From Justin’s Blog: Intercepting Dad on the PCT

Somewhere on the trail heading towards Sierra City. Today is my 65th birthday. I celebrated by completing my miles early at about 3 PM so I have about 9 miles tomorrow to get to Sierra City. I need to resupply there at the General Store. Oh, and I’m going to get some Coca-Colas there too – YUM!

Ever since leaving Kathy, Stephanie, and Justin at South Lake Tahoe I’ve been in Northern California. There is a lot less water. For example, in Sierras you’d not worry because you would cross a stream every 15 to 30 minutes whereas today it was upwards to 8 miles between streams. I’m mostly hiking through forests.

I like to hike in the early morning. This was taken shortly after 6 AM. The sun was just rising. It’s cool and quiet. The bugs haven’t come out. I seem to make the most progress at this time of day.

Hidden beneath Interstate 80 is a tunnel to allow PCT hikers to cross the highway.

I don’t know the name of these yellow flowers, but I’ve passed by thousands like this picture.

I’m moving from national wilderness to national wilderness. This one is called Granite Chief Wilderness.

The hiking life is pretty simple. You hike, eat, sleep and not much else. Yesterday I got to my campsite, set up my tent, ate my dinner, and snuggled into my sleeping bag around 6:30 PM. I dozed off and woke at 8:30. I normally wake around 5 AM so I was surprised to have overslept. I got up and started doing my morning things including taking my medicine, getting my socks and shoes on, and packing a few things up. Suddenly I realized that it wasn’t 8:30 AM, but it was only 8:30 PM and still light out. How could I be so out-of-it not to realize this! So I unpacked, took off my shoes and socks, and went back to bed. Sheesh!