July 31, 2017
1290.2 to 1310.7
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 87

Taking first break under a shady tree, 2.5 miles from the top of this monstrous 15-mile hill. Started the day with maple brown sugar steel cut oats topped with fresh foraged blackberries. We had so many blackberries, every spoonful had at least four.

I tried to rock hop across Chips Creek and fell in. STUPID. I’m fine, I just got the bottom of my bag and my butt wet. We came to a second creek and it’s so hot I decided to go in. Freezing cold, but I felt way better getting in the water since climbing that hill.

We ran into a trail crew and thanked them for taking care of the trail. I kept leap-frogging with a girl since this morning so I finally introduced myself. Her name is Giggles and she’s deciding if she should keep hiking NOBO alone, or flip up to Canada with her trail family. It’s because of weather and not wanting to have to push miles. Her group thinks they’re too far behind to make it to Washington before it gets socked in. Which is great to hear, since I’m equally as ‘far behind’ as her group. Just another stressor to add to the list.

Robber’s Spring and Lassen National Park

We made it 20 miles and are camping by a spring with a beautiful view of Lassen at sunset. I am going to set my alarm for 4am and hope we can be walking by 5am.

Alex went to get water waaaay down a huge hill at Robber’s Spring while I set up the tent. On account of my knees. My knees were pretty bad today, but I talked to dad on the phone and he told me some runners stretches—which, I just realized I should be doing while I journal, so I changed positions and am doing it!

Mom and dad have been so essential in this trip going smoothly. They have helped so much with resupply, dad event went to the coop and got ghee and sardines for us!

I’ve been cutting back the skin on my ingrown toenails and it seems like it’s oscillating between better and worse in soreness.

Alex and I are doing a really good job focusing on the excitement of our next stop and resupply, and not on the daunting goal of getting to Canada ASAP. He also called Burney Mountain Guest Ranch and confirmed their ice cream is homemade. Omfg I am going to eat so much of it. I’m also looking forward to Lassen National Park and volcanic formations.

Oh, mom said yesterday that Bryson [my nephew] is getting the hang of the Johnny Jump up, and she put a Tina Turner concert on the TV and he just went crazy bouncing around. That is something I will be sad to have missed.

I know I’m not supposed to do this, but I have so many cool stops coming up I want to figure out when I’ll be there so let’s say this isn’t a plan, it’s an estimation table.