Pct day 22

Title: PCT Day 22: zero in Big Bear

  • Date: 2023-05-27
  • Pct day: 22
  • Start: Mile 266
  • End: Mile 266
  • Distance: 0 Miles
  • Ascent: 0 feet
  • Descent: 0 feet
  • Start name: Big Bear Lake
  • End name: Big Bear Lake
  • Wake up: 08:30
  • Start hiking: NA
  • At camp: NA
  • In bed: NA
  • Where I slept: Bed
  • Shower: yes

Key moments

  • had a nice little sleep in
  • We went out to a cafe breakfast - I got a vegetable omelet with potato hash/fry thing and a biscuit with gravy (American biscuit - not Australian biscuit. Kind of like a scone. But a British/commonwealth scone not an American scone, which is more like a savoury muffin. Wow food is complicated)
  • I enjoyed trying all the different types of American coffee creamer - basically flavoured sweetened milk that you add with your coffee for some reason
  • Had a nice wander around big bear lake village, a cute spot with lots of timber framing on buildings
  • Bought a fancy waterproof compression bag for my sleeping bag to help me store it a bit easier and more compactly in my bag
  • Got a free scoop of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream because they sponsor PCT hikers
  • bumped into Trevor (now “Maps”) with his girlfriend, who drove from San Diego to see him
  • Did a stocktake of food and a plan for mileage
  • Exciting news: there is a McDonald’s just off the trail at mile 340 ish
  • There is a challenge to resupply your food using only McDonald’s for the next 27 miles
  • I have been excited to do this for the past 266 miles (since the start)
  • There is also a hot spring on the trail at about mile 308.
  • Doing a resupply in a major grocery store during Memorial Day weekend reminded me of Christmas shopping. Place was packed
  • Packed up food and felt good that I didn’t over pack so much this time around for the next 4 days
  • Cooked up a vegetable rich dinner as a team and had some nice late night discussions about the world with Kristi and Jeremy and Nicole. It’s been really nice.

Plan from here

  • get a ride at 730am to the trail head
  • Hike 19 miles to the next camp

Animals sighted

  • squirrels?

Gear thoughts

  • I cracked and ordered a new wide sleeping pad and a thin foam mat to put under the sleeping pad to stop it leaking/ getting damaged
  • I also ordered a new fancy pillow
  • So much more fancy gear coming

Physical condition

  • good! Just a busy day doing errands and it seems like town days are always so busy. I’d be curious to try resupplying st town and going back into trail one time soon

Thoughts and Observations

  • the trail is work, but it’s good work
  • I need to stretch more

Some of the bad things

  • town days can be really draining and trying to catch up on everything can be exhausting

Quotes of the day

#pct #pct2023 #pctclassof2023

Nicholas Tierney @njt