PCT SOBO DAY 78 – Tons of day hikers

Day 78

Start: I-80/Truckee, mile 1497.7

End: Campground, mile 1510.8

Miles driven: 13.1 miles

After arriving a little late last night and getting all my city chores done in just a few hours, I enjoyed a quiet morning. Making the most of my stay at the hotel, I ate their early continental breakfast and chatted with my loved ones while resting in bed.

All too soon, 11am (checkout time) approached, which told me it was time to gather and repack all my things. With a few minutes to spare, I microwaved leftover Indian food and then headed out to eat it in the dining room. I wasn’t too excited to get back on the road. Part of me wanted to sit a little longer, but the other part of me knew I had miles to go.

Finally it was time to throw away my empty plate and get back on the road. It took me a few minutes to get a problem, but eventually a couple heading to Sacramento stopped and gave me a ride to the trailhead. And boy, was he busy! There were hikers and dogs all over the trail. Honestly, if I had a trail this nice just 15 minutes from me, I’d be here every weekend too!

The trail was much easier than I expected, so I floated over to Donner Pass. The Donner Ski Ranch offers free beer to PCT hikers, so I headed there for a quick break. Instead of a beer, I chose a nice cold Coca-Cola, which I enjoyed on their large patio. People were out and enjoying their weekend, so the place was pretty busy.

Then I got back on the road and continued. Many people were curious about my ascent to the PCT. They were surprised to see a SOBO hiker and were eager to hear about my trip. I must have told my story in one way or another at least 5 times.

However, after passing Mount Judah, I passed the day hikers and found myself alone once again. At this point there were only trail runners on the trail. As I climbed, the magnificent sky stretched clear and blue in all directions. I reached Tinker Knob, my highlight of the day, and then descended from there.

The wind picked up and the temperature dropped as the sun set behind the mountains. Fall was definitely in the air. At my campsite nestled in the trees, I camped with two guys who were on their annual trip. They joked that they could have gone to a beach resort for the weekend, but opted to have a rough time. We chatted more over dinner, talking about work and children’s lessons.

However, all too soon, dusk turned dark and it was time to head to our tents. It was nice to have company at camp for a change. Meeting new people broke the monotony of eating alone every night. Once in my tent, I was more than excited to get into my warm and cozy sleepwear and then fell asleep.

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

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