
PCT Days 95 - 98
Day 95
Following a one-night special in a bed, I am back on the trail, back in the desert and back in aching back-land! Then back uphill once again into glorious alpine, heading in a good northerly direction.
For the first time since we were all told to 'go home' back in March, I camped with six other people! Six real human beings! All of them fellow PCT Hikers. We're still out here, few and far between, but we're hiking. And farting, and snoring...
Day 96
An accidental hideously long day today because apparently I have become fussy about where I sleep. Too many flies, or not enough stones to hold my tent in place, too near a lake and the mosquitoes. Despite the plethora of people yesterday, tonight I sleep alone - it's been a few weeks since I last did that. Rustling bushes are so much louder when you're on your tod.
Day 97
Due to sheer exhaustion after a very, very long day, I opt to sleep in a fly-fest. Thankfully, due to the sheer graft of the last few days, I'm nearly a full day ahead of schedule and so opt to do a no-cook dinner, and eat tomorrow's breakfast and lunch, having sealed myself in my tent once again. This is a good thing because I did not get myself enough water to cook and re-hydrate this evening.
Idiotically, last week I forgot to put my water filters into my sleeping bag before bed, and of course, the temperatures dropped below zero - rendering the equipment useless. So I've been drinking water straight from the source. If I do get sick, I want to be in a hotel room...
Day 98
The downside of coming down in elevation is that it's getting really hot now - temperatures are, I'm told, 'in the nineties'. No idea what that means except for 'bloody hot'. Anyway, after a mammoth trek in to Lake Tahoe, all I craved was hot coffee!
I've also been reunited with my laptop. Tomorrow is shopping day for my twelfth and thirteenth pair of socks, fifth pair of shoes, fourth pair of trousers and first replacement water filter.
Also need one new hip joint, two knee replacements and a brain scan but they can wait awhile.