Day 71, 26.72 miles!

I woke up feeling nice and rested! Man, I’m really happy that I was able to do a 30 yesterday and not feel horrible today! I’m getting stronger! The sunrise was so beautiful! I was camped close to an open ridge, and I got this view less than a 1/2 mile into my walking this morning:

The morning was gorgeous as always; I think it helped that there were beautiful wildflowers all over the place! I’ve been very surprised with the amount of wildflowers I’ve been seeing, they’re so pretty!!

I soon got out of the valleys by climbing up and up and up! I started hiking on a really cool ridge line that had lots of sharp rock outcropping along the side! Eventually I climbed up into a ski resort called Alpine Meadows Ski Area. It was cool to hike under the lifts and check out what some of the more advanced runs look like in the summer without snow!

View from the ridge

So lovely!

You know, just breaking rules :)

Wolverine Bowl looks kinda gnarly right now... haha

After walking through that ski area, the trail continued on the ridge for a very long time! Miles later, I was entering Squaw Valley Ski Resort, the second of three ski areas I would cross today. It was around this time that I met an older hiker named Peanut Butter (so I gave him two Reese’s Pieces), and someone named Brazil Nut. I had been hiking at 3+ mph when I stopped to get some water. Brazil Nut came up right behind me out of nowhere! This surprised me since I was going so fast and hadn’t seen anyone else in the morning around me. 

Brazil Nut

Brazil Nut is FAST. She is the first female to triple crown the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail in three consecutive years (‘11 ‘12 and ‘13). She has since done the other trails again, and with her completion of the PCT this year, she will be the first female double-triple-crowner. She started from the Mexican border on June 3rd people!! That’s 40+ miles a DAY!! It’s funny how the day after I did my first 30 I met someone that does 40+ everyday! Crazy fast! One thing that made me feel pretty good was that when I told her I did 30 miles by 5:15pm, she told me that that’s usually about when she hits her 30 mark. Great! Now all I need to do is that and then 10 more miles everyday! (Just kidding, I want to walk to Canada, not get a ride in an ambulance..)

Well, meeting a Trail-ebrity was exciting, but what was even sweeter was that shortly after that, I saw a man named Windy Fields who I had met a couple times before in the last few days. He told me that in under 10 miles, there was a trailhead and a place called Donner Ski Ranch, and there they had free beers for PCT hikers! I suddenly felt energized and picked up my pace again for the last 10 miles of my day!

Squaw Valley Ski Resort

Pretty flowers!

So, About 3 miles later, I came up on this very cool ridgeline up near Tinkers Knob. Of COURSE my phone camera decided not to let me take pictures of ANY of it! I’m so mad! It was so beautiful and such a unique ridge. I really really wanted to take a few pictures from up there... I decided to find some online that look semi-similar to what I saw today.

Approach towards Tinkers (NOT MY PHOTO)

View from near Tinkers (NOT MY PHOTO)

This really blows not being able to take photos reliably whenever I want to. Today my mom suggested that I see if I can get it fixed when I get closer to Oregon, since there’s an Apple store in Medford. For now this is the plan, and I just hope that it stops getting worse and I’m still able to take some cool picture for you all!!

Anyways, the last mile of trail went steeply down to the road and all of a sudden there were a TON of people! I realized it was the Fourth of July, and everyone was parked near the trailhead to either day hike or hang out and BBQ, and watch the fireworks later. I ran into a hiker named Shenanigans that I had met in Yosemite just before I got off trail for 5 days. He told me that the nearby town of Truckee would have a fireworks show later tonight, and that it should be visible just 1/2 a mile north on the PCT!! This was great news, but first things first...

Spinach salad with goat cheese, mandarins, cranberries and almonds, and a big ol turkey melt with sweet potato fries! And of course a huge 20oz free beer! I’m in heaven! 

I ended up sitting with a few cool southbounders who had started northbound in March. They hit the Sierra and there was too much snow, so they made their way up to Ashland in Oregon, and are going South until they get back to Lone Pine. Then it’s back up to Ashland and northbound to finish the rest! Out of the four of them I only remebered J Boogie and ICB in terms of names. 

Windy Fields was sitting at the bar, and he bought our whole table our food! Then, to top it off, ICB bought a whole $22 warm apple pie for the table!! I couldn’t believe it! I unexpectedly came into the restaurant, not even know it existed some hours earlier. Then I got free beer, free dinner, and free pie!! The Sobo’s had Yahtzee and I joined them in a game. And WON!! I’m on a roll!

I had texted Happy earlier about the beer deal, and he ended up doing 31+ miles to get to the restaurant tonight! He met his friend Happy Feet at the bar. I had met Happy Feet once or twice before, but I don’t remember where. Filled with beer and food and all of the goodies, I decided to head out back onto trail and find a good spot to scope the fireworks from. 

On my way back out to the trailhead, I was drawn into more trail magic! Shenanigans and his friend Siesta were hanging out with Dr. Bob, a triple crowner that is moving to California for a job, and has decided to do some trail magic on this Fourth of July week! He had some pork loins going on the grill. I passed on food but gladly accepted a Tecate! It was getting cold and windy, so I thanked him and hit the trail!

Half a mile later, I took what I thought was a little spur trail off of the PCT to find a sweet vantage point up high to watch the fireworks from. After setting up my tent, Dr. Bob, Shenanigans, Siesta, and Happy Feet all marched up the trail and started to set up for firework viewing. I joined them and at about 9:30pm they started going!

The best picture I could get 

I found it neat that on Independence Day I spent most of the day alone, which was nice! But at the end of the day, o ended up meeting like 8 new people, getting a compete meal for free, and then getting prime seats to a fireworks display! The trail really does provide! Hahaha. Happy 4th if July!!

Thanks for reading everyone!!