Let me catch you up to speed..

7/21: (7.3 miles) This morning I hung around town a bit before heading out. And I had some family come up to meet me in Truckee who insisted on treating me to lunch (we went to Jax at the Tracks and it was delicious). They brought my box from Soda Springs and I did my food planning and sorting at the trail angel's house. As we were on our way back to the trail angel's house, the heavens opened up and all hail broke loose (it hailed like crazy- like a couple inches deep of hail everywhere). So I decided to hang out a little bit longer in Truckee. The trail angel mentioned there's a back country ski hut on the PCT and I decided to get there and stay there. The Peter Grubb hut was amazing!

7/22: (22.9 miles) At the Peter Grubb hut there were also some equestrian riders doing a short trip. Because they had pack mules and everything with them they don't have to worry about weight and they can bring lots of luxuries. They fed me breakfast! Hashbrowns and sausage! So without having to make my own breakfast, I got going early (about 8:15). Today had some significant breaks in it, but I kept up 3 mph basically all day so I was able to make up for it. Got to a paved road near a couple campgrounds at the end of the day. I walked down, picked the nearest open one, and set up my tent there. Camping in luxury!

7/23: (15 miles) Left the campground and did a couple small hills like no one's business. But then it started to get hot. Lots of downhill took me to the highway into Sierra City around lunch time. I didn't have a box there so I decided if I got a hitch in 15 minutes or less I would stay a couple hours, get food, then hike on. It took me 5 minutes to get a hitch! I met some hiker friends I hadn't seen in forever, got a good burger, and sat on the "January's molasses" Wi-Fi for about 3 hours catching up on email and downloading some videos. Hitched out and hiked up the big steep hill ahead. All the switchbacks!

7/24: (12.3 miles) Started off the day with lots of rocky terrain. Worst kind of trail ever. Was also out of water and really thirsty for the day's first 5 miles or so. But I was mostly able to keep up a good pace till lunchtime. Then about 1.2 miles and I took the 3-mile side trail to Gold Lake Lodge and my box (for some reason I was an idiot when planning and sent a box here instead of Sierra City). But it all worked out because they gave me a tent to stay in for free (what you would bring on a car camping trip) with a couple mattresses from the cabins- I just paid for whatever food I ordered in the restaurant (which was delicious). Wi-Fi here isn't great, but it's working. Might hitch up to Quincy, CA and skip about 20 miles (I'm trying to get to Oregon by about the 18th or so of August so I can get to home for my birthday on 9/2. So I might be doing a bit of hopping here and there).