packed up, ate breakfast, stretched, and had coffee by a decent hour! 

-Time really matters when you're backpacking. For example, you don't want to walk when it's too hot so you plan your hours accordingly to avoid the beat of the day. Right now, I am in Washington and winter is coming. It gets REALLY cold around 5:00pm, and the sun goes down earlier too. It's important that Im waking up early so that I can walk during the heat of the day and get at least 20 miles in a day before it gets dark. Had I considered these factors the other day, before climbing The Knife's Edge and having a near-death experience, I would have known to camp and save the climb for the following day when I would have ample daylight and more tolerable weather conditions. 

-Saw Shady Acres this morning and Explagrance this afternoon. She got confused with directions and she wasn't paying attention, so she started walking south on the trail!!!!! She totally backtracked and didn't even realize it until she saw me coming towards her. She asked if she was going the wrong way (sobo) and I said "yep!" She and I walked back in the correct direction (north) and we got to some trail magic at Hwy 20!!!!! I got apples and a coke! Trail angels, whoever you are... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! At the trail magic stop I also saw Golden Boy, Rustic, and First Man. Solstice went way up the trail as did Shady, Puff, and Safari. I hope to see them all again one day. 

-I worried about the hike today, but it wasn't all as bad as I anticipated. I was done with the inclines before I knew it. The weather was GORGEOUS!!!! The sky was blue with very few clouds and the air was cool and crisp. I would have needed a jacket on today if in weren't hiking no saw Mt. Rainier too!!!! It was beautiful! The mountain is massive and it protrudes into the sky unlike any of its surrounding mountains. It's covered in glaciers and ice. Mt. Rainier is marvelous. I feel so lucky that I got to hike next to it on a clear-blue day like today! The weather is supposed to take a turn for the worst, and today might just be the last blue-skied day Ill see in a long time. 

-Everyone wanted to convince me to hike on with them, but I was tired and I had already hiked more than 20 miles today. I didn't want to night hike on a ridge line with possibly poor weather heading my way and not having a place to stop for 10 miles if things got bad. I stayed behind. But Kitten and First Man are camped with me too. Both guys are really nice. 

-Kitten has TONS of food... I mean TONS OF FOOD! He gave me some of his food tonight because I didn't bring much (good) food with me. Thank you Kitten!

-I ate a very big dinner: Luncheable Pizza, 2 pepperoni sticks, 1 coke, 1 apple, macaroni and cheese, 4 slices of spicy cheese, tootsie rolls, sweet tarts, peppermint tea, and water!!!!!! I didn't eat much during the day today, so I hope the calories I consumed at dinner are enough to cover my 21 miles... Probably not enough, but at least I feel full. 

-Saw wild mountain goats on the mountain in front of me. 

9-20-2013

PCT MILE: 2334.06-2355

-Woke up late; left camp around 10:00am; strolled along the trail and took it easy while enjoying the beautiful weather

-Ran into Poolside from Virginia while on a saddle looking at Mt. Reinier. 

-Cabin and wood stove; local kids stopped by

9-21-2013

PCT MILE: 2355-2383.55

-Yep! I did 28.08 miles today!!!!!

-Hiked with Poolside

-Trail Angel surprise; burgers, beer, chips, cookies, soda, hot chocolate, whiskey, and more!

-Decided to stop instead of keep going to make my 30 mile goal... this magic was too good to pass up. 

-Sunny and rainy

-Every day I should: help someone out, accept someone else's help, challenge yourself, and do at least one thing you don't want to do that day. 

9-22-2013

PCT MILE: 2383.55-2402.00

-Woke up, packed, and slack packed to Snoqualmie Pass in the rain

-Got to Ardvark's at the Chevron and was greeted with warm food and all my trail friends

-Decided to stay at the Mostel Hostel here in Snoqualmie. 

-While running up the wooden stairs outside, I fell and face-planted into the wooden railing. I split open my eyebrow; blood was everywhere. I didn't go to the doctor... I hope I don't need stitches! The bleeding stopped so I think it's okay. 

-Greeted by other hikers staying at the Mostel- Pepperflake, Shotput, New Orleans, Rustic, Shady Acres, Danielle (Giardian Angel), & Taylor (No Poo Bear)

-Great to see everyone, and to be showered and dry even though I cut my forehead open. 

