Start: 0800 - Soda Springs (Micky and Nancy's)
End: 2830 - PCT mile 1175
Miles (today): 22
Miles (cumulative): 1213.5 (1067 PCT, 91.5 alternate, 55 off)

Micky and Nancy's guest bed was extremely comfortable and, as it was in the basement, the temperature was cool and it was dark - perfect sleeping conditions!  Since my body was tired and really wanted sleep, you'd think I slept like a baby.  Alas, someone's snoring kept me up most of the night.  :(

It's ok , though - Nancy treated us to excellent coffee, which woke me up, and a fantastic breakfast before returning us to the trailhead.  The breakfast menu consisted of scrambled eggs with farm fresh tomatoes, toast, avocado, and fruit (bananas, blueberries, and peaches).  Once again, I find myself blown away by the generosity of others.  Paul, thank you so much for connecting us!

Nick made sure Nancy brought us right back to where she picked us up (continuous footpath) and by 0930 we were hiking again.  We saw Pope and Space Jam (and I even hiked with Space Jam for a while), but they got off the trail to go to the rest area at Interstate 80 and I didn't see them again (or any other PCT thru-hiker for that matter) until I met Nick at camp at the end of the day.  Here we met Hobbit, whose mom his hiking with him for a few days.  They both seem really nice (although I didn't get a chance to talk to them too much).

The uphills might be getting shorter and less intense and the miles seem to be coming easier - we did 22 miles today even with our late start.  The hiking was pretty uneventful.  I met a day hiker (a truck driver) who had lots of questions for me, an older couple who told me my pack was huge (it is full of extra food - I went a little  overboard with the supplemental snacks),  a couple who are section-hiking up to Etna, and some guys doing trail maintenance... But for the most part I walked alone, completely lost in my thoughts (some of which focused on flies and why they are so annoying- I decided that I despise flies more than I despise mosquitos).

Along the trail: