PCT day 86 – Under the boardwalk
We had a lazy morning again and we were hiking by 8. I set off first and got 6 miles of easy walking done. I spoke to mum and waited for Cool Breeze. I ate Cheetos and half a carrot – that's another thing I got from the supermarket yesterday, carrots. Bad decision. They are heavy and don't provide many calories!
We carried on and got to the Feather river and saw a guy averaging 32 miles days. Mental. We went in the river to wash off our legs and feet but it was too cold for swimming.
The morning temperatures hadn't been too bad. Then our climb up from the river was hot!! The storm clouds rolled in gradually and it cooled off, although I was still pretty sweaty as it's still humid.
We hadn't had lunch yet and at about 3pm I had to stop and eat something so I had tuna and crackers. They were so salty. I can't strike off tuna and crackers from the food I will eat, then I won't be eating anything.
I caught up with Cool Breeze at the boiling lake. Quite cool but a bit sulphur stinky.
We carried on to the sound of distant thunder all afternoon.
We arrived near Drakesbad guest ranch. A place we weren't originally going to go, then we were just going to go in and out. We ran in to a thru hiker and his friends who gave us beer/soda.
Both of us had really sore feet today and my knees hurt as I haven't been taping them. At the Brattens I had taken my KT tape off. With the heat I was so sweaty, combined with the dirt and the deet it wasn't sticking very well. I thought that maybe my knees had gotten stronger with all the walking, but after 3.5 days of walking without the tape my knees were in a lot of pain. Cool Breeze suggested I shave the part where the tape goes to make it stick better (I haven't shaved my legs for 3 months now. It really doesn't matter out here, but I do feel kinda gross, especially when all the dirt sticks to them and they glisten in the sunlight!)
As we were talking to the people who gave us a drink it started to rain and the thunder and lightning intensified. We decided to camp there and set up the tent. We walked the half mile to the resort and we were told they feed PCT hikers for half price. We also get to use the pool and shower for free. Cool.
We walked across a wooden walk way and did a beautiful duet of Under The Boardwalk. Which then got stuck in my head for days...
We get to eat at 7 after all the regular guests have finished, so we showered and got in the pool – which was heated by the thermal springs – and sat in it while it was raining and watched the thunder and lightening! We then had another shower - it's so nice to feel clean!
We then sat outside in the drizzle with Croomidor and had dinner (we weren't allowed inside!). Dinner was nice, leftover vegetable lasagne and a chocolate pudding, but not worth the $15. But we did get to use the facilities for nothing.
The temperature has dropped significantly and we aren't used to it after it being so hot for so long! I shivered in my puffy most of the evening.
All my muscles hurt from yesterday's acrobatics on the half way marker. I have strained my inner thigh when I was pretending to be superman and I used side muscles that I haven't used for a while. I have whole body ache.
We managed 19 miles.