Miles today: 20.0

Trail miles sum: 904.0

Trail location: 1580

Elevation: 6188

Spinning on the turntable: Fitz and the Tantrums: More than just a dream

This sign was about ten feet off the ground. I guess big signs equal better target practice?

Metal, shot up PCT sign

I have noticed several signs posted very high on trees. I’m kind of wondering if the signs were posted when there was five plus feet of snow on the ground.

Today was a up and down kind of day. Up about 2000ft in the morning and down about 2000ft in the afternoon.

National Forest Wilderness

I’ve seen lots of signs on the PCT reminding users that it’s only for hikers and equestrians. This is the first sign I’ve seen that identified hang gliding as verboten. Just when I was about to break out my hang glider too. Sigh.

I hustled uphill and passed a few folks just beginning to wake up in their tents. This is super awkward. My eyes naturally turn in the direction of movement. I glued my eyes to the dirt and sped up. As I passed one tent a voice called out a greeting. I mumbled a reply and kept going. I knew who the hiker was who called out to me and I didn’t want to get trapped in a conversation.

This person, lets call him Bob, recently bounced up from Kennedy Meadows. Bob, while a likable and sweet person, annoys the living crap out of me. Too dramatic and way too much talking. A wall of noise. Non-stop verbal diarrhea. Too much for me. At this point I’m a confirmed solo hiker. I’m happy to stop and chat, but I don’t want to walk and chat.

Anyway, Bob is needy and I’m not feeling particularly giving. (I need, I need, I need!) There’s just some folks on the trail that just need too much. I feel for Bob, but noticed that other hikers are giving him a wide berth too.

I rode that particular pony for about 15 minutes yesterday with Bob as we hiked together for a short spell. I felt a little hostage when Bob materialized from nowhere and paced me. How do you politely say that you don’t want to hike with someone? I don’t want to hurt his feelings but I also don’t want to hike with him. Luckily someone else appeared and Bob was even more enamored with them. I slowly decreased my pace and let them move ahead.

PCT Views

The scenery was good today, but not as good as the past few days. It’s been sensory overload, but in a good way.

There’s water everywhere! I suspect that the snow melt off in this area is just wrapping up. Literally wrapping up, like within the past few days.

Water everywhere!

The flowers continue to put on a great show.

White lily

Speaking of the show, we’ve decided that November 3rd is the termination of our PCT trek. If we’re done, most excellent. If we’re not done, that will be the end date anyway.

There are so many variables in trying to estimate how long this will take. Based on todays numbers, if I hike 16 mile days we can complete the trail by this date. It’s doable. Start adding in zeros and it becomes more complicated. The most clear answer to give us wiggle room is to increase the daily miles that I hike and decrease the number of zeros.

This week I’ve averaged 18.8 miles per day.(One low mileage day can kill the average.) Next week I’m shooting for 21 or 22 miles per day. I’d like to get to 25 miles per day, but my ankles and feet may have a few suggestions of their own.

I’m going to replace my super feet inserts tonight.

Shoe inserts

I’ve been using these inserts for about 500 miles. My feet are starting to ache (more than usual) so hopefully this will help a bit.