Monthly Archives: July 2013

Day 71 – Go ahead, drink the water

July 12, 2013
31 miles
Mile 1250

The sun got an early start and I took the cue. Wanted to put in some miles so I left quickly. My cramps from the night before stayed behind so my mood was elevated. The miles slid past. For hours I hiked alone, my focus shifting between internal and external scenery. The geography had calmed considerably since the dramatic high Sierras. The pine-covered mountains were more subdued and tended to stretch across the horizon rather than tear it apart as the Sierra crags did. All day I passed through pines. Monotonous to some, but my kind of monotony, like couscous. Can beauty be monotonous?

Typical blowdown

I started to run into people. Passed two ladies and their dog on a backpacking trip. Even the dog was packing two weeks of food. His pack was balanced with one week bouncing off each rib cage. Came upon a wonderful pair of volunteers humping a 32-inch chain saw up the mountain to clear the trail. This was fine news as the blowdown’s across the PCT in this area were extensive. I felt like a hurdler most of the day. Came to a paved road with an ice chest left out by the same volunteers. Unexpected Gatorade is incomparable. My thanks in print.

Typical spring – no need to treat this

Near lunch I came upon Halfway. In the guidebook we found a reference to Alder Spring and a mileage indication. Low on water, we had a lunch destination. We hiked and searched with no luck. Past the mileage point, past optimism, and finally arrived at resignation. Gave up, Sat down and ate dry. Had a good chat about the trickiness of fate, got up, walked three minutes and came to the spring.

The path dropped like a knockout. Eventually to 3,000 feet, the lowest point the PCT has been in 700 miles. In the back of the hikers head is the vague notion of “for every drop there is a corresponding climb,” but that is the burden of another day. The path in this area was rumored to be inundated with poison oak so I danced around everything with “leaves of three” which seemed to be everything. Ran into Viking who had seen one bear and four rattlesnakes during the day’s hike. The only animals I had seen were two sparrows that morning who had a dust up in the fire pit and then coated me with fine ash when they flew by my ear.

Feather River

Bridge at Feather River

Finally bottomed out at the Feather River, crossed its fine bridge,and camped at an even finer spot pointed out by a local. Rivers at lower altitudes are warmer, who knew? A long swim and then ramen on the grill. A dinner party of relaxed conversation ensued. Ole, Track Meet, Veggie, Orbit, Slack, Halfway and myself among the invitees. The sun took its leave and left the moon in charge. A bottle of whiskey made the rounds which eased my transition to my bedroom of sand.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 70 – Ants at 2 a.m. & Ambush Vistas

Day 70
July 11, 2013
21 miles today
Mile 1219

An ant crawling up my spine brought me to consciousness. Only it was 2 AM. The room being oven-like I had slept on the attached deck. I clicked on my headlamp. The deck was moving with a sea of large black ants on the night shift. I selected optimism over moving and went back to sleep. At dawn they were gone

Settled up my bill, mailed my bounce box out, tackled an omelette and hitched a ride to the trailhead with a trail angel named Chipmunk at around 11. He was so enthusiastic about helping out hikers that he had a big PCT taxi sign in the front window of his minivan. The remnants of last nights party were spread from Sierra City to the mountains around. Some hikers lay in the backyard unable to move. Some were MIA. Others unable to suppress alcohol enthusiasm, had started hiking at 1:30 AM. Most of them I saw back in town in full retreat and disarray mumbling about breakfast. The remainder I passed in various states of dignified repose along the switchbacks leading up from the town. A fine fiesta.

Sierra City from Ridgeline

It was a long climb out of Sierra city. As I gained altitude I sucked on a blueberry lollipop thoughtfully provided by orbit. I also mulled over recent updates which I’ll pass on. Red beard is only 40 miles behind. Doc is in Indiana knocking on his girlfriend’s door. After so many years, Preston finally saw a Sierra Fox in the wild. It was a female. UB went back to San Francisco to rest. There he was meteored by a new idea. Go to Canada and hike the Trail north to south in 90 days. I plan to tackle him when I see him so the others can get a straitjacket on him. Probably the wolf Red saw was actually a big coyote. Orbit was awarded eight ball sinker of the month by the Sierra City Billiards Association. The Powerhouse Fire, in the end, destroyed over 30 houses and the PCT in that area has yet to reopen. There is still a piano for free in Sierra city. And that my friends, is the news of the day.

