August 26
1250-1270
I took 2 Tylenol PMs and couldn’t get up this morning. My nails were looking grody so I cut them. They’re still dirty. Not just at the tips. There’s dirt inside my cuticles. Like embedded in the skin. I need warm water and soap to get that clean. Not a squirt of ice cold water followed by a dollop of hand sanitizer. 
Also my thumb is doing that weird thing again. There’s a gross cut that happens when my skin gets too dried out. The cut never heals and it stings like hell whenever I have to do something with my right thumb. Which is seriously 5 times a second. I used to get the same cut when I was bike touring. It was especially awful at Grand Canyon. My disgusting thumb cut will always be what I remember most about Grand Canyon.
I started the day off with 10 miles of uphill walking.
Oh gnats, you’re the worst get out of my eye.
The trail is changing again. Dry, poison oak in yellow foliage, manzanita bush, Golden grasses, tiny fast lizards, huge woody pine cones.
I hope my long flowing leg hairs will protect me from the poison oak.
I got to Lookout Rock and looked out.
Got to the road around 5:30 and got a ride from KC in his big truck. That’s pretty much all that people drive around here. Big beard, dog tags dangling from the mirror.
I bought too much of everything at the little store. They had an impressive collection of candy. I was stupidly excited to find a Chickostick. Then I went wandering up the road being indecisive. A woman yelled off her balcony, “Are you a PCT hiker? Are you hungry? Do you eat steak?” Yes, I do!
Kelly and her daughter and friends were staying in a funky tilted cabin for the weekend. She fixed me a plate of steak and asparagus and potatoes. Then she said I could take a shower too. Why are people so nice? It was amazing. My feet were so dirty in the shower. My legs too. Before I left, I helped Kelly out by eating a lot of donuts and these delicious flavored marshmallows. I played with the herd of chihuahuas. And one German Shepherd.
My trail angel said I could stay but that felt like asking too much. I left and walked by Buck’s Lake at sunset. I wanted to camp by the lake but it was ringed by cabins. No lights on. I could probably get away with a sneaky camp. I came to the resort and the guy working there said he’d give me a ride up to the trailhead. I meant to set up right at the trailhead but I ended up walking another couple miles. I like night hiking.
Spinstera 