Day 93 - Chico

July 16

I had a lot of time to think and soul search the last few days and have decided that Belden is going to be my jumping off point. 

Missing Greg and Bodie is a given, but my body was telling me it was tired, sore and needs a rest. Plus I was getting very lonely. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the solitude. I was just getting a little too much of it. 

It's funny, in the mornings, even with a sore back, I would think maybe I could make it to the halfway point or maybe even the Oregon border. By noon I would realize that those thoughts were not realistic. 

I would have really liked to have talked to Greg to let him know my plans. With no cell service that just wasn't going to happen. I could have sent him a text message on the tracker, but knowing Greg the text messages would have been coming fast and furious and I needed to conserve battery just in case I needed the SOS. So Diane and Jennifer were the first to find out my plans.  Couldn't help but to tear up when I told them. I still plan on getting to Canada, it's just going to be in sections now. In fact, while hiking I kept trying to figure out what section(s) I could do before summer ends. 

Along with the back problems my right foot had been hurting a bit the last few days. I just thought my boots were too tight and would loosen them up. I noticed last night though while I was talking to Greg that my foot is pretty swollen. Even if I would continue on I think I would need another week off the get the body back in shape. 

 

Tonight I pulled everything out of my pack so Diane and Jennifer could see what I was carrying (and to finally get my dirty clothes out to wash). While putting it back together I realized stopping is going to be very hard. As much as I look forward to going home and being with my family I really just want to throw the pack back on and start hiking down the trail again. It's been my life for the last three months. A very important and rewarding part of my life. 

This has been an amazing journey. I've learned a lot about myself. What I am capable of, and not capable of. I've seen parts of this state that not many people have seen. Beauty beyond words. The barren mountains and deserts of Southern California. The drastic contours of the High Sierras. The silence. Mostly though I have seen a side of people (thru hikers, trail angels, complete strangers) that is even more beautiful than the landscapes. That has had the biggest impact on me. 

Thank you to all my family and friends, and Liz's family and friends, for the support you have given us along the way. And thank you Liz for getting me to go on this crazy adventure.  

Keep an eye on this blog. Who knows when there might be notes from the trail again. 

I don't think of the PCT as a obsession, but as a calling to experience and enjoy the simple pleasure of just being. 

Day 92 - Mile 1275.2 to 1284.3 - Mel

July 15

I'm going to Belden today!! I'm going to see Diane and Jennifer (sister and niece), eat some real food, go to Chico, get a shower and sleep in a real bed. Can you tell I'm excited?

Only nine miles to go, but I went from just under 6200' to 2300' in that nine miles. Even when nothing hurts and I haven't already walked 1200 miles downhill is hard on me. Fortunately the trail was nice, not rocky, and a lot of switchbacks. 

It was hot today too. The first part of hike was in the sun, but soon I was under the cover of trees. 

I made it to Belden around 12:30. Greg had sent a message that Jennifer and Diane wouldn't be getting there until 2:30. This gave me time to eat. I had a chicken sandwich with bacon, pepper jack cheese and ranch dressing on grilled sourdough. Washed that down with a couple of Sierra Nevadas. Life is good. 

Soon after I finished my lunch my ride showed up. I was so excited to see the two of them. Jennifer is now an official trail angel as she also gave two girls from London a ride into Chico and the nearest sporting goods store. 

Day 91 - Mile 1258.2 to 1275.2

July 14

We were camped near some dirt roads and a car went by some time during the night. That just freaks me out. I feel much better out in the middle of nowhere. 

Said goodbye to the G's, took my Ibuprofen and headed out.  

Lightened up my pack just a little last night when Twotone came into camp and said she was running low on food.  I gave her some of my snacks. 

I decided to take a coffee break today. Snack time was at a small stream so that I didn't have to carry the water to make a cup. It was a very pleasant stop. 

I did have to take more Ibuprofen soon after that. I feel like I'm eating the stuff like candy. It really helps with the hiking.  I can get in the miles in that I want, but when it wears off.......

I had wanted to camp about six miles from Belden because it's a big descent and I don't know what the trail is like. I ended up camping at Clear Creek though.  That way I didn't have to carry the extra water for dinner and breakfast, and fill up my Gatorade bottle for tomorrow's hike. The campsite I had been aiming for was another 2.5 miles away and waterless. With the extra weight I probably wouldn't have gotten there until 7:30 and I didn't think I'd feel like setting up camp and fixing dinner. 

