[pct-l] Update: Flight of the Spirit Eagle

[kahley7 <kahley7@ptd.net>]

Word in from the Owens on the PCT!

Mile two..Ginny twisted her ankle....alas the dangers of lightweight
footwear if you don't have strong ankles....bummer.  It swollen and
hurts but on the mend and still moving north.  Welll...sort of north.
Everyone talks about the easier grade on the PCT....it translates into
a LOT of twisting and turning and back and forthing.  They've done
about a hundred and ten trail miles but doubt that they are more
that 30 liner miles north.  At least that's far enough north to be out
of the border area.  They had two encounters with illegals.  One with
a small group at dusk, and another group moved past their camp at
about 3AM.  No trouble other than a restless night.  Lucky that, as
it turns out, they ran into another hiker who was chased!  He was
also lucky as he was very near a line cabin and locked himself in!
He relates a restless night as his pursuers repeatedly tried to get in the
cabin throughout the night.  Yikes!!!!  Mugged on the trail!  Come morning,
they were gone and he did report the incident at his first opportunity.

As to weather, believe it or not, they've had fog banks and rain (shades of 
the AT),
as well as the more typical desert weather.  Today was probably the worst day
temp wise as they expect it to be in the 90's.  They've already seen more thrus
than they did all last year on the CDT.  Some remarkable people.....one hiking
with Parkinson's disease and another terminally ill with cancer, who quit chemo
to spend his end on the trail.

The desert has been blooming or at least the cactii are <grin>.  Noted wildlife
included two non poisonous snakes and some turkeys and a naked hiker who
was kind enough to put on his skirt when he neared them. The watersources 
that the
guide suggest should be running were....although waning.  Specifically 
Hauss (SP?)
which Ginny feels may have another week to ten days till it's gone unless 
there is more
rain.  In Cherry canyon, they found water 1/4 mile UPSTREAM rather than down.
They have caches but they seem to be about half gone already.

That's it for this report!  Next word should come Sun or Mon.

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