The path climbed high to a Ridgeline and stayed there. Lunch was at a spring with the best tasting chilled water of my life to date. I drank like a resident of the Sahara. Then a long dry spell with a number of ambush vistas. You pop out of a thick forest and Bam! Wow! The surrounding world is just for you. Drink it in and walk on.

A steady downhill brought me to A Tree and it’s spring. Apparently some years ago there was a tree nearby full of bees. Logically B Tree needed an A Tree for company. Caught up with SLaCK, Orbit and Halfway for our night’s accommodation at the A Tree Lodge. Went to bed with wicked cramps from sitting on a cold rock. Where’s Doc when you need him? Probably still knocking.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 69 – Mark Twain might have liked the Bohemian Rhapsody

Day 69
July 10, 2013
4 miles
Mile 1197

Rose without incident and directed myself toward Sierra City. Followed the course of the river and picked up momentum with it as the geography tilted. Shortly, a side trail presented itself that would allow a direct hike into town minus a hitch. I veered. Dropped through a campground and found myself next to you yet another river. Came upon a swimming hole that Mark Twain would have had Tom Sawyer dive into. Then through a neighborhood of cabins with front yards decorated with ore carts and giant sawblades. After a steady diet of pines, such variety was an eye treat.

Tom’s swimming hole

Turned onto Main Street of Sierra city population 225. Too small for AT&T to respect, but I loved the place. First thing I saw was a piano free to one who would haul it. How would Twain have worked that in? Reined in when it when I came to the Red Moose Inn which is hiker central. Following my third breakfast, I picked up my bounce box at the post office and settled to details. Necessary but tedious beyond repeating.

Sierry City

My office was half the bed in Tortuga’s room. Ice to my knee. I plugged away on my I whatever. But my true position was gatekeeper to the shower. The inn has but two rooms. The majority of hikers camp for free in the backyard. Their use of the restaurant and bar provides economic input to the trail angel owners. The owners in turn knock the sales tax off the room if the occupants allow hikers to use the shower, there being no others. Thus the curious sensation of a stream of hikers passing by the foot of my office to bathe. All looking to me to keep order and state rules. This I did so amongst the rising humidity.

Free ivory

Lunch was a pizza in front of the general store which followed a fruitless search for couscous. Hikers milled about. Say what you will about hiker trash, but for a couple of summer months they drop a serious amount of money in the small towns along the trail. Then a return to my office as the cello concert commenced. The soul calmed as the notes floated about the packed house.

Veggie had earlier passed on some unwanted and unloved couscous to me so I owed him a beer. He was bellied up to a bar down the street, so Slack, Orbit, Tortuga and I walked down main street, once laden with stagecoaches, now devoid of cars. The bar was full of hikers and the party became their own. Orbit and I took over the pool table. I am an average pool player at best, but tonight was my night. We played doubles against a couple of confident locals who were without that confidence following several losses. Then I took on all comers finally losing after eight straight wins when I sank my own eightball. The margaritas having taken their toll, I sat back and bathed in my luck.

Tortuga, Mud, Veggie, Track Meet & Ole at the height of the chorus of Bohemian Rhapsody, their loving tribute to Freddie Mercury

But the real show was on the dance floor, where hikers pounded the floorboards mercifullessly to the jukeboxes pre-1990 tunes. As the drinks flowed the splinters flew. Most of the hikers were not born when this music was being made but their embrace of it was passionate. Journey, Blue Oyster Cult, Patsy Cline —they danced to it all. The grand finale, which coincided with last call, was a group reenactment of Bohemian Rhapsody which rendered the pool table molested. You had to have been there. As Track Meet said when he danced by at the height of Freddie Mercury’s efforts sometimes along this trail we’re just killing it.” I replied “pure homicide” in complete agreement. Lights out.

No mystery as to distances

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 68 – Go jump in the lake

Day 68
July 9, 2013
24 miles
Mile 1193

Curiously, hikers passed by throughout the night. In their bubble, they marched on encased in halos of light. Night hiking is a taste. It appeals to some, not to others. To the former, the advantages are more animals, quiet, mystery and fewer bugs. To me it is like walking in a forever tunnel longing for the light. Though once in Costa Rica, on a long, beach night hike, each step I took sent phosphorescence shooting in every direction from my footprint. That was something else.

