[pct-l] Trail Memories

[Hiker97 at aol.com (Hiker97@aol.com)]

So I am hiking along on the recent  Section E expedition minding my own 
business.  It is at the end of a long  trail day and I am getting near Pine Canyon 
Road.  It is getting near dark  and I started at almost in the dark earlier in 
the morning.  
 
My trail partner, Can'tQuit, is  about 100 yards ahead of me and I can see 
her.  Then I notice that  immediately in front of her the trail goes up over a 
rise.  I stop on the  trail and just collapse.  The thought of going up another 
step just kills  me.  For the last 3 hours the trail has been mostly down.  
Sometimes  very steeply down.
 
I lay there for may be 15 minutes  and choke down some snacks and water.  I 
wonder what my blood sugar  is.  I wonder if I could pay someone to carry my 
light pack to the  campsite.  I wonder if I could pay someone to carry me to the 
campsite on a  litter.
 
Well, I get up and head on down the  trail and get to the campsite.  I am so 
tired that it is hard to enjoy  camping and rest.  Bummer.  But the next 
morning I am off again at  first light heading down the trail again to Hwy. 138 and 
finally the car.   I have a good steady pace, except where the trail goes up 
steeply.
 
The endless cycle of life on the  trail.  As predictable as the sun rising in 
the morning.
 
Cheers, Switchback
Trail Survivor & Camp  Ruffian