Riv's 2015 PCT Hike: Riv's 2015 PCT, Day 58, Part 1

Day 58, Saturday, August 22

From campsite at PCT mile 2397.84, elev. 5327, walked 14.17 miles to campsite at PCT mile 2412.01, elev. 3240. Total up/down: +3350/-5437.

Dear Trail Friends,

More and more of the hikers I meet plan to leave the trail at Stevens Pass. Today I met a young man from Korea (trail name JJ for James Joyce-- he studied English literature in college. He was surprised I'd heard of James Joyce; he had met so many Americans who had not heard of him. So I told him about my high school English teacher, a former nun and still my friend and whom I will see in Oklahoma City when I go there in September for my 50th high school reunion, who suggested I read Ulysses when I was a senior. I even told him a couple quotes I still remember -- oh if I only could remember my recent or even long ago experience so clearly: "Nothing is more loathsome than the self-loathing of a self one loathes" and "A sentimentalist is he who will not acknowledge the indebtedness incurred by a thing done. "). Anyway JJ plans to leave the trail at Stevens Pass, head for San Francisco, and from there home to Korea. He said "the destination is not so important. "

My gear seems to know the end is near. One of my water bags disappeared. "It flew away" said JJ who I met at my second water stop of the day. Today my bandana (new just a couple weeks ago in Bend Oregon) began to disintegrate, with a big tear down the middle ( that I repaired with big clumsy stitches. ) the zipper to my tent has begun to open after being zipped. One of my backpack pitches tore loose and I have jerry-rigged it (sp?) with gorilla tape. The gear seems to be saying "we're done."

This is truly a beautiful section to end with. Challenging too. You might notice the up/down numbers are bigger for this section than previous sections. I am much slower here because of steep ups and downs and lots of rough rocky trails, so a 14 mile day took me from 6 am to almost 6 pm with only 3 rests and two of them fairly brief. I probably walked at least 9 hours, which probably would have been good for 18 miles in Oregon.

Photo 1: so I got out of my tent and stood up to begin taking it down and this is what I saw. The day began with a definite "Oh my god" experience. How can anything be so beautiful? What a way to begin a day.

Photo 2: I took this to show you the smoke in the distance. I smelled smoke in my tent, and the early morning hike was pretty smoky. Fortunately by mid-morning the wind had shifted. I am very aware of the fires. People tell me three fire fighters have died. I think of their friends and family, how many people's lives are torn open by each death. I am relieved to have made my decision.