Montag, Juni 12, 2006
day 49, June 10th
Alone still, 20 miles to Kennedy Meadows
Oh boy, I did feel yesterday's 30 miles. And right in the morning there was a climb of a couple of hundred feet which costed me more strength compared to yesterday where I just flew up.
Anyway the trail first went through young pine tree forrests than through a burnt area where the trail contoured a million (it appeared to me) of hills before descending into a flat, grassy and sandy basin adorned with huge rounded white-yellowish rocks. I took a couple of pictures. Oh, by the way I had a first glimpse on the snowy Sierra Mounains!
So after the basin the trail turned and let along the Kern River, a fast flowing, strong current river and I thought oh boy, if that's what the rivers will be like that we have to ford I'd better be very careful.
So I arrive at Kennedy Meadows and it does stretch out and I don't see any sign of the campground. I keep going and going all in anticipation of seeing Carsten/ Sauerkraut again and there is Shawn on the trail shooting with his camera! Now this is timing! It turns out he is waiting for hikers and he doesn't know about Carsten's back problems. He doesn't know where the campground is either so after we talk a bit I keep going.
To cut a long story short I kept walking for three more miles in order to learn that everybody gathers at the store! Luckily I got a ride back. Rita and the Swiss couple were just about to hike out and we were happy to see each other again after such a long time and we talked for a while. And then Popscicle just came and we hugged. We had not seen him since before Idyllwild where he had had shints splint. Ever since then he had been trying to catch up with us and he missed us at the Saufleys just about only half a day!
Then Shawn/ Shooter and his friend came to the store and maybe 5 min. later Meadow Mary pulled up and I rushed to wellcome Carsten!! I was so happy to be with him again :-))
Happy reunion with Carsten and fellow hikers.
The KM General Store has a nice wooden veranda where everybody gathers, eats, chats or repackages his/ her bag because this is the place where you take the iceaxe, crampons, etc. if you have mailed these items to yourself. ¶ 09:50 0 comments
Oh boy, I did feel yesterday's 30 miles. And right in the morning there was a climb of a couple of hundred feet which costed me more strength compared to yesterday where I just flew up.
Anyway the trail first went through young pine tree forrests than through a burnt area where the trail contoured a million (it appeared to me) of hills before descending into a flat, grassy and sandy basin adorned with huge rounded white-yellowish rocks. I took a couple of pictures. Oh, by the way I had a first glimpse on the snowy Sierra Mounains!
So after the basin the trail turned and let along the Kern River, a fast flowing, strong current river and I thought oh boy, if that's what the rivers will be like that we have to ford I'd better be very careful.
So I arrive at Kennedy Meadows and it does stretch out and I don't see any sign of the campground. I keep going and going all in anticipation of seeing Carsten/ Sauerkraut again and there is Shawn on the trail shooting with his camera! Now this is timing! It turns out he is waiting for hikers and he doesn't know about Carsten's back problems. He doesn't know where the campground is either so after we talk a bit I keep going.
To cut a long story short I kept walking for three more miles in order to learn that everybody gathers at the store! Luckily I got a ride back. Rita and the Swiss couple were just about to hike out and we were happy to see each other again after such a long time and we talked for a while. And then Popscicle just came and we hugged. We had not seen him since before Idyllwild where he had had shints splint. Ever since then he had been trying to catch up with us and he missed us at the Saufleys just about only half a day!
Then Shawn/ Shooter and his friend came to the store and maybe 5 min. later Meadow Mary pulled up and I rushed to wellcome Carsten!! I was so happy to be with him again :-))
Happy reunion with Carsten and fellow hikers.
The KM General Store has a nice wooden veranda where everybody gathers, eats, chats or repackages his/ her bag because this is the place where you take the iceaxe, crampons, etc. if you have mailed these items to yourself. ¶ 09:50 0 comments
Tag 48, 9. Juni
30 Meilen alleine
Heute morgen fiel es mir sehr schwer zu gehen - ohne Carsten. Deshalb bin ich auch erst um 7 weggekommen. Wir habe das Essen aufgeteilt und ich habe all' die Sachen dagelassen, die ich nicht brauche, wie z.B. das Aufladegeraet.
