14 miles
July 1
We head out at 7:15, the earliest we've packed up, but still not as fast as REI. We tell him we'll see him at Old Station for the soccer game. I hope we can make it!
We make good time, even though we stop for breaks every two miles. It is hotter than hot today, but at least the trail is relatively even and we don't have to go up any huge inclines.
No water for ten miles, but neither one of us wants to carry very much. We settle on a liter and a half each. It still seems like too much, but once the heat starts I'm glad for it.
From 11:30 to 12:30 we're dying. The beach sand trail is slowing us down, and every stretch without shade feels like torture. I'm pushing hard because I want to get into Old Station as early as we can, so we have some much needed break time before our evening hike. Maybe it was the heat, or my insistence that we keep moving, but Kacie tells me she thinks she's going to be done at Old Station. I don't blame her. My choice now is to either continue hiking with this group and say goodbye to her 3 days early, or stop with her and figure out what to do for he next couple of days.
Fourteen miles by 12:30, and we're in Old Station! And just in time to watch the USA vs Belgium game! (What a sad loss :(
I order a huge chili cheese burger, potato salad and two beers. After that Kacie and I split a giant milkshake. Perrrfect.
I pick up my resupply box, repackage everything, and read a letter from Kristy! My friends are too sweet. I love you!
Kacie has decided she doesn't want to hike the Rim, pushing hard for a couple more days in order to get to Burney in time. Sooo...we ponder our alternatives. In the end, we decide to hitch hike to Redding, spend some days there, the. Figure out how to get me to Burney. If you've read any of my blog, you know how much I live for zero days. Don't get me wrong, I freakin love this hike, but I also love getting off trail and enjoying the conveniences of life, too. :)
Kacie makes a sign (PCT hikers to Redding), and we make our way to the road and start thumin'. This is Kacie's first real hitch, so she's a bit more excited about it than I am.
After the 10th car goes by (on a not very busy highway), I start to think our sign might be too small. We rewrite our plea onto my Tyvek tarp, and after three more cars, one pulls over! A middle-aged guy in a slightly messy pickup--he seems nice but I'm sure glad Kacie is with me. We have about 40 miles to drive, so it's not the shortest of hitches.
Dan tells us all about gold mining (he's a miner), and lady troubles (he's a bachelor), and his dog Lucky (rescued from the pound minutes before being put down). We have no idea how big Redding is, so when he asks us where we want to go, we question if the bus stop is a good place. We tell him we'll just get a cheap hotel room tonight, so he suggests he drop us off at the Sundial Bridge (yeah, sure?), and we can find our way to different things from there. Sounds good to us-- but I think we're both euphoric from being in air-conditioning, so would probably just nod along to anything at this point.
Turns out the Sundial Bridge is the perfect spot, and while hanging out in the shade by the Sacramento River, we find a cheapish motel about a mile and a half away. It is still freakishly hot at 6pm, and we trudge our way through the city, looking forward to a bed and shower.
The Thubderbird Lodge looks shady, but we are pleasantly surprised by the updated rooms, complete with air conditioners, fridges, and a pool! We sleep well, cold even, and I'm in heaven.
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