9-23-2013

Zero day in Snoqualmie Pass, WA

-Slept in, did laundry, tended to my eyebrow/forehead wound, rested

-Took a nap and woke up to Moist standing there! Yay! I hadn't seen him in ages!!!!!! Then, Safari ran up the stairs and tackled me (literally). And then Puff moseyed up the stairs too! Most all of my FAVORITE  people were there with me! I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I love my trail family so much. 

Trout Lake, WA to Packwood, WA

Trout Lake, WA to Packwood, WA

9-14-2013 to 9-17-2013

9-17-2013

PCT MILE: 2287.53-2303

-So cold when I woke up

-Goat hunters' fort. Ken and Jim gave us hot coffee, whiskey, and a pipe. They also let us warm up by their stove inside their tent! I love these guys! So nice!

-Hiked fast to get to town; tired of being cold and wet. 

-Rainbow (a Vortex member who has finished the trail) was doing trail magic in the area. She picked me up from where the trail came across a major road at White Pass and she drove me to town where we split a hotel room. I got a hot shower, a hot meal, clean clothing, and a warm bed. This was HEAVEN on earth, especially after what I had just been through on the Knife's Edge. 

9-16-2013

PCT MILE: 2262.02-2287.53

-25 miles today! Woohoo! 

-Wanted to walk 30 miles today, but weather and terrain had different plans for me

-Life-Death situation where I couldn't screw up or else I would die; the most afraid I've ever been on the trail; mile 2285- rocky, steep, slippery, surrounded by snowy drop-offs, rain, wind, very cold air, getting dark, above the tree-line which means no where to run for cover, snow starting to fall, hardly any visibility because of the rain and fog, on a narrow ridge line- like walking on the very tip top part of the fin on a jagged mountain, getting hypothermic when I stopped walking, soaking wet, and very VERY scary... But the whole time I knew it would be okay if I controlled my breathing, drank water, moved my fingers constantly, wiggled my toes around, stayed calm, not let my emotions conquer me, kept my bearings, decided that I could not stop walking for any reason (otherwise I would freeze to death), and told myself it would be okay if I did these things and if I could calmly and safely make my descent down past the tree-line and into the forest again. Everything turned out okay, thank God. 

-The others in my group also struggled a lot and feared for their lives too over this part. I had fallen behind them on the uphill earlier in the day which is why I wasn't with them. 

-Hiking with Shady Acres, Apache, Gone Slow, Lady Killer, Cookie Monster, Golden Boy, Solstice, and Explagrance. 

9-15-2013

PCT MILE: 2247.66-2262.02

-Woke up early to a gorgeous sunset. 

-Got on trail and floated down it. It was an AMAZING hike... the colors, sounds, smells, changing weather, fog, cool air, and my body functioning properly all made the perfect hike. 

-Hiked and ate lunch with Gone Slow, Shady Acres, Apache, and Cookie Monster. 

-Candy from Shady Acres

-Hiked really well, and was LOVING the hike! But I stopped early for the night because a huge,  steep, waterless ascent was coming up and I didn't want to tackle it at night in the rain/mist. I stopped, made camp, got water, built a fire, and ate dinner. Apache, Gone Slow, and Shady Acres joined me. Cookie Monster hiked on. Solstice stopped by our camp but kept hiking. Others joined us to camp later. They were excited about our campfire!

-Planning on hiking at least 20 miles tomorrow, if not hike 30 miles! Lol... we'll see what happens as tomorrow's hike has one of our steepest climbs we have had in a while. It's going to be difficult. Ugh. And Im running out of food, so I've got no choice but to hike hard.

-Feeling stronger, faster, and more confident about my hiking. 

-Very large river crossing... slipped a little and everything below my knees got drenched. This wasn't good for my hiking boots, because they take so long to dry out. It also wasn't good for my socks because the only pair I have is the one I was wearing! Walking with wet shoes definitely isn't my favorite way to hike, but wet shoes weren't as bad as I thought they would be. 

-Rain... gear getting wet

9-14-2013

PCT MILE: 2237.50-2247.66

-Leaving Trout Lake, WA where I woke up and ate a great breakfast!

-More friends showed up in town- Cookie Monster, Sierra Bum (Diego), Fire Hazard, Rain Maker, Solstice, Ryan, Explagrance, and Rustic. 

-Still hot here in WA!

-Trail angel James gave me a ride back to trail. I got started on my hike at around 3:00pm! A little late, but oh well. 

