Day 60 – mosquitoes

They have been a good day until now, except, of course, for mosquitoes. I woke up at 5:30, probably because the mosquitoes told me they were hungry, but they didn’t feel the need to sleep again, so I skipped my store and packed while the mosquitoes had breakfast. There was not much in Seavey Pass. Reports from afar have a week and irrelevant. Something I would find to remain true for the rest of the day.

I arrived at a river crossing about 8 miles at 9:30 am the reports of distant said it was a deep and fast waste. But, those reports were a week ago when the merger was at its highest point. Today, I wet a foot and crossed a trunk. There are some other crosses that are coming today where I wait for a similar experience. I’ve been trying more and more, not looking far away, except mapping and planning possible campsites. I also look at the information about cities, because I need it to plan. At least, in this part of the walk, or the conditions change so fast, the comments are largely a distraction.

Mosquitoes are a frequent discomfort, but as I mentioned, the only thing that bothers you when you are still. It is impossible to move constantly during a hiking day of 12 to 13 hours, so sometimes, as I did with a water filtering break a few moments, it only reaches an agreement with the fact that 100 small thirsty creatures of blood will meet them until you move. No amount of shameless genocide of their friends and family will discourage them. With a few rounds of a simple golf applaud, I killed dozens, only to be replaced by more dozens. Occasionally, a strong breeze will appear, and when I do it, I use it as an opportunity to stop, rest for a moment and perhaps even take a drink of water. Otherwise, if I turn the bottle, there are mosquitoes flying in my eyes while I drink. As far as I know about the path, and what I have heard of the north of here, mosquitoes could be a discomfort in the coming weeks. I do not like to use insect repellent, the smell really bothers me, but if I can find out if other hikers know a brand that works to keep them at bay, I can pick up something in Kennedy Meadows North. I carry a network of errors, and if the mosquitoes reach a point where they land on me and Festan while I move, I will have to take it out. It doesn’t help when I’m eating or drinking, but little buggers are really annoying.

I’m probably doing 22 miles today. There is no «official» camp between Mile 16 of today and 22 mile. With the early beginning I will get the 16 so early in the afternoon that it will seem strange to stop. My feeling is that I will find a legitimate/legal camp between 16 and 22, but if not, that mileage is certainly not out of my range. I correctly remember that I should leave me 22 miles to get to Kennedy Meadows North, which, although I could do the next day, I will extend. When I know that I am going to spend the night at a replenishment, I prefer to get early to take care of my tasks, act, sleep and then make a short day. Although I know that I am taking a zero in South Lake Tahoe, I will experience a lot with the double Nero strategy near the replenishment points as the way I make sure to rest, while progress. Because I will get to Kmn late in the morning, or later in the afternoon after tomorrow, it also gives me an option to replenish in KMN, and then get hooked to Walker for an adequate hotel room if I do. This will give me the opportunity not to fall into the trap of beers and hamburgers with the rest of the hikers, and instead try to eat a little healthier in the city, shower with unlimited hot water and a clean shower, and otherwise I picked up for a day of 12 to 16 hours. Those are all decisions for another day.

Starting with the initial ascent and the descent of Seavey Pass today, I had three steep sections of 2 miles up and down, each descent covered with rocks and large steps. I survived, but those descents killed my knees and feet. Fortunately, the day is ending with a long gradual uphill. It’s 4 o’clock and I’m just 5 miles from the stock camp in Mile 22 for the day. I can still stop before that, but probably they are not given the conditions and time of the path.

The mosquitoes are getting worse, but I put on my insect network during my last water filter session and I felt a bit zen when the little and dirty could not reach me. My clothes are designed for sun protection, but also provides very good protection against mosquitoes. I have gloves without finger, but they don’t seem interested in the tips of my fingers. I like to see them crawl on my glove, trying to find a good place to synchronize their little blood straw. Finally, or give up and fly, or the murderers on the back of my hand. This is a scene that I think will continue as the days and weeks progress.

Assuming that I walk to the stock camp, which is a very good possibility, I will take it easy tomorrow, then an easier day to walk towards Kmn the next day., Eighty miles more to South Lake Tahoe, where zero, and I will load the map of northern California in far. I can’t wait to see what follows.

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