So I had just passed the mid point monument. My knee was hurting so bad I could barley stand to set up my tent at PCT mile 1327.42. So I got all set up, crawled into my tent and ate dinner. I was all by myself (of course) everyone I was hiking with was miles ahead. Steak toe and LowLander are Somewhere behind. So I was all cozy in my bag, sleeping really good.
I was woken up by the sound of sticks breaking (something walking) And the sound of a constant deep humming sound. It was a ways away from me. I was holding very still and breathing softly so I could listen... My heart wanted to jump out of my chest it was beating so hard.
It was getting closer! Facing north I was to the right of the trail. The sounds where coming from the south of me and further to the right. (Off the trail) I was still, very still as it got closer louder and loader. The pace was constant and so was the humming. It was heavy cause the sticks where breaking loudly. It was at least 20 feet away directly beside me...
I can feel every beat of my heart as I listen. I can hear the deafening sound of the blood pulsing through my head... A thousand things are flowing through my mind. A few of those thoughts. I have no weapons. My trekking poles are outside the tent. My knife is maybe 2" long. What the hell is that. I know it's walking on two legs. I know the sound of two legs on the ground I've heard my own foot steps for over 1000 miles. Humans and big foot are the only things I can think that walk on two feet.
The steps and breaking of sticks keeps on going and thankfully the going away from me now! I check my phone to see the time. 1:34 am. Oh come on! Hurry up sunrise so I can have light and get the hell out of here. The sound is getting further and further away. I finally exhale. What was that. I'm still having problems processing what the hell just happened. Then I heard a crashing sound off in the distance. Sounded like a tree falling. Then there was another. Then a loud scream/screeching sound and more crashing of trees and things breaking... Then it's quiet...
WHAT WAS THAT??? Seriously!!! WTF.
I am just glad it kept going. Why and I all by myself right now? Why was there no one else here to witness that with me. I'm not crazy. I know I am wide wake cause I wish I was sleeping and never heard anything that I just heard. I tell myself it's gone, it's fine, just go to sleep. Sunrise will be here when I open my eyes again.
I force my eyes shut and clear my mind.
Well there you go. The freakiest/scariest thing to happen on the trail. Well being followed by mountain lions while night hiking was pretty freaky too.
When I woke up to my 6 am alarm I had some business to take care of and a cat hole to dig. I went over to where I heard whatever it was pass by to see if I could see tracks. But I didn't notice anything.
Honestly I don't know what that was. Big Foot is the only thing I can think off. It wasn't a hiker cause it wasn't on the trail. It wasn't a bear it was on two feet. Cause think about the cadence of sounds when a dog walks on hard wood floor or the sound of a horse on asphalt. Then think about the sound of you make walking. The steps per minute is less. Really think about it. You could tell the difference.
So yes I believe now. I believe in big foot. Seriously. July 28, 2014 at 1:34am.
So that morning I walked less then 100 yards before my knee was in full fledge pain mode. I only had 6 miles to go. I was going to just keep going and not stop. I'm moving really slow but I kept going.
I finally arrive at the highway to hitch into Chester. I crossed the street. To check out the trail magic!
I ate a cookie and drank a soda. I found the register and left my final entry.
I had to get two separate hitches into Chester. I told the first guy about my Big Foot story. He said he believes. He has worked In these forests for 20 years. And has heard many stories.
I got into town and paid $15 to set up my tent in the RV park. I ate pizza across the street at the pizza factory! I love it. Called Jordan to let her know I was coming home. I thought about just showing up and surprising her. (I wish I would have done that.) but I want to talk to someone and validate my decision to quit and come home. I was still trying to decide which side of the line I was on. The side where I am quitting cause I'm being a pussy or the side where I'm quitting cause it's the right thing to do... I don't know. I don't want to quit now. I'm enjoying he trail again. Like I said in my last post. It's harder to quit than it is to keep going.
I sat around as I did my laundry. I decided to hobble up the street to the gas station. On the way back I ran into Lowlander who has just got into town. I brought him back to the camp ground. Where he set up for the night. I suggested we go to he bar close by. He said na at first. But then I said I'm buying. "Ok" so we went. It was cool. Heavy metal playing on the juke box. I put in a couple dollars and played some Pantera my fav from back in the day.
