PCT 2019 Day 9 May 12/19

Daily mileage 12 plus 6 bonus miles
Total mileage 167
Hiked from 6:00 am to 3:30 pm

And that is that.

I woke up to a calm but cold morning. I knew the day involved a boatload of climbing, so let's get at it. The first few miles went ok, but those same niggling doubts about about why I am out here crept into the ongoing self conversation that goes on continually in my head whilst hiking.

To explain: I really do not enjoy hiking in the desert. The scenery is alright when viewed in a vacuum. But when I consider the other hikes I have done, the scenery blows. And I still have 4 weeks of it to go.

I called my amazing wife to wish her a happy Mothers Day while on a viewpoint overlooking Palm Springs. While talking to her, a recurring thought bounced around inside my melon: Now that looks like a city that would have an airport!

As the morning wore on, the doubts about why I am out here grew. I hiked this selection of the PCT in 2017, so there is really no excitement about what is around the next corner. As a matter of fact, it is the opposite in that I know where the nasty bits are before I get to them.

Long story short, I have decided that the dream of a continuous thru hike of the PCT is not for me. I hiked 1,355 miles of the trail two years ago and have now rehiked 167 miles of the trail this year. I think that what makes sense for me is to simply pick away at the remaining 1,300 or so miles over the next few years.

It is not to say that the desert does not have some great vistas

So that is all fine and well, but now I had to get off the mountain and figure out a way home.

It is really hard to see it but there a a colorful striped snake on the right side of the trail

I knew that there was a side trail to Hwy 74 from Fobes Saddle so that is where I would make my egress. But wait, nothing is ever that simple. As I was heading for the saddle, I felt a slight twang in my right knee. By the time I got to the highway, walking was actually difficult. Man that came on quickly.

I hitched a ride back to the Paradise Cafe within 15 minutes of arriving at the road. Thank you Trail Angel Cathy. Then I caught a ride all the way to Palm Springs with a very nice family, again within 15 minutes of sticking out my thumb.

After a few calls with my ever patient wife I had a hotel booked and I took my first ever Lyft to get there.

So that is that. To be honest, even if I had not decided to leave the trail for now, I would have been forced off at least temporarily by this knee injury. Walking on it today (the next day) is challenging and I do not even have a pack on.

Thanks for following my ramblings.