-Nervous about today's CRAZY and CONSTANT incline! I was dreading it. But today's trail actually wasn't that bad! It was hard but worth the sunset view. I held back tears and just sat there on a ridge looking at the Cascade Mountains right before me. 

-I've noticed that Im stronger, my breathing is getting better, I am more centered so that I find myself in a 'zone' or 'hiker trance' more often, I am more relaxed, I am more thankful, and as a result... I am hiking faster! Yay! Im finding it easier and easier to push through the pains and to find that breath to keep you going. The inhaler has helped me a ton. 

-Hiked with Cookie Monster, my old trail friend from the PCT Kick Off. 

-Camped near a river at mile 2247.66 with Cookie Monster, Shady Acres, Apache, and [I forgot his name! Whoops!]. We sat around and ate dinner and chatted for a bit. I laughed a lot. 

-In my tent and its getting COLD!!!!!! Im excited for winter! :)

Cascade Locks, OR to Trout Lake, WA

9-9-2013

PCT MILE: 2155-2164.78

-Cascade Locks, OR across the Columbia River Gorge on the Bridge of the Gods into Washington

-CONSTANT incline! Ugh! Every time out of town the trail does this... Up, up, up... and my pack is full with a 10 day supply of food because Im trying to hike through to White Pass which is roughly 150 miles north of me. 

-Packed extra food since Im moving slowly and working back into my thru-hike after being off trail for so long. This means Im carrying more food weight than usual. 

-Meeting new people. I like it. 

-Different type of forest and weather here in WA

-Set out to the trail alone. Feels strange without my Vortex trail family, but it will be good for me to hike my own hike and experience some solitude I believe I need

-My back is really hurting me. Oh well. 

-Couldn't start a fire because everything was damp. I didn't try too hard to get one lit. 

-Camped alone

-Happy and excited to be back on trail! Also nervous... Im jumping back on after so much time off trail. I feel out of practice (because I am). This is why Im hiking the entire trail next year... so I can feel I've done a true thru-hike. 

-Female issues... grrrrrr!

-Saw old friends this past weekend at PCT Trail Days... Atlas, Busted, Kitten, lots from Vortex, Shady Acres, Explagrance, Rain Maker, Solstice, Wild Fire, Fire Hazard, White Lightening, Rustic, Rocks, Cookie Monster, and more. 

9-10-2013

PCT MILE: 2164.78-2184.96

-OMG! I walked 20 miles today! Woohoo! Yay! Im tired as all get out, but mentally Im feeling good. Im proud of myself and Im glad I pushed on today. 

-Leap-frogged with Rando, Muck Muck, and Man in Black. 

-Hiked with Rando a lot towards the end of the day. He is an Army Veteran, my age, friendly, and super chill. He is nice company.

-Muck Muck is a chic from Australia who is really boisterous and her joy is infectious. Don't know her too well, but I appreciate her positivity. 

-Woke up late and didn't start hiking until 10:00am. 

-TONS of uphill! Aagghhhh! It was difficult, but worth it. 

-While I was walking and wondering why Im here and putting myself through a grueling hike up hill, the trail spat me out from the thick forest onto a beautiful mountain ridge with snow-capped mountains off in the near distance. It was a remarkable sight and I stood there speechless. THAT is why Im here. 

-My feet, hips, back, and shoulders hurt me the most right now... practically all of me, lol. But my feet are THROBBING right now!

-Ate Pad Thai for dinner... soooo good!

-Happy to have my tent, stove, and blow up sleeping pad. I've got too much food (I think). Need to get Tyvec, a tarp, a bivy sac, a synthetic down sleeping bag, snow shoes, micro-spikes, and a well-fitted ice axe. 

-Need to ask mom and dad to send me down gloves, socks, and pink long-johns set. 

-Im really glad to be back on trail. I feel less lost, and like my life has direction again. Being off trail was hard for me (mentally). Being able to come back on trail, and to return to the trail community and way of life is so amazing. I love it here even though it is challenging and Im dirtier than ever. 

-Slipped on a patch of mud, fell down on my right side, got bloody and bruised knees, and my hip kind of hurts. Im okay though... just mother nature's rude welcome back to the trail again. Lol. I should remember to not be overcome with nostalgia for the trail- it's really really really difficult hiking!!!