Stopped to smell the roses

The trail ranged high and low today. Covering an eclectic variety of terrain, exposed volcanic knobs, thick forests, Lake country, steep canyons, collapsing talus slopes and flat meadows. Passed through it all collecting it by eye. Water was scarce so I drank deep when the opportunity presented. Early in the trip I was religious about filtering. My method is Aqua Mira drops. You mix up a concoction. Allow it to sit for five minutes, then dump it in the water you have an interest in. Wait another 15 minutes. Then quench. An exercise in delayed gratification. Now laziness has a say in the matter and 80% of the time I just drink directly from the stream. No ill effects yet.

A lake on the horizon

Had lunch at Mule Deer Creek. The waterworks along the PCT rarely have uplifting or enticing names, no Tequila Drip Springs or Honeydew Vine Water Creek. More often they tend to run along the lines of Dirty Diapers Springs, Poison Meadow Springs, Sulphur Springs, Death Canyon Creek and the Ominous Guzzler.

Yet another lake out of reach

After lunch, passing by a large lake, we came to a note. Through hikers stop by Site Four in the campground for a cold one. Is it possible to pass that up? That is how we met Don and his stash of Gatorade, cookies and apples. Don was mulling a shot at the PCT next year and we traded info for calories. And while at the lake? A formal adulation.

Finally, a lake I could jump into

The rest of the day was spent trying to catch Tortuga and stretching out the capacity of my knee. Both successful in the end. Plan is to share a hotel room in Sierra City with Tortuga. Sierra City being only 4 miles away. There I will pick up my bounce box, catch another cello concert, ice my knee, and give Red a chance to make up ground. Pizza and beer perhaps will enter the scenario at some point.

Camped in and around the crumbling foundations of an abandoned cabin set in a canyon river valley. As sleep came I thought of the life and dreams that had been led here but were no more. Ozymandias was right. My last sight, the stars that hung from the thick pine headdresses.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 67 – Lost in the pass

Day 67
July 8
14 miles
mile 1169

Light made its way through windows and I awoke without being subject to divebombing. Red Bull to roofing and Lemonade to yoga. A most sincere thank you to the both of them for their unlimited hospitality. Let’s face it, they open their doors to a group of unwashed unknowns based solely on Otter’s recommendation. As Redbull said, “The trail has given us so much, we want to give back whenever we can.” True trail angels. And ones I hope to emulate.

Novel wall in lemonade shop

Breakfast at the well-named Squeeze In. Fueled by omelettes, we said our goodbyes to doc at the Greyhound depot. Then Otter returned us to the trailhead in a truck borrowed from Redbull. A debt of gratitude to Otter for his hospitality. Otter, in his typical humbleness, forgot to mention that he is a Triple Crowner a couple of times over.(AT, PCT and CDT) Said our farewells and were off, but me not so fast. My right knee was miserable. A limp developed. A formal contract, no more races.

Truckee Lake from Donner pass

I got lost in my head to distract the pain. Soon that translated into lost on the trail. As I marched towards Summit Lake the PCT went toward Castle Pass. I woke up at a trail juncture where I ran into Tortuga. She faced the same dilemma. What the hell happened to the PCT? To solve the puzzle she backtracked. I compounded my problem by choosing a trail that my gut told me would meet up with the PCT. Eventually, a half-mile bushwhack confirmed the valuelessness of my gut on this one. Coming out of the bush I arrived at yet another juncture at the same time Tortuga appeared. Together we figured out where the PCT wanted to go and followed it there.

Wild railroad tunnel from Donner Pass

Caught up to Orbit and Slack in front of the Peter Grubb hut. A now closed hut built in honor of a 19 year old rock climber. He had died while on a bicycling trip to Europe in 1939 as the clouds of war gathered. I limped on. The day was short due to the logistics of our arrival in Sierra City as well as our late start. I was happy to end early. The Mosquitoes had the same emotion about my arrival.

