Night Hiking Becomes a Necessity

June 2, 2017
Casa de Luna to Upper Shake Campground
Upper Shake Campground to ? (a dirt road)
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 28
 

Black flies. Insanity. Breakdown.

It is one thing to be swarmed by black flies or mosquitos. Deer flies are the nightmare cousin of these insects and there is nothing you can do to stop them. 

I came to the breaking point today when I knew I could hike no further in the swarms. I shot Alex a text asking him to wait for me at Upper Shake Campground to hide out in the tent, nap, and night hike towards Hikertown, where Sam and Colten will arrive sometime this afternoon.

Fifteen miles to Upper Shake Campground was enough to bring me to the edge of nervous breakdown. We set up the tent, I got inside while Alex staked it out, and I killed 24 biting flies to make our tent a safe zone. We're hoping to night hike 17 miles to Pine Canyon where there is a stream. It's a good night for night hiking since tomorrow we'll have to night hike again on the aqueduct. 

The flies are un-fucking believable. It has been such a relief to sit in the tent and relax, take a nap, and wait these fuckers out. I left the tent once to pee and was swarmed—at 6pm. But I know these things go to sleep, so I'll just keep waiting. I'm hopeful that we'll catch Sam tomorrow in Hikertown before the Aqueduct walk. Either way I'm really looking forward to night hiking. 

We're getting so, so close to the Sierra, and I need to make sure we get everything we need in Tehachapi since Kennedy Meadows is a pain to ship things to. Making lists, getting in the hiking groove. Watching people outside of my tent try to eat without getting flies in their mouths. No thanks.