9-11-2013

PCT MILE: 2184.96-2204.34

-9 miles of uphill!!!!!!! Didn't think it was possible, but I did that plus almost another 11 miles. Im very proud of myself. Im also very tired!

-Blister on right pinkie toe

-Said bye to Rando this morning and got a late start

-Hard finding a camping spot in the dark, so I practically set up camp on trail... I just didn't have it in me to keep going

-Hearing animals and critters around my tent... kind of freaky

-Sooooo tired, my body hurts... but I'm so happy Im here!

9-12-2013

PCT MILE 2204.34-2227.35

-Yep. You read that mileage correctly! I hiked 23.01 miles today! Woohoo! I haven't done that in a looooooong time! Im exhausted and hurting, but man am I proud of myself today. 

-Woke up to the threat of stinging insects attacking me. I could have sworn I heard a bee's nest or something just behind my tent. I very carefully drug all my gear into my tent, organized and packed it all up as best I could, put on as many layers of clothing I could find including my bug net for my face, exited the tent and quickly walked away with my poorly packed backpack. I then went back for my food bags, and finally I went and grabbed my tent. I hauled all this down the trail a ways, took my tent down, threw everything in the backpack, and walked 2.5 miles to a good rest stop. I realized that I wasn't near a bee's, hornet's, or wasp's nest; the entire forest sounds like its sitting on top of a nest! It's safe here. You have to pay attention to insects just like anywhere else... but for some reason they're loud here!

-Washington is HOT! I thought it would be really cold and overcast. It's beautiful, sunny, dry, and warm! 

-Blister on my pinky toe still hurts. I think it's getting bigger too. I keep trying to take care of it and keep it dry, but Im walking too much for it to heal properly. Oh well... I'll be in town in a few days. I'll rest up there. 

-HYOH Mantra: Hike Your Own Hike... Mind your own business. Don't tell others what to do. Don't offer unsolicited advice. Don't try to take care of others. Don't try to mimick someone else's hike or plans. Simply do your own thing and take care of yourself. Everything else falls into place when everyone just worries about their own hike, health, plans, and overall journey. If you need help, ask... you may not always receive it so don't feel entitled. If you're lonely, ask someone for some company... don't just innocently stalk someone. Hike your own hike. Be an individual. You are autonomous and responsible for you and only you!

-Why I love the trail: human experience, scenery, sense of accomplishment and direction, challenging, adventurous, fun, learning experience, always changing, and it requires adaptation, mental strength, and physical strength.

-Scared of the dark and running into a bear. Talked out loud to bears in the forest to scare them away and alert them as to my whereabouts. 

-Gave myself a WetOnes Wipes bath. It's not much, but I do feel a bit better. I've been sweating an insane amount and the salt from my sweat is crusted all over my skin. It feels great to be free of dried salt for now!

-Goodness gracious... My feet are KILLING me! And my low back and my hips, especially the left hip. I took a pain pill and some ibuprofen. Im hoping the medicine and sleep will help me out. Im nervous about my back going out- its incredibly sore and my hip is almost "locked" right now. I need a massage!

-Made a "PCT Playlist" on my phone today. I love it!

-I miss my dog, Sadie. 

-I miss my girlfriends so much! I like to imagine each friend hiking with me for a day or two. Often I end up laughing out loud because most of my friends would be horrified at the things us hikers do. I see some friends as being able to do large portions of trail with me. I also see some of my girls hiking the entire trail on their own; where we set out together on day one and then go from there- no commitments to stick together or meet by absolute deadlines- just to hike and see where we end up on trail, and if we end up hiking together due to similar hiking styles. 

-To my girlfriends back home: I love y'all and miss you gals so much!

9-13-2013

PCT MILE 2227.35-2237.50

-Accidentally slept in waaayyy too late... 10:45am! Wtf?!? Whoops! I can't believe I slept so long! I took my medicine last night in addition to my emergency pain pill because I was really hurting all over. I think the pain pill made me more drowsy and lethargic than normal. I just didn't feel 'right' when I woke up this morning. And now, after being off pain pills for so long, I look back at the year when I was so heavily medicated and it now makes perfect sense to me why I was incredibly catatonic and depressed! Im so happy Im not taking pain medication anymore. 

-The late start on my day and my constant body odor and dirtiness was getting to me. I had 10 miles to walk until the trail put me close to the town of Trout Lake, WA. I had originally planned to skip over the town. I even packed enough food so as to last me all the way to White Pass. But given the way I was feeling, I decided to stop to rest. I immediately got a hitch into town from a local trail angel named James. My town stop was meant to be. 