Tja, nach 6 Ruhetagen habe ich mich ziemlich ausgeruht gefuehlt und stark, dass ich Hiker uebeholt habe, die wir auf dem Weg zurueck zum Walkerpass getroffen hatten. Habe ziemlich spaet Mittag gemacht (nach 17 Meilen - hatte es aber auch stark noetig), da bei der ersten Quelle angeblich ein aggressiver Baer sich umschaut und ich nicht seine Bekanntschaft machen wollte. Und nach der Mittagspause fuehlte ich mich wieder so fit, dass ich mir gesagt habe, OK, mal schauen, wie weit ich komme. Ich wollte bis 19h laufen, um das Tageslicht auszunutzen und um moeglichst viele Meilen zu schieben. Was ich heute laufe, brauche ich morgen nicht zu gehen UND ich bin schneller in KM bei Carsten.
Schon gegen 17h wollte mein Koerper eigentlich Schluss machen, aber wie schon oben gesagt, ich bin bis 19h gelaufen. Meine Fuesse haben echt weh getan!!
Das war mein erster 30 Meilen-Tag. Einerseits bin ich stolz andererseits bin ich mir nicht sicher, dass ich das nochmal brauche...
Inzwischen habe ich (jetzt schreibt Carsten) nichts gemacht den ganzen Tag. Na ja, nicht ganz...ich bin mit anderen Hikern und Trail Angel Oakie Girl an den See gefahren und war nochmal kurz einkaufen. Alles in allem habe ich aber nur versucht den Tag einigermassen schmerzfrei zu verbringen, was nicht einfach war. Der Muskel im Hintern, der krampft und den Ischias bearbeitet ist halt gross und gibt keine Ruhe. Ich habe mir dann auch nochmal eine Massage verpassen lassen. Ich habe seit ueber 2 Wochen nicht mehr ordentlich geschlafen und ich kann Euch sagen...it's a tough ride. ¶ 09:49 0 comments
Heute morgen fiel es mir sehr schwer zu gehen - ohne Carsten. Deshalb bin ich auch erst um 7 weggekommen. Wir habe das Essen aufgeteilt und ich habe all' die Sachen dagelassen, die ich nicht brauche, wie z.B. das Aufladegeraet.
Tja, nach 6 Ruhetagen habe ich mich ziemlich ausgeruht gefuehlt und stark, dass ich Hiker uebeholt habe, die wir auf dem Weg zurueck zum Walkerpass getroffen hatten. Habe ziemlich spaet Mittag gemacht (nach 17 Meilen - hatte es aber auch stark noetig), da bei der ersten Quelle angeblich ein aggressiver Baer sich umschaut und ich nicht seine Bekanntschaft machen wollte. Und nach der Mittagspause fuehlte ich mich wieder so fit, dass ich mir gesagt habe, OK, mal schauen, wie weit ich komme. Ich wollte bis 19h laufen, um das Tageslicht auszunutzen und um moeglichst viele Meilen zu schieben. Was ich heute laufe, brauche ich morgen nicht zu gehen UND ich bin schneller in KM bei Carsten.
Schon gegen 17h wollte mein Koerper eigentlich Schluss machen, aber wie schon oben gesagt, ich bin bis 19h gelaufen. Meine Fuesse haben echt weh getan!!
Das war mein erster 30 Meilen-Tag. Einerseits bin ich stolz andererseits bin ich mir nicht sicher, dass ich das nochmal brauche...
Inzwischen habe ich (jetzt schreibt Carsten) nichts gemacht den ganzen Tag. Na ja, nicht ganz...ich bin mit anderen Hikern und Trail Angel Oakie Girl an den See gefahren und war nochmal kurz einkaufen. Alles in allem habe ich aber nur versucht den Tag einigermassen schmerzfrei zu verbringen, was nicht einfach war. Der Muskel im Hintern, der krampft und den Ischias bearbeitet ist halt gross und gibt keine Ruhe. Ich habe mir dann auch nochmal eine Massage verpassen lassen. Ich habe seit ueber 2 Wochen nicht mehr ordentlich geschlafen und ich kann Euch sagen...it's a tough ride. ¶ 09:49 0 comments
Tag 49, 10. Juni
Wieder alleine, 20 Meilen
Oh Mann, diese 20 Meilen sind mir schwer gefallen. Gestern bin ich nicht nur 30 Meilen gelaufen, sondern hatte noch zusaetzlich etliches Auf-und-Ab ueber zwei Bergketten, also fuehlte ich das auch!
