Miles Hiked: 34.5
PCT Mileage: 1785
This morning I woke up in the dark at Klum Landing motivated for a big day of hiking. We were aiming for 39 miles today. I left camp right after Trail Diva but passed her shortly on the uphill. We hike very close to the same speed all the time but I am faster on the uphills and she can out hike me on anything flat or downhill. The day started out with what looked like a big climb but it was so gradual that it didn’t feel bad at all. Five miles into the day I went off the trail to get water at a spring. I made some cold oatmeal for breakfast while my water gravity filtered and I rolled out my feet with a ball. Because I was so motivated to do the big day, I hiked super fast downhill to the next break spot at a shelter. A rare occurrence on the PCT. I was running some of it because I wanted to get a long break there. The woods were lush and green. I saw a little bear up ahead of me and scared it away by clacking my trekking poles. At the shelter I was so glad to sit down but I felt so frazzled by all the miles. It was 10am and we still had so much more to go. For some reason all these miles have felt so much harder than the same miles I was hiking before. I know for a fact that the trail has been much easier lately though regardless of how I feel.
At the shelter we saw Jay Bird again who I haven’t seen since Old Station. He hiked with Diva and myself for the next ten miles to a road crossing with a stream. I only packed out a liter of water and I was so thirsty by the time we got to the next water. On the way we went through a volcanic rock field with a view of Mount McLaughlin in the distance. I used my peak finder app gifted to me by Hikingtales.com to identify it. At the water I lounged around and took a really long break. We busted out the Hula Hoop and played with it some. Diva is trying to teach me how to get out of the hoop while keeping it spinning. At four PM we hiked on. It was super hot and another longer water carry 11 more miles. I dunked my shirt in the stream at the last chance before hiking uphill. Diva caught up to me as the sky became overcast again but I never rained. My feet were hurting so bad and I couldn’t wait to be at camp. We decided to set up camp early at Christi Spring. I was so glad. The bugs there were terrible and attacking me constantly. I set up my tent on trail for the first time in a long time. I wanted to sleep without my sleep bag on tonight because I keep waking up soaking wet with sweat. Gushers showed up and we all chatted from inside our tents at camp until 9pm.
Happy Trails!
-Early Bird
Des Hikes Thru 