Another great night.  Boring huh??  Always a great night.  The weather has just been perfect.  The nights have been clear and cool but not cold.  No worries of rain and so the tent is not covered.  Would not be using a tent at all except for the numerous bugs that seem to want to crawl on me.

Today is the day of couples on the trail.  Generally you just do not see people hiking together even if they are together but today there were numerous walking together couples both passing me going north and south bounders.  After 5 miles I get to the point there is probably want just one third of a mile off the trail with an elevation change of 300 feet.   I decide to make sure I have enough as the weight does not bother me as much as being thirsty so I take down 3 2-liter contains to fill.  As I head towards the water I think this is more than one third of a mile and more than 300 of elevation change but worth it if there is water.  When I get to the stream there is indeed water.  Lovely cold clear water.  I fill up the containers and then I decide to “camel up”.  So I drink 2 liters of water on the spot and refill the container and carry the 6 liters back to the pack.  It is actually quite difficult to drink 2 liters of water by the way.   On the way back up  there are 3 other people going down to get water.  They each look to be getting 4 liters of water.  When I get back to the  top I decide to have the breakfast I did not have when I woke up because of lack of water.  The other folks come back up and each of them complaining it was more than one third a mile and more than 300 feet.  I just started laughing.  I wondered if it really was as advertised and almost decided to measure it but then decided I did not care that much.

You can tell by the picture below that water might be a bit scarce around these parts

There just are not very many signs on this part of the trail but the one below was nice to see.  Not only on the trail but heading in the right direction!!  I am direction challenged.  I got one of the first Garmins and always carried it my car.   At one time my brother in law (Garthe) asked why that thing was always on and didn’t I instinctively know where north was???  I told him that yes indeed I did usually know where north was but that I was frequently wrong.

A bit closer look at Lassen Peak which I was sure was still Mount Shasta.

And of course you need to see some flowers from the day

Towards the end of today a much anticipated milestone was reached.  The Mid Way Point of the PCT.  Half way between Mexico and Canada.  People start thinking and talking about this as far back as Tahoe, anticipating the great event.   I knew I was getting close and I started imagining what mile 1320 might be like.   I figured there would be a welcoming committee and for sure there would be a bar and grill.  I thought I would order an XX-Molson beer and an enchilada covered with Canadian bacon.   You know something to celebrate the two borders.  I even considered changing into my least offensive hiking clothes.   Approaching mile 1320 I could see that the trail did not even get any wider and the only thing there was a 2 by 2 cement post with the words PCT mid point OR some such thing.  Frankly I was so disappointed I can’t even remember what it said for sure.  I was glad I did not bother changing my clothes!!!  I suppose if you are walking a wilderness trail then you must have wilderness type expectations.  The southern terminus and the northern terminus of the PCT are also rather unimpressive.  So I went on for another mile and camped for the night.

Feel good about doing 15 miles with a head cold.  Not going to make near as far as I had hoped this week however and because of the head cold Lenora will be picking me up tomorrow after about only 7 miles at Hwy 36.

Phone says 49000 steps and 46 flights

Lenora’s Note:
Happy Birthday to me. I have a good place to stay, the cats are happy and my wallet is where is belongs. I am beat. My shoulders and arms are very sore and I don’t have the energy to find a chiropractor so I spend a quiet day reading, napping and watching TV. Donald wants to be picked up tomorrow and I’m ready to see him.