It was very fun to sleep at the back of the truck bed when Jay took us from Reno to Kennedy Meadow South. We stopped once so that I could urinate. But for the most part, I slept continuously and felt wonderful. Then, as we approached, Jay stopped to wait for the sun to come out. The final stretch of the road to KMS was a winding mountain road. And he thought the views would be better for dawn.
I continued sleeping in the bed of the truck while it was parked there. Then he woke up slowly when the car began to move again an hour later. And boy, he was right. The cover window was open while driving on the mountain roads. I was able to go to bed there and train and leave while I observed the most incredible dawn simultaneously. It was a really unique experience.
Then I woke up again with the feeling that the truck stopped. And here, we are reaching the parking area for the general store in Kennedy Meadows South. I can’t believe it returns to the PCT again.
I came back and slept for a couple more hours. At this time, I felt much better and more rested, but I was still inclined to take the day off. I still have to find out my refueling strategy for the next hundred miles. I don’t know how much food I want to carry, where I want to turn on the food and everything.
In the past, I made the lateral path by Kearsarge Pass to enter Bishop. But that addition of substantial million and gain and loss of elevation. This time, I am trying to avoid any side paths. Even if that means substantially more food and being a bit uncomfortable. At the same time, my backpack is 35 L. The largest bear boat that I can fit in my package is a 450, which only adjusts to approximately three days of food. And my backpack in the past generally can only contain between 5 and 6 days of food. So I will be curious to see what I really am able to take.
I slept well for a couple more hours before getting up to urinate. Then, back in the truck, I packed my quilt and went to the store in Kennedy Meadows. He could smell the cooking breakfast and was anxious to be awake and move a little. Otherwise, I felt that I would probably sleep in that truck throughout the day. But if I am taking the day off today, I will probably configure my store and end up taking a nap at some point. I have not taken a single nap throughout the year. Usually, every time I am in the city and I have the opportunity to take a nap, I have video edition and writing hours to do. But I am basically caught at this time. So today it can actually be a day of rest for once.
I was surprised that there were only one couple of hikers around the general store. When I was here a few weeks ago, there were tons of people. And at that time, the conditions in Sierra were not really ideal for walking. Especially at the limited skill level that many hikers have when the Pacific Crest Trail begins. Now, a few weeks later, the conditions in the Sierra are finally suitable for most people to pass. But there is only a handful of hikers to be seen.
This dog in KMS was so ridiculously nice.
Jay and I sat down with two hikers, Hillbilly and Flor and had breakfast. He had a giant pancake loaded with M&M, along with huigas, sausages and eggs. This beautiful deaf cat called Ranger came and tried to ask for food while we ate. It was pleasant to hang out with hikers and have absolutely no plan for the day.
At this point, Jay registered and was curious to know what he planned to do. I told him that I really wanted to work to solve my refueling and take the day off. Southern Maine and New Hampshire sold me more than I could have imagined. Then, after breakfast, I got my package and all the food I bought in the store yesterday. Then he went through everything and resolved my refueling. Jay made some suggestions about the fastest places of the easiest to collect food too.
Jay suggested that he only have a day and a half of KMS food. Then I can make a short side path to Cottonwood Trailhead, which will only add approximately one mile and a half. There I can get my bear boat and about five or six days of food. Then, at least it could be light and comfortable during the first day more or less, since it acclimates me a little at altitude. Fortunately in the past, my body fits very well and quickly high.
About 200 miles of refueling are classified.
That sounded like a good plan and helped me avoid any of these side paths that add time, elevation and mileage. All the things that I really do not need to add to my already great year. That means I don’t have to go down Kearsarge Pass this time, which excites me a lot. I will probably just bring food to VVR. That would be about 180 miles from Kennedy Meadows. And there I can get hot food, replenish and probably shower and wash clothes. There would be another four days or so to reach the Sonora pass and finish completely with the mountains.
I like that plan and it seemed to be the easiest option. But I don’t look forward to how incredibly heavy my backpack will be. After discovering that, I packed a day and a half of food to take tomorrow. Then he packed my bear boat and all the other meal I would need. I was not surprised remotely to discover that the container could not fit six days of food. Even BV500 is usually too small to fit six days of food. So I will have to keep my other food bag and try to hang it where I can, or camp in locations with bears boxes during the first two days.
This is definitely one of my favorite meals of the mountain house. And one of his three new recipes.
The rest of the day after it was super relaxing, and basically I did nothing. I went out with Jay and some of the other hikers who were in KMS. As the day progressed, some more people emerged from their stores. Apparently there are also a handful of hikers along the way in Frumpy’s. Grumpy’s is a bar and a restaurant that also has Yurtas and allows hikers to launch tents. In 2022, when he went south with PCT, he was in Grumpy’s for his Halloween food, which ended up being an absolute explosion.
At some point in the afternoon, Jay wanted to drive there, so I went with him. It was nice to be inside Grumpys again and felt nostalgic. I asked for empanado meal and a root beer float and we sat outside with a handful of hikers. Some of them recognized me from YouTube or something. I chatted with a man who is supporting his son on his first walk at the age of 18. He was incredibly excited by him and was also very excited to meet me. Apparently I have been watching my videos for most of the year.
When I barely finished eating my huge melt, the guy who worked inside came out and brought me a banana division! Jay said he had insisted after Jay mentioned that he was doing the triple crown of the calendar year. And although I was so full I absolutely devoured it. I don’t remember the last time I had a banana division. There are three tablespoons of ice cream, a caramel cover, a sugar dulce cover and a strawberry syrup cover. It was delicious.
I will dream of this banana division for the rest of my life.
We sat down for a while after chatting with the other hikers. It is very nice to see more people after being such a quiet morning. But many of the hikers are late tomorrow or will take the day off tomorrow. They are eager to fall into larger groups and embark on the Sierra together. That I completely understand. If the climatic conditions were different, I would probably want to do the same. Although it is almost impossible to find other hikers making 35 miles a day.
Finally, Jay and I returned to Kms and finally planned that nap. When we returned, I found a hammock and ended up lying for a few hours. It is crazy to think that in the last 5 1/2 months and 4300 miles I have not made a nap once. He felt so good not to take place to be and be able to relax. And I had no work to do.
Sleeping in the hammock in kms.
Finally, I left the hammock later in the day. I returned to the general store to take a couple of the last items. I wanted to overcome the velcro in my new shoes for my polainas. I also needed to buy fuel and a couple of last minute things. I took drinks and sat at the tables with a lot of hikers and Jay. I tried to use Wi-Fi to load some YouTube videos, but it was a lost cause. Due to the lack of service recently and how challenging it was the land at the end of the trail of the Apalaches, I am ridiculously late in everything. But there is nothing I can do about it.
A group of hikers leaving the projector in KMS.
All other hikers ended up returning from Grumpys later at night. I configured my store near everyone and, finally, the whole group sat down to watch a movie on the big screen of the projector. I was close enough to listen, so I went to bed to do my stretching. Then he ended up having a very early night. It seems that Jay will return the way at some point around 5:30-6am tomorrow. And it is very likely not to return to Wi-Fi or in the service for about six days. But I’m glad to go through the mountains as quickly as possible. It will be easier to judge my rhythm once you see how much snow is in the highest mountain passes.
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