Day 42: The Game Changer

June 11, 2015 Kennedy Meadows (702.4) to Tentsite after Cow Creek (722.4) 20 PCT miles today 735.4 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 4,865 ft, – 1,122 ft The transition from desert to forest was faster and more thorough than Pickles and I could have ever hoped for. We started out from Kennedy Meadows a…

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Day 41: Learning How to Zero

June 10, 2015 Kennedy Meadows (702.4) 0 miles today 715.4 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 0 ft, – 0 ft It turns out that I’m not very good at taking zeroes. They always turn out alright in the end, but the long hours off-trail tend to be filled with more stress and confusion than…

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Day 40: Turning 30 at Kennedy Meadows

June 9, 2015 (9th Re-Ration – Kennedy Meadows) Chimney Creek (681.0) to Kennedy Meadows (702.4) 21.4 PCT miles today, 1 non-PCT mile today 715.4 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,998 ft, – 3,681 ft Well we finally made it. I’m writing this blog from my tent behind the Kennedy Meadows General Store and I’m…

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Day 39: No One Said it Would be Easy

June 8, 2015 Ridge after Walker Pass (656.1) to Chimney Creek (681.0) 24.9 PCT miles 693 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,560 ft, – 6,208 ft Wow, today was a hard one. This morning we finally had the chance to meet a hiker whom we had heard a lot about, Jaba, and he threw…

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Day 38: Building Up to Greatness

June 7, 2015 Bird Spring Pass (630.9) to Ridge after Walker Pass (656.1) 25.2 PCT miles today 669.1 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 4,784 ft, – 3,725 ft Today was one gradual progression from good to better to best. If I weren’t so exhausted from all these high-mileage days all stacked one on top…

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Day 37: A Storm in the Mojave

June 6, 2015 (8th Re-Ration – Bird Spring Pass) Tentsite before Landers Meadow Spring (608.0) to Bird Spring Pass (630.9) 22.9 PCT miles today 643.9 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,193 ft, – 3,909 ft I have a feeling that the desert is upset with us for talking so badly about it over the…

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Day 36: A Change of Scenery

June 5, 2015 Golden Oaks Spring (583.3) to Tentsite before Landers Meadow Spring (608.0) 24.7 PCT miles today 621.0 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 4,380 ft, – 3,512 ft Today was an unexpected delight. Without doing an unreasonable amount of research from the trail, it is hard to really know what sort of environment…

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Day 35: If You Had a Million Minutes

June 4, 2015 Willow Springs Road-Tehachapi (558.5) to Golden Oaks Spring (583.3) 24.8 PCT miles today 596.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 5,133 ft, – 4,002 ft Today we made a wonderful discovery, and it made for one of our best days yet. At some point a couple weeks ago, perhaps it was the…

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Day 34: Wrestling with Wind

June 3, 2015 (7th Re-Ration – Tehachapi) Tentsite past wind farm (540.3) to Willow Springs Road-Tehachapi (558.5) 18.2 PCT miles today 571.5 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 3,329 ft, – 3,500 ft Another incredibly windy day. I have to be honest, Pickles and I are not thrilled with this section of the trail. If…

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Day 33: Night Hiking

June 2, 2015 Hwy 138-Santa Clarita (517.6) to Tentsite past wind farm (540.3) 22.7 PCT miles today 553.3 miles total Today’s Elevation Gain/Loss: + 1,756 ft, – 425 ft Tonight we tried something new, and learned a lot in the process. This morning began with breakfast at the Hyatt, and then we were off running…

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