10×10 And A Beer Shower

Day 33

PCT Mile Marker 1398.35 – 1416.50

Miles Hiked 18.15

I went ahead and cleared all the morning cobwebs out of the trail with my face. That was pretty nice of me. Then I started walking with my arms straight out in front of me, holding my trekking poles. The cobwebs would mostly get caught on my poles, but threads would stream back and land on my shoulders and arms. But at least it wasn’t my face.

Vast, golden grassy fields covered flows of volcanic rock. Peppered with large oak trees. Classic California picturesque perfection.

Where’s the DSLR when you need one?

The trail twisted its way through shady little folds and caressed hillsides, and then there was a creek. And The Dreaded Hat Creek Rim Was Over.

Check.

The Hat Creek Rim had better views than anywhere I’d been so far, and I would absolutely do it again with Aidan…in late September…if I had water cached.

A huge lake, lush with greenery and fishermen and boats and serenity, took my breath away.  

And all of a sudden I was at the road to Burney, and I looked at my watch.

Ten By Ten.

OMG I DID A 10×10.  

Ten miles hiked before 10am.

So I sat in the dirt by the road and ate some stuff to celebrate.

Not too far after that, I came across the Wild Bird Cache. It had two shade structures, a picnic table, water, snackies, a huge cooler with more cold water and sodas, and a recycling and trash can.

This cache was really special. There were markers in a box with a request to draw your trail name on the table itself. A digital camera in a cooler with a request to take a photo of yourself. A hiker book with a request to sign your trail name, where you were from, and leave a joke.

Icebox – Reno, NV. How do you scare a bee? You say, “Boo-Bee!”

It was a magical break all by myself on a mega-hot afternoon.  

I made my way through the next burned, exposed area. It was 100 degrees. I stopped often to sit in the shade and remove my socks and shoes, take a salt pill, and then try to move on again. After three forevers, I made it to Burney Falls.  

I bought some soap, shampoo & conditioner, and two beers. I sat on the shower bench and took off my shoes. My feet hurt so much I couldn’t put them on the floor.  

I cut myself twice opening a bottle of beer. I sat on the shower bench, drinking my beer and massaging my feet, and watching the blood run down my hand for a long time.

After my shower, I was washing clothes in the sink when my rescue wagon showed up. My friends Ben and Tom had arrived to whisk me away to a campsite.  

Every campsite was booked, so we ended up back where Aidan and I camped last weekend. No showers, but also no senior citizens driving around in golf carts telling us we have to Follow The Rules.

The gents fed me lots of amazing real food, beer, and even loaned me a sweatshirt to wear since I’d washed all my clothes and they were still all wet and it was dark and getting chilly.

…and I Was Happy