Miles: 1016.9 to 1029.7
Trail Miles: 12.8
I had a good nights sleep in the tent at the Deadman’s campground. I packed up and went back to the resort at Kennedy Meadows North.
Scooch, Momento & Waterfall enjoying KMN Resort
The resort was packed with campers, hikers and horse people. It was a busy weekend. It was also my anniversary. When I turned on the Garmin inReach I had two very sweet messages from HH. I felt a pang of guilt I wasn’t home to celebrate with him.
After breakfast at the restaurant, I picked up my laundry and retrieved my resupply box. Even after sorting and giving away anything that contained rice (I just can’t eat it on the trail anymore), I still had 7 days of food. Everyone else was stopping in South Lake Tahoe and carrying only 4 days. — Back in February, from the comfort of my living room couch, I thought 7 days between resupplies would be no big deal. Well, I’d since learned that 6-9 lbs of anything is a big deal. What had I been thinking?
After an early lunch, Scooch, Waterfall, Momento and I headed out for a hitch back to the trail. Within 3 minutes we were climbing into the back of a pickup truck. Hey 108 is twisty and winding, but the driver took it easy and we enjoyed the incredible views.
When our ride dropped us off at Sonora Pass, I gave him some cash and thanked him for the safe and scenic drive. He laughed and said he was a professional cabdriver in the SF Bay Area. I got a chuckle out of that.
It was 1 pm. I wanted to get on the trail, but we’d heard there was trail magic at the trailhead. Even though we were all stuffed from three square meals in less than 24 hours, hikers never pass up magic!
Sure enough there was the most incredible trail magic I’d ever experienced. It was organized by a retired physician, Dr. Deevel. For five years he’s been organizing a group to come up there one weekend a year. The food was incredible: grilled burgers, sausage, milkshakes, fresh fruit and veggies, homemade fresh-squeezed lemonade that was to die for! They even had an outdoor shower! Not to mention medical supplies for whatever might ail a thru hiker. The doctor had enlisted friends and coworkers to help him and they were the most gracious and kind folks ever. I was truly speechless with the outpouring of generosity!
Dr Deevil & Scooch
I was still dealing with the missing chunk of skin on my foot, so I took some bandaids – I’d be able to clean it nightly now, vice ration my remaining supplies.
It was hard to leave, but after a great conversation with Dr Deevil (he works part-time at the VA now), I got on trail at 2:15pm. I could have stayed there all afternoon talking with him and his cohorts, such interesting and kind people, but there were miles to be made. I needed to get to the Soda Springs Post Office by Friday afternoon at 3:30 which was still 144 miles away.
The trail was unrelenting, especially for hikers with full bellies and packs (and 7 days of food!). We hiked late, til 8 pm, and camped with a beautiful view that I was too tired to enjoy. Perhaps tomorrow there’ll be time.
