[pct-l] more PCT finishers and SOBO update

[conniedavis at earthlink.net (conniedavis@earthlink.net)]

September 30: Mongous, Cedar and I finished our thru-hikes (we all flipped to Manning from Kennedy Meadows.)
October 1: Recess and Skittles finished with the locals during the amazing BEvERage hike. (also KM to Manning flippers)
Easy should be finishing at Walker Pass today, with Swagman close behind or with him.  (Easy flipped to Ashland and headed north, then rejoined in Ashland and Swagman flipped to Dunsmuir and headed north.)
Burn is continuing walking south on her HUGE section hike of the PCT, she should be at Walker Pass today.
The Newlyweds (aka Rain Queen and Jym Beam) continued on their SOBO PCT thru-hike yesterday after partying with us at KM.

Many thanks to SOM and Girl Scout who met us all at Kennedy Meadows, complete with the mini-monument and food and drink, and to Meadow Ed who supplied the bubbly for the celebration.  Al and Leona and all the locals at the KM store were nearly as excited as we were.  My husband (aka Mission Control) arrived Friday night, also supplying food and congratulations.  Meadow Mary was there, too! Thanks to every trail angel along the way--we couldn't have done it without you.

The Kennedy Meadows (arrived June 9 after an April 20th Campo start) to Manning Park (we left June 16th) flip worked very well for us.  Ending at KM the day of the local PCT hike was great--I won $50 in the poker game!  There was a very celebratory atmosphere up in the pinons and sage.  There were so many ways to try and get a thru-hike done this year, and our strategy worked very well for us.  It will take a while to get the trail journal updated.

It was an amazing thing to spend 5 months and 10 days hiking with my youngest son.  He's a great guy and I couldn't have done it without him.  We're back in rainy Washington, thinking about those still on the trail, not quite believing that we're not putting our packs on and hiking this morning.

Best wishes to the flippers and SOBO-ers still on the trail and hoping more NOBO-ers make it through!

Lookout
Connie Davis
Olympia, WA