Big Long Walk

April 2024 - July 2025
  • Anna Budke
Current
PCT class of 2024 Read more
  • Anna Budke
Currently traveling

List of countries

  • United States United States
Categories
Backpacking, Camping, Hiking
  • 2.2kmiles traveled
Means of transport
  • Flight-kilometers
  • Walking-kilometers
  • Hiking-kilometers
  • Bicycle-kilometers
  • Motorbike-kilometers
  • Tuk Tuk-kilometers
  • Car-kilometers
  • Train-kilometers
  • Bus-kilometers
  • Camper-kilometers
  • Caravan-kilometers
  • 4x4-kilometers
  • Swimming-kilometers
  • Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
  • Motorboat-kilometers
  • Sailing-kilometers
  • Houseboat-kilometers
  • Ferry-kilometers
  • Cruise ship-kilometers
  • Horse-kilometers
  • Skiing-kilometers
  • Hitchhiking-kilometers
  • Cable car-kilometers
  • Helicopter-kilometers
  • Barefoot-kilometers
  • 57footprints
  • 453days
  • 511photos
  • 426likes
  • Day 43

    May 23, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Up and ready to go the 8 miles to the second highway into Tehachipe this morning. But that plan was generously foiled by the trail angel refilling the water cashe we slept next to. When he offered a ride to town, we took him up on it and were relieved to have a break from the sound of the wind in his car.

    Had breakfast at Henry’s Cafe. Tux had made it to town the night before and he joined late after staying with a trail angel.

    Rambo, Spicy Batman, Tux, Jenga and I then went to Walmart to get some snacks and do recon, then went to the park to chill for a bit before we go resupply and everything then head to the air bb

    We hung out at a park for a while then resupplied and went to our double 0 location.

    Fran gave us a ride. We had frozen pizzas for dinner🍕
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  • Day 42

    May 22, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌬 23 °C

    Tough start at about 8 on trail this morning. Hiked with Spicy and Rambo 6ish miles to the next water. It was still morning but already hot. At the stream we found a dozen or so sleepy hikers and joined them. Jenga was there too!

    Of the four of us two plans emerged. Jenga and Rambo wanted to push miles in the afternoon and sleep at night, while Spicy and I wanted to siesta and push miles through the night. Knowing we have a town day tomorrow was both a relief and a stressor as we had 28 miles to go.

    Spicy and I left around 4, did 8 miles to the next water cashe for dinner, then pushed 10 more to the next cashe arriving around 1am.

    The moon is still close to full so it was easy hiking. There was one section that was washed out with 6 foot or so walls. There was a rattle snake down there. Definitely added some spice to the night!
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  • Day 41

    May 21, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Very interesting day! We only had about 2.7 miles from camp to hiker town. Hiker town is usually a little spot where you can rent a tiny cabin, take 5$ showers and do bucket laundry. But today, it was so much more.

    There was a film crew making some sort of project sponsored by Arrowhead water. They had put their logo all over everything, they covered the cost of all lodging and showers, and provided food and some free stuff.

    The four of us got PCT tshirts which they shipped home.

    We left around 6 or 7 to start night hiking the notorious aqueduct section. 17 miles across the flat, hot, exposed desert floor. We follow the aqueduct itself for several miles. Though the trail is technically just to the right nobo of the pipe we walk on top instead of on the road for the most part.

    Got to camp around 2:30am
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  • Day 37

    May 17, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Was up well before my alarm at Serenity this morning so decided to take one more shower before everyone got moving.

    We broke camp and left our packs while we went back to the Cowboy Tavern for breakfast. It was all great and really hit the spot.

    When we came back we ran the numbers and realized we are coming in a bit hot to the Sierras, and will get there earlier than we want at our current pace. While running through options we had a half day we just spent vortexed. Tux Spicy and I used some of the nail polish in the hiker box to paint our thumb nails, and Tux took a good nap in one of the hammocks.