Figured out a way to get a gym workout out of the forest and then got down to the serious business of Ramen preparation. Viking appeared. Born in 1980 in Leipzeig then of the GDR. He was nine when the wall came tumbling down. His memories of those times made even my tired Ramen fascinating. He gave me some horse cream for my knee and I went to bed dreaming of a return to full speed.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 66 – I think I’m going to throw up

Day 66
July 7
27 miles
mile 1155

Did Red walk through the night? A first thought. Up early to see the sunrise from inside my bag. Stayed in my office to catch up on writing. Then born to the world or at least oatmeal. Packed up and was off like a herd of turtles as the old family expression goes.

Lights on in bedroom

Writing blog

Through the early part of the day the trail rose and fell according to the whims of geography. Lake Tahoe would occasionally make guest appearances on the right. As I was hiking solo, my gaze was often off path, drawn to this or that. Unfortunately the PCT is a jealous mistress who requires constant attention. Ignore her obstacles at your peril. Multiple times that day I was nearly brought to my knees by a root or curved rock. After each near takedown I would scream the same unutterable. And then refocus on the path in front of me, swearing attention. Within minutes the eyes to wander. Repeat process.

Lake Tahoe as horizon

With time the trail returned to a high ridge. The Tahoe rim Trail veered toward her namesake but the PCT stayed high above the tree line. The route went knife edge. My left hand presented a massive forested valley. My right the deep waters of Lake Tahoe. My stretched shadow raised its hand in greeting. I love these times. Passed a ski resort and red signs that spoke of avalanche dangers. Not today methinks. The high times were ended by a series of descending switchbacks as the trail looped around the back of Squall Valley. There a year or so ago, my daughter learned to ski and snowboard. Happy memories flooded.

Squaw Valley Ski Resort nude

A wrong turn had me summit Granite chief mountain. A pretty good return on my error. Back on the trail I caught up with Doc and had a good final chat. Doc plans to get off the trail in the upcoming town of Truckee to pursue an education, girlfriend and future in Ohio. We spoke of the angles and the need for Uncertainty in life. We climbed up to Tinker Knob, the difficulty of which encouraged much thought before word utterances. A lack of oxygen forces one to choose their words carefully. Caught up with Orbit and Slack on top of Tinker Knob and watched the spread of a new wildfire on the next mountain ridge that shaded the sky the full spectrum of gray.

To the left

To the right

Back to it, and Orbit’s words came to me, “When Red gets back, we need to refocus and put the hammer down.” Another knife ridge and I pulled up behind her, and inquired about this hammer. The race was on. Over the next 5 miles we alternated between racewalking and running. The contest ended with the words “I think I’m going to throw up.” Good times.

Came upon Roller Pass, which is a cross between a cliff and a hill. Here, a team of oxen would pull each pioneer wagon, one by one, up the steep slope. At the top was the pioneers reward, a first view of California. The Donner party missed this turn and ended up trapped in early snow, late cannibalism, and a place in the books of history.

Twins

Traveling companion since Mexico

A rocky, pounding descent brought us down to Donner Pass where warm Pabst Blue Ribbon quenched the thirst generated by a dry trail. Otter was already in Truckee and had secured us lodging for the night. As we wanted to give Doc a proper sendoff, a divergence off the trail to civilization was in order. To Truckee then. And that is how we met Lemonade and Red Bull, fellow through hikers. Lemonade picked us up at the trailhead and drove us to Safeway where we picked up party supplies. Then to their very hip apartment where a cleaned and polished otter awaited.

A splendid evening ensued. Red Bull and Lemonade had laid out an incredible spread based on their thorough knowledge of a through hikers bottomless appetite. The conversation was first rate as one would expect from a couple with such an extensive library. We learned some of their life in Truckee and how it came to be, of Lemonades quick visit to the States from her native Sweden that became a life there after meeting Red Bull. And of their CDT hike together and still together.

To dessert in honor of Doc’s departure. A gift to us from his recently visited parents. Angel food cake, whipped cream and strawberries with Ben and Jerry’s chasers. A toast to the arrival of Docs future.

Finally the weight of the day arrived and all available floor space was given over to eyes shut.

Traveling companion since Mexico

Day 65 – Jiffy Pop, blueberry cobbler and snow women

July 6, 2013
26 miles
Mile 1128 on the journey:

Tahoe Rim Trail

The mosquito alarm went off early so I rose to write. Caught up as the others stirred. Orbit was first to take off. Slack drifted off to his constitution but was interrupted preact by the arrival of two rangers bushwhacking. I had just finished removing traces of our fire along leave no trace procedures. The Rangers delivered a fair and extended dressing down about the prohibition against fires in the desolation wilderness. In our defense we had observed a number of fires as we rounded Susie Lake, but rules are rules. We returned the area to pristine condition under their watchful eye. No more campfires, but we went out in style with Jiffy Pop.

