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Day 76
We see the sights of Lassen National Park. A steaming geyser, a boiling green lake, pits of sulfurous bubbling mud. I have no peace of mind. I often consider blowing off school to finish the trail, which would also mean leaving my girlfriend Camella to move to Chicago alone. I can’t make the decision.
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Day 75 (Pete)
The moon is almost full. It will be our third. My head lamp lights the page for the second night in a row. Be sure this means we are as weary as these summer days are long. Our challenge for the second 1,300 miles has revealed itself today. The bodies are in danger of giving…
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Day 75
I’m ridden with guilt. I have to face the fact that we are not going to make it to Canada, and it will be my fault. True, both of our bodies are recoiling from the 28 mile days, but a good rest and a slower pace would cure that. But I have committed to going…
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Day 74 (Pete)
At dinner Dyl said, “If it wasn’t for pain, we’d probably walk until out feet were broken up like little sticks.” Mine feel half way there. For the last few days my feet have been in agony. I don’t know why this is. My shoes have seemed to be letting my feet over pronate, or…
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Day 74
We prove that we don’t need snow to get lost. When we do find the trail, we’re soon treated to our first view of Mt. Lassen. For quite some time I’ve noticed Pete’s feet rolling more & more inward when he walks. Foot pain forces him to don our already-worn spare pair of shoes, and…
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Day 73 (Pete)
In all yesterdays rain we forgot to notice, or celebrate, that it was an entirely snowless day. There was not a speck. The last time that happened was our descent into Kennedy Meadows twenty two trail days ago. There were patches here and there; but, I didn’t have to put my foot in any of…
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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…