Day 36 next stop Kennedy Meadows

May 22, 2014May 4, 2020 / snailtrainers Adventures / Leave a comment

Wed 21st May
Ah the difference a good sleep makes.i woke at 5 all ready to hit the trail also a good supper helps too..I was just checking my feet when Sochi came past morning snailtrainer good morning how are you.we discussed the amazing views around every corner then he was gone.as I was up early I brewed tea, ate a breakfast bar then hit the trail. It’s started gently but I knew it was hill day or rather big hill day .It was cloudy again but not cold which helps as you don’t drink as much and I was fairly low..on I walked until I came to a picture in the sand marked out in quartz stone.it said 1/4….It didn’t make sense I thought almost to water then the penny dropped I have done a 1/4 of the PCT whoop whoop whoop I drank the remainder of my gatorade in celebration

How cool is that
I’m amazed and shouted yeah before walking on .Again the scenery kept slowing me down its just so amazing. .Okay water I need water needle crossing great not far .The scenery kept stopping me but water was important I fancied a cup of tea. Mm as I got to where water should be I was greeted by a dark muddy puddle
.okay next water sauce 2 miles..that’s okay and off I strolled. The sun was doing its best to shine but sofar the clouds were winning as I approached the next water sauce I was greeted by huge lupins similar to home so it must be a water thing and there ahead was a murky stream with flowing water..Here on the trail you can’t be picky water is water. I dropped my pack took out my bottles, filter and cup.i walked upstream then in a fairly cleanish bit scooped out mud etc to make a nice pool.then I waited for it to clear before filling the bottles with water. Once fill o returned to my pack to do the laborious task of filtering. I start by screwing my filter onto the 2 litre bottle. Then i filter this in my bladder by squeezing. It takes a while. When empty I refill and repeat. .The 1 litre bottle I leave dirty I make tea with that so boiling should kill the bugs.
As I was finishing off two other hikers turned up Mowgli and Doc.we did the usual introductions then I was off .but I knew they would soon catch up and pass me
Well I am slow because I have bad knees I have degenerative Cartilage for don’t have the gate or reach.i also have to be careful that I don’t jar them as the pain is excruciating. So I’m slow but hey I’ve done a 1/4 of the PCT WHOOP
I was making good pace on the he trail when I came to a handwritten note on the trail it said “Snake” it made me look then laugh. If you put danger poison bush that would make sense. But Snake..Snake move and fairly quickly.just then Mowgli appeared he laughed too and picked it up it thought it funny Mowgli and the Snake Kea and we laughed again. Then Mowgli and doc were gone. It was now hill time
But my legs were moving g fine.i had plenty of food and water just wanted some sun. The hrs were ticking by almost 11 ill stop for a break at 11.it was almost that as I came over the saddle again it was a Omg moment click click snap. Then time for a break some jerki. Nuts .power bar and PG tips. .It was do piece full. So silent up here in the wilderness.i might of dropped off if it was warmer..but I need to walk the more miles today then I can have an easy day into kenedy meadows. .I was really enjoying the trail it went from beach to pine forest to cliff face to beach to pine forest and back again .The sun seemed of given up today and the clouds now looked blacker ..Come on sun I shouted. It was now 1 lunch for me I finished off the jerki. Brewed tea.and add tortillas smeared with peanut butter sliced onion . cheese. Salami and ranch sauce.Yummy well you need the calories out here.i was just drinking my tea when another hiker appeared he said his name but I didn’t register it apart from its a Mexican monster! !.
As I was packing up I felt spots of rain. No surely not.so I packed quicker hoisted my pack and set off.it was spitting with train but nothing serious
.It then began to drizzle I stopped under a tree packed my solar panel away just in case. Put my phone in its waterproof case and put my raincoat on..Then it really began to rain.This can be right I said to nobody. .. .on I marched then a sign for water great I topped up my bottles with clean water then back to the trail. As I crossed a jeep track there was a sign for s camp…what to do camp or go on.i went on across the road was a Pct register I signed my name then ploughed on about a mile on I spied a tent
It’s raining I called out.it was the Mexican monster.
You got the right idea I replied. You going on he asked.
Just a bit I replied . but really I should of joined him.i walked for about another 20 minutes getting saturated. Before giving up next time note to self STOP.
I guess it was good practice putting my tent up in the rain and gear in .but a lot of it is wet so I will stop earlier next time
Once up I changed out of my wet stuff and got straight into my bag .
Oh well so much for doing a long day it’s 4 PM .If the rain stops I will make hot chocolate

