PCT Chapter 13: The good comes with the worst and then things get better

This might be the biggest post yet but I promise it won’t be the longest. As I’m getting into my grove I just feel too busy to post more than once a week.

This chapter has lots of gay people, some mentally retarded deer, and I went to the hospital. Always it was hard, often it was miserable, but sometimes it was beautiful and so I’d say in the end it was good.

(Fair warning my substack is glitching a lot and I didn’t do a great job editing. Sorry 😬) ((just looks the pictures))

Day 71 [1375-1395]

Today I took too long to leave camp. I spent the morning writing the last blog post (I know they don’t seem like they take much time but they do). While I did this I ate several microwaveable burritos and a cup of ice cream from the store. 🤤

Then I walked the 4 miles to the other half of the town of Old Station where I hit the gas station and headed to the famous “subway lava tubes”. Inside I had a beer with a hiker named “Monk” who is a grandfather working on his triple crown and is also from Georgia. The tubes were probably 40° colder than the outside air (so like 50°) and went on for several hundred yards.

Then after the tubes I pushed for another 16 miles or so with the water I had gotten in town. (Yes water carries are back). The sunset was gorgeous and I got to camp late into the night. I then had to hike a few miles in the dark to make it to a cattle trough repurposed for PCT water and sleep with the sound of cows.

Day 72 [1395-1426]

Today I woke up early, stopped at Burney Falls guest ranch for lunch after about 15 miles, and then pushed to burney falls.

Burney falls is unbelievable…

The tourists were surprised when they saw me dive in, the sensation may have turned to judgement when I started washing my clothes in the water. I don’t care, it was awesome!

At burney falls I met a guy my age from Georgia who is also a Star Wars nerd and likes cigarettes. Needless to say we quickly became friends over a smoke as I dried off from my swimming.

Then I walked a little further and slept by a bridge.

Day 73 [1426-1454.5]

I have reached the “bubble” and there are so many hikers. I passed 3 different “tramilys” of more than 5 people. There were several idiots my age and it was really great to laugh with fellow idiots. By the end of the day I ended up near another tramily and they invited me to cook dinner with them. One of them recognized me from the sierras and asked about my badass sister (shoutout Kackie). They were totally missing the view of Shasta so I dragged them 20 yards over to watch it. Sublime.

Day 74 [1454-1483.4]

I woke up to a 10 point Buck licking my urine up (they like the salt) from about 5 feet away. I talk to him, gently toss pebbles at him, and eventually throw a rock at him and he snorts and looks around confusedly. Finally when I scared him well enough he jumps over a tree and into a thicket of bushes where I hear him get stuck by his antlers and twist around to get out—-idiot. I guess I might say “

The sunrise was even better…

I ended up hiking with this group of 4 for the day. Two of them are gay women (but engaged to men), one guy is a software engineer from Seattle, and the last is a 45 year old hippie/trail runner currently living Atlanta.

I had hour+ long talks with each of them throughout the day ranging from very casual to surprisingly complex. Inevitably the queer ones asked me about my thoughts on gay people because of the cross on my pack—I articulated the orthodox Christian doctrine of sex, procreation and marriage and they didn’t seem too upset.

At night the leader of the group got actually mad about people who don’t wear sunscreen and furious at the idea of people smoking cigarettes (although indifferent to marijuana smoking). When I asked her about candles and campfires she readily admitted they should be done away with too for our own health and the environment.

—To this I couldn’t help but think “what is the point of living if camp fires and sunlight are to be avoided?”

As a Christian I think campfires and candles are some of the best things in this life. I would suspect that if they actually do take anything from me that it is far less than they give.

-Furthermore, to extrapolate this vision the “good life” becomes what, sitting inside away from danger eating edibles? No, I think there are and must be plenty of things worth “trading some health for”.

Day 75 [1483-1502]

Today I hustled 19 miles to a very strange Buddhist hostel in the town of Mt. Shasta that let me shower, do laundry and sleep on a futon for very cheap.

After eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a tray of cookie dough I ubered to the movie theatre and watched the Odyssey. I would love to write a review but I am too heavily influenced by the genius vision of Jonothan Pageau to have a truly original opinion.

That night, I went to the music festival in the park. I was very tired, very sore, and very stiff.

-A singular beer and some barefoot dancing with strangers did more to heal me than I could ever have imagined.

I don’t really like dancing, but man do I love it when I do.