Rock imprisoned but not forever

Off, and making good time. Missed a signpost, took the wrong turn and saw a beautiful lake for my screwup. A lot of families on the trail. Good to see kids taking their parents backpacking. Ran into G Bird, a German woman who was having problems with the psychology of the trail. She’ll come out on top. Then Viking with his ever present bear bell.

Snowwoman

Crested Dicks Pass where Orbit had left one of her signature snow women as a sign to Red to pick up the pace. Speaking of which Red will rejoin the trail today after his embrace of a friend. Hopefully he can make up the miles within a week. Not easy, but I have seen with my eyes Red fly on land. Had my hiking permit checked yet again by rangers and then sped toward lower elevations. The Rangers mentioned on departure about obeying the speed limit.

North side moss hanging on

Lunch with Slack, Orbit, Veggie and Ole around a mosquito birthing center. Doc failed to arrive as has become his habit. More miles. Passed two trees violining each other with every gust of wind. Heard that an Oak tree in Yosemite Valley had fallen on a group of people killing one and injuring many. Fate is always out there lurking.

Trust fall

The PCT had joined with the Tahoe Rim Trail by this time. Took an afternoon’s rest by a lake where Orbit charmed two sodas off some campers. More miles, and the strange sensation of a car coming at me in the woods. I spun around in defense, but nothing. Turns out I was standing next to a road I couldn’t see. Then a long line of monster trucks. You never know what you’ll see standing amongst pines.

A climb to yet another pass where an unexpected spread of cherry tomatoes, home grown strawberries and gingersnaps awaited. Foraging is as much luck as art. A climb down as Lake Tahoe presented herself. Rounding the bend, my cell phone found a signal. Siri gently broke the news that the Orioles had narrowly lost to the Yankees. I said some unkind things about the state of the world and walked it off. Fell in with Otter for the final hiking conversation of the day and learned a little about the life of an itinerant golf pro.

Camp was on a ledge shaded blue by the waters of Lake Tahoe. Couscous went down as I listened to each recount the events of their day. Storytelling is much in style along with PCT and there was some good ones. Doc, who had finally appeared, made group blueberry cobbler which was a fine dessert to both a meal and a day.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 64 – Thank you Mike & Jen

July 5, 2013
10 miles today
Mile 1102 total

Up to tea and scones. Mike to his bike ride and Jen to teach a gym class. What trust to leave three people, known less than 24 hours, alone in your house. We did our best to honor that trust and then back to the brothel. Our appreciation once again to Mike and Jen. Met Doc at Safeway. He looked refreshed and none the worse for wear. There too we ran into Otter. If you’re going to have chance encounters with PCT through hikers, ground zero is the town supermarket.

We abused Tashi’s hospitality one last time by having her lug us back up the mountain to Echo Lake for a reunion with the PCT. There we joined the usual group of through hikers in front of the store going through the 12 steps of reorganization. Viking was there, obviously preparing for the end of times by packing 10 days worth of food. One last orange sherbet, a fine representative of civilization, and back to it.

The trail kept to the touch of Echo Lake for 2 miles. Though crowded, I appreciated its tendency to stay level. The lake itself was lined with quaint cabins. Judging from the architectural detail I would surmise that quaint came with an agonizing price tag. The path pushed on towards Aloha Lake, and the crowds dissipated. I was in front of Doc, Slack and Orbit. I rounded a bend and came upon them swimming. Wrong turn somewhere. Tried my hand at impromptu poetry at the break. Good for a laugh but not much else.

Aloha Lake

Aloha Lake was populated by hundreds of mini islands, I fantasized about hauling a kayak up to conduct a proper survey, explorer style. Filed to future plans. And then a turn to Susie’s Lake where we set up a restful, windy home far from the holiday crowds of South Lake Tahoe. A collective exhale.

The hotel at Susie Lake

And then Orbit’s surprise, Jiffy Pop popcorn. Everyone back to 10 years old as we watched in wonder as the aluminum foil expanded into it a balloon over the coals. Simple joys are usually the best.