Day 31 windmills

May 17, 2014May 4, 2020 / snailtrainers Adventures / Leave a comment

FRIDAY 16TH May
Yes a good site I slept so well and I’m up early as I put my head through the flap as Early Bee walks by “I cant stop snailtrainer” he says.I quickly break camp and just as I get onto the trail French toast and Alpine come by,I tag along with them as we go around a corner there are about 8 other hiker tents made me smile well you can’t see in the dark. We were all heading for water at Cotton creek bridge It’s 5 miles and the trail is level. It’s was also a glorious morning and in the distance are the tops of windmills from a wind farm. French toast & Alpine had a steady speed so was nice to tag along as you chat the miles just pass.They later stopped for a break and I marched on, there should be a water cache at this bridge. Wow what a lot of windmills,the only ones I’ve seen before are on the way to Cornwall but here there are hundreds . At last the bridge came into view and by the side was a huge water container.I filled up as the next water source is 7 miles and doesn’t sound like good water so I filled 4 liters. I headed off down the path, but then I was suddenly sapped off all energy and my feet became a plod. I plodded on for several miles watching the temperature on my watch climb.i was also heavy, so I stopped to eat some food and lighten the load..I took about 30 minutes. Then off again ,there was a lovely breeze except that it was straight at you like someone holding a hair dryer in front of your face so as soon as you sipped water your mouth was instantly dried so your tongue lolled around or stuck to your mouth YUCK.I encouraged my self to move but I felt like lead it’s 10.30 I will walk to 12 then have lunch . The wind continued and so did the rise in temperature. Lunch time yeah, I ate lunch lying beneath a tree but then woke up two hours later Bugger but guess my body needed it! .On I walked god its hot even with the cool breeze it was hot and the whoop whoop whoop sound as the big blades turned on the windmills. I was still exhausted,maybe the night hike messed up my body clock?..my thoughts now turned to water and a nice cup of tea. .The water is in a creek that means down but I’m still climbing up and up.it was 7 miles how many have I done 5 I must of gone 5 this is the bit when you check you GPS then wish you hadn’t sob round and round I go I’m still climbing .Hurrah I’m going down.I will get water and camp that will be it for today ,12 miles I will do more tomorrow.
From the top of the hill I can see the creek yes yes. I am soon descending until I am at the stream. I drop my pack and find a good part of the stream. It looks okay clean and clear , but with my cup I scoop out the gravel then wait for the water to clear before filling my bottle ready to filter. It’s quite slow process but I fill my 3 liter bladder and 1 liter bottle. The other I leave dirty as boiling water for tea works .just as I was filtering early Bee appears .There are other hikers under that tree..
Then two others appear they grab water we chat for a while they are going on to mile 549 as then it’s only 7 to the town in the morning. Of course I reply i hadn’t thought of that and in my mind i had a day in hand .mmm Do I have another 10 miles in me as today ? as i have been climbing all day. Its only 3 PM yes I can do this. So off I go and of course it’s straight up .As I climb I can see the other hikers down below , sheltering beneath the trees waiting for it to cool down but they are all fast hikers so they are bound to pass me later. Up and up I go the views from here are stunning and you can see windmills for miles, i seem to be making a good pace , but it’s not long before all the others stream past. I wish I had more speed. I try and keep up but as I’m going down one switchback they are on the other mountain nearing the top and then they are gone
I envy the lizards that scurry around my feet their speed, oh well plod plod plod, but again the views. Ping goes my watch another hr gone.gone. I’m thinking I will be there by 8 hopefully. The miles count down then I can see another windfarm in the distance and more amazing scenery. As I round another corner the wind comes .A mighty wind ,a wind you can’t stand up in, its ferocious. I struggle to stand still this is just what I need why couldn’t it be behind me and push me up the hill. My plod is now a stagger it’s quite scary pulling and pulling you ,so your crabbing to go forward at last I’m in a Burn area and it’s sheltered. I have to sit as that last bit sapped my depleted energy
The sun was now heading home and the light was fading, this time I refused to look at my GPS. I will get there when I get there but a I rounded a corner I notice tents. This has to be it I said to myself yes there is water. There was a large cache of 1/2 liter bottles I necked 1 then topped up my bottles..I then found a tent spot. It was dark I was tired it will do I threw every thing inside my tent before cooking.i made hot chocolate then made two lots of Mac cheese with bacon bits.it looked like wall paper paste and wasn’t quite cooked but I was ravenous
I walked 24 miles and 14 of them were up hill yeah but really it was too far today but I’m here

Day 10 Heading to Idyllwild

April 27, 2014May 4, 2020 / snailtrainers Adventures / Leave a comment

I knew choosing that spot lat night was a mistake. As soon as I lied down the wind started.I had double staked the tent and fastened extra lines with rocks. .. The wind blew then the rain came I don’t think I slept at all and was surprised to see a tent over my head in the morning. Thanks Vaude for making it strong. As soon as it was light 4.30 I knew I just had to get off of that mountain. So at 5 am in the rain I broke camp. I was freezing and wet my hands were frozen no gloves as I had dumped my gloves earlier when I was losing weight Doh.
I threw my pack together and trudged on my feet feeling like ton weights. It’s was so cold I had three layers on plus my woolly hat but I was still cold and miserable.
It’s was rainy misty rainy cold!!! I trudged on .A fellow hiker caught me but after no sleep I had no speed and soon he was a spot in the distance. I think a total of three hikers past by me
I was feeling miserable and didn’t want to be on the trail in fact as soon as I saw a note for trail magic I walked off the trail to find it. By a picnic bench were boxes of goodies sodas, chips fruit etc. I drank two sodas and an orange before re-joining the trail feeling slightly happier
Time to climb .on the climb up there was a fair bit of snow omg…mm need to deal with that .But my first stop is the Paradise Cafe. I have the Paradise cafe on my mind a hot coffee I need a hot coffee
Oh a sign Paradise cafe this way. I trudged along the building getting bigger as I got nearer, at last I arrived at 1 pm, coffee please. It took three more cups before I could at last feel my fingers Then I ordered the best Burger ever yummy washed down with some YUMMY IPA.
Ah now I’m much happier , I paid my bill walked out of the door and across the road .It was time to hitch into Idywild
I didn’t have to wait long before I was sat in a warm car heading to town, I was dropped at the garage then walked to the State Campsite $3 a night
I found the campsite set up surround by many great hikers they soon informed me of the important places i.e. shop, laundry post office .Then it was a quick walk back into town where I treated myself to a pizza now going to get into my bag and sleep and enjoy a Zero day.
There was a big storm yesterday and a large dump of snow. So maybe Monday is a good day to climb!!!