PCT SOBO DAY 136 – Last night out

Day 136

Start: Dirt road, mile 2615.1

Finish: Hauser Creek, mile 2640.5

Miles driven: 25.4 miles

When we woke up, there was a chill in the air. We had camped in a sort of ravine where all the cold air was pooling, so some of us were shivering as we waited for the stragglers to get ready to leave.

Today was the last full day on the trail. It was hard to believe. Even though I had come this far, I knew the reality of being done would only hit me once I saw that tall, rusty border wall. Until then, I knew I had miles and miles ahead of me.

We began the path looking for a water source that was not too far away. We were moving a little slow this morning, so when we got there, we lingered and loitered a little longer than necessary. Fortunately, we didn’t have to walk as far as we had, so we could afford to be lazy.

After getting water, we continued. We were still in the shadow of the mountain, but after a few kilometers, the sun was high enough to hit our skin. It was hot! At a road junction we made another rest under a tree. A few pheasant hunters arrived and were surprised to learn that we had walked from Canada. I still find it funny how people so close to it don’t know about the trail, but I guess I’ve been so consumed by life on the trail over the last few years that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to never have heard of it.

After our brief respite, we returned to the sunny trail. The road was long and hot until we found a surprise. Trail magic! Someone had left a couple of cokes in the bushes for the SOBOs. They hadn’t forgotten us! We each shared a coke and the caffeine and sugar fueled us until lunch.

The cowboy’s friend had met us last night at the restaurant, and today she met us again, this time with homemade cookies and cold CapriSuns. Hmm! We stopped for lunch at Boulder Oaks Campground, which was really nice. There were picnic tables with water spigots nearby, clean bathrooms, and a trash can. Paradise! We hung out by a couple of picnic tables and had a leisurely lunch in the shade.

We began our penultimate push of the day towards the setting sun. This was one of my favorite times of the day because it wasn’t too hot. We finally made it to Morena Lake, where we took a break at Oak Shores Malt Shop. It was more of a convenience store, but they had hot food and cold drinks. Just what we needed! The cowboy’s friend came and joined us as she was going to camp with us on our last night on the trail. We even met up with a couple of hikers I had met in Washington. It’s funny how the trail brings people back together.

After dinner, today we set off for the last time. It was almost dark, so we took out our flashlights and headed out into the desert. The night was incredibly pleasant. A gentle breeze passed us and the air kept us cool. The stars were shining in the night sky along with the distant lights of the city.

When we got to Hauser Creek, there were enough spots for all of us. One of my favorite things to do on the trail was cowboy camp, so I got to be a cowboy on my last night. As I lay there looking up at the dark navy blue sky, feelings of gratitude and finality washed over me. The past Jen had taken a big leap 4 years ago and strayed from her established path to go on an adventure and discover who she was and what she was capable of. I was so proud of her for getting me to this point in my life and journey. Tomorrow would be a Triple Crowner. I walked through 21 states, for 16 months and thousands of miles. This part of my hiking trip was near the end, but all of the lessons and experiences contained within it continued to resonate in my life.

As these thoughts swirled around in my head, there was one thing I was sure of: I would never regret choosing adventure over so-called stability and I was ready for the next one to begin, whatever it might be.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep with visions of the border taking me to the land of dreams.

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

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