Sickness aaaand CELEBRATION

So the sickness got me good and I ended up staying in Truckee for 4 days. It was frustrating to feel bad and have to stay put. But it felt good to rest and build back excitement to hit the trail. Sick and stranded, Lori, Lee and Ellen who hosted me were incredible. They let me stay in their space for as long as I needed and invited me to join them for dinners. God has taken such wonderful care of His daughter.

In Truckee while I was sick I thought about the movie Free Spirit I had watched a few months before starting the trail. I rewatched the trailer and it made me cry. While Jessica Watson and I don’t share everything in common (I don’t feel scared if any family members are wondering), I connected with her a lot on the feelings of loneliness and doubt and having to push through challenges on a long journey. And also what beauty we are privileged to experience being out in the wild.

Back on trail I went alone and free to go however fast or slow I pleased! But the first three days ended up being challenging riding the tail ends of the sickness, getting odd chaffing, and cramps. All that combined and hiking solo lead to feeling pretty discouraged and lonely. I arrived for a quick resupply in Sierra City on the third day and broke down calling my sister. But with her encouragement and after meeting another lady hiking solo I set off again with my new friend Free Willy.

What a God send! Free Willy was also in the trenches as she started out from South Lake Tahoe and had been feeling lonely hiking slower than the rest of us hikers. We camped with a beautiful sunset the first night and together enjoyed the beauty of the next section, the Sierra Buttes. They were beautiful peaks and we got a few more lakes thrown in. We started hiking through many burn scars after the Sierra Buttes so there was little shade, some downed trees (though not as many as anticipated, thank you trail crews!), and a very dusty path. The no shade and hot sun got to me the most, but one day we got an incredible cold swim mid-day in the Middle Fork of the Feather River. Dare I say maybe the best swimming hole yet!

Free Willy and I kept camping with two Czechs, Fartist and Sunny, by chance and we schemed on how to get them to commit to continuing camping with us. The opportunity arose when before heading into town on the 16th we talked about all carrying in real food to feast on the 17th for my birthday! So they had to hike with us after the town day 😁. They’re both very funny and it’s neat hearing stories from their home.

The town of Quincy was one of my favorites! A lovely older man gave us a hitch in. Him and the rest of the town folk were so kind and quick to chat. Not only that but we ended up getting free laundry, showers, ice cream, nachos, and Free Willy even got free sandals when she told the cashier she was a hiker.

Back on trail I had a lovely day hiking on my birthday! The miles felt easy. We ended up going by an old stamp mill and they left the decision up to me so we camped there! Sleepover in a tree house. And then we feasted on hamburgers with onions and red peppers, potatoes, baked beans, cookies, and watermelon!! I had made a joke to Fartist when we were talking about carrying different food that he should carry watermelon and he did! What a birthday

The trail continued to go through burn areas, especially of note the 5,000 foot, 12 mile climb the next day providing a scorching journey up. But 2 miles from the top we left the Sierra range and entered the Cascades!! Im in home territory! Then the following day we crossed 1325 miles, the halfway point of the pacific crest trail. Wow. I walked that whole way!

The following two days I speed up to 28 and 26 miles a day because I had to reach Old Station by the 21st at noon. So I ran into a few people on trail, but on my own timeline I camped alone. I hiked through Lassen National Park which provided more burn areas but beautiful views of the mountain. And so many butterflies at one point I felt like I was in a Disney movie! They were flying all around me. Some deer stamped and scared me one night as I lay in my tent alone but other than that it was easy going.

I made it and am off trail now but don’t worry I’ll be back before you know it. Got some business to attend to up north 😉

Highlights:

Taking the break in Truckee I got to go to daily mass and got brunch with Wolverine. Both were wonderful and felt like normal life. I also really enjoyed chatting away with Lori, Ellen, and Lee. Sharing stories from the trail and hearing stories about their life out of their camper.

Getting back on trail after a 4 day break I started running into friends I hadn’t seen since the desert! So that was very fun to randomly stumble across old friends and get to chat and catch up with them.

Calling my sister in Sierra City was an absolute life line. Shout out to my favorite sister!!

I mentioned the burn zones had so many butterflies. I was also enamored with so many woodpeckers and dragonflies! And when it got hot in the afternoons the flowers emitted such a strong wonderful fragrance.

Fartist has carried a guitar the whole trail! So he played it for us a few evenings. I asked Sunny if she also had an instrument and it turned out she did. She brought a flute that she didn’t know how to play and had envisioned learning how to play on trail. She still doesn’t know how to play it and is still carrying it.

My birthday feast.

I usually give a food highlight but I guess that’s the birthday feast. I’m actually quite bored of my normal food especially dinners so if anyone has any suggestions give me a shout 😁

Just enjoying the views. Out there you can really appreciate why it’s called the pacific crest trail. Often you’re walking along the top or “crest” of the hills with continual views of wilderness all around you. Stunning

A man pulled me aside in town and asked about my backpack and hiking gear. I said I had walked since the Mexico boarder and he replied “is that possible?”