Bunny has converted me. I heard the guys across the inlet talking a few minutes before 7. I automatically started the coffee. As soon as it was ready, I went back to sleep. I did take my sippy cup and the protein bars under the quilt with me. Even in my sleep, I can cook breakfast.
When Bunny woke up at 8, I had coffee and warm bars ready for her pleasure. She told me not to get my ass in a hurry after breakfast, she wanted to read some more of her novel before we started getting ready. I had Sudoku and a daily word puzzle to complete, so I was very compliant. With only 9 miles to go, I have settled into this new life of leisure.
The climb out of Dicks Lake to Dicks Pass was a little over 1000’ in just under 2 miles. This is about as steep as the PCT gets. To put it in perspective, it’s just a stroll up the Sears Tower (Willis, what you talking ‘bout?). We left camp at 9:15 and we’re standing at the pass exactly 1 hour later. The views along the way were incredible. We only saw 1 runner coming down.
Yesterday, we met 2 guys that were only out for 3 days. They decided to hike from Echo Lake to Donner Pass. Today is day 9 for us covering that same distance. We’ll even get to Echo Lake tomorrow. They screamed on buy all these beautiful alpine lakes to camp at Richardson Lake—28 miles of the most amazingly gorgeous country I’ve seen on the trail. We ARE in the Sierra, but not the high Sierra. I’m expecting to be wowed even more when we make it there and to the 3 National Parks contained there in.
If I’ve learned one thing in these last 3 1/2 years of hiking and could share one piece of advice with other hikers, it would be “slow the fuck down!” People become too obsessed with the miles they can cover and miss the views in front of their eyes. Last year, we met Warren and Diane (“life at 2 mph”). She had hiked the PCT 19 years ago and told me she didn’t remember any of it. She was so concerned about covering miles that she only saw her feet, afraid that she might fall.
I know this will fall on death ears for those under 30. Also for the retired males in denial of “Low T” who want to show the young pups that the old guy can still move just as fast…until the stress fractures set in. I have embraced my “Low T” to the point that it has become a daily excuse for me. “You’ve got to carry more food, Bunny…Low T” “You’ve got to set up the tent, Bunny…Low T” “You’ve got to dig my hole this morning, Bunny…Low T” This is the best, least exercised excuse an old man can have. It took me to 57 to realize this, but I’m on board.
After Dicks Pass (or was that Dick’s passed…low T), we had a relatively easy 7 miles to camp. We did run into some day hikers that claimed to be finishing up the TRT today. New rule: if you are calling yourself a thru-hiker, you need to at least propel yourself part way on the trail. It was a mother, her daughter and her husband both carrying kids on their backs. They tried to say these were 2 of the youngest to finish the TRT (3 & 2) but I cry “foul.” Bunny take warning, if you’re getting carried, it doesn’t count.
We passed so many stunningly beautiful lakes today: Half Moon Lake, Gilmore Lake, Susie Lake, Heather Lake, and Lake Aloha. Plus several smaller ones that didn’t merit names but were still beautiful. It would be an amazing experience to come and spend 2-3 weeks here and camp at a different lake each night. While we were sitting on the shore of Susie Lake admiring the view and eating our lunch, a group of runners blew on by. The last one in the group said we were doing it right.
We caught up with those same runners taking a break on Lake Aloha. We stopped and talked to Pavan (Eat and Run), Kiran, and Avinash for a good 20 minutes. They were out doing a “short” 17 mile run. Pavan had quit his job in January of this year with the intention of traveling the world. He made it to New Zealand for several weeks and then came back to the US before going to India to visit his parents. Covid hit which meant he couldn’t travel back to India, so he moved to Lake Tahoe in the interim. We shared some of the trips we’ve been on and he told us some of the countries he’s visited. Pavan is about a decade younger than us, so he’s off to a great start.
Bunny and I scouted the southern end of Lake Aloha for a camping spot. We had been told that this is a reservoir so the water had been drawn out of it making the level pretty low. We can see water stains on the rocks along the shore a good 7’ over the current level. We found a protected spot with boulders on 2 sides that would normally be under water. We set up camp and then went for a “walk in the lake” to clean off and get drinking water. Tonight, I made sure to be up water of Bunny when she decided to rinse her Kula cloth.
Bunny was feeling better today. She might be getting over her Covid in time for us to travel home. I showed no symptoms other than the usual gaseous diffusions that are a normal part of hiking. Bunny’s turbo charging, today, would put a cow to shame. She’d better be careful or instead of bovine emissions, I’ll have to notify the EPA that the climate change is actually due to Bunny Emissions.
EFG