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Day 73
The rain stops, but the plants hanging over the trail still retain plenty of water to keep us soaked. A long descent lands us in Belden Town. To keep it short, we end up in a trailer/bar/buffet. We eat and the locals drink, and everyone is the butt of a few jokes. At dusk we’re…
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Day 72 (Pete)
It began pouring about a minute after I capped the pen. It lasted all night. We packed up in the rain. We ate breakfast in the rain. We ate lunch in the rain. It didn’t rain during dinner! We did pitch the tent in the rain. Right now its raining. All our cloths are wet.…
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Day 72
It rains all night, then all day. We learn what it’s like to have no escape from it for a day. We imagine we might find out what it’s like to live for several days in it. Not comfortable. At least we are not trying to travel through a drought with only one water bottle.…
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Day 71 (Pete)
Both today and yesterday I have felt very weathered. Perhaps I am getting sick. Maybe its just two bad days in a row. It hasn’t happened before. That, however, is no reason that it wouldn’t be happening now. We spent the entire day traversing wooded ridges. Seldomly we would descend down into an overgrown canyon…
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Day 71
I’ve adjusted my pack, my routine, and my sleeping position to ease my lower back & hips, and it may be helping. It’s easier to walk this morning. The land is lush, rain threatens throughout the day. I try to retain my optimism to help Pete – he complains of feeling a little sick. Really…
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Day 70 (Pete)
The light was pretty much gone as we hurriedly ate a desert of mom cookies. As there have been clouds looming all evening, we used the last bit of day to pitch ol’ blue land. Now I can lay down and recount the days events by head lamp. Every building in Sierra City could qualify…
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Day 70
When we pack up in the morning, my hip is so painful that I can barely walk. I’m thrown into a dark mood, I can no longer ignore the doubts I’ve been having. Pete really proves the strength of his friendship to me when we discuss the possiblility of ending the trip early. He somehow…
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Day 69 (Pete)
After four days to Burney Falls we will be half way done with the miles, sort of. The things I have learned so far: The world is very large and can be imposing. I am very small. Yet, I have the ability to move across it as I please; and, in many ways, I have…
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Day 69
After a couple more trips to the now hilly crest we begin the descent to Sierra City. For a little while I break out of my spell and can’t help but immerse myself in the world as it completely changes around me. The air gets more humid, colorful plants are popping up everywhere in vast…
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Day 68
We ran into J.P. and Abbey around lunch. Just north of Donner Pass, we went to check out the Sierra Clubs Peter Grubb hut. Someone had left some stuff up in the loft. Soon enough we saw who. A young couple sitting out in back of the hut. They looked an awful lot like the…