Southern California has been hot and dry. We have carried water for 25 mile stretches and been saved by water caches, and lucky cool weather at times. Now after 700 miles I have made it to a landmark I have been dreaming of since reading trail journals over the last two years: Kennedy Meadows. This small town has everything a hiker needs: a general store with a big porch and a trail angel. This cybercafe runs on solar power!
From here the trail climbs into the High Sierra, where even in this low snow year there is water everywhere. Between Walker Pass, HWY 178, there is not another road that crosses the Sierra until Tuolumne Meadows, almost 300 miles. This section follows the John Muir trail and is considered some of the most spectacular terrain on the trail. It is somewhat surreal to be here, done with Southern California, with less than 2000 miles left to hike.
Here in Kennedy Meadows hikers pick up bear resistant canisters as they head into bear country. Though the night before rolling in (which was the first night in 44 days on the trail that I chose to sleep alone, for those concerned about loneliness.), was my first bear encounter on the trip. A juvenile black bear was sniffing around my campsite around 1am. It seemed the bear had been heading down the trail to check out an overused campsite near Fox Mill spring and smelled me. I had not cooked or eaten dinner there. I scared it away, but didn't get much sleep after that.
The last stretch out of Tehachapi was a tough seven days. I did not get my new shoes as planned and did a painful 140 extra miles on my worn out trail runners. But thanks to family and friends of my hiking buddies we got extra love that made the stretch amazing. Bill and Phyllis met us at Walker pass and whipped up a huge salad and brought beer and snacks. These guys know what hikers need. Bill, who is now 78, thru-hiked the trail in 2001, and his wife Phyllis road tripped between the trailheads meeting him along the way.
Then in Kennedy Meadows Wildflower's parents cooked us an amazing dinner and brought beer, and baked goods from the Buttery in Santa Cruz. I have been humbled by the generosity I have encountered along this trail.
From here the trail climbs into the High Sierra, where even in this low snow year there is water everywhere. Between Walker Pass, HWY 178, there is not another road that crosses the Sierra until Tuolumne Meadows, almost 300 miles. This section follows the John Muir trail and is considered some of the most spectacular terrain on the trail. It is somewhat surreal to be here, done with Southern California, with less than 2000 miles left to hike.
Here in Kennedy Meadows hikers pick up bear resistant canisters as they head into bear country. Though the night before rolling in (which was the first night in 44 days on the trail that I chose to sleep alone, for those concerned about loneliness.), was my first bear encounter on the trip. A juvenile black bear was sniffing around my campsite around 1am. It seemed the bear had been heading down the trail to check out an overused campsite near Fox Mill spring and smelled me. I had not cooked or eaten dinner there. I scared it away, but didn't get much sleep after that.
The last stretch out of Tehachapi was a tough seven days. I did not get my new shoes as planned and did a painful 140 extra miles on my worn out trail runners. But thanks to family and friends of my hiking buddies we got extra love that made the stretch amazing. Bill and Phyllis met us at Walker pass and whipped up a huge salad and brought beer and snacks. These guys know what hikers need. Bill, who is now 78, thru-hiked the trail in 2001, and his wife Phyllis road tripped between the trailheads meeting him along the way.
Then in Kennedy Meadows Wildflower's parents cooked us an amazing dinner and brought beer, and baked goods from the Buttery in Santa Cruz. I have been humbled by the generosity I have encountered along this trail.
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