A helicopter flying erratically and circling overhead capped the night. At one point we actually thought it was going to crash, so bizarre were its flying patterns. But luckily not. Show over, as well as the day, it was to bed with the wind.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 63 – Spoiled at the Carson Pass Visitor Center, then ate flies

July 4, 2013
20 miles today
mile 1092 on the journey

Perfect

The day bloomed across whitewashed trunks and I set off towards South Lake Tahoe and a country’s birthday. Offroaders had torn up the trail as far as they could until the terrain repulsed their efforts. I plodded along slicing glacier bowls horizontally. The pattern of sharp down, groove the curve and then scramble up Repeated repeatedly. After 6 miles Carson Pass was within range. A trickle of hikers became a flood as many were free from work. A rumor of donuts at the Carson Pass visitor center quickened my pace and destination enthusiasm.

The visitor center was staffed by volunteers a cut above, many cuts above. The first question “would you like a slice of watermelon?” The next, “anything else?” Yes and yes. Orbit and slack pulled up as a platter of french bread, butter, hummus, guacamole, Three different kinds of gourmet cheese, finely sliced cucumber, grapes and the aforementioned watermelon were placed in front of us.Had a wine list been presented I would not have registered Shock, because I was in shock. The volunteers asked for nothing in return but conversation, which ranged wide. We talk of early climbing days and characters who had populated the ranges. Of Indonesia and Nepal. Their knowledge of trails as well as trails of the world was expansive. I tried to contribute to the conversation between inhaling my picnic, but it was easier and more entertaining to listen. Hey, full thanks to the fine volunteers at Carson Pass.

Ambled on. Passed a large woman with a large dog. The dog looked interested in my leg so I said “hello big un” to indicate my friendliness. The woman turned to me and said “are you talking to me?” “No!” I returned in panic. She smiled, joke on me. The path began its long slow pour into South Lake Tahoe. Hung out at a bygone cabin and had a formal bath in the lake to spruce up for town. In other words I dove in the lake with all my clothes on. My drying line was more hiking. As I steamed a horse fly landed on my beard, just below my lower lip, looking for a bite point. Non instinctively I sucked in my lower lip, and drug him into my mouth with my front teeth. Then I spit him without breaking stride. Probably the next step in my trail evolution will be swallowing him but I’m not there yet.

Arrived at the trailhead/highway 50 at about the same time as a couple and their dog that we had been playing pass tag with throughout the day. They pass, or we pass, depending on breaks, speed or dogs rolling in snowbanks. Their friend was picking them up in a van and they offered us a ride into town. In town, their generosity continued it streak. Mike and Jen, professors at the local community college, opened their doors and vacationing kids bedrooms to three oderous through hikers. The kindness and generosity of people all along this trail needs to be trumpeted, but it goes unsung because it is not newsworthy. I’ll do my best here. Thank you Mike and Jen for your kindness, hospitality and good unto others. And also for the Q-tips which I used to pull something that once had wings out of my left ear.

Deposit by Jen at the heart of South Lake Tahoe we beelined to an all you can eat Indian restaurant. The clientele was almost exclusively Indian which immediately established the restaurants credentials. We did the usual damage to the restaurants profits, but the main event was the arrival of doc, returned from lost in the forest. He caught up on his tail of misdirection, adventure, woe and guiding his parents through the high Sierras. But the good doctor was ready to rejoin orbit and sons and hike properly again.

Soon Tashi joined the party. A climbing friend of Slacks, we had first met at the hot springs in Bridgeport. There, she had arrived after dark, so we had an extensive conversation completely blind. This I was meeting her for the second time but seeing her for the first time. Our party moved towards ever higher vantage points for the start of the fireworks. It was quite a show though a rude Pine refused to move out of the way. The highlight to me were the fireworks that blossomed into smiley faces which made me think of my daughter. The evening closed on party rock high over Tahoe. The vantage point allowed one to digest both the city and solar system with a click of the eye. Tahoe was not done celebrating but we were. We dropped Tashi and Doc off at the brothel. A rental house so named because all its inhabitants are females. I’ll never forget Doc’s frightened face as we drove away. Orbit’s extensive navigational skills, honed on the back roads of Albany, New York brought us back to Mike and Jen’s place on Hunk Papa Road. There to sleep. Thanks in order to the lovely Tashi for her car loan. And finally feliz cumpleanos de Estados Unidos.

