PCT 2007 Day 67
Day 67 / 5-31-07 Cowboy Camp
Fox Mill Spring – Kennedy Meadows
19.2 (.7) miles; 702.8 (13.5); 2779 trip miles
70’s; sunny; shattered clouds later in day
I awoke to a very cold damp sleeping bag this morning. It was super cold last night. I didn’t sleep well as a result. I spent most of the morning curled up in the fetal position.
The day started with a 4 mile climb, which started off nice and in the trees. Then I hit a place that had been burned in a fire and was just growing back. I hate to see all the damage a fire does. You can imagine the beauty of the area you in before the fire but all you really see is the destruction.
The only thing of beauty I saw in this burned out section was my first good view of some of the big peaks in the Sierras. I sat for 15 minutes and just stared. I couldn’t believe I was there and traveled so far to reach the Sierras to be so close. I also started to see some clouds formed from the Sierras. It was so nice to see clouds. It’s not everyday one can say theyre happy to see clouds. I hope they mean cooler temps for hiking. More than anything, it’s a nice change from the constant blue sky of southern desert. After the climb we had a long descent and on the descent my left shin started to hurt. Just after 15 minutes, it was almost unbearable. I got some Bengay from Wounded Knee and at the stream, at the bottom; I elevated it as I had lunch. The break helped but towards the end of the next 4.5 mile section it started to hurt again.
We stopped along the South Fork of the Kern River and I soaked my feet and legs. It felt good on my shin. We all washed up some; then the pull of Kennedy Meadows got us. Just upstream from our break spot, there was a beaver dam. We got to the general store around 2:30. I got an ice cream sandwich and a Coke right away. They were out of pints. Wounded Knee got us a six pack to celebrate us getting here.
I got 3 of the 5 boxes I was expecting. One of which had my new puffy jacket. It’s so nice! (and Brian – thank you for the Pro Bars). I haven’t gotten my new socks or tarp tent yet.
There are about 25 hikers here now. Some people I have seen before; others I haven’t. Ultra Brite came in around 7 pm and covered the same section we did in 5.5 days in only 4. The girl is a machine.
I’m camped out behind the store and yes there were ants again. I got fried chicken, beans, bread and ice cream for $7 after I made my calls.
Scatman 2011- The shin thing was weird. It came on all of a sudden and then would be gone. Lucky for me I had a couple of zero days coming up. It was a relief to get to Kennedy Meadows but it also meant new things to worry about; cold temperatures, snow, elevation sickness, bears and stream crossings. It was great meet so many new people but because the PCT is so unlike the AT you didn’t really have a chance to get to know them. There are only a few places/towns along the trail where hikers are found in numbers. As a result it’s harder to get to know those around you.
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Scatman
Get out there!
You can check out my Appalachian Trail or Continental Divide Trail journals too!
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