PCT Day 2: Getting Lost (its a good thang)

Day 2  5-20-2015  Sleep 2100-430

Miles 52.7-106.2

In it's early stages, I knew it was going to be a spectacular rise;
Just like my I knew my trip was going to be a spectacular one!

Felt good waking up and I was off.  The sun rise was off, the hook.  I was on the East side of a ridge and had a view for the entire hour and a half show.  I couldn’t help but feel like “hell yea, this is where I am suppose to be” At some point in the early morning, I reached the Mason Truck rd, I had to walk a ways on the road then take a left.  I flipped my pack around and started eating a packet of Ramen.  This is a strategy I use and like; I eat the ramen dry, which I fancy the taste to be like some kind of cracker.  Then I use the seasoning packet to flavor my water and give my body the extra 1.4-1.8grams of sodium it craves.  I am a bit hypotensive and therefore on any given day consume a ton of sodium; imagine how much I consume in the desert heat.  Sure that I would see the sign, I just kept walking.  It must have been when I was eating and not paying attention.  But I started getting the feeling that I missed the turn and was going too far down the road.  I looked at the map and thought, “no maybe, I haven’t gone far enough”  “It is always farther than you think” but then I started going downhill and reached a switchback.  I knew I had gone too far.  I let out a quick “bleep” and then told myself to calm down, it is no big deal.  When I got back to where the trail was, I guess I had gone about 1.2 miles in the wrong direction, adding 2.4 miles to the journey, oh well! 

Finally the sun is  up, I can focus on running; kidding, there is like 30 more minutes left

After that I was cruising.  Smooth easy trail, easy grade and some downhill got me to the highway 78 water cache a little before noon.  Now 24 miles until the next water on the trail and in the mid day sun.  I camel’d up and took three liters of water. I had electrolyte tabs and only used four.  It was easier and more comfortable than I thought.  Of course, usually I can do a 20 mile run at home with no water.  But you get nervous seeing as you are backpacking, in a foreign place and it is hotter than usual.  I definitely got fried on this south facing ridge, with the sun high in the sky.  But as the sun went down and the temperatures cooled, I came back to life.  I was booking along after my fresh water refill and enjoying moving by headlamp.  When I saw two eyes staring at me from about 300 feet.  I thought “stupid deer”, but then it blinked and moved.  Deer usually just stare at you, because they are dumb and think that you have just as bad of vision as they do, and if they don’t move, you won’t be able to see them.  So now my attention is drawn.  It was hard to tell but by the way it moved and the under belly looked white, I presumed it was a mountain lion (hard to say).  But I counted it, and picked up my pace…as if I would out run the mountain lion.  My thought on mountain lions is this; I was born in the year of the Fire Tiger and I am a Leo.  Basically, I am a Fire Tigon.  A mountain lion would have to be crazy to eff with me.  Now this is just what I tell myself…we all know the reality.  But I know I won’t go down without a fight…if I get the chance.  Most likely, if a mountain lion were to attack you, they would sneak up and get your neck, you wouldn’t even know you were dead.  So nothing to worry about, so I don’t.  Moving at night always gives me a weird, eerie feeling, the senses spike and I feel super attentive, but after awhile I tire and just want to sleep.  I was exhausted; so I ate, brushed my teeth and cooled down.  I set up camp by Eagle rock and passed out.

The views certainly help

Can't help feeling lonely out here

Finally the sun goes down and I feel not hot