PCT Day 8: California Soul; music is a rockin'

Day 8  5-26-2015  Sleep 2200-400
Miles 354-401


Not that is how you start
The sunrise this morning was amazing above a valley inversion.  The trail was nice pine needley dirt engulfed in huge pine trees.  I felt like I was in heaven.  When “California Soul” came on my shuffle, I turned it loud and got proud with my Cali soul.  I miss Cali.  I reminisced about living in the bay area a few years ago as the trail continued a long the ridge all day right next to the Angeles Crest highway.  I took a break in one of the parking lots as the trail crossed the road and was about to head up a big climb.  I dried my feet good and got to chat with a few other hikers.  When it was time to move again, I felt refreshed.  I was powering up the climb.  I could look up and see a beautiful Sun Dog or 22° halo.  There is a song by Lord Huron called “In the Wind”  and there is a ski edit titled “Sun Dog”(Sun Dog Video if you got a minute) that uses the song, that we (My skimo partner) and I highly enjoy.  We often sing the words as we are losing our minds on the longer days as a joke or mood lifter.  Well the song came on my shuffle.  I couldn’t help but be instantly teleported to the Wasatch mountains covered in snow.  I felt numb and couldn’t tell if I was walking uphill in the snow with skis on my feet or hiking the PCT.  Didn’t matter.  I just started crying and moving faster, I was numb.  What an experience, I live for these moments!  I reached the top of the hill, sobered up and got back to business.  Nothing like 5-10-15 minutes of free, easy, no effort movement to get me further up the trail.  I cruised along the crest the rest of the day.  I didn’t hate on the road walk that was part of the detour.  Most times I would get upset that I was walking along the road.  Especially when you are on such a beautiful trail and then you get plopped out next to cars with their exhaust and inconsiderate drivers.  I mean I know there is a double yellow line, but there isn’t another car on the road for miles.  I think you could scooch over and give me more than just a foot of space as you wiz past me doing 40 mph.  Enough about fatties who never ran a day in their lives.  I was exhausted when the sun went down, but on a downhill.  I tried to just keep the mojo going, but faded.  I ate, brushed my teeth and passed out right next to the road.  
Caption This
"Like a sound you hear
That lingers in your ear
But you can't forget
From sundown to sunset
It's all in the air
You hear it everywhere
No matter what you do
It's gonna grab a hold on you" 
-California Soul
Perfect Pine Needley Forest Trail
"You've been in the wind, you've been on my mind
You are the purest soul I've ever known in my life" 
-In The Wind, finally got the lyrics
Musics rockin' and I'm high as you'd like
Sorry, the day just kind of faded too:-/

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