PCT SOBO DAY 114 – Pink Cotton Candy

Day 114

Start: Hiker Town/Highway 138, mile 2138.2

Finish: Bear Campground, near mile marker 2151.5

Miles driven: 13.3 miles

It’s time to get back on the road! After lunch with my parents, we said our goodbyes and they reluctantly dropped me off at Hikertown. My mom was a little apprehensive about leaving me in such a strange place, but I assured her that I was right where I needed to be.

As they were leaving, 3 hikers entered. One of them was an Australian who had been with me in the large group of hikers a few days earlier. He had spent a few days nursing an injury in Tehachapi, but was now back on track. Our reunion was brief; He and the other two hikers were going to eat in town, so it was goodbye again.

Full of water and with the backpack on my back, I prepared to head to the mountains again. It was a pretty warm day, so I wasn’t moving too fast. The trail weaved in and out of the hills, slowly climbing at a pace that made me feel like I was getting nowhere. But he was.

I stopped to take a break and looked at the valley before me, taking it all in. Blonde undergrowth covered the ground, mixing with dusty footprints that crisscrossed here and there. I wanted to sit there all day, but the miles were calling.

I walked into the sunset and after dark. The sky burned with the intensity of the retreating sun for a few spectacular minutes. Afterwards, I stopped at one of the last water sources to refuel for dinner and the next morning before searching for a campsite with my headlamp. There was a campsite set up right next to the trail, so I made it my home for the night. I had it all to myself.

I settled into my tent and chatted with Janitor over dinner before finally turning in for the night.

And that’s a day in the life of a PCT SOBO hiker!

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