Hiked 18 mile.
I ate breakfast I was dressed and had my sleeping bag and pad packed up but I just laid on the floor of my tent. I'm ready to get going. I just can't yet... I don't know, I'm just so comfortable laying here. It takes me about 15 min before I managed to get going again and finish packing up the tent.
I don't feel to good this morning, not bad just not good. I had service for a bit and got a call from Jordan. She was almost home so that was good news and then the call dropped and I no longer had service.
I had Donahue pass to climb. I was hiking pretty fast until I got to the pass. It was slow going with all the stair stepping and switch backs.
Going over the pass really took it out of me and killed a lot of time. I'm going to have to pick it up to if I want to get to the Post office before it closes.
It's all down hill and flat from here. I of course had to stop and dig a cathole for the daily duty. Lol. More set backs. I keep passing lots and lots of other weekend warrior type backpackers and day hikers.
I keep checking the mileage and the time. I'm finally on the flat section. I can still make it if I do a little faster than 3mph. And have about 15 min to spare. I'm just so tired. Second day back out on the trail from 7 off and I'm already trying to do almost 20 miles by noon with no breaks. (Except to poop) I can feel my myself starting to slow down. I force myself to run on the slight down hills. Why is this so hard right now? On my way into Reds Meadows I did this so easily. I am borderline bonking at this point. Every step feels hard. But I force some more running. My lungs are on fire. I eat the rest of the snacks I have in my hip belt pocket and finished off the water in my MSR water bladder. All I have left is a half fully Gatorade bottle of water. I'm 1.5 miles away and I'm only 20 minutes till 12. I'm not going to make it, I might as well stop killing myself and rest. The PO will open again on Monday...
I have pretty much given up at this point. I remember a note that Jordan gave to me:
Why the hell have I come this far and pushed so hard to just give up? I ditched my pack behind a big rock grabbed my water bottle and started running all out. No longer weighted down from my pack I ran the whole way following the signs. I finally came to a parking lot. And ran up to the building and someone behind me said "LaZboy?" What the heck? I turned around and it was Tink! "Holy shit what are you doing here?" She had been in Tuolumne for a week now. I asked her where the PO was. She said it was 1.5 miles away by the store... OMG I could have cried (if I was the crying type haha) she said that the PO has been staying open later though and there was a free shuttle that would take me there in 15 min. I bought a bag of gold fish and a cookie ice cream sandwich from the other little store that was there. And we both waited for the bus. I just want to lay down and sleep. I'm so beat, "beat" doesn't come close to explaining how I feel.
I was a mess and totally fired. I was having trouble thinking straight. I hurt everywhere. I finally got to the PO and the guy is super nice and is going to be open for a other hour but he can't get my package right now cause they have to check in all the boxes they just got in. I have 5 boxes here! 2 resupply, a bounce box which I forwarding to Echo Lake and two from SixMoons Design. One of which I need to send back.
I just realized I lost my iPhone... Ahh are you freaking kidding me? I can't handle This right now. But I keep it together and I get back on the bus and hope it's just sitting on the ground by the bus stop... So it's not on the round. I went back to the little store and it's there waiting for me the nice attendant hands it to me. Wow that was a close one. All is well again.I had to wait 20 min for the next bus. I finally got my boxes and walk to the backpackers camp ground. I set my stuff on the picnic table and just crash and lay down in dirt on someone's forgotten tent foot print next to the fire ring.
Shit!!! I still have to go back 3 miles to get my pack! I'm regretting that decision now. So I have to hike 6 not so bonus, bonus miles. Today sucks. I hate working so hard it's just so far from fun. I've never had to push myself this hard before. High School football practice had nothing on what I just did. My 30 mile day was way easier.
I sleep on the ground for about 2 hours. I filled my water bottle and start making the trek back to me pack. Lucky I took a screen shot of the Halfmile app with the mile location of my pack. Cause I would have never found it without it. 2 and a half hours later I made it back to the campground. Set up my tent and later Drew showed up! He was having problems with his knee. So he went to into the valley to get it checked out. They said his bursa was inflamed. They have him a cortisone shot and sent him on his way. Doctor said you'll know in 2 days weather it's good to go or not. Looks like Drew might be back on the trail again. Just a day behind me.
Met some cool people at camp that night. A lady and her husband who used to take the REI groups on there first backpacking trip. I'm still so out of it. I need to sleep. Everyone is sitting around the fire talking and drinking beers having a good time. I'm in my tent sleeping.
Tomorrow I'm hitting the trail early. It's time to start doing big miles and make up some time.
- Posted from my iPhone
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