Day 65-To Not Be Hungry

Carson's Pass at mile 1079 to 1090

It was such a shame that even in that nice big bed in that nice dark room and in that nice quiet house I woke up at 5:30. At least I got some blogging done (I used to be usually one day behind but now I'm usually two days behind). Awake or not it was pretty awesome to be in that bed.

The others in the house started to stir around 7 o'clock. Carol made us breakfast: lots of toast, farm fresh scrambled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, coffee, tea, and apple juice.  It was a pretty hearty meal. It lasted a long time-we ate for hours. Sadly the bacon that Portrait predicted did not appear, but there was more than enough good things to eat for my liking.

We left around 9:15, swung by the grocery store for trail snacks (donuts, sandwich, and chips for me), and then we were off to the trail.  There were no rocks in the road this time and we made it back to the trail at eleven.  Carol and a friend of hers went for a short hike and we decided to have lunch at the visitor's center-all that riding in a car made us hungry. We were hungry, but we also didn't want to pack out the extra trash.

When we did finally start walking I was looking forward to having a short day.  To make Tahoe in the morning we had to hike only a half day.

After leaving the parking lot the trail started to ascend, first through pine forest and then a bald ridge. The wind was ripping over the ridge-it was a hold onto your hat kind of wind. We met a group of day hikers, one of whom had clocked the wind at 32 mph gust with steady wind in the high teens.

For being a Monday there were a surprising number of day hikers out. It was almost enough to make it seem like our stay at Carol's was a dream and it was really still Sunday. 

We stopped at a small cabin that was built in the mid 1800's. I ate a donut leaning up against its weathered shingles. It was in a beautiful spot-sheltered from the wind, stream running behind it-just really peaceful.

We climbed and descended-never very much of either. The trail went halfway around a bright blue lake (too cold for swimming-I check most of the lakes).  The three of us sat on a log looking towards the water. We joked about other thru-hikers seeing us just sitting instead of eating. I felt full. I think that was the first time I felt full on trail since the trail magic at Tuolumne Meadows and before that...not since before the Sierra's.  It was pretty special.

We did move on-we did still want to go to Tahoe. It was strange to be so close to town and not be day dreaming about what to eat when upon getting there. I wouldn't mind more town stops where I don't feel like I'm one candy bar away from going hungry.

We ended up getting to camp early, I think around five, and decided to lounge in what little sun there was and share the chocolate bars Carol gave us as a parting gift. I had originally planned to eat two dinners (I somehow had extra dinners, but not extra anything else) but I didn't need too. It's so unusual to not be hungry that I can't get over it. It was not what I was expecting for four miles outside Tahoe.