Well the rest of the sierras was sweet. Lower but still beautiful passes carried us to Sonora Pass and Kennedy Meadows North as we gradually leave the Sierras. A few days, a few passes more, and stunning wildflowers lead us to South Lake Tahoe for our first (drum roll please) TWO ZERO DAYS IN A ROW.
I was really looking forward to the rest because my body had definitely been hurting. The long miles over a long time have just been wearing on my body. Especially in the middle of the night going to the bathroom or getting up and moving around in the morning I move like a 70 year old limping around on sore feet and sore legs. It’s known as the “hiker hobble”. Once the body gets moving on trail the legs start working again but breaks sure can lead to struggling to get back up again. In Tahoe for two days I used the railing to stabilize myself going up and down the stairs in our Airbnb.
Speaking of which, the Airbnb was fantastic! There were 9 of us (Superfeet, Pancake, Hootie, Wolverine, Arc, Sunshine, Picasso, Sarah, and I) in a huge house enjoying showers and beds and watching movies and eating good HOME COOKED food and just laying around. Delightful. I honestly don’t have much to say about South Lake Tahoe because we didn’t get out much 😂. Their Catholic Church was stunning though.
Then we started another stretch to Donner Pass/Truckee and this my dear friends was unfortunately the worst stretch yet. Many things compounded. I was trying my old pack to see if my shoulders wouldn’t hurt, and my hips started bruising with it. An ankle injury I’ve been nursing escalated. And above all my body still felt so exhausted and fatigued even after the rest in Tahoe that I had been holding out for.
We had taken the Sierras a little bit slower because of all the elevation which I really enjoyed. I now have a running theory that my body type does better with less miles and more vert compared to more miles and less vert. I gotta short stride so longer miles is just more time on my feet than the average joe! And now in Northern California we’re onto more miles and less vert (around 23 miles per day) so I’m just struggling with my body being really fatigued and wearing down. I just feel rushed and exhausted the whole day trying to get in all the miles.
So I’ve decided to fall behind the tramily to go a slower pace. It’s a hard decision because I love them! Taking breaks and eating and camping with them always boosts me up too so it’ll be hard without them. But off I’ll go solo, excited to decide my own pace and meet new friends and old friends who I know are behind.
Annie and I are actually resting in a friend’s and a friend of a friend’s trailers now because we’re sick. Incredible how the trail provides and shows SUCH wonderful people all around. Annie decided when she’s feeling better she’ll jump ahead to meet the tramily, but as I already have decided to go a slower pace I’ll start back where I left off.
More good news is I’ve switched back to my old pack, got new shoes, and Pancake showed me a trick with tying my laces that supports my ankle better and so far is really helping! Going into this section I was also worried I wouldn’t find as much beauty around me after seeing such spectacular sights in the Sierras. But I’ve found heaps.
Wow this is a long post. One last comment is I’ve been thinking a lot about how we judge ourselves. Struggling to keep pace with my tramily and seeing other hikers going faster it wears on me and makes me frustrated that I can’t do more. But I’m already doing an incredible feat! How silly that I have to keep telling myself not to compare myself to others.
Don’t worry even in the fatigue there’s still highlights!!
Lots of lakes in this section again, soooo have been loving swimming some more
Ran across an old friend Good Morning who we had hiked at least 100 miles with but hadn’t seen since Big Bear (mi 266). Hiked with him for about 50 more then he got off for a bit at Sonora where he’s from.
Crossed the 1000 mile maker!! Doesn’t feel real! I’ve walked 1000 miles?!? Talk about gratitude
There was no trail magic in the sierras because it’s so isolated and I really forgot it existed. Then going over Ebbetts pass there were hamburgers and sodas! And a few days ago root beer floats!!
My cousin Greg and his girlfriend Jodie visited me in South Lake Tahoe. So fun to see some familiar faces on the trip and get to catch up and chat about the journey.
Rice bowls that Hootie made for dinner at the Airbnb. Rice, turkey, onions, tomatoes, avocado, roasted chickpeas, cucumber, dill sauce 😮
I don’t usually listen to anything on trail but just started listening to audiobooks on trail. Finished my first one, A Wizard of Earthsea. Very good.
Stunning wildflowers
Met someone on trail who also graduated from Corvallis High School! He graduated in 1974 so we weren’t able to compare teachers
Truckee is a common resupply point but Scheels in Reno was the only store that sold my brand of shoes. I didn’t know how I would get all the way to Reno and was asking around at the trailhead when someone offered to drive me there and back to Truckee!!
Near Truckee is a campground that Neon’s (a cousin from the old tramily) wife works at. They welcomed us all into their space as we resupplied in Truckee. And now they and their friends are the ones hosting Annie and I in their RVs as we’re sick. Incredible generosity!!
bomber goes for a walk 
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