Zwei Drittel vom Trail waren heute super sandig, was bedeutet, dass man bei jedem Schritt Energie verliert und es war ausserdem sehr heiss. Der Weg fuehrte dann am Kernfluss entlang, der stark und schnell fliesst und da dachte ich, oh mein Gott, wenn die Fluesse, die wir queren muessen, so aussehen, dann muessen wir shr gut aufpassen! ¶ 09:49 0 comments
Oh Mann, diese 20 Meilen sind mir schwer gefallen. Gestern bin ich nicht nur 30 Meilen gelaufen, sondern hatte noch zusaetzlich etliches Auf-und-Ab ueber zwei Bergketten, also fuehlte ich das auch!
Zwei Drittel vom Trail waren heute super sandig, was bedeutet, dass man bei jedem Schritt Energie verliert und es war ausserdem sehr heiss. Der Weg fuehrte dann am Kernfluss entlang, der stark und schnell fliesst und da dachte ich, oh mein Gott, wenn die Fluesse, die wir queren muessen, so aussehen, dann muessen wir shr gut aufpassen! ¶ 09:49 0 comments
day 48, June 9th
Alone, 30 miles
This morning we split up the food, then I left everything else I didn't need (like the battery charger) and left reluctantly at 7 a.m. Somehow I didn't want to leave without Carsten and it was not easy to say good bye!
I had 50 miles to hike and the idea was to arrive in KM after 2,5 days. But I felt so strong after six days of not hiking and so happy to be on the trail that I just kept going!
I did not fetch water at Joshua Tree Spring because of that aggressive bear that is supposed to roam in that area plus I didn't want to walk those extra 0.5 miles off trail. So I kept going to the next spring four more miles but I arrived pretty much exhausted on my last drop of water and in dire need of an extended break.
So after that lunch break as I felt restored again and as I had walked 17 miles already I thought, OK let's see how much further I can get. I passed Puff-Puff, Snappy and Flow-Easy who we met on our way back to Walker Pass Campground.
The landscape turned from arid to more alpine and rocky and I truely enjoyed it! Saw a baby racer snake that startled me with its fast moving away. Then I walked through pine tree forrests along a ridge for a long time, on one saddle the wind blew me off the trail - I litterely lent against it. On the whole stretch I also had some big elevation, the trail went over two mountain ranges.
At five p.m. my body told me to get a rest and it was very tempting to set up camp. But I wanted to make the most of the daylight and hike until 7 p.m. Besides I kept thinking what I hike today I won't have to do tomorrow and I will be faster in Kennedy Meadows and surprise Carsten.
The 30 miles, my first time by the way, did hurt my feet, otherwise I felt OK. ¶ 09:48 0 comments
This morning we split up the food, then I left everything else I didn't need (like the battery charger) and left reluctantly at 7 a.m. Somehow I didn't want to leave without Carsten and it was not easy to say good bye!
I had 50 miles to hike and the idea was to arrive in KM after 2,5 days. But I felt so strong after six days of not hiking and so happy to be on the trail that I just kept going!
I did not fetch water at Joshua Tree Spring because of that aggressive bear that is supposed to roam in that area plus I didn't want to walk those extra 0.5 miles off trail. So I kept going to the next spring four more miles but I arrived pretty much exhausted on my last drop of water and in dire need of an extended break.
So after that lunch break as I felt restored again and as I had walked 17 miles already I thought, OK let's see how much further I can get. I passed Puff-Puff, Snappy and Flow-Easy who we met on our way back to Walker Pass Campground.
The landscape turned from arid to more alpine and rocky and I truely enjoyed it! Saw a baby racer snake that startled me with its fast moving away. Then I walked through pine tree forrests along a ridge for a long time, on one saddle the wind blew me off the trail - I litterely lent against it. On the whole stretch I also had some big elevation, the trail went over two mountain ranges.
At five p.m. my body told me to get a rest and it was very tempting to set up camp. But I wanted to make the most of the daylight and hike until 7 p.m. Besides I kept thinking what I hike today I won't have to do tomorrow and I will be faster in Kennedy Meadows and surprise Carsten.
