Me 2007-06-01 On the value of water
June 1st, 2007
When I woke at 4am the moon was low but still bright enough for me to eat my pop tart and pack up. I set off early to avoid the heat. As I climbed to the first ridge I kept looking back to the yellowing moon as it set behind me. Every stationary moment was another I’d spend walking in the sun so I moved on and reached Bird Spring Pass ahead of time.
Luckily I wasn’t too early or I would have missed Bruce stashing 30 gatorade bottles for PCTers. Many were still frozen solid! I mixed a small one into my platypus, drank half of one and watered it down, then took a solid one for later. Thanks go out to Bruce, I’ve been thinking of juice for days now and left satisfied.
The next climb was a bugger. 1500ft and it was getting hot. I really don’t think I have sweated so much in my life. Crossing over the highest point before Walker Pass didn’t mean much as the pass is tomorrow and the Sierras are much higher. I slogged on through midday and passed yet another water cache by Cookie Monster (a hiker from ‘05) who has made this section her personal project. This one had 71 gallons when I saw it!
I made it to McIver’s Spring just before Blue Sky and Vortex left and in time to give them the gatorade bottle, now sadly melted, I’d carried here. The hut isn’t in great shape and neither is the spring. It appears a bunch of 4×4 wallies have been driving through above the pipe. I assume they are unaware that it is our drinking water splashing up under their cars. :-/
I’ve debated about posting the following and decided to go ahead. If you’re reading this to know what I’m going through and how it feels to hike from Mexico to Canada then this is as relevant as anything. So…
Sitting at McIver I was having trouble eating lunch. Another 4 Cheese Lasagna by Hamburger Helper and another pre-cooked chicken breast. It wasn’t just that it was a lot of food but a lot of bad, hot food on a hot, dry day and it sent me into a downward spiral. Everything is dry here and everything is dirty and it spreads. I am both, though my shirt is still damp with today’s sweat. I want some water, enough clean water to splash on my face would do but I really want enough to swim in. To dive, to splash, to wash away four long days of hard work and grime. When I start thinking like that I know I’m in trouble. I’ve got no external sources to distract me. No one to talk to at the moment and I was looking at the ground so hard I missed the turning off the dirt road and then had to back track to it. So I had to break out of it. I looked across to the next mountain range. Section G which stretches all the way to Mt. Whitney’s doorstep. There’s water there, there are meadows, pines, grass, and my dad. As father/son camping trips go this is a pretty good one. So I walked on another three miles and found a spot slightly out of sight from the trail. Where I can happily let my clothes dry on my pack cover and blend in with nature as the sun sets. Here’s to tomorrow. May it be as tough and testing as today, and may I end it with smile.
More photos of this day’s journey can be found at Tehachapi to Kennedy Meadows