    I made trail sushi for lunch (rice with sugar and vinegar, with nori, tuna packet, mayo siracha and wasabi) and we had baked goods and soda from the resupply

    We hit the road at about 1:30, finished the road walk and did 8 miles plus about 1.5 bonus miles for water.

    Clouds rolled in as the sun was going town to make a very misty effect.

    Camped at 462.8
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  • Day 36

    May 16, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Woke up to a train sounding like it was headed straight for me as if we were sleeping on the tracks.

    Broke camp under the clouds we hiked above yesterday, and found sooooo many earwigs on my tent 🥲

    Hiked a quick 10 miles though an old star trek set to Agua Dulce and set up camp at Serenity Oasis, a newer hiker establishment.

    They have showers, laundry and expone salt baths included in a nights stay. They also have a pretty great resupply!

    We got burgers for lunch and Mexican for dinner. Big day food wise!

    Camped at 453.7 at Serenity
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  • Day 35

    May 15, 2024 in the United States ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    Early start on trail by 5 am. I was on spider web patrol at the front of the conga

    Humid morning, but very pretty. We were up above the clouds

    10 by 9:30 and a brief 10:30 lunch at the ranger station with some lizardy
    Shenanigans. We all ate our dinners because we decided to go to town a day early.

    Got to the Acton RV park/ amusement park by about 3, got packages and a ride to town from Kevin (unsolicited mandatory tour included) saw the breaking bad meth barn.

    Decent dinner at the 49er saloon. Ok bread pudding.

    Resupply was expensive and not great. But it’ll do.

    Staying behind the 49er saloon in an empty lot with about 30 other hikers. It was fun to see some folks we haven’t seen in a while.

    Overall a fun day

    Slept at 49er Saloon off trail from 444.3
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  • Day 34

    May 14, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    Late start 8:00 on trail

    Hot

    Good chill morning, climbed out of valley

    Siesta without tux (he missed the plan lol)

    3.5 to a road no cell service or we could have ordered pizza

    Trail magic, tux saved us some (sodas)

    Chilled at the road for a bit, 6 ish miles to camp just past a water source basically on a road

    Camped at 424.9
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  • Day 31

    May 11, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    One month on trail!!

    Back to yesterday’s plan, breakfast then out of town. We hit the store and hardware store again and ran into several groups in our orbit so didn’t get out of town until later

    Our ride out of town was from Orange County and had a kumquat tree, he had a massive grocery bag of fruit and insisted we take some ziplocks.

    Short hike up the base of Baden Powell.

    New way to hang my cnoc from a tree with my new string and a carabiner

    Had dinner with the four of us plus Laura.

    Early rise tomorrow on trail by 3:15

    Camped at 375.8
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  • Day 30

    May 10, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Accidental 0

    Here’s the plan: breakfast at Grizzly again, hitch to trail and do 10 or so to Perot for Baden Powell.

    Unless we stay one more night and do a real 0.

    We did plan B. 😁

    I got a Pack shake down and sent a few things home. Rambo and Tux also sent some things.

    In the style of Cam I volunteered to make food for the rest of our stay. Sandwiches for lunch, fajitas for dinner and eggs with toast for breakfast. All came to about 20 per person for all three meals!

    Tropic thunder & barb and star
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  • Day 29

    May 9, 2024 in the United States ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    TOWN DAY!!

    5 or 6 miles to an easy hitch into Wrightwood. Tux was ahead and got us a beautiful outdoor table at Grizzly Cafe (I think every CA mt. town has a Grizzly cafe now). Massive breakfast, two sides included and a hiker discount made it probably the best restaurant meals we’ve had so far.

    Rambo had come down last night and found a great place managed my Pajama Mama. Rented by the room it was a super nice air bb treated as a mini hostel for hiking season.

    We did laundry and wore the provided pajamas in the mean time.

    Lots of chores. Gas station, hardware store and grocery store have resupply.

    When signing in at the hardware store we got an enamel pin of the original diamond shaped blazes.

    Also got chocolate milk. I never want water in my front pocket again 😂

    I made guacamole to scratch my cooking itch and then we got pizza for dinner
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