Day 46: Into the Oven
Date: Sat 6/2
PCT Start Mile: 652.1
PCT End Mile: 672.8
PCT Mileage for Day: 20.7
Total PCT Mileage: 672.8
The Highlights: hitches with the PoPo, lots of hot climbs
This morning we were out on the road with our thumbs up around 7am. After about 20 minutes our efforts had been fruitless. Then the local law enforcement pulled over… and offered us a ride! He could only take us about half way, to the end of his jurisdiction, but that was better than nothing and we’d be in a better place to get a hitch the rest of the way.
So, with about 17 more miles to the trail, our thumbs were up again. And legs out. And signs up!
Nothing… Hitching can be so demoralizing. After another 15-20 minutes of rejection, a California Highway Patrol officer pulled over and gave us a ride the rest of the way! Lucky day.
Getting a hitch from police is practically on the checklist of experiences for thru-hikers at least once along the trail. With two in one day, I’d say we checked the box. ✔️
By the time we hit the trail, it was 8:45am, a little later than we would have liked, but we’re lucky we got there at all.
I’m very tired, so I’m going to sum up the day by saying there was a lot of climbing and it was very very hot. Our day:
This hasn’t been our hardest day, and we will certainly laugh at this profile once we are hiking in the Sierras, but in the heat of the desert it was very brutal.
At some point before our lunch break (mile 662.5), we hit the one quarter finished marker. Halfway to halfway!
The hike between our lunch break and the next water source was a particularly brutal 7 miles, including a hot mostly breezeless climb. Squishy and I were on the struggle bus. Shawn not so much, he seems to do much better in the heat.
It was 5:45pm when we were leaving Spanish Needle Creek, the last water source for 11 miles. Shawn hiked ahead to our planned stop for the night, a tent site in 3.4 miles, all up another long climb. Squishy and I followed behind. Far, far behind. Our pace had slowed to a 2 mph crawl. It was nearing 7:30pm when we finally arrived at the tent site.
Ever the awesome husband, Shawn had our tent set up and a space saved for Squishy’s tent. He was also kind enough to take the jolly rancher barter and blow up my air mattress for six of the fruity morsels.
I hurried to organize the rest of my stuff, change into dry/sleep clothes, and fix my dinner of Chili Ramen, a flavored tuna packet, and Fritos. Finally, I filtered my water for tomorrow and was in the tent. What a day. Have I mentioned that we are ready to be out of the desert?
