Days 84 & 85 – Waiting at Hart’s Pass

The temperatures last night were in the 30’s but I sleep well and don’t get out of bed until 6:30. Lucy and Canoe are camping near me, so I walk down the road a ways to avoid disturbing their sleep.

Waiting for Robert

I text Robert about seeing the Debbies on the trail, reporting that they are on schedule to be here tomorrow afternoon. Lucy is moving around in her campsite. I eat my breakfast there as she packs. Her plan is to have her father join her at a few places on the trail. Her father is a professional butterfly researcher (scientist?). She is heading south. I wish her well.

The sun comes out. I get my shadow back. We have a small reunion ceremony.

The rest of the day I sit around and watch hikers come and go while chatting with many. Unknown to me the Wander Women come into the Pass, eat lunch and leave. Canoe says they asked about me. I am disappointed to have missed them. It would have been fitting to see them here. The will reach the monument tomorrow. I will text them whe I think they are back in civilization. I get a text from Robert that he will be here at 7

MT and Jazzy and Jazzy arrive. Their ride is coming later.

Sandstorm arrives and gets a hitch out. I give a trail magic sandwich I yogi’d earlier. Sandstorms real name is Broady! Random, I know.

Robert arrives

Robert arrives with some hikers in the car, one of whom is Rebekah. She is carrying a lot of stuff, so we give her a pack “shakedown” to help eliminate some wait. She heads off, but forgets her wallet. Robert and another hiker drive up a road that parallels to trail to find her. They find her and she returns to camp for her wallet.

MT and Jazzy can’t wait any longer and grab a hitch off the pass. They ask me to look out for their original ride. It never shows. I assume they met on the road.

I go to bed under my tarp one more time. Robert gives me an extra blanket and some ski socks he brought. Robert sleeps in the back of his Subaru with the seat down.

Day 85 – Waiting for the Debbies

The day is waiting for me. I sleep late but still receive a glorious sunrise.

I am reflective this morning. The sun is warm and I feel positive.

Robert and I

When Robert is up, we eat some of the delicious freeze-dried food he has brought. Robert (a retired doctor) looks at my knee. It probably should have had stitches, but i damaged it just after I had rewrapped my knee so I had no idea how bad it was. It is healing fine so I will have a nice scar as a permanent memento of this hike.

Rebekah walks to the trail by our camp. She has decided to go south and take it easy at first. It seems like a good decision.

We have more for freeze-dried goodness for lunch. We have wonderful conversations about everything. Robert is so kind and a pleasure to be with. We wait for the Debbies and their friend, Jaeson, to appear so we can get off the pass. Robert takes a nap in his car.

Inklings

As Robert naps I break down my camp including my tarp. I am going “all in” on this notion that the Debbies will be here soon and we will drive off this pass together tonight. When my preparations are complete, I walk back to the trailhead.

I hear voices from the trail on the ridge above. The voices are female. My hope rises. I stare and stare at the side of the ridge where I believe the trail lies. Some of it is hidden behind trees. I don’t see anything. I walk back to camp. Those voices could belong to anyone.

Appearing

Again I walk back to the trailhead and stare at the trail where it emerges from the forest. Robert walks up. He has been sleeping for an hour. I explain to him what I heard. We both wait expectantly. The Debbies emerge as if on cue. They stop at the trailhead and stare at is as we stare at them. It has happened. Just like we hoped. Jaeson is with them. We are all together at last.

Jubilantly we walk together back to camp. There is hugging and happy smiles.

Robert has brought champagne. We raise our glasses. Jaeson has completed his Nobo thru-hike. The Debbies have completed their thru-hike that was cut short in 2019. Doolittle has completed the first half of his thru-hike. There is much to celebrate.

We all load up into Robert’s car and head down the bumpy road from the pass. Jaeson’s flight home is tomorrow. Robert lives too far away to drive home tonight, so we get a motel in a town nearby and spend the night. I share a room with Robert and the Debbies share a room with Jaeson. The trail is behind us.

• August 25
• Startinge mile: 2623
• Ending mile: 2623
• Daily PCT miles: 0
• Total PCT miles: 1281

I could go write about my transition to California, the people I see and the places I visit. But I need a little rest from writing, and I would like this blog to be more focused on the trail. I will summarize this transition in a single post when the time is right.

Doolittle

PS: there is a real deer standing in the background of one of these photos. Can you find it?