The bartender let us behind the bar to take a photo. We stayed at the bar for a while.
I slept pretty good. With a pretty good buzz going. I had to pee so much that night. I filled up my pee bottle and two other bottles I had in the tent. Haha.
I had decide that I was going to take the Amtrak train home. So I needed to get to Reno. So I'm going to take a bus from Chester to Suzanville then another bus to Reno.
They bus doesn't run today so I have to stay another night.
I was told I needed to go to the dentist office for something special??? So I went. And the gal there was so nice. She took my photo and gave me a gift certificate for $20 to use at this place called the Locker Room. Yea! More pizza! I ran into Dust bunny and Danger Spoon there. They offered to let me stay in the hotel with them! Sweet. Which is cool cause it's right across the street from where the bus is going to pick up at like 6 in the morning to take me to Suzanville.
We drank beers and watched cable. Danger and I went to sit in the hot tube. Oh the life.
So I the next day I caught the bus to Suzanville. I had to wait like 2 hours for the next bus to come. so I went to Starbucks to use the wifi. I'm trying to download the movie Noah I rented from ITunes (something to do on the trail) I ran out of time. But I did run into this sign on a truck.
Haha LA-Z-BOY.
I arrived in Reno. I only had a few blocks to go to get to the Amtraks but I have 4 hours till the train arrives. I left my pack at the bell desk in Harrahs. Time to drop a few dollars in the slots. I put a $5 in the .25 cent wheel of fortune. I played that $5 for about 45 min. I was up $39 at one point but just kept playing. Of course I lost it all. But I wasn't going to stop unless I won enough worth to stop playing.(open to interpretation) i walked around the huge car show that was going on. Reno is kind of cool.
The train!!!
Riding the train was nice. I think it was like 23 hours. I got to relax, reflect, recharge, and re... I don't know. It was nice. I could have flew for the same price. I just didn't want to mess with that noise. The train is so stress free it was the right move.
My pretty lady who came to pick me up... Oh so happy to see here.
THE END
Well the end of my journey. Not quite the end of my story. I still have to see how long it's going to take me to recover from this nonsense. (It's been over a month and I still hurt) I have my gear review to do. And I guess I could talk about what's next in my life. Like my Go zero to HERO project. And my next vacation I plan to go on, ect, ect, ect.
I miss you PCT. I miss my PCT friends, no not friends my PCT family. If any of you read his blog be sure to say hi and if your in Colorado you better hit me up!
Thank you for following my blog I appreciated those of you who commented. It was my favorite to get those emails. Telling me I have a new comment. I ended up with 18,000+ views. Anyone feel free to say hi sometime. Or ask questions. Cause I know some of your are future PCT thur hikers.
I don't know what your life is like or what your situation is. All I know is. You know all those things you've always wanted to do? You should GO DO THEM!
If Hiking the PCT is one of them don't let yourself make up excuses. Cause anything other than living the life of your dreams is a lame ass excuse.
Yes any excuse is a lame ass excuse. This time last year. I didn't have the money to hike the PCT. I didn't own a single piece of hiking gear that I took on the trail. I didn't know about resupply boxes, i sure ass hell couldn't hike 20 miles in one day. (I had only hiked 9 miles in one day when I decided I was going to do the PCT.) I didn't know anything about tents, packs, sleeping bags, water filters, cooking stoves, down jackets, and what... Toe socks aren't those for girls? I still decided I was going to do it.
Decide to do it! And everything will work itself out. Even though I didn't finish. I'm so glad that I tried. I spent over $10k when on the trail and was pretty much broke in the end I was going to keep going and figure it out. I knew injury would be the only thing that would take me off the trail. And it got me but you can't be scared to fail... Oh I love ranting haha.
Next: dude my feet still hurt. What the heck am I going to do now? I have no home, no job... Maybe I'll become a professional archer. even though I've never shot a real bow before. It sounds like a good idea....
- Posted from my iPhone
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