They say Mt. Shasta is the holy mountain of the UNITED STATES. At least the Dali lama says so. I don’t know if this is true but it sure is beautiful to look at close after approaching for so many days.

Day 76 [1502-1518.5]

After waking up in strange zen land I went to a lunch spot and wrote some letters before getting a ride back to trail.

It was a pretty brutal 4000 ft climb to start out but I had a full stomach so I can’t complain.

I bought some bratwursts at the grocery store to cook for my dinner that night and got to have my favorite trail meal to start off!

Then I had a top 3 camp site of trail so far. The trail seems to reward hard climbs.

I did feel empty watching this sunset alone and tried FaceTiming someone else to share it with. ⅛ 😢

—I’ve enjoyed far worse sunsets far more with better company. I think that’s worth remembering…

Day 77 [1518.5-1551.1]

By today, what had been a nagging itchy rash had turned into sickness. I had hardly even noted the rash before but tonight I couldn’t sleep I was so itchy. I tried to wash off in a stream but it didn’t help. I won’t go into detail to keep this PG, but the rash was spreading in dangerous/devastating ways and I was getting worried about continuing on the trial.

All this said, I met a cool group of dudes to camp with and watch another great sunset. Sitting there watching that sunset I knew it was all worth it (the next 10 sleepless, itching hours I learned I was wrong).

Day 78 [1551-1562]

I woke up exhausted but by the time the sun came up I was ready to go and sick of scratching myself raw without sleep. I had planned out my way to get to a hospital from the next town, it was 50 miles to the next town and I could get a bus from there. I would hike through the night and be there by the next days morning…

10 miles into the day we crossed a forest road where a former PCT hiker “Sea Gypsie” was giving out Gatorades. I realized he was driving out an hour (hero) to go get more gatorades to give away and that the nearest Walmart was the town I planned on bussing to.

Sea Gypsie used the proceeds from the sail of his computer company in the 80s and has lived in a sailboat around the world with the exception of some time hiking.

In the hour car ride we had the best trail conversation I have had yet. We talked about the responsibility to participate in society even if we think ourselves “mavericks”. That’s why he does trail magic.

I probably won’t spend my 30-70s on a sailboat trying to woo new women into sailing the world with me— but despite my first impressions I found a certain wisdom with this strange old man.

Then I got dropped off at the hospital. In the hospital I assured the nurse at the desk that I wasn’t homeless but actually a hiker—they said they would treat me the same either way. That was very humbling. (I’ve been spending hours thinking through why I really get offended when people think I’m homeless). The good treatment of strangers who seem homeless is part of all ancient religions including Christianity—I’ve been thinking about this too.

In the waiting room I met an autistic boy “Kevin” waiting on his grandma and talked to him for a while and watched his YouTube chanel. I explained to him the concept of fireflies which he wouldn’t believe. I get along disturbingly seamlessly with the autistic… (it’s as if we speak the same language sometimes)

The doctor fixed me and gave me tons of drug prescriptions. Then I got a big dinner and quickly fell into a deep and much deserved sleep while I soaked my old infected clothes in the bathtub.

Day 79 (1562-1582]

I woke up from my slumber and got a huge breakfast at the same restaurant as the night before.

Then I took the bus back to Etna (the town I was going to hike to). From Etna I waited on the side of the road for an hour before getting a hitch from a hillbilly with his cousin/niece/daughter. They were great folks and offered me some beers as they drove up the mountain and told me stories about how the black bears in those parts had the taste of human. (Lots of stories about bear poop with blonde human hair inside)

Then I was back on trail!

I hiked with “Helium” for a few hours. Guess what-she’s gay too. And a nurse from Philly. She wanted to unpack why I didn’t like people thinking I was homeless, which was both interesting and helpful.

She stopped early and I pushed on another 2 miles to a sunset view (hopefully away from the blonde eating bears). As I laid there an old couple (Kevin and Kristine) drove up on e-bikes from their campground with a blanket to watch the stars come out. So they laid near me and I asked them questions about the show I had been watching each night the past three months.

Day 80 [1582-1602]

I woke up and hiked to Etna. The distillery there has the best food on trail. For lunch I had a burger with bacon jam and a pizza. Then I went and did laundry to cleanse my infected sleeping bag and gear from the pre-hospital era. There was great comradery in the laundromat. Then I went back to the distillery for another pizza.

I also got a care package from some buddies from college. Shout out Drew, Henry and Mac. This is the greatest gift maybe ever!