Day 2 Panhandle Trace Hike 2013

Click image for Google map of starting locations. Details to come. PHOTOS.

3/30/2013 I had set my iPhone alarm for 5:30 which I thought would give me an hour to get ready to leave for the day's hike.

Journal entry: "Completely not knowing what to do. It is 8a.m. I woke at 5:10. By 6:09 all I had done was put on clothes and washed up and lost my toothbrush. Peggy got in car and drove away. I assumed she would be back to leave at 6:30 but she never returned.

"I made breakfast of oatmeal, sandwich and coffee for the day. Finally sat in chair and using iPhone maps, got driving directions to McVay Rd. the end of what they are doing today, which is 12 miles. Maybe I should go and hike part of both start and end? Yesterday I should have done some of end by Kennedy Bridge. Well I've got something from that site. So need to go to McVay, do that, and if there still isn't anyone, maybe investigate the other end.

"I'm torn. Could stay here at campsite where it is actually quite nice. Birds peeping, sun rising. I'm freezing and have to get moving though.

"It turns out that Peggy made the rounds of campsites and said she thought I was following her. Her story doesn't mesh with mine so something is missing. But the phone calls were off, she called the wrong number to reply to mine and then her cell didn't get a signal. Anyway. I went to Harold store and got supplies and enjoyed the 3.7 mile ride. Then got directions from map on phone to McVay road.

"Got there and parked behind the line of hiker's cars. Enjoyed walking in and out a mile but my energy was zilch. I really had to make myself do it.

"When I got back to my car, there was Peggy, bringing Frank to his car. She suggested I come with her, so I did. Turned out to be long periods of sitting and waiting for hikers to show up. We went to one location by the river. Three different cars stopped and asked if we needed help. That to me was amazing. Such a culture of community. So hikers took a rest stop before moving on. They had about a 4 or 5 mile hike to the next interception point which was Beaver Creek Rd. I think. That's where some hikers got off the trail and came out on the road almost out of our site. Two groups emerged incorrectly that way.

"Joe the trail maintainer, wasn't introduced to me but I should have done more with that. He had told Peggy that he had been out at the burned section, which comes up tomorrow. It took out lots of the blazes and a lean-to.

"This location was 1.5 miles from McVay. So I had walked 2/3 of the way. Peggy thought it was 1 mile and I was wrong. But Joe confirmed the 1.5. We waited longtime. Really getting tired of chitchat. Finally Marjorie, who is 75 years old, hiked Pacific Crest and AT trails and is backpacking with a little tent she carries in her hand, shows up. Really fun talking to her. But finally I realize I'd much rather be hiking. So I put on boots and so does she. Walked with her until I had to change card in camera. She went on. Then I passed her sitting down later. I had momentum and energy and was not tired. Could it have been the lunch with coffee? Or boredom building up? Anyway, it was joy. Hailed each familiar spot like an old friend. Mysterious to me how I could feel exhausted in the morning and energetic in the afternoon.

"Hmm it is 4:42 and I'm hearing weird sounds. Moths? Rain? Dunno. Now computer down to 82%. Bye bye. O I had worried about Luk the backup drive being in tent all day but it worked for backup when I returned. Also I left car door unlocked a couple of times. Yikes.

"At night while finishing eating, a flurry of rain. Put up rain fly. But no rain."

Back to intro and links to Meetup sites: FTA Panhandle Trace Hike 2013.