-Saw Cookie Monster! We ate dinner and split a bunk room for $25 total! Hell yeah!

-Took a bath and am cozy in bed. Everything is right. I feel good and am loving life! :)

Truckee, CA to Burney Falls, CA:

Truckee, CA to Burney Falls, CA:

Howdy friends, family, and readers! I hope you all are well! I apologize (again) for my lack of posts. Once again my electronic diary deleted itself. I think it is time I switch to good ole' paper and pen journaling. I have had about a 5 week unanticipated 'vacation' from the trail. I believe my last post was in late-July/early-August from Truckee, CA, so I shall pick up from where I left off. Let's rewind...

TRUCKEE, CA:

I mailed my tent, tent poles, blow up sleeping pad, sleeping bag liner, and stove to myself up the trail in Sierra City in an attempt to lighten the weight of my pack. I purchased an emergency shelter and an emergency bivy sack while I was in Truckee, CA just in case I encountered bad weather. This means I planned to 'cowgirl camp' for the next week or more. This also means I got my pack's base weight down to 13.6 pounds!!!!!!! Woohoo!

SIERRA CITY, CA:

My friend Story Time and I hitch hiked 40 miles north from Truckee, CA to Sierra City, CA. The part of trail I skipped over is relatively easy to moderate. I skipped for the sole reasons of laziness and trying to catch up to my trail friends in Sierra City. I stayed at the Red Moose Inn while in Sierra City. Bill and Margaret Price run the inn and provide trail magic by letting hikers camp on their grounds and use their bathroom and computer. You can also eat delicious, home-cooked meals at the diner. They are such nice people! They even drove me to the doctor in another town! I love them so much. I saw tons of friends there as well: Rocket Lama, Giggles, Rainbow, Puff, Kelso, No Rush, Story Time, Shark Rider, Banjo, Poolside, Wolfpaw and Prometheus (who practically took up residency outside the city park's public restroom for over a week), and Salty and his mother Peanut (who just so happens to be my Phi Mu sorority sister)! It was great to see everyone. I love my trail family. Some details of my stay in Sierra City include the bear who startled Salty at the general store (unfortunately I was not there in person), the local swimming hole where we jumped off small cliffs/rocks into the water and drank piña coladas, and my doctor's office visit where I found out I have exercise-induced asthma and had my sore swimmers-ear looked at. Finally, after resting a few days and receiving a clean bill of health, it was time to move on. 

SIERRA BUTTES:

I was nervous to face the climb out of Sierra City. The climb was a lengthy one (7 miles uphill if my memory serves me well), headed straight up to the Sierra Buttes. I hiked this in the evening with Salty and Peanut. All my other friends set out either a day before me or on a road walk instead of hiking the actual trail. This was the first time I used my inhaler... and my oh my! did it work well!!!!!!! I practically flew up the side of the mountain- impressive compared to how long it used to take me to go uphill and considering I had been off trail for about 4 days! I felt incredibly accomplished, refreshed, and alive. Salty, Peanut and I camped near the jeep road at the top of the climb. It was gorgeous up there and I could see the orange glow of city lights off in the distance. While warming up and sitting in my sleeping bag while talking to Salty, a HUGE ball of fire flew across the sky. It looked like someone lit a car on fire and catapulted it into the air above my head. In reality, this was a meteor... very common in early August. Every year from late July to around August 13th there are two major meteor showers. Camping right below the jagged buttes with flying meteors and shooting stars overhead was incredible. In the morning I woke up to spectacular views. You can see all the way to Lake Tahoe in the south to Mt. Lassen up north, all from the top of the Sierra Buttes. Im so happy I did this hike rather than doing a road walk. And Im happy I did it with Salty and Peanut. They're such nice and interesting folks. I really like them. 

Before leaving the Sierra Buttes, we decided to hike up to the fire station in order to achieve the amazing views. The hike up was very difficult for me as my back muscles were spasming. I sat on a rock to try and stretch my back out; I really wanted to make it to the fire station above, but I had to give up as my back pain became worse and worse. I wanted to cry and I felt so discouraged... but not pushing myself was the right decision for me. 

