DAY 60: KEARSARGE PASS

Hiking back up and over Kearsarge - sunset

miles: 6ish

Today was the dreaded climb back up and over Kearsarge Pass, which we planned to do in the evening. Our goal was just to get back to the junction with PCT so we would be set up for the first pass in the morning the next day.

Shopping had to happen still. Chores were not finished. We were aiming to catch the 1:30 shuttle bus back to Independence and I was RUSHING to get there in time.

You know when everything just, trips you up and goes wrong? I kept having to go back to the hotel room after lugging my life across busy intersections. I'd realize "I left my pizza in the fridge at the hotel" or "I forgot to do this or that"... it was irritating and I was stressin'. Big time.

But we all made it to the Von's bus stop in time to crowd on - it was filled to the brim with hikers! Boulder, Scooter, Dog, Buffalo, me, Rocky, Sour Cream, Chik Chak, Starfox, Sunshine, Pony, St. Alfonso, and mannnnny more literally squeezed on the bus, even some of us standing. It was a 45 minute bus ride to Independence. Then we had to find a hitch BACK to the Onion Valley Trailhead up the ways. WHOO.

The bus ride wasn't so bad, but we all got off of the bus and smashed into the Post Office where we all picked up/mailed out food packages. It was mayhem. Some of us retreated to the grassy lawn of the courthouse some ways down the road in order to lay out all of our food resupply so we could properly assess our food situations.

I must say - I was having a very hard time with this task. I was stressed out and felt rushed and time crunched to get back on the trail while feeling insanely underprepared for the next section. The last section left me STARVING (I ran out of food...) so this section I overcompensated and bought TOO much food: Schat's donuts and pastries came with me (HEAVY HEAVY HEAVY) as well as cold PIZZA.

"Am I going to regret this?" "Will the bears smell this?"

Oh well. I knew I'd feel better once we were back on the trail, the last few hours in towns are usually a mad dash to finish chores and it can be QUITE stressful (to say the least)... I was excited to be back in the woods.

Caught a hitch with a woman named Jodi (Thank you Jodi!) and we were back on our way at 5:00-ish pm. A lil' late, but totally fine. We were just in time for the most gorgeous sunset of our lives....