Daily mileage: 16 ish
Mile: 1185-1201.6
Well something ate my backpack, well the shoulder strap at least. Still functional, but all chewed up. I knew I heard something last night but I couldn't find it. I've heard rodents like shoulder straps because of all the salt in your sweat, well there is now one salty rodent out there. Boo.
Today was the slowest town pace ever. I know I've mentioned how our pace can reflect certain things, like towns, water, food etc. Town days usually have a speedier pace because we are so excited, but coming off of our zero in Grass Valley and only hiking 1.5 days nobody was in any rush. It was a morning to just stop and enjoy the scenery and the mellow hiking. Forests and creeks and even a reservoir, plus the ever entertaining signs of the PCT. Its a bit of a game to guess what they say as you get near them and there have been a ton the last few days. Gotta get your extra entertainment somehow, talking to yourself only goes so far.
Getting closer to highway 49 and Sierra City we finally got a few views and a new valley.
Hit the road and had a hitch within 5 minutes. It's only 1.5 miles down the road and someone actually turned around just to give us a ride.
We stopped at the Red Moose Inn, a super friendly hiker spot where we spent our day. The town is only about a quarter of a mile long and there was wifi so it was an incredibly mellow resupply. Plus there were perfect avocados at the store, how great is that?
All the mileages disagree but we love these signs.
How can you not enjoy a resupply with mini shopping carts?
Guacamole was made, and devoured. TW even made vegan cookie dough (because Margaret of the Inn is amazing and let us use her food processor). So fantastic.
I also finally gave up on my shoes. I got replacements back at Echo but my old shoes weren't quite dead yet so I've been carrying the new ones. But the shoes finally are being tossed, a few too many holes for my taste. But hey 750 miles ain't bad.
But I did get a new hat in the hiker box to replace the one I lost in the sierras. Woohoo, the trail will provide.
We got to town by 11 but somehow the hours flew by. Burritos were made for dinner and the guys surprised me with ice cream because today was my birthday. It was pretty awesome, I can't think of someplace I would rather be on my birthday than the PCT right now.
We finally hit the road and had a sweet hitch in a flatbed truck within 5 minutes. A few thousand feet of elevation gain through forest felt like nothing. I was winding my way up, enjoying the sunset on the clouds.
I turned a corner and bam, some super cold wind was blowing my way. My time in the trees had ended and it was time for open trail, icy wind and a whole lot of shale. But it was so pretty I was still grinning. Clouds and sunsets make every day so much better. It was starting to get dark and I was wondering where the heck we would be sleeping as every turn just showed more windy exposed shale. But then I saw a flash of color and soon enough had found the guys. A bed of shale, but the curve of the mountain served as a great windbreak and we were as protected as can be.
Not quite where I slept but close enough, surprisingly comfortable and I only started to fall of the cliff once the whole night. Good job zlite.
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