PCT 2023 - Day 36 - electricity!

The one with electrocution, snake and landslide side trail.

📍 Location: MM 533.7 to MM 546

🥾 I actually walked: 13.5 miles
💰 Money: No money spent
⛑️ Health: I’m very sore. My heels are still painful and I’ve also developed shin splints in my right leg. My body is screaming at me at the moment!

🍲 Food: Breakfast bar, noodles and chilli Mac. Lots of snacks in between. I’ve not done a ramen bomb yet!!

💤 Sleep: Surprisingly, I slept well. Apparently some guy was walking around our little site at 1am with a head torch on full beam and I never heard a thing!

😃 People update: Getting to know lots of new people on this section. We see the Tangos every day.

🐍 Snake Count: Lost count! Bloom nearly stepped on one today!

THE LONG WINDRD VERSION:

🥾 9:00 am - After a leisurely lie-in we finally hit the trail at 9am. It’s already hot but there is a lovely cool breeze and the wind farm is surprisingly beautiful. We have around 15 miles to do today so we are taking our time. We also have lots of elevation so I’m wary of my achilles and want to take my time. I’m a good girl and have completed my stretches before I head out.

💦 9.43am - We are 3 miles into the hike and we reach a water source. I’ve carried 3ltrs since yesterday and still have the same! I must not be drinking enough. I watch their packs as Disco and Bloom take the small trail to the stream and grab a few litres of cold water.

⚡️ 1020 am - Ha! Now that’s quite funny. We approach a sign that reads “DANGER, High voltage , electrocution hazard. PCT Hikers have access” in other words, us “hiker trash” peeps are not important enough to worry about such things!

🐍 1.10pm - Bloom and I are both struggling today. I think Bloom is just exhausted after her 26 mile day yesterday and I’m just in pain with each step. We are walking in zombie mode and I literally screamed at Bloom as she nearly stood on a snake! It’s forked tongue was bigger than it’s head! It recoiled and slid back into the bushes! I hope this water source is not too far. We need a rest and get out of this heat!

⚠️ 1.40 pm - Bloom is now leading and we are excited as we see tents and groups of people below us at the stream. I so need to sit down and rest my feet. My Achilles and shins are throbbing in my right leg with every step and I’m moving incredibly slowly. The trail takes a sharp turn to the right and before we know it, we are hanging on to trees and negotiating landslides. “This doesn’t feel right” I shouted to Bloom who was looking for the next bit to scramble. “I thought the same, but there are loads of footprints so it must be right”. She said. I looked down and I could also see lots of footprints, but there were other footprints leading back up the hill. I stopped and pulled out my phone to check the app. “Yep, we are off trail” I shouted to Bloom and we both laughed and turned around to scramble back to the trail above us. When we reached the top we then saw a big arrow made from stones pointing to a turn which was about 2 metres from where we were. We weren’t moody or angry. Shit happens and I was just glad for the rest when we finally made it to the stream!

💦 2pm - We arrived at the Tylerhorse Canyon stream and we will have a long break here. I get my little chair out and set it up under a tree in the shade. I also set out my foam mat and enjoy a lie down with my feet up on my chair. “It’s so hot, shall we stay here for a few hours and then hike out when it’s cooler?” I asked Bloom. “That’s exactly what I was thinking” said Bloom. We had two hours of bliss. Soaking my swollen feet in the stream, eating hot noodles, enjoying snacks and chatting with other hikers. It was a lovely and well needed break. Disco Daddy was waiting for us as we arrived but he had already been there for 40’mins or so. He waved us goodbye and told us he’d see us at the campsite a bit later.

🥾 345 pm -And we are on our way again. We have eight miles left to do and it starts with a steep climb up! Bring it on!

✍️ 5.18pm - We have been climbing for over an hour, so the trail register at the top was a welcomed break. We signed the register and chatted with an Austrian Hiker called Dominic. I check the elevation profile for the next section… downhill! Yey!

⛺️ 6.40pm - And we are done! I text Disco to let him know they we’ve stopped 2 miles before the agreed site as we are knackered. We will see him in town tomorrow.

Bloom and I are camped on a ridge which is not ideal (could be windy) but at least it’s flat. We eat dinner, enjoy a hot chocolate together and then we are both in our tents by 7.30pm (8pm is known as Hiker Midnight). As I sit in my tent, washing the dust from my body with bath wipes I look out over the mountains through my open door. The night air is very calm. There is not a drop of wind! Let’s hope it stays that way!

“Night night Bloom”. I say, but she is already asleep.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings.

Signing off.

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