Mile 703, here come the Sierras!

Well, I am now at Kennedy Meadows, mile 703 and my hike is about to get real awesome because the Sierras are just around the corner :) I can't tell you how tired of the desert I am, it has been 703 miles of sand, waterless miles, rattle snakes, heat, alot of heat, endless days of no shade, long miles, and crazy wind, so I am excited to get into the mountains. It occured to me today while hiking into Kennedy Meadows that I have now walked from the Mexican border all the way to the Sierras and I have under 2000 miles to go until I get to Canada! I am now content and happy at hiking between 24-28 miles a day, but in the Sierras I will have to lower my miles because of the massive amount of snow. This has been a record year for snow in the Sierras and the passes, ridges, creeks, and rivers to come will slow me down. I am planning to hike around 15-18 a day through the Sierras and I am choosing to carry 11 days of food through the Sierras so I can stay up there and just experience the mountains, without seeing a road, town or groups of people. I also plan to summit and sleep on the top of Mt. Whitney, 14,495 feet during my 11 day section in the Sierras. The group I have been hiking on and off with  is starting to break apart, we all have different plans for resupply and most of them don't have any experience in the snow, so they will fall behind me, which is sad, but you got to hike your own hike, and I won't give up my Sierra experience just to stay with a group. Plus, I spend most everyday hiking alone anyway, which I prefer, it is peaceful and I feel grounded and happy in my time alone.It allows me time to dig deep inside and really examine myself. I am sure I will find another group of hikers to travel with. Today, was a year to date from when my grandfather passed away, so I was pretty sad hiking, remembering him and what a great guy he was, wishing I could call him up and tell him my stories about the trail. I miss talking to him very much, he was such a wonderful addition to my life. I wonder what he would say about my travels!

 I am headed to the Sierras :) I am so excited, so ready for some high apline trekking, so ready for great views, and steep trail. That is the thing I love, I have come to like the desert, but I am a mountain girl at heart and I am at my best when I am high up in the mountains. Happy Father's Day tomorow DAD!! I Love you!!

Busted Magic in Tehachapi

As of this morning I am at mile 567, and I am now in a town called Tehachapi. I am feeling strong, but so tired, my body is more tired than ever before. Yesterday, I hiked 25 miles staring down at the ground stabbing my trekking poles as hard as I could into the sand just to keep my balance against the Mojave wind, which is nuts, totally nuts! The wind exhaustes me and hiking in it day after day has worn me out. My past few days have been spent hiking along the California Aqueduct, the Mojave desert, and  the miles and miles of sand, wind, and heat. In the middle of this harsh, dry, hot place there is so much magic, so much love. The group I am hiking with is great! I met all of them about a month ago and already we share a lifelong connection and friendship, I am not so sure that there is any other situation in life, where one can say that. This istant connection among thru hikers make me think about the loyalty and friendship a dog offers their owner, they dont judge you, or care about the past, all they do is love you, and stick by your side during the bad days and the good days, thats what thru hikers do for eachother. The magic given to thru hikers by other hikers is awesome and the magic strangers off the trail give to us is nothing short of amazing! Thank you to all of the strangers that have left water caches hidden miles from towns in the middle of nowhere for us, left us apples on the side of the trail, taken us into their homes, given us rides, showers, beds, given us wise words of wisdom and encouragment. Thank you!! This has been a very humbling lesson for me, the best part of the Trail is truly the people. The desert has a certain type of beauty, a beauty that I was not aware of until this Trail. It is a place where coyotes sing all night, a place where everything is just trying to stay alive against the heat and wind, a place that welcomes each day with a colorful sunrise, and a place that echoes humans go home. No matter how hot, waterless, windy or miserable I am out here, there is always something beautiful.  The ants scurry around me all day, the lizards run in and out of  my path, the rattle snakes sneak out of holes and through plants, and the sun beats down hotter and hotter as the days rolls on. I feel strong now, I am getting used to lonely 25-28 mile days and I am looking forward to the Sierras, I feel content out here, and I believe that this is where I am suppose to be for now. I have learned more in the last month out here than I have learned in the last year at home. Hello to everyone is Summit County, hello to my family, I love you guys!

Please check out my fundraiser for CASA of the Continental Divide by visiting my "Thru Hike for CASA" Facebook page!