PCT Day 12: Windmills

Day 12 5-30-2015  Sleep 200-330
Miles 536.7 – 575

            It was still hot when I woke up and the sun was not even rising yet.  I got up to Tyler Horse canyon and got water.  I hiked until about 1100 but I was slowing a ton, as it was hot, there was not a square foot of shade and I was carrying a lot of extra weight in the form of water.  I finally found a few trees near a ridge that seemed breezy.  Without too much extra work I was able to make a spot in the shade with my legs up.  Sweet, I will just nap until it starts cooling off.  I was tired, I should sleep no problem.  Then the ants crawl all over you and the flies land on you.  It is over 100 degrees, do I climb in my mummy sack and hide from the insects and sweat it out?  Or do I try to stay cool and not let the little buggers bug me?  Didn’t really matter I realized trying both.  I was going to be miserable and not get any sleep.  But it is rest, I tell myself.  So half comatose, I lay there until 1600.  Realizing it is not going to be cool for a long time and fed up with the misery, I decide I just need to hike.  The heat is not as uncomfortable when you are up moving, but it does zap your energy and then progress slows and I feel like I should just wait until it is cooler.  Then I think of what I just went through during the middle of the day.  So I decide that either way I am going to suffer, might as well move on down the road. 
Windmills in the morning

So over thinking done, I get to day dream, ah to be in the mountains, with the snow, the breeze, and best yet, the lack of insects.  I pass through fields of giant windmills and the sun gets low in the sky.  The cool breeze brings energy to me as well as the windmills. Going green, machine, downhill time to run. What? Just run Joey! Oh yea, here we go.  You might be confused, but you were just in my head for a second; so know you know how confused I am half the time.  I had to yell at myself to just run, but then I did just run, all the way down to the highway.  I crossed and started the hike up the other side.  The sun had set and now the wind was whipping like being in a wind tunnel.  Because I was, natures wind tunnel; a canyon.  The breeze kept trying to take me away but instead it kept me cool for the entirety of the climb.  I reached the top and rolled along the ridge.  I was getting tired again.  Looking down at my watch 100, oh duh.  I reached a jeep road that became the trail.  I found a little nook and bivy’d up.  I wanted to hike all night as it was nice and cool, but my body likes sleep.  The internal struggle, a compromise and a nap.  
Windmills in the afternoon

Windmills in the evening

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