Pct day 36

June 22

9 miles

Late start, super sore, 7 miles and 3 liters of water left. Also I am covered with chocolate. This gross thing happened inside my food bag. A fancy chocolate bar melting and gooshed all over my food bag. Every time I stick my hand inside, I get coated with chocolate goo. Fancy chocolate goo. It has chunks of espresso. It’s all over my gloves and shirt. This will be great for the bears. 

The sleeves of my shirt are turning patchy white and stiff with sweat. I got this shirt at REI and I think it’s shrinking. The sleeves seem shorter now. Maybe it’s the salt. I’ve been wearing my shorts because it’s just so hot. Then I have to walk through thickets of groping poison oak branches.

It must have been 100 degrees when I finally stumbled onto the highway and found the spigot at the fire station. I had about a liter left. Just a short 2 miles into town but first I had to sit in the shade and finish my book for an hour before rousing myself for the final walk. In Green Valley, I stopped at Heart n Soul first for a milkshake. Then I pulled into the famous Casa de Luna. I’ve heard about the manzanita forest in the backyard. But the stories do not do justice to the magic that happens at this trail angel stop.



Deep in the forest, I found a hidden spot under a tree with a bench. I hung my food in the trees to keep the squirrels out. Probably I could live here.

I dumped my chocolate-y clothes in a bucket with some water and a dribble of laundry soap. The water immediately turned dark with dirt. I dumped it out. The same thing happened when I refilled it again and again. Finally I called it good enough and hung my stuff in the trees.