Day 117: Big Day, Sore Feet

7/11/20; Mile: 1,127; Elevation: 7,953 ft

A lonely morning. Not that I’m alone, just that I’m not around anyone I know now. When I’m doing camp chores, it seems easier to be alone, no distractions. There are many tasks to be done and socializing just extends the timeframe. But just sometimes, certain times and places seem to scream socializing. I’m not sure if this is one of them, or I’m just trying to cope with hiking alone.

This mornings’ hike started with a real treasure of a climb, reminding me of the earlier Sierra passes. Switchbacks, exposure, a bit of snow and of course elevation gains. Despite being a Saturday, it’s early and not many weekenders have made it this far from the nearest trailheads. The top of the climb looked and felt victorious, aided by having a light pack compared to early last month. Thinking of the big bite that took to try to accomplish this little endeavor, I look back to people like I met yesterday who were just out to have fun. There was a group carrying skis and snowboards: hiking out to a slope of snow that slopes down to the water. They’re trying to be YouTube stars by scooting across the water….. I gotta give them credit. At least they have an entourage to film the carnage and call for help if needed….

But there are a few of us hiking away from the cars….I met Rebecca and Jonathan yesterday. We leap-frogged each other after Aloha Lake, and ended up camping at Susie Lake together, though we weren’t actually camping near each other. As we hiked today, the initial cordial hello-how-are-ya’s gave way to conversations and hiking together. Turns out they had permits for the PCT this year but decided to wait the virus out….and finally changed their plans to do the Tahoe Rim Trail instead. In the later half of my day we ended up hiking more and more together. After hiking with Vader, I felt like I had some speed and endurance; and thus a little bit of a superiority complex; but these two kept hanging with me. I can’t speak for them, but it sure seems like we fed off of each other. Talking sure helps walking, and the miles disappeared.

I had an epiphany after we passed Barker Pass trailhead. We came across another TRT hiker who was setting up his camp. It was after 5pm, I was starting to feel a second wind after only hiking 23-ish miles. He was blowing bubbles, complaining about all of the work to hike the trail, pack the food and pitch the tent. (To his credit, he was on day 5 of his trip). It dawned on my how long I’ve been out here. All of the “work” now seems normal, just part of the day. Like taking your shower and driving your commute (if you have one anymore….) Filtering water is a necessity, digging a hole to take a shit is just another task; the trail will inevitably climb. This is my life now, not a distraction.

Feeling my second wind kicking in, I realize I might be able to pull a personal best as well as my first marathon. I’m feeling awesome, it’s not too late and the trail isn’t too much of a ball-breaker…..Until my last mile. I get to 25.3 or so for my day and the trail is now going to climb up switchbacks with no camps or water available for another 3-ish miles. While I still feel great and strong, I don’t think I have another hour of hiking to a campsite with no water nearby (by biggest pet-peeve of all). So here I am at 25.3 miles for my day at a place with water and crowded campsites. Rebecca and Jonathan are with me as well, almost daring me to go on. It seems they’re motivated to do big miles to to get back to work and they’re running out of food.

I decide to call it a day, and tell them I’m going to cross the creek where we’re standing to try to find some seclusion away from the other weekend-er campers around us. It’s a steep descent to the creek and another steep climb to something that catches my eye…..the geography just screams out awesome campsite. And it doesn’t disappoint. Wow! Despite my aching and screaming feet due to the rocks and long day, I’ve feeling awesome. What a banner day. And this off-the-guidebook campsite is the icing on the cake. I shared an awesome evening eating dinner with Rebecca and Jonathan. Since I was hiking fast, I had food to spare so I had given them a package of potato soup along with some bacon bits (one of my favorites, though salty as hell).

I wish we would have taken a decent group picture. Rebecca and Jonathan really brought me back to reality about what I’m actually doing out here. When you’re surrounded by many others doing the same thing, you lose track of the concept, lose context. Because of their own cancelled PCT trip, they reminded me that I’m taking on a big challenge, maybe even bigger so in 2020. I can’t say for sure. What I can say is that my feet hurt like hell, I’m two days from being home again for a layover, and I’m motivated. I may not have done a marathon today, but I’ll get one soon enough.

Savior out.