Big miles! Rainy days continue: Mile 1057

Written 7/20/14

Posted 7/22/14

Well we successfully made it over Sonora Pass and into the Northern Kennedy Meadows resort. After the hail storm deterred our initial attempt to get to NKM, we woke up 6am the next morning to regroup ourselves, dry our things, and re-attempt the pass. Once we climbed over the ridge, the trail stayed above 10,000 feet on extremely exposed barren terrain for roughly 6 miles. Needless to say, we were very glad we decided not to attempt the pass in the hail storm.

We hustled down toward the resort and caught a hitch immediately. We were eating cheeseburgers and drinking beers by noon. 

After resupplying and taking a quick shower, we decided not to stay the night and instead hitch back to the trail. After waiting 40 minutes for a ride, we got to the trailhead and hiked a quick 7.5 miles making 18 total for the day, including our 3 hour stop at NKM. We were pretty impressed with our progress!

The last two days we did 20 miles back to back since the terrain has gotten easier. This is a first for us and we'll definitely be getting to South Lake Tahoe sooner than we expected. Yesterday we caught up to our friends from Pullman, Ford and Mariah (now Ferd and Dangit). We knew that they were on the trail and that we were close to them but this was the first day we actually stumbled upon them. After recounting our stories we figured out that we almost crossed paths several times but kept missing each other in between town stops and side trips. Since they started a week before us at the exact same place where we started, this just goes to show you how close but far away you can be to other hikers. It was great seeing them and catching up with them, they're a lively couple and full of stories. We camped with them at a small lake where we had a great little campsite and enjoyed a very scenic evening. 

They are also headed to South Lake Tahoe for some time off but are moving a bit slower than us. We woke up this morning, are breakfast, and packed camp before they were even awake so hopefully they'll catch us in time to hang out in Tahoe.

Today's weather looked promising but it started thunder storming by 1p. Since we got out so early this morning we put in enough miles to find cover and wait out the storms this time. Instead of hiking sopping wet and cold, we parked ourselves underneath and enormous rock roof and caught up on the blog.

The hiking has been getting easier because it's flatter and the trail is nice and soft from all the pine needles. The views have been just as beautiful and the wild flowers are everywhere!!! We found a fantastic tree to take our lunch break on top of a ridge yesterday.

We're very excited to get in to Tahoe! Buffets, a hotel room, beds, laundry, and showers await us. Although we've been able to swim and shower the last two weeks, we haven't washed our clothes since Mammoth. So, despite how clean we may feel, I'm sure we do not smell that great. It seems like there are a lot of hikers that we know that will be in the Tahoe area so hopefully we'll run into at least a few of them. 

While in Tahoe we're going to do our first official grocery resupply. We've been picking up tips from other hikers about what meals to get from the store. Although our boxes have been great, we're ready for a change in pace of food. Mike has been getting especially sick of his breakfast routine and wrote this poem about oatmeal. 

Ode to oatmeal

O oatmeal

Mucky, muddled, mush

Drab, deplorable dullard

I curse your maker

That smug little Quaker

Who grins at my every upheaval

Though I need your nutrition

It's against my intuition

To consume your hot, instant meals

You're a culinary bore that I've come to abhor

A detestable dish that I wouldn't wish

For the next hundred years to be eaten

And try as I might

To improve every bite

My efforts are repeatedly beaten

Peanut butter and fruits cant rescue your flavor

Honey and spices won't allow me to savor

Your bland and soggy cardboard taste

And texture like paper mâché paste

Why couldn't you be a bagel, doughnut or muffin?

Even a danish, some pancakes; give me somethin'

That tingles my taste buds or makes me drool

But alas, you're just oatmeal....

Oh how I dread my next spoonful