September 7, 2017
Mile 2154.5 to Mile 2175.2
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 125

Benny and Chill are ahead of us in Trout Lake, staying there for two days for Chill’s birthday on September 9th.
Washington air is humid, but a cold front moved in and it feels like heavenly fall weather. You can tell that colors are starting to change.
Excited to look for an alternate around the Norse Peak fire. Need better service to work it out but it will likely be another 150-miler.
Camping in a field between two peaks, with a weird semi-truck trailer parked nearby. Will probably be camping on the side of the road tomorrow night on our way into Trout Lake.
I saw a new group of people today. They’re not particularly friendly but I don’t care anymore.
Hiked only in my sports bra for the first time on the PCT. It felt fantastic.
Saw blue sky (not smoke!) for the first time in weeks. It was beautiful and uplifting. Needed it.
Had lentils for lunch (SO sick of lentils) and a great nap by a beautiful creek.
Didn’t carry water until the last carry of the day, just camelled up and then didn’t carry any. Seemed like it made a difference in ability to climb but who’s to say.
Vice told me he thought a lot about my Sierra speech. I asked Alex again what I said. He told me the jist:

A lot of people are going to tell you you can’t do this. But this trail is, above all other things, knowing yourself. Knowing yourself through the noise. If you believe you can do this, then you can do this.

I need to ask Vice what he remembers of it.