PCT Day 21: Beautiful Valley (s)

Day 21 6-8-2015   Sleep 2200-400    
Miles 928.3 – 971
            
Cool Valley

            Early morning cruising down from the pass, into a gorgeous valley and on my way to resupply.  Yeah, I was feeling good.  It was cold in the valley inversion, which kept me moving fast to stay warm.  Finally, I felt the sun and the road.  Three tenths of a mile and I was grocery shopping.  The store was a mad house, they didn’t have some items I was looking for.  I kind of panicked and got in line behind ten or so people.  I couldn’t help but get upset at the tourists buying a soda.  Seriously, you drove up here and now you are waiting in this line just a buy a soda at nine in the morning.  You don’t have anything in your car?  Do you really need soda to fuel your half mile walk and to take pictures from your car?  I want people to experience nature and beautiful places; but so many people do it wrong.  Driving and pulling off to take pictures.  It irks me so much.  If you are going to do that, just sit at home at your computer.  It is called google images.  Well, I have enough energy to get upset.  I must have gotten the rest I needed.  I got out of the store and found a sunny spot.  Drying my feet, eating a block of cheese and repacking my bag took me only a few minutes.  I wanted to get out of the mad house asap. 
Tuolumne River

            Back on the trail, a sense of relief came to me.  Back with my peps; the dirt, rocks, trees and horses?  Holy horses!  I had to wait to let a group of four riders go by, each rider had five or six horses in tow.  It took awhile and couldn’t help but think about how much respect I have for horses.  They scare the shit out of me.  They are big and all muscle.   Also, they might be able to beat me in a long distance race.  After the last one passed, I made my way.  Maybe I scare the shit out of them too!  Because the trail is covered in fresh horse droppings.  Yummy.  Making my way through Glen Aulin was stunning.  Picturesque with big powerful water falls.  My pack was heavy but I knew in only 150 miles, I would be able to send some stuff home and I would be at lower elevations.  In the afternoon I got showered on for a bit, which wasn’t bad at all.  But I was making my way through some low spots, valleys and fields.  My feet were swimming in the fresh extra water added to the scene.  Suddenly, I was getting attacked by mosquitoes.  That is what I forgot, DEET, damn’eet!   So I put my jacket on and hung my thermal top from my waistband.  A trick I made up on the AT.  If it is too hot to cover up, just hang a long sleeve upside down from your waistband.  As long as you are moving, the sleeves will swing around your legs and prevent the mosquitoes from landing on your legs.  A little warm, but comfortable.  Not need to be sticky gross with Deet, also I find I have to apply deet almost every hour.  I traveled well as the sun set and was in a good mood.  I found a place to sleep.  I made sure my feet were nice and dry and passed out.

Coolest nook I've ever seen


Soggy Feet


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