Jul 26, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I’m camped by myself tonight with one of the most spectacular views of the sunset I’ve seen so far. And I’ve spent the last ten minutes curled up in a ball moaning because I’ve developed a spectacular case of butt chafe. Thanks to my Ulcerative...
Jul 25, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
*Reader’s Note: in today’s blog post I’m going to describe some aspects of physical issues I’m experiencing that are impacting my hike. If you are not interested in reading about ulcerative colitis, bowel movements, and/or menstruation, than I...
Jul 24, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I awoke early this morning to the faint glow of predawn coloring the horizon through the trees. We were on the trail by 6:30 am and hiked to the top of Lookout Rock. The morning sunshine was spectacular from the overlook and lit up the hills on the horizon. We chatted...
Jul 23, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I awoke early this morning, determined to catch up to Monarch. She has a package waiting for her at the Post Office in Sierra City and wants to get there before the post office closes on Saturday. She was hoping to hike 23 miles a day for the next few days –...
Jul 22, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
Today was an exhausting day. The climb out of Belden going southbound is BRUTAL. I ascended a total of 5757 feet today which may be a record me. The hardest part, however, was the steep grade of the trail. For the first part of today’s hike, I climbed 4000 feet...
Jul 21, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I was on a mission to reach Belden today! I had a resupply package waiting for me at the Braaten’s, a local Trail Angel, and I wasn’t sure on the logistics for retrieving it. We planned to hike in and then hike back out the same day so I didn’t want...
Jul 20, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I slept better last night and woke up feeling refreshed this morning. Steaks of pink and yellow streaked the sky towards Mt Lassen just prior to the sunrise. My back and my calf muscles have been really sore lately so I took a few extra minutes to work the muscles...
Jul 19, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
I woke up groggy today due to our late evening with the trail angels. Also I couldn’t find my earplugs last night and I kept hearing rustling noises in the woods. It sounded like large animals stepping on the bed of pine needles – I’m pretty sure it...
Jul 18, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
In the morning I awoke to a hotel room all to myself and sighed with happiness. I worked on my blog for a couple of hours and then went to Cravings Coffee Shop next door to the hotel. The proprietor of Antlers Motel had recommended it so highly the night before that I...
Jul 17, 2017 | Pacific Crest Trail
When I awoke this morning, I decided to hike into Chester and get a hotel room. Our group planned to hike most of the way to town and camp on the trail tonight so as to avoid the cost of a hotel, but I wanted a real bed tonight. My backup sleeping pad hasn’t...
