Day 86 to 87 - Swimming in the Feather River

July 20-21

Day 86 to 87

Miles:  27+30

Total Miles:  1265

Lunch at the Feather River

Jubel left camp early the morning of July 20 - about 5:30 AM.  He wants to make it Belden by Saturday night for the rave.  Belden is famous for it's raves - all night parties that attract people from the surrounding towns.  Jubel would have to do two 42 mile days to get to Belden by Saturday.  Good luck with that!  I hiked alone today but managed to catch up to Lightweight

Day 60 - Red's Meadow

June 24, 2012

Day 60

Miles: 21

Total Miles:  907

I hiked mostly alone today the 21 miles to Red's Meadow Resort - another packing station.  The blowdowns in this section of the trail are astonishing!  The trail crews have most of the trees cleared from the trail - and I am lucky for that because it would be almost impossible to continue through this section otherwise with the devastation I have seen.  I think only pictures can tell the story...

A large section of previously burned forest was devastated by the winter storms and trees were snapped in half like toothpicks.

Other very large and healthy trees were up-rooted and lay across the trail for miles - often piled on top of each other several layers deep!  These trees are HUGE and the pictures do not show the size of the trees very clearly.

but I crossed over 900 trail miles...

and met a really dirty hiker at Red's Meadow...

and enjoyed a delicious meal at the Red's Meadow Cafe of chicken fajitas, black beans and rice!  i also enjoyed a hot-spring fed concrete hot tub with Weather Carrot and Bobcat.  They went fully nude.  I kept my boxers on.  Maybe if I get to know them a little better...

Day 21 - Deep Creek Hot Springs

May 15, 2012
Day 21
Miles:  23
Total Miles:  308

I took my time this morning with breakfast and coffee - the last one to depart from the camp site.  I started walking at about 7:45, at least an hour past my preferred starting time.  I passed Desert Fox and Masa again.  Masa is a Japanese hiker who I've been skipping around the past week or so on the trail.  He is easily identified with his bright pink shorts and tall gaiters up to his knees.  He is short and carries a 60+ lb pack under his small frame.  Somehow, through, he is always ahead of me on the trail.  I've learned to recognize his footprints in the dirt and everyday I seem to catch him in the afternoon (after my late start) and pass him a few hours before camping.  I usually pass him on the uphill sections and I pass him with a smile  as he says to me "I'm tired" with his strong Japanese accent and usually big smile.  He speaks just a little english but his facial expression says it all for me.

MASA!

Sand Bags at the Hot Springs

Gopher Snake?

I had lunch at the bridge at the deep creek - a nice scenic spot with shade, sand and a shallow, cool creek to wade into where the knats are not so ferocious.  By evening I made it to the Deep Creek Hot Springs - a clothing optional hot springs that has several springs forming hot pools that flow into the creek.  Sand bags have been used to block the flow so that pools of several feet deep form to soak in and relax.  I caught up to Three Bears, Ben, Justin and the Three Gay Caballieros here.

Hikers lounging at the hot springs