Day 68
July 9, 2013
24 miles
Mile 1193
Curiously, hikers passed by throughout the night. In their bubble, they marched on encased in halos of light. Night hiking is a taste. It appeals to some, not to others. To the former, the advantages are more animals, quiet, mystery and fewer bugs. To me it is like walking in a forever tunnel longing for the light. Though once in Costa Rica, on a long, beach night hike, each step I took sent phosphorescence shooting in every direction from my footprint. That was something else.
Stopped to smell the roses
The trail ranged high and low today. Covering an eclectic variety of terrain, exposed volcanic knobs, thick forests, Lake country, steep canyons, collapsing talus slopes and flat meadows. Passed through it all collecting it by eye. Water was scarce so I drank deep when the opportunity presented. Early in the trip I was religious about filtering. My method is Aqua Mira drops. You mix up a concoction. Allow it to sit for five minutes, then dump it in the water you have an interest in. Wait another 15 minutes. Then quench. An exercise in delayed gratification. Now laziness has a say in the matter and 80% of the time I just drink directly from the stream. No ill effects yet.
A lake on the horizon
Had lunch at Mule Deer Creek. The waterworks along the PCT rarely have uplifting or enticing names, no Tequila Drip Springs or Honeydew Vine Water Creek. More often they tend to run along the lines of Dirty Diapers Springs, Poison Meadow Springs, Sulphur Springs, Death Canyon Creek and the Ominous Guzzler.
Yet another lake out of reach
After lunch, passing by a large lake, we came to a note. Through hikers stop by Site Four in the campground for a cold one. Is it possible to pass that up? That is how we met Don and his stash of Gatorade, cookies and apples. Don was mulling a shot at the PCT next year and we traded info for calories. And while at the lake? A formal adulation.
Finally, a lake I could jump into
The rest of the day was spent trying to catch Tortuga and stretching out the capacity of my knee. Both successful in the end. Plan is to share a hotel room in Sierra City with Tortuga. Sierra City being only 4 miles away. There I will pick up my bounce box, catch another cello concert, ice my knee, and give Red a chance to make up ground. Pizza and beer perhaps will enter the scenario at some point.
Camped in and around the crumbling foundations of an abandoned cabin set in a canyon river valley. As sleep came I thought of the life and dreams that had been led here but were no more. Ozymandias was right. My last sight, the stars that hung from the thick pine headdresses.
Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde
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