PCT Day 34 – 90% Fun

Hiker Heaven (mile 454) to Casa de Luna (mile 478)

“You’re the carrot” Hulk shouts at me. “You can’t rest, you’re the one keeping us hiking fast. The carrot on the stick method works better if the carrot doesn’t stop for breaks.”

Slowly I comprehend what he’s going on about. We’re all making the push from Hiker Heaven to Casa de Luna today, 24 miles with nearly 6,000 feet of climbing. And since Keith and I are in front after lunch we’re now the carrot. Or really, I am since I’m the one who sets the pace when we’re hiking.

So now me, Keith, All American Austin, Mayhem, Hulk, Lite Brite, and Loner are pushing to Casa de Luna – a trail angels house where they allegedly serve taco salad to hikers and make everybody wear Hawaiian shirts. This very plan was something we all said we weren’t going to do when the subject came up yesterday on the porch. Comical. Our failure at moderation is comical. But, as is so common on the trail everybody has been swept up in the fervor of everybody else’s silly idea so here we are and I’m the carrot.

Fine then.

We set off down the hill, I’m in the lead and I silently resolve not to let anybody pass me. If I’m to be a carrot on a stick then I’m going to be damn hard to catch. We hurry around the bend and immediately recognize two hikers, stop to chat. Then I have to pee and before I know it Loner is on our ass and Hulk is right behind. We take off and I know that I’m not fast on the downhills. I’m always worried I’ll hurt my knees and so I mince my way on the descents. But I know if I can just hold on until an uphill we can drop the guys. I’m a member of a small minority of hikers who actually prefers climbing to descending, and I use this to my advantage this afternoon.

The trail this afternoon is a series of moderate climbs and descents. Up one ridge and down the back. Up another ridge and down the back. Three, four times, I loose count. It’s all the same rolling ridges and scrubby manzanita that we’ve been hiking through, but with the afternoon sun just right on the reseeding ridges the view is spectacular. Overhead we’ve had on and off again clouds all day, sort of threatening rain, but just kidding because we’re still in the desert.

One hour since the ridge with everybody and I’m getting hungry. But Loner is only a hundred meters back, he keeps gaining on the descent and then we drop him on a climb. Two hours since the ridge and I’m definitely hungry now, but I want to win. Loaner is close, Hulk right behind and I don’t want to have pushed so hard just to be passed three miles from the road. I know it’s arbitrary and pointless and that I’ll pay for my lack of calories now with sore muscles but damnit I want to win.

I want to win, but also I want to see what I can do. I didn’t want to do a 24 mile day after a 9am start, but now that we’re going for it, the thrill of crushing myself with effort is exciting. Maybe everybody who takes on a thru hike is the kind of person who likes to push their limits – occasionally to the breaking point. It’s what, so far, has made this hike fun 90% of the time. Even on the shit days, even on the long days and boring days and hot days, the chance to see if I can do this hike is fun. It also doesn’t hurt that when you spend two hours climbing a hill your brain rewards you with a euphoria-inducing rush of endorphins.

With just a few miles to the road I know we’re going to be first. So now it’s time to accelerate. Yes, we’re going to win, but now it’s about seeing how fast we can get there. I’m grateful Keith is willing to put up with this, and fit enough to do so. We jettison water in an effort to lighten our bags and I start laughing at the whole thing. Like we’re some kind of Nascar pit crew, except it’s just us and we’re participating in one of the slowest activities ever. Still, it’s fun and funny and that’s the whole point. We might win the rush to the road but you can’t win at thru hiking. Nobody gives out a first place metal in Canada and odds are your friends and family will lose interest in your hike long before you do. It has to be fun, and today is it.

Over another ridge and I can see the road. We’re going to make it before the others, before my random time goal. 24 miles in under 10 hours, including a lunch break. The last 15 miles in six hours. I’m the fastest vegetable known to man! I’m going to get taco salad for dinner!

At the road a kind lady gives me an apple and I nearly inhale it. My legs are tingling from the effort and I know I’ll be sore tomorrow, but I can’t help grinning like an idiot. 90% fun, this is definitely fun 90% of the time.