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

If you’d like to help out and donate, please click here!

Day 62 – Lightning strikes and I race with Valentino

July 3, 2013
27 miles
Mile 1067

The price of a mosquito free night was a lack of flat ground. Thus I awoke in a ball at the bottom of my tent having slid down there throughout the night. Back on the road by 7:30 AM chasing miles. Almost all of the geology now is volcanic. Eroded crags point to the sky and meadows are filled with conglomerate boulders that have tumbled down from high points. A conglomerate boulder, to my untrained eye, is made up of many smaller boulders cemented together by volcanic ash. The skyline is harsh, but balanced nicely by plush meadows filled with wild flowers encouraged by the recent rains. Walking through the meadows stirs the plants, which scents the air with clean, strong smells. Impossible not to enjoy the miles.

Two on the road

Came upon Eileen and her horse Valentino. They are trying to become perhaps the first horse and rider to do the entire PCT in one season. Apparently Valentino had been spooked by the snow on forester pass and was no longer a fan of the fluffy stuff. Every patch finds him being walked around the offensive material. At one such spot we met. Having once ran a 100 mile race that had both human and horse participants, I decided to engage in a friendly competition with Valentino to see who would finish the day first. Valentino’s response was “give it your best shot,” and then he took off in a gallop. I inhaled dust, but the day was young.

Valentino and Nemesis

Came upon some trail magic left by Waldo, a 2012 PCT hiker. One last Coors was left in the cooler and Orbit and I split it, toasting our two month anniversary on the trail. It made for a fine late breakfast. Cheers Waldo. Soon followed by a lazy lunch of bacon jerky and warm mozzarella burritos. I cut the laziness short though because Valentino was pulling away and I could feel it.

Mount Suribachi Iwo Jima from World War II with raised American flag on the PCT

Bonsai tree with pack for scale

It took me a few miles but I finally passed him on a long downhill and it was his turn for the dust. The path flattened out and meandered through pine forests populated by stagnant ponds and my buzzing nemesis. The building thunderstorms seemed to stimulate their aggressiveness. With the race well in hand, I took a short break to purify water and feed the mosquitoes. Valentino snorted “sucker” as he blew by. Off in hot pursuit to no avail, as the race was over a quarter-mile later at the blue lakes road where Valentino awaited his nightly pick up. All hail Valentinus victorious.

Volcanic crags

The thunderstorms added lightning to their repertoire and I began to look for a home. It was around mile 24 but frustratingly no flat spots with water presented themselves. The trail left the comfort of the pines and climbed upward toward a barren, exposed volcano. With lightning now striking in front and behind me, I was not enamored with this trend though the view packed a punch. Spooked a few deer off the path. One trotted about 50 yards off and sat down on its butt, front legs straight like a dog. That I had never seen.

Highwater marks

I had a solicitous conversation with the trail. Surely you’re not going to drag me up over that mostly exposed ridge in a lightning storm? The trails muteness an affirmation. Resigned I climbed. To pass the time I would count the seconds between flash and crash. As always in such times alternating between fear and charged with life. After a couple of miles the trail began its drop toward the lake. I’d live to walk another day as always – until the day I don’t.

The camp around a greatly reduced lake was ideal and mostly bug free. With chores over early there yet remained light for a read with a log pillow. Viking, a mountain guide from Germany who looks the part, showed up and told a tale of a great hike in Iceland where you can cook sausages in hot springs. A plan began to form…

Viking

Steve Halteman
On the Pacific Crest Trail
Hiking the PCT for the Kids of Escuela Verde

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Stories from Steve

Steven "Blast" Halteman – Author, Adventurer

Monthly Archives: July 2013

Day 71 – Go ahead, drink the water

Day 70 – Ants at 2 a.m. & Ambush Vistas

Day 69 – Mark Twain might have liked the Bohemian Rhapsody

Day 68 – Go jump in the lake

Day 67 – Lost in the pass

Day 66 – I think I’m going to throw up

Day 65 – Jiffy Pop, blueberry cobbler and snow women

Day 64 – Thank you Mike & Jen

Day 63 – Spoiled at the Carson Pass Visitor Center, then ate flies

Day 62 – Lightning strikes and I race with Valentino