Day 90 - Mile 1240.4 to 1258.2 - Mel

July 13

Hobbling more this morning. As usual slow getting going. 

It was down hill to the Middle Fork of the Feather River. There was a bridge over the river so I didn't have to worry about how I was goin to get across. 

I stopped on the north side of the bridge for a snack, but was too tired (and lazy-let's be honest) to walk down to the river to get water. I had enough to get to the next creek and my dirty socks could wait until then to get rinsed out. 

The uphill started here. The first three miles to Bear Creek weren't bad. I did stop here for water and lunch. Got my socks rinsed and soaked my feet. Also washed a layer of dirt off my legs. They'll be filthy again by the time I stop for the day. The rock that I sat down on to do all this had a water snake on it. I felt kind of bad that I took his spot. 

It was nice to get a little rest since the next seven miles were climbing. It wasn't a steep climb but it was steady and tiring. 

Once again I had a stopping place in mind and when I got there He G and She G (one of the Canadian couples was there). I was glad to camp with them since they will be getting off tomorrow to go to Quincy to rest and resupply. 

Day 89 - Mile 1221.4 to 1240.4

July 12

Slow getting out of camp today. What's new? My back is pretty sore though. Not quite as bad as when I was a couple days out of Tuolumne, but Ibuprofen is definitely my friend. 

It was overcast most of the day which makes for very comfortable hiking. My phone and tracker batteries are getting low and I really need to get them charged though. 

Pretty uneventful hiking. Mostly forest, some of it alive and some of it dead. 

My body is really begining to feel the miles. I'm also feeling tired. I was looking for the campsite where I ended up tonight. I was so afraid that someone would already be there and I would have to go on. I figured I'd just cry until they felt sorry for me. 

There were people already there, but it was my new Canadian friends. They made room for me. My tent was practically set up on one of theirs. I have been enjoying having company at night. 

Day 88 - Mile 1206.2 to 1221.4

July 11

I had the perfect spot for watching the sunrise this morning. I was on a ridge looking east. It was the sun on my tent that woke me up. I missed the sunrise but probably needed the sleep. 

My pack is too heavy. I should have left more food in Sierra City. But I also know I need to be getting more calories. It's so hard to figure out what is enough and what is too much. Even after three months. 

There were lots of beautiful lakes today. I think I stopped and took pictures of all of them. 

I found the perfect lunch spot. After I ate, I stretched out on a fallen tree with my head on my tent and feet on my backpack. Even fell asleep. It was wonderful. 

I was feeling a little lonely today. A few hikers passed me early in the day, but I was mostly on my own. The trail was nice and there were a lot of beautiful views. 

I didn't go as far as I had wanted to today when I came upon some campsites near water. There were no campsites listed at the next water sources. I decided to play it safe and stop for the night. Two Canadian couples that I had met at the trailhead at Sierra City were camped on the other side of the trail. 

Shortly after I got set up Colo and Highwater joined me. Both Highwater and I thought we had met before, but had no clue where. Before I went to bed I realized that he was the guy who pulled Liz and I over the snow bank at the top of Forester Pass. 

My lower back is starting to bother me on the right side.  Same pain as I felt on the left side after Donahue Pass. I think it was the weight of my pack and the rocks I had to walk on out of Sierra City (I was favoring my left side on the rocks even though my back had not been hurting for a couple of days) that caused the new backache. 

Onward to Belden - Greg

Melinda is pressing ahead, with continued good mileage since her last update, doing 15, 19 and 18 miles on Saturday, Sunday and Monday respectively. She is now just south of Bucks Lake on her way to Belden. She will be picked up in Belden by her niece Jennifer and sister Diane (Thanks!) who live in Chico, about an hour's drive away. She will take at least one Zero day with them in Chico before returning to the trail.

I think she hopes to make it to Belden sometime tomorrow (Wednesday).

There has been no cell coverage over the last 3 days, so information is minimal. It looks like the weather has been good and she's had company at her campsite most nights.

Last week, she couldn't charge her phone or tracking device because there was no sun for the solar charger.

This week, she is having trouble with the connection between the charging cable and the tracking device. It has been getting continuous use for 3 months now, and the connector may just be wearing out. Hopefully it can be fixed with a new cable. At any rate, until it's sorted out she may turn off tracking to conserve the battery for emergency use. If she does, that means no blue dots... I hate it when that happens. :-( I worry about her more than I should even when I can see her progress. When the dots disappear I'm basically a basket case. :-)