Start: 0700 - just past Scissors Crossing
End: 1830 - Barrel Spring
Miles (today) - 22
Miles (cumulative) - 101
I think the desert has a personality disorder.
We woke up to a wonderful morning - it was pleasantly warm and there was a delightful breeze to keep us cool. By the time we got to the next water source, however, it was really, really hot - those umbrellas Nick purchased are certainly proving their worth. I was glad I chose to wear running shorts today - hiking in shorts feels wrong somehow but it is oh so comfortable! By noon the heat was pretty intense; I don't know who maintains the water cache at 3rd Gate but I am so grateful it was there!
Someone lugs tons of water bottles down this path to ensure hikers have water - I know it's not an easy task.
At the water cache we met Cyclops from New Orleans. He had a stroke last year and the doctor told him he wouldn't be able to hike - so of course that's what he's doing, paralyzed hand and all. He was very inspiring and helped me remember just how powerful our minds can be.
Since Nick and I had already hiked 12 miles to the cache, we decided to only hike for a few more hours (in the spirit of talking it slow). Due to the heat and the fact that we would be dry camping, we took enough water to last us to Barrel Spring, the next water source. I was looking forward to an early end to the day; Alas, the trail had different plans for us.
Even though we were both ready to be done by mile 16, there just weren't any good campsites big enough for the tent. The next good camping spot wasn't until Barrel Spring, which was 5 miles away. We thought about just cowboy camping again but, just as I took my pack off and mentally told my body she was done for the day, it started to rain. Not a nice, warm, refreshing summer rain - no, of course not (like I said, the desert has a personality disorder). It was a harsh, cold rain with hail mixed in. How could I be overheating one minute and freezing the next? At least the cold numbed my tired legs and allowed me to continue on. Other positives: 1. it was pretty cool to walk in the rain while watching the storm and 2. the rain jacket I purchased for the trip worked well. The funny thing is that I didn't immediately think to use the umbrella for the rain - I've been using it for sun protection so much that I forgot umbrellas can be used for rain protection, too. Nick confessed it took him a moment to realize it, too. :)
Watching the storm
With about 3 miles to go Nick could tell I was struggling a bit so he stopped to wait for me. He asked if I had dumped any water - since Barrel Spring is another water source and since we weren't going to be dry camping, we didn't need to carry as much water as we initially thought. I hadn't dumped any water (I was carrying about 6 liters) and when he asked if I was crazy I started to cry. I didn't cry because I was hurting or because I was hungry or because I felt demoralized for being slow (even though that was all true and certainly didn't help matters); I cried because I didn't want to waste the water that some awesome person took the time and effort to leave for us hikers. I felt horrible just thinking about it, as if I was wasting their gift. Nick told me I have to stop being so stubborn. While I cried about it, he dumped 3 liters of water from my pack. Walking WAS a lot easier after that... (But I still feel guilty).
Just before we got to Barrel Spring we made a milestone- 100 miles on the PCT! Nick was ravenous at this point and therefore didn't have the patience to put up with me trying to stage a good selfie picture - so this is what we ended up with:
Our 100 mile "selfie"
100 miles!!!!!!
The walk into Barrel Spring was beautiful - very green and non-desert like. There are a lot of hikers spending the night here! I'm tired and soggy (I'm struggling not to think about how nice it would be to take a hot shower, put on comfy comfy clothes, snuggle up in a warm blanket, and drink hot tea) but at least we had a chance to chat a bit more with Megan (we keep running into her) so that was nice. And since we hiked so many miles today we only have to go 9 miles tomorrow to get to the next resupply at Warner Springs. Rumor has it that we can shower and do laundry and hook up to wifi there (maybe I can finally post to the blog!)!!!!!
Our campsite at Barrel Spring.
