[pct-l] Update...Flight of the Spiriteagle Pt 2

[kahley <kahley7@ptd.net>]

As to their condition, Jim lost a quick 25 pounds but that
seems to have leveled off.  Probably all those winter pounds
he had gained off trail <yikes...he'll get me for that <grin>
and Ginny has lost about 17.  Boot troubles...Jim has his new
ones to break in, and Ginny asked for her real boots to be sent.
They had started out in "sneakers" for the desert but they aren't
happy hikers.  Ginny says her ankles need the high boot support.
They call just a couple days ago but our conversation was cut short.
They had left the worst of the heat behind and were just about to
start into the Sierras and very glad for it.  The heat just saps your
energy and the water still weighs a pound a pint.

Another thing that they have seen enough of is the destruction
in the areas where the bikers and the atvs go.  I'm not sure,
but I think she said they are allowed on parts of the trail but
they seem to go wherever they want or can manage.  Denuded is
the word she used for parts of the trail, with the bumps that
they create to "grab air" making for miserable hiking...two steps up
...two steps down... over and over. I hope to hear from
them in a day or so from Kennedy Meadows.  For those who aren't
real familiar with the PCT, Kennedy Meadows is where you pick up your
ice axes and prepare to deal with the snow in the high country.
As daunting as that sounds, I'm sure J&G are glad to have the desert
behind them and have the company of trees again.

Speaking of company, that's a real change from last year.  The
PCT seems to be kind of a half way split between the isolation
of the CDT and the "crowded" AT.  Nice to have some social
interaction, yet not enough to spoil the "WLDERNESS EXPERIENCE"
But in this last stretch, they had the trail to themselves.
Including a thirty five mile stretch with no water.  Luckily
they found the cache and it was stocked.

when they did meet up with some folks, it turned out to be
Pete Fish and a crew of maintainers.  They had been out for
about eight days.  The work must have been hard going and slow
because Ginny said the blowdowns began again not far from where
they passed the crew.

A welcome sight was their first deer!  A nice treat after 700
miles to finally see some critters without fangs! Not so welcome
was the wind.  Thirty to fourty miler which made for a rough day.
another use for a pole, to balance you in the wind.  Sorry, that's
all for now, as i said the last call was a shortie.

Again, I apoligise for letting weeks go by and especailly for
losing some notes because there was stuff in there about trail
angels. Maybe Ginny can fill in the gaps later.  Actually,
it's hard to remember to take notes.... I get so caught up
in listening that the notes are just occasional phrases and
words, so unfortunatly you guys aren't geting the full flavor.
But I promise to write the reports quicker in the future so my
memory will be better able to flesh out the tale.
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