SALTY & PEANUT:

We hiked on up the trail towards Buck's Lake. I really got to know Salty and Peanut over the next few days. Peanut just turned 55. She is TINY in stature and is a teacher. Her attitude is calm, driven, friendly, intelligent, and committed. All in all she is a total badass. I really look up to her and hope I can be as active, fit, and ambitious as she is when I am 55! Her son, Salty, is TALL. He just turned 30 years old, he is a Marine Corps veteran, and he has worked for the Forest Service as a forest fire fighter for years. He is extremely interesting, knowledgable, calm, witty, and strong. He taught me a lot about forest-related topics, like types of trees, why many trees' trunks are curved at their bases (they are shaped by the snow), why fires are good for forests, and general issues firemen and forest service employees face. During our hike I introduced practices such as having small, nightly campfires and sleeping in late to Salty and Peanut. They had not had any campfires during their hike! I couldn't believe it... I love campfires!!!!!!! They had not done too much night hiking and sleeping in on the trail either, but due to the weather being so hot and dry we needed to adjust our hiking and sleeping schedules.

The hike was beautiful and I felt very happy. I was speechless when we arrived to the Middle Fork Feather River bridge, for the view was absolutely breathtaking. We found a campsite near the river where we decided to take a break to swim, bathe, wash our clothes, resupply our water bottles, and have dinner. When I was climbing out of the river and over rocks to get back to our rest-stop, I slipped and my feet jammed in between some rocks. All I had to say was: OUCH!!!!! Actually, some very choice cuss words flew out my mouth, but I'll refrain from using them here. Lol. My big toe on my right foot hurt the worst. It swelled up and turned purple. Salty thought I likely fractured or broke it. I still had about 5 miles to hike up out of the valley from where the trail had dipped down to the river. I usually hate inclines; but this time it was easier and less painful for my toe to walk uphill and my inhaler was helping me breathe much more easily. Finally Salty, Peanut, and I made it to Buck's Lake! Yay!!!!!

BUCK'S LAKE:

Salty, Peanut, and I ran into Rainbow Bright and Puff at Buck's Lake. We had stumbled upon a sad departure between Rainbow and Puff who were very fond of each other. Here's the scoop: Puff got stung by a bee on his foot which had consequently swelled up to the size of a soccer ball. His swollen foot and ankle made it impossible for Puff to hike; he had to play the waiting game for the swelling to go down. Because of this, Rainbow had to move on without Puff's company. The duo had been hiking together for quite some time and it was so sad to see them part ways. They are really cute together. That night Salty, Peanut, and I 'stealth-camped' with Puff on a clearing overlooking Buck's Lake. Puff said he was relieved and happy to see us, and to not have to camp alone while experiencing the blues. I love Puff... such a sweet kid (I call him a kid because he is 7 years younger than me). 

CHESTER, CA:

The next morning Salty and Peanut hiked on while gimped-out Puff and I resigned to hitch hiking up to Chester, CA to rest up and meet the others when they arrived there. We hung out in Chester at the Seneca Motel... it's clear the owners there aren't concerned with being friendly to their customers. But the room was cheap and clean which made up for the owners' poor social skills. Eventually our friends arrived one by one and we enjoyed each others company while being lazy from the comfort of our cheap-ass motel rooms. 

I started to feel really sad in Chester, CA for a number of reasons. First, I had done lots of skipping lately and felt down about that. Secondly, although I was insanely excited that my real life family was coming to visit me and I felt homesick for them, I worried that seeing them would somehow influence me to leave the trail and go back to the luxuries that await me in Texas. I wanted to hike a bit before seeing my family, but my hiking was on hold because of my injured toe. I feared I would hardly hike any more of the PCT this year, and I feared this would be the last time I would be with my trail family/friends. I hate goodbyes. I decided to try and hike regardless of my toe, and despite the fact that I was leaving my friends in Chester and heading out onto the trail alone. A local trail angel who goes by "Piper's Mom" picked me up and gave me a ride to the trailhead. She is such a sweet lady who does trail magic for hikers. Her daughter, Piper, once hiked the trail and received tons of trail magic from trail angels. Piper's Mom wanted to pay the kindness forward to this year's hikers... so thank you Piper's Mom!!!! It felt great to take charge and do something about my mixed emotions instead of sulking in my motel room. It felt comforting to be back on trail. 

