Racing the Weather

6:17 AM

Up at 5:30 AM and heading out.

Last night I was warned by a hiker who came to pitch his tent: thunderstorms are expected this afternoon. I checked the weather forecast via satellite and sure enough—storms from 3:00 PM onward. I don’t want to still be at 2,000 meters by then, and before 3:00 PM I still have to cross two passes, which means a 37 km hike.

Sigh 😮‍💨 yesterday I also crossed a high pass and ended up with serious back pain. The pack doesn’t sit right, and if there’s one thing you absolutely shouldn’t do while hiking, it’s constantly adjusting your backpack to relieve your back. It doesn’t work—it only makes it worse. But when you get that many cramps in your shoulder blade muscles, you want the pack to rest on your hips instead of your shoulders. That makes the pack tilt backward a bit, and when that’s no longer sustainable, you pull it back against your back again.

7:01 AM

Because of the back pain, you become very aware of how long the day will still take, and that messes with your biological clock. Time seems to crawl, and even music no longer helps to let it go. This is going to be a long day.

7:57 AM

8:56 AM

Once up high, all you have to do is imagine dinosaurs. What a vast, expansive area this is!

9:48 AM

10:34 AM

1:14 PM

The second pass comes into view; I have to go between those two sharp peaks. It’s stifling, and the trail is very sandy. Every step kicks up clouds of dust. I have to cover my face, because all that dust gives me a dry mouth.

Pff… it’s not working. I lie down in a small grove along the PCT; I really need to relax my back. I empty the entire backpack and redistribute the contents so the heavier weight sits at the bottom. That way I can adjust the pack better so it hangs less.

1:36 PM

The clouds are gathering more and more. I need to hurry—I have to be over the pass before the thunderstorm.

2:23 PM

Ha, now quickly descend. And sure enough, the sky is already starting to crackle.

2:55 PM

Crackle, crackle—let me just walk under the trees in this thunderstorm; I create way too much friction out in the open.

Of course I have to pass through an old burn area. Lightning strikes tend to hit the burned trees, which can act like matches and start a new fire. Keep moving and don’t think.

There’s a hotel arranged in Bend, but I have to hitchhike to get there. It’s still a one-hour drive by car. I have two options: stand by the road—though it’s raining and I look pretty soaked in my poncho—or walk to a parking lot and ask around if anyone is heading to Bend.

😮‍💨 No luck. So I start walking toward the road. While walking, a car pulls over. Two hikers had just visited their friends on the PCT—who are hiking the PCT as their honeymoon. They offer to drop me off at the hotel. I’m not going to be asked twice.

5:07 PM

It’s amazing how people with hiking experience understand how hard it is to find decent connections when you need to get into town. My gratitude is enormous; you really depend on this kind of support. All I can do is say thank you and give a hug.

Finally, I can get things in order. Lying down—just lying down on a normal bed—and I don’t want to get off it anymore. Uber nowadays also handles groceries, food, etc., so if I don’t get out of this bed again, I’ll just order an Uber with a huge Italian salad and a pizza.

Total: 38.60 km in 10:16 hours
834 m up
1,104 m down