August 12
My sleep rhythm seems to be fairly in sync with the sun. I’ve been getting up just a little later each day just as the sun has also been coming up just a little later each day. Today I am on the trail at 6:15. As I walk down into this valley, I’ve got High vertical cliffs way above me and the rock boulder field down below it where overtime erosion has taken it’s toll.
I’ve continued down into the valley and am crossing this stream which feeds Milton creek which I cross on a nice bridge a few minutes later.
After crossing the bridge, the trail continues to follow Milton Creek for a bit as I climb higher above it, before going back down to a second bridge
This is turning out to be a day of bridges. I cross this next river on another foot bridge.
When I took the picture of this peak, I had no idea I was going to be going up and almost over the saddle to its right. Highway 49 passes through that saddle that is where the trail takes me. Along the way, I passed another refreshing stream.
Yet again, one more bridge. This one is much more substantial as it crosses the Yuba river.
I reached Highway 49 at 11:45 and worked on getting a hitch inro Sierra City. A Gentleman by the name of David pulled over within about five minutes and drove me down to the general store. The kindness of strangers is something I was looking for on the Trail, and i’m finding people to be good.
At the general store I got the gut buster burger. It is a 1 pound of meat hamburger with all the fixings and it was delicious. A short time later I saw somebody come out with a milkshake and had to have one, I did raspberry. Also delicious.
You may remember I said I had a problem with my osprey backpack. I love a company that stands behind their product! Waiting for me at the general store is a brand new replacement backpack. There was no charge and all Osprey asked was that I cut through the logo and main pouch, take a picture for them, and throw it away.
My daughter has sent me a new food supply, which I also picked up at the general store. Now I get to sort it and pack it all away.
Across the street from the general store is the Old Sierra Hotel. It’s been bought by somebody who wants to support PCT hikers and has very reasonable rates. I walked over just to check it out and made a spur of the moment decision to see if he had anybody in a double room that might want to split, he didn’t, but he did have a $65 room, which is his lowest rate….Spur of the moment decision I decided to treat myself and stay off my foot a little bit more instead of pushing four more miles uphill in the afternoon heat. Inside of the hotel is decorated as it was 100 years ago.
I met True Grit. He is hiking southbound, and also staying here at the old Sierra hotel. “Coincidentally“ he recently completed massage school. He told me planter fasciitis rarely is actually a foot problem and more of a calf problem. He told me to find any tenderness in my calf and massage it and that should help with the foot. It’s only been about an hour, but it actually seems to be working. Coincidentally is in quotes because I don’t believe in coincidences, it’s all part of God‘s plan.
Today’s PCT miles hiked 10.7
Total PCT Miles hiked to date 1954.9
PCT mile marker 1196.5
(Returned to complete 542.8 miles flipped over)
Miles left:
Echo - Chester 135.9
Kearsarge - Echo 303.4
Snoqualmie-Terminus 259.5
Total 698.8