DRAKESBAD RANCH:

The plan was for me to hike past Drakesbad Ranch and into Old Station, CA where my older brother Ryan and I had planned to meet. Hiking again was wonderful, and I was enjoying my time alone. As it got dark outside I started to become scared of the bears I knew were lurking in the dark woods. I (very loudly) sang songs, whistled, clapped my hands, banged my hiking poles, and made all sorts of strange noises as I meandered through the forest. I was hoping to make it to the first spring, but seeing as I had enough water and I was only a mile away from water which would be a short trek in the morning, I decided to make camp. My toe was hurting me as well. I threw my tarp on the ground followed by my sleeping pad and sleeping bag, crawled into bed, ate dinner, looked at the stars, and drifted off to sleep. I got to the spring in the morning and started to hike. I eventually made it to some natural sulfuric-acid ponds. The ponds are a mint-green color, they smell like sulfur, and the pond itself bubbles and boils from being so hot and acidic. If you ever see one of these, DO NOT GET IN, for you would be injured badly. Warning signs were posted all over the place informing hikers to keep away from the ponds and to only take pictures. Just after the sulfur ponds is a place called Drakesbad Ranch. The ranch consists of numerous cabins overlooking a beautiful meadow in the middle of nowhere. A natural hot springs swimming pool, showers, and laundry mat are on the premises and are open to hikers who pay for at least one meal from the ranch's restaurant. I changed my original plan of walking to meet Ryan in Old Station, CA to meeting Ryan at Drakesbad Ranch. My toe was throbbing and I felt I should rest it. I met many nice weekend-getaway guests while I lingered around at the ranch-resort. Just about everyone had questions to ask me about the trail and about my hike. People crowded around to listen to bits and pieces of my stories and advice. The new manager at Drakesbad Ranch even gave me a Pepsi, on the house! A family I had chatted with earlier in the day invited me to sit and have lasagna dinner with them at the restaurant. I happily accepted their offer and got to know them better over dinner and dessert. Ryan eventually pulled up to Drakesbad Ranch in his large, maroon GMC truck. It felt so strange to see my brother standing right there! I was thrilled to see him. The moment was surreal. He joined me and my new friends for dinner and explained to them his own vagabond ways. We later set up a campsite just a half mile down the road. While setting up camp, we saw headlamps off in the distant woods. I knew the lights were coming from my trail family's headlamps; who else other than a PCT thru-hiker would be hiking through the woods in the middle of nowhere late at night? I made a "koo-wii!" bird call and flashed my headlamp at them. They called back and flashed their lights at me. I was overcome with joy and excitement that my trail buddies were headed my way. Ryan and I invited them to our campsite and we hung out talking for a bit. Puff was back on trail with Rainbow Bright and this made me happy. I headed over to the hot spring swimming pool which felt incredible! The premises offers floaty pool toys to its guests. I grabbed a few swimming noodles and got cozy in the pool. When I leaned my head back and looked up, meteors and shooting stars continued to shower above me in the sky. Life felt sublime and I was more than content. 

OLD STATION, CA:

The following day Ryan and I decided to follow my trail family up the trail for a few days, doing some trail magic of our own by bringing food, beer, water, and ice cream to my hiker friends. We headed to the Hatcreek Rim Campground in Old Station, CA. Ryan, who has been traveling around on a whim with his vehicle, has loads and loads of car-camping gear. To clarify... car-camping is when you load your car up full of tents, cots, lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, boom boxes, and other large, heavy, and unnecessary comfort items to make your outdoor experience feel as though you are in the comfort of your living room. You drive your fully loaded vehicle to a camping spot, drag everything out of your car about 20 feet away, and set up camp right next to your car. This is probably the most typical way Americans camp; it is how I grew up camping before my family upgraded to the comforts of pop-up campers and then the r.v. with satellite tv and lazy boy recliners. Keep in mind that I have been backpacking for months now, where I carry everything in a very small pack hoisted up onto my injured spine, and where I hike with as few comfort items as possible so that my backpack weighs as little as possible. I had been backpacking without a tent or a stove... that is how bare-bones I was getting when it came to my gear and my needs. So... Ryan and I decided to car-camp in Old Station. We picked and paid for a site, backed the truck into it, and began hauling all of his equipment out: 9 person tent with awning, a separate open-air awning to place over a picnic table, queen sized air mattress, 2 coolers, bins of food, huge lanterns, a lawn chair, pots and pans, dish scrubbers, dish towels, and soap, glass plates, full bedding to include real pillows, candles, etc. On one hand, all of this gear was great; it meant camping in comfort! On the other hand, I felt incredibly overwhelmed and appalled by all of this STUFF that seemed so unnecessary and frivolous. It's a lot of work setting this kind of camp up. After months of sleeping on a simple tarp that has a total set up time of about 30 seconds, it was hard for me to get on board with Ryan's car-camping set up which seemed too complicated in my mind. Why even bother? Why not simplify the camping experience and get rid of all the car-camping luxuries so the time usually spent setting up camp can instead be put towards hiking or relaxing by a river? I think I was going through culture shock. When we were done setting up the campsite, Ryan told me I could sleep on the air mattress with the comforter and the two real pillows because anyone who has walked over one thousand miles deserves to sleep in comfort for a night. I felt so thankful for his offer, and I secretly praised the good Lord above for luxury car-camping. My negative and slightly arrogant back-packer's attitude in regards to car-camping shifted towards appreciation for the comforts of normal American life that Ryan practically delivered to me. I stood corrected.

