image

I got out by 6:00 and had 14 knocked out by noon, but I can’t say that anything special happened today.  They talk about the California blues setting in after the Sierras and I guess this is why, but I can’t say that I’m blue yet.  There are climbs, there are descents, there are a few rocks, but there’s a whole lot of trees and moderately graded trails.  This would be considered a good day on the AT.

There were a few lakes throughout the morning hiking and streams throughout the afternoon hiking.  I stopped for lunch at the peak of a mountain that was pretty rocky and bare, but I found a twisted pine tree that could shade me while I rolled out my mat and cooked black bean soup while lounging.  I tried to take a nap but this is not the desert.

There was a mild breeze some of the time, but it was pretty still most of the day.  And it was pretty hot at times.  It’s not desert hot, but the weather report says it’s getting upwards of 90 in town and it felt between 85 and 90 at times.  The overall elevation is getting lower, so I do expect it to get hot pretty soon.  I’m hoping Oregon will cool things off.

Water is starting to get scarce, too.  There are usually sources five to ten miles apart and only one or two have been dry.  Many of the sources are off trail a quarter mile or more, so I need to start paying attention to where I plan to get it and how much to carry.  I have only been carrying two liters most of the time, but I might have to start carrying three.  I’ll have to see if I can find some Gatorade powder in town, too.  I’m about out and I have a feeling I will be needing it more and more over the next two or three weeks.

I had to hike until 7:15 to get water from a creek.  I was hoping there would be camping sites there, but it was quite steep and rocky.  I did not want to go much further because the trail was about to start a big five mile descent on steep terrain.  I was able to find a descent spot within a quarter of a mile.  It’s a good spot except has lots of mosquitoes and zero wind.  It’s probably going to be a hot night.  Eating with the bugs was a nuisance, but I’m in my tent now where they cannot get to me.  Pesky little buggers.