Started: Campsite 131.5
Ended: Campsite 146.3
Total: 14.8 miles
Achievements: Ten-By-Ten (2), Water Source that Makes You go — Hmmm…

I got up early to avoid the heat and said goodbye to Sunshine. The trail was mostly flat to start, so I was really moving. In the back of my mind, I was thinking about one of the best hamburgers on the entire PCT at the Paradise Valley Cafe while at the same time thinking about what Sunshine taught me the night before. Only walk as fast as I can carry on a conversation.

To get that hamburger required me to complete a 20 mile day. My final practice hikes in Wisconsin were back-to-back 18 mile days, so I was sure that I could complete a 20 mile day. I completed my second ever Ten-By-Ten. To do so in the heat made me sweat quite a bit, so I when through three liters of water.

This section is very dry and my only water source was this…

Yes, it was as gross on the inside as it looks on the outside. There was a dead lizard floating on its back in there. The water was tepid, green and gross, but I was thirsty and there were no decent options going forward. It was for moments like this that I brought an extra method to sanitize my water. It takes 30 minutes for the tablets to work, so I hiked another two miles by eleven and stopped for lunch.

While sitting in some shade, I ran into a mother / daughter team from Green Bay, Wisconsin. They were camping nearby me on day two and I failed to mention them. They told me two important things I did not know. First, the cafe closed at 3 p.m. on Monday. Second, the temperature was expected to drop below freezing tonight.

I ran into a mother / daughter team from Green Bay, Wisconsin who I ran into on day two (and failed to write about) They told me two important things I didn’t know. First, the cafe closed at 3 p.m. on Mondays. Second, the weather was expected to be below freezing tonight.

With that, I looked at the map. In another two-and-a-half miles there was a good place to camp with a decent water source before a long bit of uphill climbing. As I wasn’t going to make it in time, I was probably better off calling it a day there and get out of the heavy winds I was fighting. I found a great spot with some bushes to act as a wind block. It also had Internet.

I hiked the last bit and had camp set up by 3:30 p.m., just as the temperature started to drop. I crawled into my quilt and ate dinner. I my gear that could not freeze like my phone, battery, contacts, and water filter were sleeping in my quilt with me. With that, I had an early night. I seemed to have a bit of a sunburn behind my knees, but I’m doing well.