Journey Day 101 | PCT Day 101

Meal breaks sometimes took place right in the Pacific Crest Trail.

7/26/85

Gone back to post office area before Jeff up. Bid Keith farewell, hike down in hopes of finding tent. Quickly back to road. No one gives me a ride until same girl as yesterday, this time from the other direction.

She drops me where we camped. I scour the area with no luck. Pissed and bummed, I walk to the store. Find twins, but no tent.

Kids run me back through the woods on a three-wheeler. No luck. Truck ride down the road also fruitless after lady says she saw something hanging from my pack as I caught a ride the night before. Bummed, I give up on tent, talk with twins, order another one, socks from REI.

We catch a ride from Rufus to Brangus. Another great burger. Twins want to walk it. I catch a ride with a tree consultant back to the road. Hotter hike back up. Find gear. Break to update. Must get going to catch Keith, meet Dave.

After break, hike hard toward a lookout as storm clouds gather. Good views, but my mind’s moving along. See lookout, finally get there as sprinkling starts.

Look for water, no luck. Stow gear by johns, head up to lookout where I meet Jim Barnhart, also the man who put in the water tank. He calls in fire coordinates as I sit and rest, away from the elements. But I have to push on.

Read Keith’s note about water on a table. Get capacity. Hike on as weather clears. Along rim, through trees, down to lower elevated bench. Walk past “reservoir,” no more than a cattle pond.

Ignore book’s camp suggestion in favor of getting farther from cattle. Find spot, no good propping tree. Stop, fixing dinner when realize I’m by an ant tree. They’re all over my gear by the tree. Struggle to keep them off. Eat, see nearby cows, crash.