Noelle here:
This morning we woke up and were freezing, so we turned on the heater. What a crazy thing! Steve made us some coffee and oatmeal. It was a great start to the day.
We drove down to the trailhead, and started out. We returned to where we left off last week, so we walked through a campground and then hiked another trail to get back to the PCT, still bypassing the portion of trail which is closed for the endangered Yellow Mountain Frog.
Steve is ready to hike!
It wasn’t very far, maybe two miles, long enough to feel a good stretch and remember how much I love it out here. It was also a gradual downhill, so that helps!
We parted at the trail junction for the PCT, Steve heading forward and me turning back. I was fine till he got all misty eyed. We both warned the other not to get killed and then within a minute, he was in the trees and I could no longer see him.
I began the return to the van and realized I don’t have to hurry so I sat on a fallen tree for a while. Then I basked in the sun on some rocks, sprawled out like a lizard, warming myself. What a beautiful view. Birds chirped and water rushed down the canyon below me.
Resting in the sun
As I cut back through the campground, I ran into Gabriel, who we first me at the hot springs. We saw someone go by with a fly fishing rod, so Gabriel was thinking of zeroing, to fish instead! He started the trail at the beginning of March, but he finds a place he likes and stays for awhile! It’s a great way to do it as so many people focus only on miles.
For a first morning in our new chapter this one is fairly awesome.
This sounds promising! I am in awe of your solution and the way you can both still participate. Well done, you two!