Miles today: 16.6
Trail miles: 603.9
Elevation: 7520
Spinning on the turntable: P!nk: Hurts 2B Human
Today I woke up at 5AM, ate breakfast, broke camp, and started hiking at 6:15. Seems like I should be a lot quicker by now!
Windmills
Today was a long uphill grind. I knew it ahead of time so it wasn’t a shock. I needed to hike about 15 miles to make it to water. I loaded up my water bottles and bladder (which still tastes funky) yesterday at the water trough. I think it was (roughly) a 18 mile carry between water holes.
Guthook June 16
There are some hikes the past few weeks that are just tedious. Today was just long and uphill. I think I was hiking by 6:30. The heat of the day kicked in by about 10:30.
I was deep in thought about symbolism in nature when I nearly stepped on this sleeping (not really) fellow. After cleaning myself up I moved on quickly.
Dead skunk
I stopped for lunch and dozed for about a half hour.
600 miles
After lunch I hit the 600 mile mark.
The fanfare of 600 miles was tempered by the heat. I’m anxious to leave this heat behind. I’m sweating behind my knees!
I hit the waterhole around 2PM. I’m so grateful for fresh water. That’s one of the things I like the most about hiking. I’m focused on water, shelter, food. There’s not too much bandwidth some days to think about anything else. It’s relaxing in its own weird way.
For dinner I cold soaked lentils, peppers and spices. When it was time to eat I added a package of Velveeta cheese and then heated the entire concoction up in a freezer bag in boiling water. There’s no way I’m putting cheese into my cold soaking container!
It was different and I liked that, but it was super salty and I didn’t like that so much.
Velveeta and lentils
The mosquitoes were busy knocking at my tents door this evening so I again skipped socialized with fellow hikers and read my book.
Tomorrow promises to be another hot day, but I’ll see Noelle around mile 12. I’ll likely stop the days hike at that point and hang out with Noelle the rest of the day.
Now that’s a big eclair!
Here’s my recent favorite picture of Noelle about to eat her breakfast. I believe it was an eclair stuffed with whipped cream.
I’m disappointed in the velveeta, you could have got some cheap cheddar which is probably a bit less salty and would taste a lot better. Perhaps your focus on water, shelter and food is pushing you towards conservatism. I think there is a real correlation between velveeta consumption an a less progressive outlook.
Thanks for keeping updates coming. I really enjoy hearing how things are going. I think you are doing pretty well and you have a good chance of completing most, if not all, of the trail.
Whew! Good to hear that I’m on the road to progressive thinking since I don’t like Velveeta! Almost time for Milwaukee madness! So many choices!
Glad you’re enjoying the blog. We enjoy having everyone travel along with us. (Except other dirty, smelly hikers.)
Time will tell how far we make it on the trail!
Your falsehoods about your true feelings for Velveeta are are very transparent, Tucker.
It’s like you’re dreamin’ about Gorgonzola cheese when it’s clearly Brie time, baby. Step into my office.
I went into my email this am in Dublin and was delighted to see you popping up again. After reading a book Salt Path by Raynor Winn ( great read) it resonated with me that really the all important facts of life are water, food, sleep and shelter…..A Great Great song to start your day…….Flamin day by U.M.A.N. …….Have a Great Day!
Great song by U.M.A.N., I watched it on YouTube. Salt Path looked interesting so we downloaded it. Glad that we’re popping up in your email again!
You Are Incredible (YAI) !
Thank you!
OMG. You make it sound so much fun! So was that a skunk? Did it spray you? I love the contrast of the lentil (are there really beans in that?) goop and the delicacy of the cream puff.
Just watched Free Solo – totally recommend. Dawn Wall is better movie by far, but Alex OMMFG Honnold has pushed the limit of human achievement by so far. The movie documents that. Wow! – anyhow, Alex lives as a nomad for years – In a VAN – just like you guys. He makes van life seem cool, so you are in good company.
PS Yosemite isn’t that far… I’m curious if you are going to detour and climb Mt Whitney and/or El Capitan.
Just a brisk walk left to KM. Can Noelle drive there?
I did drive there! It was pretty amazing! N
Yes, just a short walk left to KM. Noelle should be able to drive there.
Cream puff