Aug 7.

Started walking 6.45am with just a couple of miles to a really important milestone – the California/Oregon border!

For 109 days and close to 1700 miles / 2735 km, I have been hiking from the Mexican border (Campo, CA) all the way through California. The PCT leads from Mexico to Canada through just three states – and California is by far the longest. Oregon and Washington are each roughly 500 miles to walk.

So arriving at the border this morning meant a lot for me. Completing the PCT is really possible and even the timing seems to turn out ok. I am expecting to reach Canada end of September now.

Soon after border, the next milestone waited for me – another 100 miles marker, the 1700 miles marker.

To make it to Ashland respectively highway 5 today would have meant 33 miles today. I was thinking about pushing on to Ashland today a lot. It would also mean a chance to catch up with Cactass and Tinkle – the two girls I had been hiking with from the beginning for a good three months.

There was one or the other climb during the day, but the afternoon was all downhill towards Ashland. Still my progress indicated that I would make it maybe around 8pm to the highway, not a good time for getting a hitch into town.

I decided to camp with a handful of other hikers about 6 miles from the highway. Planning an early start tomorrow, I should make it for breakfast into town.

Aug 6.

Left 7am the campground. Just as I came into Seiad Valley via a long roadwalk, I am also leaving. After a couple of miles, the road changed to an unpaved forest road.

A buck approached and started following me for good 15 minutes – a new experience. In the last weeks, I had seen more and more deer and they became also less cautious. But actively approaching me so that I could have touched it – that was new.

An hour later, another noise in the bushes uphill, I expected yet another deer. But the noise sounded like a bigger animal. It seemed like I had startled a black bear. He ran away some meters, then stopped and stood on his back legs facing me curiously. But he was not as brave as the buck (and I am thankful for that) – he turned and disappeared in the bushes.

At about 11am the Jeep road that I had used met the PCT again at mile 1668. The roadwalk had been really fast and rather easy on the feet – nearly 15 PCT miles done at 11am! I deserved a break with poptart and coffee, nice.

Some hikers arrived soon after by pickup and quads. A girl offered trail magic from ther pickup. I enjoyed a popsicle and a soda before moving on.

Lunch at mile 1674 at 2.15pm. Still feeling good, the roadwalk was really easy on the feet. 20 miles by (late) lunch is nothing was I normally do.

Taking water again at Alex Hole Spring, mile 1681, at 6pm. I joined Crumbs for dinner there before walking some more miles to a tentsite.

Moved on for another 2 miles to a tentsite. Lots of hikers camping here, same girl from lunch time doing trail magic out of her pickup. Lucky us… trail magic traveling with us. Got a beer for dinner and a good night sleep. 🙂

29 miles. Good day.

Aug 4.

Ride to the trail head at 8.30am leaving at the Etna motel. We stopped at the gas station – I can get a real coffee! 😁

On trail 9.15h. It’s gonna be a long day with short breaks if I want to do more than 25. But I kind of have to. Want to make it to Seiad Valley tomorrow – because for the climb out of that valley, I need to be fresh so it has to be in the morning for me.

Soon after the trail head, I passed the 1600 miles marker.

The morning is much cooler than the last days. But the smoke is back. Visibility is little – can’t even see the next hill.

First stop after about 11 miles at 12.45pm at Shelley Lake outlet, mile 1608. The visibility gets better.

I realize I lost the bite valve of my platypus drinking bladder. I ran back worried half a mile, but no luck. Going back to my pack, I found it under it. 😂 It’s the small things that make you happy… Efficient and quick 1 hour lunch break, I even manage to get a quick nap.

I kept pushing to the next water. While the trail is relatively even, I miss taking more breaks – my normal routine is start around 6.30am, break around 10am after 10 miles, lunch break at 1pm after 15-17 miles and another break at 5pm before finding a tentsite around 7pm. In these breaks I take off my shoes and stretch and massage my feet.

Camped around 7.30pm at a tentsite at mile 1623. My feet hurt. It’s not the distance – just 26 miles today – it’s taking too little breaks.

Seiad Valley is in 30.4 miles from here. I want to get there tomorrow, so I will need an early start. The general store there seems to close at 8pm. Since I need an early start also the day after tomorrow, I need to get to the store in time to resupply to make my plan work…