Gaining Miles the California Way (403 mi -38 -29)

Tracker Photos

*EDIT*

I forgot to put my next care package drop in this post, because I'm dumb. I'll be picking up packages in Tehachapi on 6/14, or maybe 6/15. (It will be at mile 566, in the hottest portion of trail that I'll go through.) Any packages should be addressed to:

Hold for PCT Hiker ETA 6/14

Matt Wismer

General Delivery

Tehachapi, CA 93561

Reminder that you can add yourself to the Google Photos album to get notified when the blog updates. I post at least one new photo whenever I update the blog.

*END EDIT*

Why are there two separate numbers in the header now? Wildfires. The answer is wildfires. The header represents my theoretical state as of Sunday 6/6. I've only hiked to mile 374, but I'm not allowed to hike between there and 403, so I'll be getting dropped off at 403 on Monday in order to continue my journey. So the first number is the same old marker for how behind schedule I am, while the second number is the miles of trail that I haven't hiked. (Currently there's one other ~20 mile closure in Oregon, with a few advisories that I will likely be safe to hike through.)

Immediately getting a "free" 29 miles and using it to take some time off in LA may turn out to be a bad decision, but I've wanted to visit Chris in LA since graduating college, so this was gonna happen regardless.

Hiking recent has been hot and unexpectedly wet. After getting some delicious cookies and Manuka honey (thanks, Cecilia and JJ!), descending out of Big Bear went fast. I started late, at 9:30 am (about 3 hours later than usual), and still made a 23 mile day.

Then I started hitting swimming options. The PCT crossed Deep Creek a few times, and I went swimming at 2 of them, the second one being at the Deep Creek Hot Springs. I was not ready for a bunch of people who made a 2 mile hike in for a clothing-optional experience. I got one delicately framed picture of one of the 5 pools, and that was after asking permission from the people relaxing nearby.

Then I camped next to Deep Creek 5.5 miles down from the hot springs. Camping right next to a solid source of water was wonderful, and the mosquitoes were downright nostalgic.

The next day we hiked around Silverwood Lake, where I ran into "The Blob", a group of 12ish hikers that includes the Professor, Commissioner, Librarian, Dan, Woof, and AWOL (who I'd met the day before my birthday at Warner Springs, and ran into at Paradise Valley Cafe), among others. I swam there for a bit, then took an aggressive siesta from 12:30-4:30. The high in nearby Victorville was 97 degrees. After the siesta I pressed on to the McDonald's at I-15 where I, naturally, ordered a Happy Meal. (Along with a Big Mac combo and milkshake.) The other hikers in the Blob (who caught up with me during my long break) were downright jealous of my apple slices and milk.

On 6/4 I tried to race the sun up the side of a mountain, and vaguely succeeded. I started with 6 flat miles, and got to my last water source in 17 miles with about 5000' of climb. (3500' to 8200', with some ups and downs to add on). It's cooler up top, so I just needed to get high before it got hot. After my 6 flat miles and a longish conversation with Pop Top, a SOBO thru-hiker, I started the climb just before 9 am. One problem: it was already really hot. But my strategy mostly worked, as it didn't really get much hotter as I climbed. I only needed a 90 minute siesta from 1:30 to 3, though I drank 4.5 L of water during the climb in order to keep my speed up during it. My quads are finally keeping up with me on the climbs, so I'm really just heat-limited when going uphill. I can mostly just go faster if I'm willing to sweat more, but water is the resource to manage here.

Then I had an easy 10 miles before noon (including an hour long break to charge my devices), and got picked up by Chris and Nat, where we immediately hit up a Korean BBQ spot. Then I saw Chris's parents for the first time in a while, and got to shower before my weekend out on the town, in Chris's clothes.

- Happy Meal