PCT SOBO DAY 81 – Vortex!

Day 81

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, mile ~1563.0

day zero

Well, today didn’t go as expected. I woke up well rested and, after relaxing a bit in the morning, walked across the parking lot to breakfast. I was still a little groggy when I sat down at my table, but after pancakes, eggs, and bacon, I left the restaurant in good spirits.

My plan for today was to resupply, buy new shoes, and then get back on the trail. South Lake Tahoe has a convenient free bus system that is easy for hikers and tourists to use. The grocery store wasn’t too far from my hotel, but the outdoor store was on the other side of town.

After resupplying myself, I arrived at the bus stop and was ready to sit down and wait for the bus when someone pulled up next to me.

«Are you a PCT hiker? Do you need a ride?»

Turns out another hiker had rented a truck and was finishing up some last minute tasks before returning the truck and getting back on the trail. I gladly accepted his offer and got on. I had been in South Lake Tahoe for a few days and was eager to get back on the road. We chatted about the trail and its challenges as we headed toward the Nevada-California border. Once at the sports store, we said goodbye with «maybe I’ll see you on the way!»

I went in and out of the sports store because I knew exactly what I wanted. A helpful suggestion the clerk made was to buy a pair of wide shoes. When I put them on, I felt like the shoes were already perfectly worn. Maybe this would solve the problem of my broken shoes.

After I left, I thought I might as well have lunch and spend a few minutes by the lake since I was already here. This is where things went off script. When I reached the sandy shores of Lake Tahoe, I was immediately amazed. It was so beautiful! The weather was perfect, the sun was shining with just the right amount of warmth and the water wasn’t too cold when I dipped my toes in.

Well, from there I decided to get into the water. I felt so good that I went swimming. I still refused to get back on the trail, but as the first hour passed, the idea of ​​taking a zero day crossed my mind. It was still early afternoon, so I had time to get back on the trail if I really wanted to.

To dry off, I laid out on a picnic table in the sun and enjoyed the beach atmosphere. Since it was after Labor Day, there weren’t many people around. Some brave people also swam in the slightly cold water, but there were no people. It was heaven.

After a while, I figured if I wanted to get back on track, I’d have to leave now. But first, I wanted to eat one last bite. I wanted to try a taco place with good reviews, but it was cash only. When I tried to withdraw money from the ATM, my card was declined. Damned. My backup plan was to take the bus to the other side of town, but after waiting 30 minutes for it to arrive, I got frustrated and gave up. It seemed like he wasn’t destined to leave the city just yet.

Since all my plans to escape the vortex failed, I relented and got a room for the night. It was a great choice! With some free time, I had dinner, crossed the state line into Nevada, found a live music show below the ski lifts, and enjoyed soaking in the atmosphere of South Lake Tahoe. To top it all off, I went to Target to buy snacks and ate them while watching the sunset on the lake. What a perfect way to end the day!

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

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