The 30 miles, my first time by the way, did hurt my feet, otherwise I felt OK. ¶ 09:48 0 comments
Tag 47 Update - 2 Meilen
Hallo zusammen,
nachdem ich mich ja eigentlich erst viel besser gefuehlt hatte, sah das Ergebnis der medizinischen Behandlung nach 2 Meilen gleich wieder verheerend aus. Schmerzen in der Huefte und im Ischias und wir sind dann mal lieber zurueckgelaufen.
In der Naehe der Strasse ist ein einschlaegig bekannter Thru-Hiker-Campngplatz, den wir zum Ausruhen und Planen ansteuern wollten. Und das war eine glueckliche Fuegung. Neben vielen Hikern waren dort noch die Traillegende Billy Goat samt Ehefrau Meadow Mary und haltet Euch fest...Scott Williamson!!! Scott ist der erste Hiker der Mexiko-Canada-Mexiko also einen PCT-Jojo in einer Saison hinbekommen hat und er versucht es dieses Jahr wieder. Absolut eindrucksvoll ihn reden zu hoeren, weil der sowas von normal ruecksichtsvoll und bodenstaendig ist, dass man es kaum glauben kann.
Meadow Mary ist uebrigens Masseurin und hat meinen Ruecken etc. mal durchgeknetet, was geholfen hat. Unsere Strategie fuer die naechsten Tage sieht jetzt vor, dass Alina alleine nach Kennedy Meadows laeuft und ich mit Meadow Mary im Auto nach Kennedy Meadows fahre, um meinem Ruecken Ruhe zu goennen.
Das ist fuer uns besser als wenn wir beide daeumchendrehend darauf warten, dass es mir besser geht. ¶ 09:47 0 comments
nachdem ich mich ja eigentlich erst viel besser gefuehlt hatte, sah das Ergebnis der medizinischen Behandlung nach 2 Meilen gleich wieder verheerend aus. Schmerzen in der Huefte und im Ischias und wir sind dann mal lieber zurueckgelaufen.
In der Naehe der Strasse ist ein einschlaegig bekannter Thru-Hiker-Campngplatz, den wir zum Ausruhen und Planen ansteuern wollten. Und das war eine glueckliche Fuegung. Neben vielen Hikern waren dort noch die Traillegende Billy Goat samt Ehefrau Meadow Mary und haltet Euch fest...Scott Williamson!!! Scott ist der erste Hiker der Mexiko-Canada-Mexiko also einen PCT-Jojo in einer Saison hinbekommen hat und er versucht es dieses Jahr wieder. Absolut eindrucksvoll ihn reden zu hoeren, weil der sowas von normal ruecksichtsvoll und bodenstaendig ist, dass man es kaum glauben kann.
Meadow Mary ist uebrigens Masseurin und hat meinen Ruecken etc. mal durchgeknetet, was geholfen hat. Unsere Strategie fuer die naechsten Tage sieht jetzt vor, dass Alina alleine nach Kennedy Meadows laeuft und ich mit Meadow Mary im Auto nach Kennedy Meadows fahre, um meinem Ruecken Ruhe zu goennen.
Das ist fuer uns besser als wenn wir beide daeumchendrehend darauf warten, dass es mir besser geht. ¶ 09:47 0 comments
day 42 to day 47, June 4th to June 8th
The last 5 days we didn't hike at all but stayed at Dr.Mensink's home to make sure I can get enough rest to make my back feel better.
Fortunately it does and we are giving it a try today in the afternoon. For my safety and his own personal joy Dr.Mensink will join us on the trail from Walker Pass up to Kennedy Meadows.
We hope to be in KM on Sunday in time to get the shuttle to Grumpy Bear and are looking forward to see many hikers again.
Even though I really needed the time to relax my body and feel better, staying off-trail for so long doesn't feel right and there is a surge pushing you on everyday.
But today we will be back :-)
Sauerkraut
Hours later... on day 47, June 8th
Well, only after 1,5 hours on the trail Carsten was again in such pain that we thought it best to return to the road where there is a campsite. The hospital is rather close so better be stuck here than in the middle of nowhere on the trail.
It was a tough situation because both of us we had been so happy to be on the trail again! But this time Carsten even experienced a tingling sensation in his foot and we didn't want to maybe provoke a disk problem.
