I know I’ve said it before. I’ve probably said it plenty! I just can’t get enough of the Sierras: The crystal clear lakes. The vibrant green grass. The miles we keep chipping away at. The granite mountains that surround us, protect us, mystify us, beckon us. Has it really been 900 miles of trail already? … Continue reading Day Seventy Three: 1431.1 – 1459.1km
My alarm went off at 6AM. I deflated my mattress like a good hiker girl, and replied to a few messages I’d received overnight. No one stirred, but I figured it was only a matter of time before the camp started moving, so I went all out and cooked up a dehydrated egg and bacon … Continue reading Day Seventy Two: 1416.2 – 1431.1km
After spending a full zero day beside this stunner of a lake and having a campfire going for just about all of our waking hours here (with the exception of the intermittent downpours), I knew motivating myself to keep on walking would be an issue. So I gave myself a little dose of discipline: woke … Continue reading Day Seventy One: 1390.3 – 1416.2km
The unthinkable has happened. We’re zeroing again. At this point, I don’t even know how it keeps happening. The Sierras are a vortex of their own! Maybe this is why people quit in Northern California... because it’s going to be so hard to start pushing out those 25-30mile days after averaging nine miles a day. … Continue reading Day Seventy: ZERO
Obviously, the Hiker Biker Gang aka. River Bandits had to have a communal breakfast to start the day. It also made sense - seeing as we’re already here - to have one last quick look-see at the hiker boxes at the Muir Trail Ranch. There were fresh (albeit dirty) faces as more people had rocked … Continue reading Day Sixty Nine: 1380.4 – 1390.3km
You can now call us the River Bandits, as well as Hiker Biker Gang. Today we looted, and came up with a lot of treasure. We hadn’t thought it would end up a zero, but it was. And it was a productive day for our gang. I made a pot of communal coffee at 7AM … Continue reading Day Sixty Eight: ZERO
We watched the sun rise. We crossed creeks. We passed by lakes. We met a trail cat. We walked some more. We napped. We walked again. We crossed rivers by bridge. We crossed rivers by foot. We set up camp in a field, soaked right up next to each other in teensy hot springs - … Continue reading Day Sixty Seven: 1356.7 – 1380.4km
If I rated days out of 10, I’d probably be averaging around an 8.5. There’s be a few 3’s in there, definitely a lot more 9’s and a handful to 10’s already - today being a stand out 10/10. I woke up happy. It’s the best way to wake up. Pickleback waved me off with … Continue reading Day Sixty Six: 1329.8 – 1356.7km
I just about got into a fist fight with Jimminy Cricket today. She thought the Golden Stairs were overrated. Okay no fists. We’re still friends. But our words were passionate. I had been having a moment of such pure gratitude as I walked down those stairs into the pine forest that I thought, “I would … Continue reading Day Sixty Five: 1307.7 – 1329.8km
“Bear! BEAR! THAT’S A BEAR! THERE’S A BEAR!” I had been having a quiet morning conversation with Nemo as we all slowly woke up, but I jumped up so flipping fast - barely stopping to pull on my shoes as I ran towards the flash of brown I’d just seen. “Wizard WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! … Continue reading Day Sixty Four: 1287.2 – 1306.7km
I don’t think I’m exactly taking this hiking thing seriously anymore... I mean, we didn’t start until 11:30AM this morning. I skipped up some of the trail. A couple of hikers heading the opposite direction remarked with a laugh, “You’re way too happy to really be hiking this!” But honestly, how can I not skip, … Continue reading Day Sixty Three: 1269.9 – 1287.2km
It’s good to be back. After so much time off, I was dreading walking again. I was more than a little worried about Kearsarge Pass - although beautiful, it is a crazy climb. We’d just resupplied as well, so loaded down with a weeks’ worth of food and staring up at a four hour climb … Continue reading Day Sixty Two: 1269.9 (+ 12.2km)
I’m almost embarrassed even to write it... We’re still in town. BUT I PROMISE WE LEAVE TOMORROW MORNING! It’s just - it’s Fourth of July. Which, yes, means we’re on our fourth zero, but it’s the Fourth of July! This basically doesn’t count. We needed the first zero for rest, the second for resupply, then … Continue reading Days Fifty Eight – Sixty One: ZEROES
I know I’ve had a lot of good days out here. The standard has been set high. I’ve gone from desert wastelands to rocky mountains to bubbling creeks. I’ve touched the Mexican-United States ‘wall’, walked just about thirteen hundred kilometres from there, and climbed one of the country’s highest mountains. Even so, I think it’s … Continue reading Day Fifty Seven: 1245.8 – 1269.9km (+12.2km)
I reckon every day has something special to offer. Sometimes it’s like a treasure hunt and you have to search for it (admittedly, I don’t always find it), but sometimes it’s served to you on a silver platter. Today, I had that something special served to me in ziplock bags, by some very special people. … Continue reading Day Fifty Six: 1234.4 – 1245.8km
