May 26, 2007

I began my hike today at 7:00 a.m.  By 8:30, I was having lunch.  And shortly thereafter a 67 year-old hiker named Ironman flew right by me.  I was about to take a picture of a rattlesnake when Ironman caught me.  He was wearing sandals and I warned him to be careful.

"Ah...it's just a baby.  Let's see if it rattles."

He poked the baby rattlesnake and sure enough, that God-awful buzzing sound pierced my ears.  I NEVER want to hear another rattle for the rest of my life!  Ironman raced on as I huffed and puffed my way up the mountain.  I wasn't gaining too much elevation but once I hit elevations over 6'000 feet, my body struggled.  In time I will adapt, but damn it's hard.

Duke, a 61 year-old also passed me but he did not humiliate me with speed.  Duke struggles with altitude too.  Eventually, we all got to Spanish Needle Creek, my one and only water source today.  It was a mud puddle.  I used my buff to filter out the mud.  Then I cooked a spaghetti meal using the murky water.  It was delicious and extra thick.  Yum, Yum!  The three of us relaxed and re-hydrated for a couple of hours.  Ironman let me use his filter to fill up my five liters.  That was a huge help!  I treat my water instead of carrying a filter, but the mud puddle needed a filter. 

Ironman and Duke told me Bison Ed took a day off at Walker Pass to hydrate.  Smart move.  It's hot and water is scarce.  Knowing Ed, he's entertaining many new friends with his natural good looks and his fun sense of humor. They also told me that Clara (Hot Pocket) and Patrick are just a few miles behind.  I informed them Steel Eye is a few miles ahead. 

Thru-hikers know who is where.

I like people knowing where I am on the trail for safety reasons.  Typically, I will try to check in with my husband.  However, cell service doesn't work in this area.  I am camping smack on the PCT on a switchback.  It is not a good place to pitch my tent, but after a very hot and hard 20 plus mile day, this is where my body quit.  I am a mile or two south of Ironman and Duke and probably three to five miles north of Hot Pocket and Patrick.  I'm envious of Bison Ed because he's probably feasting on hot dogs and burgers with the Memorial Day campers.  It's 8:30 p.m. and I'm off to sleep.  I pray no animals wander on the trail tonight.