So at the campsite we met many hikers and among them the very famous Billy Goat (5th or 6th time on trail), his wife Meadow Mary, a massage therapist and now you better sit down... Scott Williamson!! The guy who already yoyoed the PCT in 2004 (Mexico-Canada-Mexico) after a couple of attempts and who wants to do it again this year. He is such a humble and friendly person. We surely did enjoy meeting him (he usually doesn't stop long or talks to people because he has to do his milage but here he stayed for two hours).
Meadow Mary massaged Carsten and gave him some vitamins to take. I think Carsten has reached a point where he'd try almost anything. Until lately I assume he would have stayed with more conservative therapies.
Understandably he was very concerned that he might get off the trail, especially if a disk jumped out. So after pondering the options I sugested that he hitches to towns and hangs out with the hiker crowd until he is in better shape and that I keep hiking, that we meet up in the towns of course and hope for a fast recovery.
That is what we'll do now. He will take a ride to Kennedy Meadows with Meadow Mary and I will hike to KM. So I will unload anything I don't need and Carsten will have some more rest. Then we'll discuss strategies again. I hope so much that he will be without pain so we can hike together.
In two days we will have full moon but already now it shines very brightly.
Good night ¶ 09:47 0 comments
Fortunately it does and we are giving it a try today in the afternoon. For my safety and his own personal joy Dr.Mensink will join us on the trail from Walker Pass up to Kennedy Meadows.
We hope to be in KM on Sunday in time to get the shuttle to Grumpy Bear and are looking forward to see many hikers again.
Even though I really needed the time to relax my body and feel better, staying off-trail for so long doesn't feel right and there is a surge pushing you on everyday.
But today we will be back :-)
Sauerkraut
Hours later... on day 47, June 8th
Well, only after 1,5 hours on the trail Carsten was again in such pain that we thought it best to return to the road where there is a campsite. The hospital is rather close so better be stuck here than in the middle of nowhere on the trail.
It was a tough situation because both of us we had been so happy to be on the trail again! But this time Carsten even experienced a tingling sensation in his foot and we didn't want to maybe provoke a disk problem.
So at the campsite we met many hikers and among them the very famous Billy Goat (5th or 6th time on trail), his wife Meadow Mary, a massage therapist and now you better sit down... Scott Williamson!! The guy who already yoyoed the PCT in 2004 (Mexico-Canada-Mexico) after a couple of attempts and who wants to do it again this year. He is such a humble and friendly person. We surely did enjoy meeting him (he usually doesn't stop long or talks to people because he has to do his milage but here he stayed for two hours).
Meadow Mary massaged Carsten and gave him some vitamins to take. I think Carsten has reached a point where he'd try almost anything. Until lately I assume he would have stayed with more conservative therapies.
Understandably he was very concerned that he might get off the trail, especially if a disk jumped out. So after pondering the options I sugested that he hitches to towns and hangs out with the hiker crowd until he is in better shape and that I keep hiking, that we meet up in the towns of course and hope for a fast recovery.
That is what we'll do now. He will take a ride to Kennedy Meadows with Meadow Mary and I will hike to KM. So I will unload anything I don't need and Carsten will have some more rest. Then we'll discuss strategies again. I hope so much that he will be without pain so we can hike together.
In two days we will have full moon but already now it shines very brightly.
Good night ¶ 09:47 0 comments
day 42 to day 47 , June 4th to June 8th
The last 5 days we didn't hike at all but stayed at Dr.Mensink's home to make sure I can get enough rest to make my back feel better.
Fortunately it does and we are giving it a try today in the afternoon. For my safety and his own personal joy Dr.Mensink will join us on the trail from Walker Pass up to Kennedy Meadows.
We hope to be in KM on Sunday in time to get the shuttle to Grumpy Bear and are looking forward to see many hikers again.
Even though I really needed the time to relax my body and feel better, staying off-trail for so long doesn't feel right and there is a surge pushing you on everyday.
But today we will be back :-)
Sauerkraut ¶ 09:40 0 comments
Fortunately it does and we are giving it a try today in the afternoon. For my safety and his own personal joy Dr.Mensink will join us on the trail from Walker Pass up to Kennedy Meadows.
We hope to be in KM on Sunday in time to get the shuttle to Grumpy Bear and are looking forward to see many hikers again.
Even though I really needed the time to relax my body and feel better, staying off-trail for so long doesn't feel right and there is a surge pushing you on everyday.
But today we will be back :-)
Sauerkraut ¶ 09:40 0 comments