DAY 22: PREDATORS IN ACTION

miles: 23

We did 23 miles today. It was relatively easy, too.

The landscape has changed, yet again, to a tall, aromatic forest. Giant red cedars, pines, soft duff and pine needles. The plush ground, thick with organic matter was a welcome treat. I was second out of the campsite (always second to Carrot - who almost always bursts out of camp first thing in the morning, before anyone has even emerged from their sleeping bags). I was feeling horribly grumpy for no particular reason and wanted to get the "huge climb" over with. In Yogi's Guide she describes the upcoming climb as "an uphill slog - bring your big boy/big girl pants", and it was definitely brutal.

One foot in front of the other, I thought. One foot in front of the other. It was grueling!

Made it a few miles and was relieved to find Carrot sitting peacefully among the giant trees, cooking breakfast. I eagerly plopped down beside her and made coffee, oatmeal AND had a handful of bars.

Toyo, a 70-year old Japanese fellow, also arrived and ate a snack with us! Toyo is an inspiration on the trail. He is hiking with another man named Goku.

Ben and Angela appeared and sat down as well. It was a very relaxing spot to hang out and take a break.

Toyo - reading maps.

My cook system (that I still need to explain and feature).

Carrot applying Nutella/Peanut Butter to a Mango Chip.

My coffee situation....

Carrot and I enjoying a warm breakfast in the dirt....

How it looked for most of the day.

By 1:30, Ben and I had gone 15 miles and I had received a level 5 sunburn. I hate wearing a hat and sunglasses and I remove them any chance I get. This is totally not okay, I know, but it's a sensory thing. Today, because we were above 7,000 feet, the sun was scorching my skin, but I didn't know it because it didn't feel hot out. The wind was breezy, the air cool - at high elevations it's easy to think that you are not getting a sunburn (but you really are).

Came upon some giant metal enclosures and noticed one very large grizzly bear staring back at us. Another grizzly, depressed in his small cage. VERY upsetting situation that forced me to quickly breeze by, without a closer look.

We rested here, at mile 250, once we passed "the animal cages". We did not know what this meant, but looked in Yogi's Guide, where she describes it as a wild animal enclosure for retired (and not retired) Hollywood animal actors. The website is www.predatorsinaction.com. I haven't been to the website yet, but am very curious. It was so depressing I didn't even take a photo of it.

We REALLLLLLY took a break. After 15 consecutive miles with practically no break, we were ready to nap and lounge about. We thought "we'll wait here for Carrot and Angela", who were some distance behind us.

Carrot passed through, stopping for a snack.

3pm rolls around and no sign of Angela. Ben is snoring and I am continuously unpacking my stuff sacks, as usual. We head out at 4pm to do the remaining miles. Curious where Angela was, wondering if we should wait to go forward... We push on.

Then we reach an amazing cache of cold water, pop, and ONE lone pabst, floating in the cooler. Pabst or pop?

Pabst.

I cannot explain how much I needed that beer to boost me through the last few hours of hiking that night. All my foot pain seemed to go away (it had been a good day for my feet! It was the big, long long long long break from 1:30 - 4:00). What a great day of hiking, why can't all days be this easy? AND end with a cold beer?

A mile later we reached ANOTHER cache, with more pop, soda, and snacks. There had been beer, but it was all gone by the time we reached the cache. Both of these caches made our hike today. The second one had a recliner, which Ben proudly took advantage of...

Caches are stocked by kind trail angels and local motels or businesses. Also - there was a semi-hiker box that we raided. 

Reached camp at the Arrastre Camp (Deer Springs) and were startled when we saw Angela. She was ahead of us, and we had no idea how she got there. When had she passed us? Where were we? How is this possible? It must have been while Ben was napping and I was distracted, I guess. Either way, we were glad we all found one another at the end of the day. There were many other hikers there at the camp and it was a night of gathering around the sole picnic table in the dark, with headlamps, eating our dinners as a "family".

There is a strange phenomenon out here when hikers find themselves at campsites that have picnic tables (and other amenities) - and yes, we often aim to end the day at sites with tables, more often than not. Everyone gravitates towards the picnic table(s) and smashes together to cook their various dinner foods. Often, it is dark, and there are stragglers that roll in, and no one knows who they are talking to/sitting with/singing with... yet we are all suddenly close. Like family. Intimate. 

Another phenom: slumbering larvae. Everyone cowboy camping.