TRAIL MAGIC & SLACK-PACKS:

One day later, Ryan and I ran into Puff, Rainbow, and Story Time in Old Station. They kept hiking while Ryan and I picked up ice cream and other goodies to drop off to my friends on the trail. Ryan and I had our backpacking gear ready to go in case he and I decided to depart on an impromptu backpacking trip. When Puff, Story Time, Ryan, and I pulled up to the trail, we saw none other than my trail family- Rocket Lama, Rainbow Bright, Simba, and Shark Rider. I learned that No Rush went on and that Giggles was stranded back in Old Station with a hurt leg, so we drove back to get her. We spent some time chilling with my friends at the rest stop where the road and trail intersect. During our visit, Simba realized that the road went right alongside the trail for a few miles. He asked if there was any way he could slack-pack with our help since we had a vehicle. For those who don't know, slack-packing is when you put your pack in someone's car who delivers your pack to you up the the trail while you carry very little with you on your hike. The purpose of slack-packing is to carry very little; the less crap you have to carry the faster you will hike. We agreed to help all of my friends slack-pack about 10 miles up the trail. Simba and I went on a ride and drove the car up the dirt road and to the trail so we could verify if our plan would actually work. We had a nice drive and we found where we would drop the packs off up trail. We also found No Rush there. It was nice to see him again before he pressed onward. Simba and I returned to our friends who were getting ready to slack-pack. Story Time and Giggles decided they wanted to ride with us in the car for 10 miles rather than hike. I decided I wanted to hike, and so did Ryan. So Story Time and Giggles drove the car while Ryan and I joined up with my trail friends for a 10 mile night hike along the rim between Mt. Lassen and Mt. Shasta. The hike was excellent- bright moon, gorgeous weather, good vibes, no packs... I loved this hike! We all arrived ten miles up trail to Ryan's truck. We laid our mats down and slept under the stars and in the comfort of our group being together again. 

BURNEY FALLS, CA:

The next stop was Burney Falls State Park, 28 miles north from where we camped. I didn't want to hike that far and neither did Ryan, Giggles, or Story Time. Everyone else hiked out while our small group returned to the Hat Creek luxury campsite. We took everything down, loaded up the truck, had breakfast at JJ's Cafe in Old Station (you must go there!), and drove north to Burney Falls State Park. We picked a campsite, hauled everything out of the truck again, set up the huge ass tent, tarp, air mattress, and other luxuries, and made signs to put on the trail directing backpackers to our campsite to receive trail magic from us. No one walked to our site that night; I didn't expect to see anyone arrive. The following morning our trail family strolled into camp. We all had an extremely lazy day just sitting around laughing, playing music, listening to music, eating, drinking, smoking, telling stories, taking showers, and enjoying public toilets. Everyone ended up spending the night, for we all feared this might be the last time I was with them all on trail. 

PARTING WAYS:

My parents were flying into Reno on August 18th to join up with Ryan and I for an outdoorsy family vacation. On the morning of August 18th, me, Ryan, and my trail family broke down camp and loaded up the car. The car battery had to be jumped which put a small hiccup in our morning. Me and my trail family said our goodbyes and parted ways. I felt very sad to see them leave, happy to have had so much time with such incredible people, and excited to see my real life family. Ryan and I finally got squared away and headed south towards Reno, NV.