I wanted zero, but I walked 34 miles in its place

Last night I was awake until after the midnight edition and working on the content of social networks. So this morning, when I woke up around 5 in the morning, I sent a text message to Jay to see if I was fine if I was going back to the road closer to 8 am. That way, at least I could rest a little more. But when I got up around 7 am to start packing, I didn’t feel motivated.

I sent him a text message and told him that I was thinking of staying in the city. But he wasn’t having it. A part of me just wanted him to say that he was fine and that he was far ahead of the expected. He has been telling me that from time to time it depended on the mileage I am doing. It seems that I still have the intention of reaching somewhere in a certain day and I still arrive a little early. But instead of encouraging me to stay, he did exactly the opposite. He told me that he needed to return to the road and that it was his mission to keep me aimed.

That was not what I wanted to hear, but it was definitely what I needed to listen. Even if I took the day off today, I would still be longing for a day free again. It is never enough. So I could wait and try to keep it for a better time. Or a moment when my body really «needs» more. I felt a little sore when I got up today, but nothing important. So, after that conversation, I packed and ready to start.

Jay picked me out of the motel around 8 am and we went back to the beginning of the path. Then it was offered to Slack Pack Me during the next mile and a half while walking towards a small general store right next to the PCT. That was a very good way to start the day. I didn’t have to carry my package during the first half hour. This section of the path has been going through a lot of burns, which is sad to see. And I know there is much more ahead. I had service as I walked, so some things uploaded to me. Then I arrived at the small general store with South Lake Tahoe not long after that.

Outside, Jay was waiting for me there and I grabbed my backpack from his truck. Then we made plans to meet tomorrow to dinner at Donner Ski Ranch. The path passes there and I just have to wear a bear boat until that moment. So I will meet with Jay there to return his bear boat and maybe take some dinner. But to arrive tomorrow for dinner I will have to do at least 30 miles today.

Lake views just from the edge of the parking area.

After saying goodbye to Jay, I started one of the most beautiful sections on the path. The PCT overlaps with the Tahoe Rim Trail for today and something tomorrow. The views that walked along the lake were absolutely beautiful and the water was bright blue. The first miles of the day were pleasant and easy with very little elevation gain. Then, after a while, a rise would begin during the following miles.

Entering desert desolation.

I spent tons of hikers and hikers of a day. Some people are doing the Tahoe Rim Trail and some people have just left the day. The path also passes tons of adorable cabins that are right next to the lake. It would be an absolute dream to possess a property like that. The morning spent very fast and felt great.

Today’s path was incredible. For much of the day I continued along the Tahoe and other forms of water.

At some point in the first half of the day, I spent the 1100 mile score that was very exciting. And the path closely followed the lake for a while before leaving and starting up. I went up for an hour or so and then the path finally fell to some smaller lakes and points of sale. I felt that I spent all day through a beautiful bright water in one way or another. Basically, I kept moving continuously and I really only stopped to fill my bottles from time to time.

1,100 miles on the PCT!

There seems to be a trend with me on the days when I feel lazy in the city. If I wake up in the city feeling super vague and I don’t want to walk, then I usually end up doing many miles once I return to the road. I guess it’s just part of that has a «mentality of all or nothing.» This morning I would have loved to take a zero day. But for this afternoon, I was quite sure that I would be walking until night to make about 35 miles per day. The contrast between these two circumstances is very different. And yet, I know myself, and that is a pattern that I have often repeated.

This has to be one of my favorite sections of the path.

At some point in the afternoon, I looked at the map and realized that there was a path with a bathroom in the future. It would probably end up being a day of 34 to 35 miles to get there. But the idea of camping next to the bathroom sounded quite sweet. Especially to wake up tomorrow morning. So I put my look in that and I hope to get there before it darkened. However, I thought it would be right in the time of the cusp.

During most of the day I was walking for Desolation Wilderness. The path crosses the desert for about 20 miles and must wear hard -sided bear boats in that section of the path. But it also needs adequate food storage for some of the sections north from there. Therefore, it is easier to keep a bear boat from Carson Pass to Donner Pass if you can. But once I was about 26 miles of the day, I left the desert of desolation for the last time.

Somehow I resisted the impulse to swim in this lovely lake.

The bears in the section of the path are some of the worst anywhere in the country. If someone asked me about the adequate storage and safety of food on the PCT, Desolation Wilderness is the only location that I think was worth mentioning. The bears there are incredibly intelligent and are very good for Bear to hang. That is why you have to wear adequate bear boats when they cross the section of the path. I have heard that a couple of hikers also started their tents quite close to here. Others made a bear put their heads in their lobby. So he had planned not camping too close to this area to spend the night. Usually, I try to camp in areas where people have had problems with bears in the past.

Towards the top of one of the few climbs today.

As he arrived later in the day, temperatures became increasingly comfortable. I think my favorite moment to walk is probably at 5 pm and until night. I know that many people do not enjoy walking until night, but it is very comfortable. Especially after spending a hot walk from walk along the exposed path. Leaving aside all the heat, the path was absolutely beautiful today. Many sections were covered with lush green moss and reminded me of a tropical jungle sometimes.

What a gift walking on such a beautiful path.

Around 7 pm I stop to get some water. That would probably be the last time I had water to just before the camp to spend the night. Then I went through a tent site with some configured people. Then, while I continued on the path, I saw something I had never seen before. At first I looked to the side of the path and thought I saw a person maybe establishing camp. But I had to do a double taking to realize what I was really looking at.

As the day progressed, I slowly moved away from the lake and the water unfortunately.

Hikers tend to have wild tan lines because we use our outfit throughout the day. So, typically the center of people’s bodies, their rear and different areas are super white. So, when I was looking at this, I didn’t realize what I was at the beginning. Then, after looking back, I realized that there was a completely naked person right next to me. They were probably only 15 or 20 feet away and were not standing behind any type of tree or shrub. There was absolutely nothing between me and them.

A shiny blue alpine lake near Lake South Tahoe.

I would like to wait for them to be dealing with some kind of emergency. But I think most hikers stop walking for the day before they get dark. Then, perhaps they had false confidence that no one could walk around 7 pm at night.

This person was completely naked just out of the way and was clearly being cleaned or doing something like that. I can only imagine that they must have had some kind of bath accident. But that was absolutely crazy to see. I just tried not to look too much with the hope that they wouldn’t even notice that I was there. And just walk. In all my hiking years, I had never previously walked on anyone to use the bathroom. Then, in the last 2 weeks, I witnessed it twice!

Inside and outside the desolation desert during the day!

I continued walking for another hour or so after that. I was starting to get dark when I arrived in the parking area of the path. He had seen comments so far that someone had been in recent days by magic of trails there. The sign was still demanded, but whoever was missing. That would have been a really epic way to end the day. But honestly, I was so excited about sleeping near a bathroom.

Initially, I walked a bit on the path, looking for flat points. But there were none. So I walked back to the parking area and found some really pleasant places. Although they were right on the way. Usually, I don’t like doing that, but I was getting late and there were not many options. I hoped that no one would come during the night.

I settled my store and ate a quick dinner inside. And I ended up listening to some cars and groups of nearby people. But no one led to the parking lot in which he was camped. There must be a lake or something close that attracted people. But I never saw a lighthouse or lights or anything like that. So, after staying awake for a while and doing a little work, I finally called him one night. And I really slept very well taking into account how close it was from a parking area.

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