Mile 412 to mile 425 at the Ranger Station
I woke up just as the sun peeked over the ridge and almost everybody else was already packed and about to head out. I thought I was an early riser, but not compared to this group.
The trail right now is in section D (each section is about 150 miles long) and after looking at the maps and guides Tommy decided D is for detours. First was the 2009 Station Fire detour than there was the poodle dog brush (can cause a horrible blister rash bad enough to go to the ER) detour. It was going to be a day of walking on roads. We were going to cover 25 trail miles with only 8 of those miles being on trail.
The first detour was in less than a mile from camp. It was a dirt road-so much easier on the feet and body than pavement. It went down the ridge in long switchbacks. It was shorter than the real trail, dropping us off at a pit toilet and water faucet way earlier than first expected. Everybody tried to hydrated for the next long waterless stretch of trail. I drank about a liter and a half before leaving the shade over the toilet for the hot sun.
I got on trail for 3 miles, doing the poodle dog brush dance most of the way, and then it was back to the road walking. Everybody who had a Chrome Dome had theirs out, and the bubble of shade on shadeless road was great. The Dome was really worth its weight today. The road was paved, sadly. Clutch and I walked it chatting about the AT-he hiked it last year and I knew a lot of the people he hiked with.
The miles were slow and hard on the feet, and hot on the body. The road was in the same burn area as the first detour so there wasn't a piece of shade to be had among the blackened trees.Around noon we hiked into what looked like an old burned prison complex-only to be told by Super Girl (a guy) who is from the area that it was an old jail-and stopped for lunch under a burnt pine tree.
After lunch there were miles more of road walking. Super Girl and I headed out together talking about where we'd rather be than on a hot paved road. If there was a place with water and food we wanted to be there.
We jumped on trail a little earlier than everyone else and the Poodle Dog wasn't that bad, but I only stayed on trail for a mile before dropping back on the road for another two miles of road with Clutch. Then it was finally time for four miles of trail to get to camp and water (wonderful water).
As nice as it was being on trail those miles dragged. I think most of us were hurting. No one really knows what our mileage has been for the day or yesterday. And even if we did, road is so much different (harder in many ways) than trail.
I walked the last mile to camp with Clutch and we both went straight for the well-stocked water cache. I drank a liter quickly and grabbed a couple more for dinner and drinking.
It's a little buggy here and on the warm side. I'm hoping it cools down enough to make the bugs go away. I'm cowboy camped again with trees over me-no stars tonight.
I woke up just as the sun peeked over the ridge and almost everybody else was already packed and about to head out. I thought I was an early riser, but not compared to this group.
The trail right now is in section D (each section is about 150 miles long) and after looking at the maps and guides Tommy decided D is for detours. First was the 2009 Station Fire detour than there was the poodle dog brush (can cause a horrible blister rash bad enough to go to the ER) detour. It was going to be a day of walking on roads. We were going to cover 25 trail miles with only 8 of those miles being on trail.
The first detour was in less than a mile from camp. It was a dirt road-so much easier on the feet and body than pavement. It went down the ridge in long switchbacks. It was shorter than the real trail, dropping us off at a pit toilet and water faucet way earlier than first expected. Everybody tried to hydrated for the next long waterless stretch of trail. I drank about a liter and a half before leaving the shade over the toilet for the hot sun.
 |
| Pit toilets make the best shade |
The miles were slow and hard on the feet, and hot on the body. The road was in the same burn area as the first detour so there wasn't a piece of shade to be had among the blackened trees.Around noon we hiked into what looked like an old burned prison complex-only to be told by Super Girl (a guy) who is from the area that it was an old jail-and stopped for lunch under a burnt pine tree.
After lunch there were miles more of road walking. Super Girl and I headed out together talking about where we'd rather be than on a hot paved road. If there was a place with water and food we wanted to be there.
We jumped on trail a little earlier than everyone else and the Poodle Dog wasn't that bad, but I only stayed on trail for a mile before dropping back on the road for another two miles of road with Clutch. Then it was finally time for four miles of trail to get to camp and water (wonderful water).
As nice as it was being on trail those miles dragged. I think most of us were hurting. No one really knows what our mileage has been for the day or yesterday. And even if we did, road is so much different (harder in many ways) than trail.
I walked the last mile to camp with Clutch and we both went straight for the well-stocked water cache. I drank a liter quickly and grabbed a couple more for dinner and drinking.
It's a little buggy here and on the warm side. I'm hoping it cools down enough to make the bugs go away. I'm cowboy camped again with trees over me-no stars tonight.
Castle,
ReplyDeleteThe ADZPCTKO group is having the Walker Pass Weekend Trail Magic the weekend of June 7-10th. Looks like you might be there around that time frame. Something to look forward to!!
Tell the Anderson's I said Hello!!
Coach K