Love the pics and posts. Thanks Boots. I can't wait to hear all about it. I am praying for your protection and for you to continue to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the trail.
Yesterday (Sunday) Arthur got a ride into the town of Julian where he was able to eat a pulled pork sandwich! Such luxury after days of trail food. He said he met fellow hikers from Japan, France, and Italy. He may hit the 100-mile mark today. The area he's hiking in is very exposed so he did some evening/night hiking. Here's a screenshot of the area where he camped last night. (The blue dots are locations where the GPS pinged, which it does at 30-min intervals.) Looks like very little shade or water nearby.
One week until we leave for SoCal and prepping has begun in earnest. Arthur has most of his gear already after doing week-plus-long solo trips the last two summers. We needed a couple things so we went to REI to spend graduation money. We were helped by Brentwood REI employee Peter, who thru-hiked the PCT two years ago! Photo by Arthur's aunt, Patty. Many meals are being prepared. Freeze dried food purchased online are the main ingredients. Arthur hopes to have the first month or so of meals prepped before leaving. All are from a blog I discovered years ago with great backpacking recipes. They take some time to prep but are healthier and much much much cheaper than premade.
Arthur exited the trail due to smoke today. He said he was hiking in it for three days and starting to feel worn out mentally and physically. Luckily he got a ride to Sisters, OR, and is staying in a hotel tonight. We discovered a Facebook group that coordinates rides and other support for PCT hikers in central Oregon. In the morning he is getting a ride to Trail Days in Cascade Locks, less than 200 miles north. He'll meet up with some friends from his time in the desert, recover from smoke and long days of big miles, and if conditions improve, he can get a ride back to the trail in Oregon.
Love the pics and posts. Thanks Boots. I can't wait to hear all about it. I am praying for your protection and for you to continue to enjoy the serenity and beauty of the trail.
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