😴 5.10 am – I’m wide awake and started writing yesterday’s blog. Gentle snores are coming from the tent next door (DinkyDi). The stars are stunning and so clear and bright. You can also see the milky way, it’s beautiful. I hope we have a good sunrise this morning as we’ve not seen a good one yet.
 
🤮 7.03 am – DinkyDi is poorly so with a heavy heart I pack up and start walking on my own. I don’t have enough food to stay another day so I have no choice but to leave her there. I need to walk 0.7 miles up a hill before I get back on the trail but the weather is cool and I’m well-rested. I’ve got this!
 
🥾 9.25 am – Five miles in and I’m taking a break. The climb has not been too bad. It’s all switchbacks and very rocky ground. Only 4.5 miles to go and I’ll be in Mount Laguna. I’m sitting by a creek with two massive pine cones for company! 😂
 
💦 10 am – DinkyDi’s voice comes into my head as I fall up a giant rock step “If you trip then take a sip”. Realising that I haven’t drunk much at all, I stop to catch my breath and take a sip of water.
 
🌲 10.49 am – Wow! I like this beautiful pine forest trail. It’s soft underfoot and smells divine. There are massive pine cones everywhere. I need a wild wee so put my pack by a log, and grab my portable bidet. I’d rather experiment with this new gadget with a number one rather than a number two. “Squirt” blimey, that’s cold!! But I feel clean. A quick pat down and I’m good to go! I could get used to this. 1.6 miles to go. I’ll be there before lunch and I can’t wait!
 
😜 11.27 am – I look up as I hear footsteps coming towards me. A young man in his 30s is running down the hill with no clothes on apart from small blue shorts. I can’t help but stare at his six-pack! “Happy trails,” he says as he passes me. “It is now!” I thought with a smile. 😂
 
😚 11.34 am – I hear someone approaching from behind me at quite a pace so I move over to the side and let her pass. She is not just walking, she is singing and dancing with her earphones in. At the bar later, I learn that her name is Anya from Ukraine and the pine forest reminded her of home. She was singing her heart out to some Ukrainian music. She’s been living in the US for the last few years.
 
⛄️ 11.50 am – Snow!! Just a few weeks ago this whole area was deep snow and PCT hikers were trudging through the forest. Today I come across one small patch of snow which reminds me of things to come when we reach higher elevations.
 
☕️ 12.00 – Pine Lodge Cafe. I enjoy fries and a hot chocolate and enjoyed conversation with a new group of hikers) although I’m missing my trail family.
 
🛁 1.38 pm – Yey! I have collected my bounce box and the key to the motel room. I strip off and have the longest bath ever! The water running from my body takes a while to go from murky brown to clean! I put my town clothes on from my bounce box and set to work washing my clothes. When I asked about laundry facilities at reception, the guy says “sure, here you go” and hands me a bucket with a little box of laundry detergent. It was quite hard work trying to get my clothes clean, but they are now drying in the warm sun outside.
 
👫 3.30 pm – I grab my Polaroid printer etc and head down the lane to the Saloon Bar. As I approach I hear loud voices that I recognise instantly. Sierra (now Hot Mess), Amelia (now Crick as she can’t say Creek), Supervisor Sam and Captain Cook are all here drinking whisky. Things could get messy. We are shortly joined by Disco Daddy, Joey and a few others. I spend a lovely evening catching up with them all and talking trail life. By 8 pm I’m stuffed with food and drink and head back to my room for an early night.
 
🛌 8.32 pm – I’m snuggled up in a real bed. This is heaven!
 
Night night. See you tomorrow and thanks for reading my rambles.
 
 
 
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Thanks for reading my rambles.