Just checking in from mile 1600 at Etna, CA.
Were any of curious last week as to how it is so hard for me to keep a schedule? On July Fourth, for example, I had planned on trying to hike a whopping 37 miles. I ended up coming up short by about 25 . Late morning, I found a big sign on the trail telling me about trail angels with laundry, Internet, showers. They didn't tell me about the bed, shower, shave, soda, ping pong, whiffle ball, 3 meals better than the last, a campfire with s'mores, or the family gathering that I (and Whistler) got to participate in. It was one of the best times off trail I've had. This is how you slow down your schedule.
On the other hand, there are ways to speed up your schedule. For example, there was this time (two days ago), where I was crossing a road and met Tish, who handed me a Gatorade, insisting that she wasn't a trail angel. I on the other hand, insisted that giving me a Gatorade made her an angel. She was being funded by a wealthy CEO to support ZenMaster in an attempt to break the PCT speed record. Most hikers take between 120-150 days to complete the 2600 mile trail. An occasional few decide they want a real challenge and try to make it in 90. And then there are the ones that try to walk into the Hall of Fame for long distance hiking (note: there is no Hall of Fame. There are no rewards. There is almost no recognition.), and will attempt to complete the trail faster than anyone else before them. They aim for about 60 days. That's roughly 45 miles a day. Every day. No rest days. And that is a lot.
About a week prior, ZenMaster met Victuals, a hiker mentally struggling with the trail. But he got excited about the idea of helping out ZenMaster, and has been hiking with him ever since. That was interesting enough that I decided that I should stick around to meet them. An hour later, we left the rest stop together. I had hiked almost 30 miles already, and was getting ready to call it a night. An hour of hiking, and I would say good-bye, wish them well, and never see them again. About 30 hours later and 60 miles later, I was finally able to say that good-bye.
Why would anyone in their right mind (that I am in my right mind is a questionable assumption, I agree) stick with them for 30 hours, you might ask? Only for you, dear readers. I couldn't think of anything that I would write about when I got to Etna, and hiking with them would surely give me a story.
The first night we hiked until just past midnight. We got about 4 hours of sleep, and hiked to Tish for breakfast. She was surprised to see me again, but very nicely accepted me into the club. Twenty miles and six hours later, we met her for lunch. This time, she was ready, and handed me a frappacinno (or some other highly caloric coffee drink), a veggie burger, a veggie burrito, a bag of chips, a box of Cracker Jacks, a soda, and kept asking if there was anything else I needed. Twenty miles and six hours later, we repeated the process with Pad Thai and spring rolls.
During the interim hours, we hiked through the Trinity Alps. They are absolutely spectular. Or so I hear. I really wasn't able to look up very often. Every time I took my eyes off the trail (take in the view, take a photo, etc...) I found myself being left in the dust and had to book it like I've never booked it before just to catch back up with them. But I enjoyed myself immensely. And the last mile and a half, Victuals and I started "sprinting" (ok, it was more like "running" (ok, let's say "jogging")) down the trail, as darkness came, jumping around to avoid rocks, and having one heck of a time.
There were plenty of times during the day that I wished I had more time to hike with them. However, those times happened to be short in duration, and very far between. I got my first blister since day one of the hike. I started chafing for the first time in over 1000 miles. Ditto for the "hiker hobble" I woke up this morning with.
Overall, I am very glad I did this. I actually enjoyed myself enough that I have decided next summer that I am going to attempt to do anything except try to break the speed record for the PCT. Both hikers were staunchly vegan, and thus I was a vegan for the day. I enjoyed myself with that so much as well that I have decided to become a vegan permanently. At least in between meals.
So I made it the last 87 miles in two days. Apparently, I can fly if I choose. Unfortunately, I don't have anything but crash landings to get me back on the ground. Today is a zero day of sleeping and recovering.
-Roger Dodger
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