Day 92, Trail Party

Part 3, Northern California, Day 92

Trail Party

Miles: 25.83

Total Miles: 1470.6

It's amazing how the trail ebbs and flows.  Today was epic, where yesterday sucked. 

I woke up from a poor nights sleep and felt reluctant to get ready. I guess yesterday was such shit that it lingered on to today. I packed up and was hiking by 6:30. I met Bushwacker at his camp about 10 minutes later and after talking about our evenings, we hiked on together. The first view of the morning was of Shasta, and if was a beauty!

Bushwhacker is 65, and worked as a federal postal investigator for 35 years. He's a cool dude and we hiked together for the morning. Here's some trail art:

The trail was awesome today. It was a high ridge walk all morning in beautiful sunshine. It was hot out, but I like it that way. 

Shasta dominated the skyline:

I took 3 ibprofen before hiking this morning and my feet didn't hurt as bad, so I'll try this again tomorrow. I was cruising the morning, easily hitting my daily morning goal of 10 miles by 10 am. You can see the trail on the ridge in the pic below:

I went half a mile off trail to get water at Gold Creek, and I later found Bushwhacker sitting at a spring he found. Here's the old coot getting water:

I stopped for lunch at Deer Creek, and there was a very friendly deer there.

Bushwhacker showed up, followed by Scooter, Mario and Molly, and Roadside Attraction, and we all ate together. It was fun, and we all decided to meet up later at Ash Camp for some rumored trail magic.

The afternoon hike went through a verdant forest.

This creek had a great name. I wish I knew the story behind it: "Butcherknife Creek.

By 4 pm, the trail wound through some deep canyons and the temps skyrocketed. I hit downhill just as my feet were starting to get very painful. 

Then I saw this sign:

It was Claire and Diogenes' trail magic! I hurried toward Ash Camp and was among the first to arrive. I was greeted with a hot dog and a beer!

Here's the rare hiker/trail angel duo now, Claire and Diogenes:

There was a shitload of bats in the privy:

Other hikers showed up and I planned to go a few more miles to stealth camp in the woods. Just as I was leaving, I heard my name called from a truck. It was Whole Roll, Chowder, and Raingear, driving up in Legend's truck, and they brought half a liquor store with them.

I was caught in the vortex. Many hikers filed in and the beer was flowing. I was talked into eating vodka-soaked watermelon. The hours went by, and Space Kitty and Goulet even showed up; I thought they were way ahead. 

Each time I tried to escape, I was pulled back in. I finally snuck away at 8pm! I stumbled drunkenly down the trail in the beautiful fading light, not really caring where I'd end up, and feeling good.

I crossed the beautiful Mcloud River.

Here's me heading off into the unknown:

I found water at a spring, and walked 2 miles to an abandoned road where I set up my tent and cooked dinner in the dark. I guess I won't truly know where I actually am right now until morning. Today was pretty fun though. Until tomorrow.