Day 2, Saturday, July 3. Five Lakes Creek, TM 1518.1–(13.4 miles)

This is a first for me. I didn’t get up to pee all night. I’ve got to be dehydrated because even at home, on a good night, I have to get up twice. By calendar, I’m the youngest of this group, but, by physical capability, I am definitely the oldest. “And the last shall be first,” or vice versa. 

Bunny and I were ready to go by 8:30 but no one else was. It was then revealed that, by unanimous vote, I leave first. The hardest part to accept was that is was a unanimous vote. Even Bunny voted against me! I don’t remember voting, but the results clearly showed a 5-0 tally. Who am I to question election results? I’m not some crybaby that can’t handle a loss.

This was an exposed hike in full sun. No water for almost 5 miles. The water we were supposed to make it to last night. Everybody caught up to us before we made it to Tinker Nob (the halfway to water point). We drank a liter of electrolytes which was all the water we had, once the water was completely gone, I got really thirsty. Strider was flying down the trail. He had plenty of water, was used to the altitude, and was completely covered head to toe so the sun didn’t touch him. By contrast, I was out of water, practically stumbling down the trail because of heat, altitude, mental age, and lack of physical training. Downhill, I can handle that. Downhill was the rest of my day. 

It was Africa hot. I’m carrying too much weight, both in my pack and on my body, I’m not used to the altitude even though we haven’t gone over 9000’ yet. I was hoping for death, praying for it actually. We had a stretch goal of 13.4 miles today. My super stretch goal was to make it on my own without having to be carried on a stretcher. 

I tried to talk the group into stopping at the American River when the ranger told us a “nocturnal event” was coming. We pushed on because the Five Lakes campsite was lower. The final 1.2 miles killed me. If it wasn’t for Bear, I’d have stopped and let the jackals eat me (or possibly marmots, whoever is closest).

As I was staggering uphill, Bear asked me “Does anything hurt?” I huffed out a “no”. Truth was, my nipples were killing me. My shirt was soaked from all my sweat and I was excited about getting to camp—a painful combination to a fat man. 

I was near passing out and throwing up by camp. I was of no help to Bunny as she set up the tent. Also, she had no compassion for my plight. Inexcusable. It’s her fault that I’m this way. I followed her off-trail exercise regimen this year. I could barely stand. We cooked and ate in the tent because of mosquitoes. This was not a fun day. My chapstick was in my pack and I kept forgetting to get it out. My lips are drying up like my body. I keep thinking of the original Star Trek episode where they encountered an energy life form that called them “ugly bags of mostly water.” They’d have to call me “ugly dry bag that used to contain water.” Side note, this was the second night in a row I didn’t get up to pee. 

EFG