Mile  1091 to 1082

I wake in a good mood. Last night we watched the Warriors beat the Cavs in game one overtime. We eat as much as we can of the cinnamon rolls and cherries, then check out. We take another death-walk down highway 50 to catch a bus to Stateline, then a second bus back to the outfitters. I grab a sausage biscuit and some coffee at McDonald’s, and scramble across the street to hitch to the trail.

An English woman, whose son just completed his Wilderness First Responder certification and is today in Search And Rescue (SAR) training, picks us up. She tells us that during the last snow storm he went backcountry skiing, crossed his tips and broke both bones in his leg. He had to coach his buddies through his own splinting and evacuation on a snowboard. She hopes that giving us a ride to the trail will bring good karma to her son when he needs it next. Perhaps I should change my hitch sign from “To Trail” to “Free Good Karma”.

Afternoon thundershowers are in the forecast. Our goal is to make 9 miles to a tent site by a small lake and get setup before the rain. We have a brief climb, then meander through trees and patches of melting snow. My shoes and socks again are soaking wet. Unlike the desert, there is water everywhere.

Mules

When we arrive at the lake there is a couple on mules, who have ridden in from highway 88. They ask BLT to take several pictures of them, wish us a safe journey, then ride off. I’m pretty sure the mules thought we were jackasses, since we were carrying our own load.

We set up tents and cook an early dinner just in time. Dark clouds roll in, bringing exciting lightning and thunder. The time between flash and bang quickens. Our elevation is over 8,500 feet, but so far we experience no snow or hail, just a good solid rain. Anything that melts the snow is welcome, but anything that adds to it is not. I can feel the temperature dropping. It feels nice to be in my down sleeping quilt, just a little strange to be here before 5:00 pm. This could be a long night.

Lake side camp