Started: Hauser Canyon (15.4)
Ended: Boulder Oaks Camp Ground (26.0)
Total: 10.6 miles.

We woke up as the sun rose at five and were ready in about thirty minutes. Our immediate goal was to climb out of Hauser Canyon. It is three miles and 3,000 feet up. Yesterday, my thighs we’re killing me for half of the day.

To be honest, if I had any doubts whether I can finish this endeavor, it could be answer in the next couple of hours. Back home as I trained, I mastered straight ahead. I crush flat ground. However, there were things I could not train for and climbs in the heat were one of them. So, with a Cliff Bar, a large cup of coffee and 600 mg of Vitamin-I, Fishtank and I started the approach out of the canyon. I gave a liter of water to Fishtank, so I did it with just one liter.

Just before we left, Candice gave me another tablet of electrolytes. She is an angel.

F’Tank and I raced up trying to beat the sun before it started to bake the canyon floor. Understand that raced means about two miles per hour with rest stops every 15 minutes. We leap frogged with Candice and Jamie from Wisconsin. At about nine o’clock we heard cheering from the top. They made it. Not long after we did as well. With that, we made a proper breakfast.

Yes, I was exhausted and it was only nine in the morning!

We hiked to Lake Morena. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger and a double order of extra salty french fries. We then rested, quite jubilant at the campground. The combination of the climb and the heat sucked all the energy out of us and we took our time. Candice and I enjoyed some instant cafe mocha I brought.

There were rumors of trail magic ahead in nine miles. Spaghetti! However, we were sapped of all our energy and we were only able to do five miles. Jamie and Candice decided to climb additional mountains.

We rested a bit, but rumors of spaghetti in nine miles, but we were only able to do five. We still finished 1% of the trail, so we got that going for us.

We made camp at a dedicated camp site. There was plenty of water and toilets. It was also a nice place to put up my tent for the first time.

So tomorrow we’ll hike four miles to a 2000 foot climb. We’ll see where we go from there. Health wise, I’m at 100%. No pain. No blisters. My thighs were fine after I warmed up.

While I was hoping to do 20 miles a day out of the gate, finishing only ten is rather weak, but this is harder than I expected. A lower mileage day is good, especially after a big climb. Eventually, I will be in true hiker shape. In the meantime, I need to take it day by day.