PCT 9/18 Day 26 Thursday 6 miles in the rain. Knowing the forecast was 30% chance of rain, I had left today kinda wide open. If it was nasty, I could just hunker down and put in more miles on Friday. Due to the fire haze, I cannot tell if it is overcast or just the haze. I pack up and decide to do at least six miles to get water. Any further depends on the weather. One mile down the trail, I have to shed all my layers. Out of the wind, it is warm-ish and humid. Still not sure if that is from the haze or pending rain, so I start booking it down the trail. After an hour, I have my answer: drops start to fall. Since Im in dense forest cover and the trail is smooth, I do a weird trot-run and get as much mileage in as I can. I finally stop under a large tree and break out my rain jacket and umbrella as well as re-secure everything in watertight bags. The brush is thick on each side of the trail and my unzipped rain jacket does a great job keeping my arms pretty dry. This particular part of the trail goes from dense cover for 1/2 mile to open, exposed boulder fields where the wind blows sideways and upward, and I cant block the rain. This continues for the next two miles, with one particularly long stretch over rocks. It is now so foggy my eyes are having trouble focusing between the trail and in the distance- and visibility is maybe 50 feet at best. I finally finish six miles and reach the campsite and water source. There is a tiny little flat space with a ton of trees around it and its fairly protected from the rain. I set up my tent and stow my gear without much getting wet. Head over to the spring and fill anot 3 liters in my bucket and duck into my tent. Change into my wool leggings plus pants over them, a fleece 1/4 zip and my down jacket. And of course, my fluffy pink socks. Filter water and make oatmeal and coffee. Its 12:45pm and this is the first food Ive eaten. Get warmed up both inside and out and snuggle in my bag for a nap. Wake up a couple hours later and Im hungry again. Filter more water and eat mashed potatoes, foil packed salmon and wheat thins. Decide I may as well filter enough water for my hydration bladder and get it over with. End up soaking my gloves, but my hands didnt totally freeze so it was worth it. I realize the rain is really coming down and Im glad I stopped when I did. I only need to go 7 miles tomorrow to meet up with Ryan and were going to camp about 1.5 miles from the rendezvous point- a nice short day!! Of course, if its still raining it will be slightly less enjoyable. Strangely, I hear a faint thump ba-bump repeatedly and realize someone has driven up here. The campground is abandoned- meaning its not cared for- and its about 7:30pm and pitch black. I turn off my headlamp and listen. I dont hear anything after a while and go back to typing this entry. Ohhh, theres the thumping music again but it fades away. I hope theyre gone for good and theres no collateral damage nearby. I set my alarm for 6am and off to sleep...Zzzzz
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 03:04:29 +0000
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