Halfsies: Speeding down and Slowing up

Four days ago I became one of many to almost make it. Around 9:30am I came upon a handy little marker indicating that, at that very moment, I was about to complete my 1335 PCT mile. Shortly after I celebrated with a mini-flask of Maker's, and then headed 14 more miles and a hitch into new favorite CA small town Chester for celebratory Pizza (thank you Jan & Bob!), fruit (best fruit stand ever!) and ice cream (I, the fat kid, actually declined the 1/2 gallon milk shake challenge). That night Piper's Mom & Lowell took us in and fed the five of us amazing things and we played horseshoe on their luxurious green lawn (it's amazing how much we take soft, supple grass for granted, one good thing about civilization). You can check out her pic's here.

Friend Levi came out to hike a little over 1/26th of the trail with me, meeting up in So. Lake Tahoe then sneaking through the Desolation Wilderness (without a permit!) up to Sierra City. I think he contributed over 200,000 calories to the mission of the trail via waffles, sushi, and other other delicious things! Thanks Levi! You can check out his pic's here.

Things on this trail remain stupendous, despite the climbing mercury. I've taken a slower pace here through Northern California, taking time to soak up some trail magic here and there with some new and old trail angels. I can't wait to angel myself next year: I'm already planning Margaritas and Key Lime pie for next year's crew somewhere in Oregon.

In other news, I've started to develop blisters on my heels, which really doesn't make much sense to me unless my feet have grown bigger. I guess they say that is supposed to happen. Weird.

For those of you hoping to find more blogs more often (brother Brian, here's looking at you!), expect an annoying amount to spring up in the first half of August, when I'll be getting off trail to attend good friends Kate & Pete's wedding upstate NY, and will have my own, speedy, computer for more than the usual 1/2 hour of slow, trail computer. NYC, I hope I survive you in all your technological prowess. I have trouble with doors these days.

Going to Church and Unlikely Patriotism. Also, 1000 miles!

These two made it how far? Really? Colorblind and I pose pretty at the 1000mile marker

With the Fourth of July I said goodbye to the Sierras - hard to do though they humbled me immensely - and headed into Northern California. The past month has been unlike any other and, in the big footsteps on John Muir, I went to church for the first time in California every single day. I wish I had more pictures to share with you all, but I was ironically too distracted by the scenery to think to capture it.

Mather Pass - bestest one yet

After leaving Independence I hit a +10,000 pass everyday, with numerous, freezing fords in between. Each pass was extremely unique in it's challenges and gifts - most of the time the ones which seemed "smaller" packed the biggest punch, as Glen Pass did. I had to cut my miles back as a consequence, but was more than happy to do so: the past 300 mile section of trail has been the most amazing yet and there was no good reason to rush through it.

Church, also known as High Sierra Sunrise Trail (at sunset)
In all, I tacked on 76 miles in side trails to Mt. Whitney, Yosemite, and some ridiculously serene and clear hotsprings that were a "blueblaze" (meaning not on the PCT) into Red's Meadow. A fire had sparked in Yosemite the day before we got up Halfdome and the valley was slightly obscured in a haze that gave it all a Maxfield Parrish sort of glow... but the views were still stupendous. The crowds weren't too bad either - and provided entertainment as we watched a family first stalk then run away from a very freaked out adolescent bear.

I didn't experience any "real" bears fortunately (or unfortunately?) though I did wake up with a mouse in my sleeping bag - a lesson in why you shouldn't eat poptarts in your bed if you're not using a tent. Each town visit is still a study in glutany, though now that I'm in Tahoe, Casino-land of all you can eat buffets, I tending to go for the higher quality calorie instead of quanity (although I did eat tempura cheesecake after sushi last night... yum).

When you dream about food all day and you're eating 2x as many calories, things get a little weird: Nacho Doritos and French Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Dream.

From this point on I'll be joined by friend Levi through Northern California. In the next 200 miles I'll just be hitting the halfway point! And I've got less than 300 to be ready for the Seiad Valley Pancake challenge... See you at the Oregon Border?