Start: 0730 -Whitewater Preserve
End: 1900 - Yucca Valley (Travelodge)
Miles (today) - 23.5 (4 PCT, 19 alternate, 0.5 off)
Miles (cumulative) - 250.5 (205.5 PCT, 42 alternate, 3 off)
OMG, the raccoons were insane last night! Yes, that is meant to be plural - raccoons. Raccoons that know no fear. Raccoons that don't know the meaning of personal space. Raccoons that truly don't give a shit!
After we put all of our stuff in the tent I thought we would be safe. I mean, there is no way a raccoon would attempt to get at our food when we are sleeping right on top of it, right? Besides, our food was in those special sacs that don't let odors escape so I figured we were safe. Well, imagine rolling over in your sleep, hearing a weird noise, and opening your eyes to see a raccoon's face mere inches from your own. Yes. This happened to me. The only thing separating us was the tent mosquito netting - otherwise we were nose to nose. I screamed, more out of shock than anything. The raccoon took one step back but didn't run away. I swung the hiking pole at it. It took a few more steps back but still didn't run away. Nick got out of the tent and chased it - THEN it ran away. Before getting back in the tent, Nick decided to pee around the perimeter. I laughed but figured it couldn't hurt.
Later, I awoke to another weird noise. At first I thought Alec was looking for something in his tent... But then I hear Alec yell, "what the f#*%!". It turns out the raccoon had his bear canister (not sure why Alec is using a bear canister at this part of the trail but that's not important). Even as Alec yelled, the raccoon continued to roll that bear canister away - it was 50 feet away from his tent before he caught up with it. I was laughing hysterically - I mean, the raccoon was certainly being a dick but he looked so cute and funny rolling that bear canister away (and it wasn't my food in jeopardy). Once Alec had the canister back he laughed with me.
But wait, it's still not over. I awoke yet again to a weird noise and look up to see ANOTHER raccoon staring me in the face - this one went under the rain cover to take a peek into the tent. When I turned on my headlamp I saw a second raccoon in the vestibule area and there was a third one on Nick's side of the tent! It was as if they were coordinating an attack! Nick ran after them screaming like a madman - at this point I couldn't stop laughing at the insanity of it all. Nick's crazy yelling must have worked because we didn't have any issues after that.
I got even less sleep than I did when worrying about that mouse. I wonder what it will be like when there are bears to worry about - I'll probably never sleep.
A nice quote from Emerson carved into a rock at Whitewater - it's a good reminder
another good quote from Muir
a nice view of the river at Whitewater
along the trail
Another view of the snowy mountain we hiked down the other day
Today was the day we needed to finally decide what to do about the possible 15 mile 'closure'- hike the alternate route or hike the supposed 'closed' section? We had been back and forth on the matter ever since we started. In the end, we decided to do the 'right' thing and hike the alternate (even though there are no signs saying the PCT is closed and even though other hikers have said the closed section is fine).
the decision point: continue on the PCT or start the alternate route and go to Mission Creek?
So yeah. The alternate route. The PCTA couldn't even give us an official alternate route for this 15 miles of trail closure - the alternate route we are using is something hikers had to come up with on their own and it involves a lot of road walking. Not safe, not fun... But a necessary evil for those of us who want to have a continuous footpath. Remember: HYOH.
I don't really want to talk about my day because I'd very much like to forget it even happened. I will say this: vehicles are loud, exhaust smells, roads are hot (especially with no breeze), and looking down a straight stretch of road that you have to walk for over 8 miles is depressing (I really missed Running today - those 8 miles would have been nothing if I was running, although there is no way I would ever run down this busy road!)
the seemingly never changing view of the road we walked for over 8 miles. Ugh. Part of me wishes we had hiked the closure
Nick walking on the interstate 62 median. Yes, we know it's not safe. It's also not fun AT ALL
Good things about the road walk (because I need something good to focus on): We ran into some really nice people at the Circle K in Morono (where we stopped to rest, get water, and refuel our bodies). The woman working there offered to let us stay the night at her place (we were grateful but had to refuse); a nice lady told me my legs look fantastic (they HAVE been getting quite the workout lately); a guy offered to give us a ride to Yucca Valley (had to refuse that, too - continuous footpath and all); several people stopped to talk to us and wish us luck; I ate (inhaled might be a better word) two bananas and an apple.
Tonight we are staying at a Travelodge as we cannot tent camp anywhere. The AT group is here, too - they've now grown to 8!
Happily, there is a sushi restaurant connected to this motel - of course Nick and I ate there for dinner. It was awesome!!!!! There is also a pool, which I dove into right after taking a shower. And there is a hot tub! It's all a great reward after the not-so-great day.