Miles 13.9
PCT Mile 134.8
Anji says I smell earthy. We all know what that means.
We’d been hiking uphill for hours. The views filled with layers upon layers of mountains beyond. Some hills red, mostly dark green, some little corners covered in bright green grass.
We’d been carrying 5.5 liters of water with us. We decided to skip the infamous Mike’s Place, which was a water stop, and opted to filter water from a stream a mile and a half before we got there because the water was clean and clear and delicious-looking and there was a storm due to hit at 2pm. We knew we were dry camping tonight and would need all the water for today’s trek, dinner and breakfast, and tomorrow’s water before the next water stop at Mary’s.
As a result, we hiked clear up this enormous mountain with a shit-ton of weight, and we were both feeling it. Angie’s legs were pretty sore, and when we got just past the saddle and started on the other side, we stopped for a snack, and Anji rubbed bug juice all over her legs instead of DoTerra Deep Blue. She sighed and laughed at herself and then busted out the Deep Blue.
So she smelled like bug juice and wintergreen. In a pleasant way.
The storm moved around us and through us and over us and then showed a hint of sunshine. We walked along through it all.
Down down down down back off the mountain to the land of warmer nights. Down to the land of no snow. Down to the land of a feeling of safety in a storm.
It stopped raining long enough for us to set up our tents and cook some dinner, then it rained all night long.
And Anji smelled all wintergreen fresh, and I continued smelling…earthy.