Start: 0800 - PCT mile 1175
End: 1700 - Sierra City
Miles (today): 20.5
Miles (cumulative): 1234 (1087.5 PCT, 91.5 alternate, 55 off)

There were a lot of strange noises last night - noises from something large wandering around the woods and breaking a lot of sticks.  I was tempted to take a peek outside the tent to see what was going on but I was too tired to move.  

As we were getting packed to leave, another hiker, Backtrack, passed our site and asked if we saw the bear last night - he had been cowboy camping less then a quarter mile from us and said he woke up to see a bear's eyes staring back at him.  With that information, I'm pretty sure the noises I heard last night were from a bear.  Dammit, I should have at least peaked outside the tent!! 

We dropped about 3,500 feet in elevation over the course of the day - it sure is hot down here at 4,000ish feet!  The hiking is more in the woods now - I appreciate the shade but miss the incredible views of the High Sierras.

Turquoise and I hiked together for a few miles- it was great to get to know her even better. She is such an awesome person!  Holy crap, I feel inadequate.  Amongst other amazing things, she helped found a NGO, Action Two Africa (check it out!).  So cool and so very inspiring!

It's a resupply day, which means a trip into town and trying to get a hitch.  Happily, we hit the road to Sierra Springs at the right time - someone had just dropped off So Done so we had a ride ready to go (plus we got to catch up with So Done a little).

Nick and I spent most of the afternoon at the general store - we got our resupply package, we shared a one pound burger and a grilled cheese sandwich with everything on it (I love that Nick is willing to split our food because then I get to try more things.  The grilled cheese was awesome, by the way). We also had a lot of ice cream.  I think I ate way too much - the thought of food makes me sick (and that's really saying something)!  

The food was great but I really enjoyed meeting and catching up with hikers (like Pope, Space Jam, G-String, Sing Song, Mobius, Turquoise, Gazelle, McG, Boy Drogo, and One Gear).   Being around other hikers is great because it helps me realize I'm not alone in my 'suffering'.   Even though I know it's not all roses and sunshine for most hikers (except for maybe Nick and Turquoise, I really envy their love of hiking), it's nice to actually hear other hikers admit they sometimes struggle, too.  It makes me feel normal and helps me feel like less of a failure.

Sadly, there are too many hikers for the accommodations in this small town, so Nick and I are sleeping for free next to the Methodist church.   We even got to take cold showers at the community center for free, too.  Remember, never pass up a shower or food (although my shower was really more like a bandana bath because the water was pretty chilly).  

Before heading off to bed I chatted with Pope, Space Jam, G-String, and Sing Song for a bit - we discussed hiker problems, such as bathroom emergencies, the pStyle, and the surprise squat, and had some good laughs.