The Prodigal calls it ‘Type 3 fun’. He explained: Type 1 is fun to do and fun to remember, eg. playing with a puppy Type 2 is fun to do and not fun to remember, eg. a big night out at a bar... Type 3 is not fun to do, but fun to remember, eg. … Continue reading Day Fifty Five: Mt. Whitney
‘The Great Bishop Shakedown’It’s all I can think about, as we go up and up and up today. My mind has been made, and Jefé and Pickleback are right on board (as is everyone else): we’re going to give me a nice big shakedown. Like, a really nice big shakedown. I can feel all the … Continue reading Day Fifty Four: 1212.9 – 1234.4km
IT’S MY BIRTHDAY! 😁 And it’s been an absolutely beautiful day. Maya woke me up with a cup of coffee. Thibaud - who left KM sometime after Jefé and I but hasn’t been seen in two days - caught us up. He walked 45km yesterday in the flipping Sierras to share the day with us. … Continue reading Day Fifty Three: 1195.7 – 1212.9km
A blur of climbing, tears and a growing hiker family is how I’ll remember today when I look back on my last day of being a twenty seven years old. I am not used to this elevation. Dario told me repeatedly, “Don’t worry; in a couple of days you’ll be used to this and feel … Continue reading Day Fifty Two: 1166.8 – 1195.7km
Well, it wasn’t the best day, but it also wasn’t my worst. I got up early to try and catch M&D - Jefé and I didn’t get too far last night, and without reception or any way of contacting them I really had no idea how far ahead they were. With the rivers and the … Continue reading Day Fifty One: 1134.1 – 1166.8km
I really could have done with two full zeroes. I probably should have, to be honest, but trying to stick with Maya and Dario is higher on my priorities than rest right now. I love those two! Dario gave me the biggest hug yesterday as I arrived and cried out my disappointment. Brad, the Prodigal, … Continue reading Day Fifty: 1130.1 – 1134.1km
I’m not exactly super keen on talking to anyone just yet, so I’m having a big breakfast, keeping wifi off for the time being, and having some alone time. I know I need to shake myself out of this wallowing, but I’m just going to stay in it for a little while longer yet and … Continue reading Day Forty Nine: ZERO
“So do you get splash back on your shoes when you pee, too?” “Every time! Do you scuff dirt on them to disguise it?” “Yes!” *cue belly laughs and a deeper sense of sisterhood We bond a lot on trail. And about such a variety of stuff that is completely taboo to acknowledge back in … Continue reading Day Forty Eight: 1095.8 – 1130.1km
It’s easier to keep myself motivated when I’m motivating someone else. I guess it’s a little like love; the more you give it out to others, the more your heart is full of it as well, right? I met Al as I powered past he and his son Pops mid morning. It was downhill, hence … Continue reading Day Forty Seven: 1055.8 – 1095.8km
Learning all over again just how much of a fight it is to intentionally be happy. Granted, most of the day, I was fine. I got up early, managed to retrieve my dry undies from last night’s ‘clothes line’ without drawing any more blood from that vicious tree, and set off quietly into the early … Continue reading Day Forty Six: 1015.3 – 1055.8km
Can you tell I was inspired yesterday? These are the moments I have come out here for. These are the moments I don’t think I could find if I were anywhere else. And yet, I know these moments are how I should be living every day. I don’t want to get so bogged down in … Continue reading Day Forty Five: 980.0 – 1015.3km
I walk, letting the tall grass run through my fingers as my hands brush past, and I see me. The real me. The me that is so often obscured by distractions of everyday life, responsibilities and to-do lists. The veil of familiarity and monotony has fallen away. I begin to see the woman inside me … Continue reading Day Forty Four: 954.0 – 980.0km
There is a smile that plays at the corner of my mouth; a twinkle in my eyes as I walk in wonder and fascination of the world around me. Recently, in my grit and determination to push out miles and speeds that defied the pain my body was feeling, I hadn’t realised how much my … Continue reading Day Forty Three: 923.7 – 954.0km
My pack is heavy. Heavy heavy. With seven days worthy of food and seven(ish) litres of water, up around the 25kg mark heavy. I figured coming out of Tehachapi with the equivalent of a small human on my back mightn’t be the easiest, so I started hiking early and left Thibaud asleep. The Mohave Desert … Continue reading Day Forty Two: 898.9 – 923.7km
I hate that a ‘zero day’ is called a zero day. Generally, I spend so much of it running errands, resupplying food and trying to catch up on sleep I feel more tired than when I just have to walk twenty miles. Which is how today went. I woke up feeling refreshed and alive. Heading … Continue reading Day Forty One: ZERO
