[pct-l] Labor Day on the JMT

[David Hough reading PCT-L]

I finished up my eight-year bits-and-pieces rehike of the JMT over
Labor Day.    As one might expect, the trail was in fine shape - no tree
problems - even on the Goodale Pass access and Florence Lake exit trails.
Even the trail up to the lowest Graveyard Lake was clear.

What the trails were not was easy on elderly joints.    Lots of steep steps
are just part of the equation.    Objectively I don't suppose they were worse
than before, but they seem steeper.

One can expect lots of company on the JMT over Labor Day.    I had company
at all the pre-existing campsites I used, though I made my own campsite
on the way out to Florence Lake.    

I had hoped to celebrate by spending my last night at Muir Trail Ranch,
and got on a waiting list a week in advance, but no luck, it was full.
It was an amazing beehive of activity of through hikers resupplying - in
this case JMT through hikers, as northbound PCT through hikers were long
gone and southbound, if any, were not due for a while.
Halfway through, the Sierra Afternoon Thunderstorm pattern started up.
There was one good hail attack but on the whole it was pretty mild
and over in an hour or so, per spec.

But I enjoyed good food and cold beer and hot showers at VVR before and after.
The most exciting part of the trip was driving out on a weekday among
working trucks, some hauling trailers, meeting head on in a very narrow
section of the road.    I'll be glad not to do that drive again.

Now I can finish the Tahoe Rim Trail, and
redo the PCT up to about Snoqualmie Pass.
But I think getting around Glacier Peak is getting to be too great an
exertion to do again, or the cross-country parts of the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail;
likewise the High Sierra Trail which I never did - or for that
matter the Sierra High Route.    I think I'll limit myself to three nights
at a time next year, and probably less the following year.

When I was young I thought it was funny
how old people were terrified of falling.    I'm not laughing any more.

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