July 17

Approaching Tahoe, views of the lake today, after 155 miles and 7 days, across immensely varied landscapes: granite canyons in Yosemite, volcanoes past Sonora, red foothills toward Tahoe. With each new land type, the trail itself takes on new characteristics: kamikaze climbs or meandering undulations.

Todays synopsis: Awoke with gangs of mosquitoes coating the bug netting. Feeling energy deficient: a pervasive stiffness and an insatiable hunger gnawing at my stomach. Batteries and Pepperjack climbed "The Nipple". Swimming and washing in Lost Lake: watching the salt from my shirt bleed into the water. BBQ chicken, Gatorade, watermelon, apples, crackers all gifts from weekend campers parked at Long Lake we walked on happy and full. Two bottles of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale found in an ice cold stream while fetching water. Slushies from snow piles and marijuana with Nabor J and Chowda. Traversing steep snow slopes while stoned is very difficult. A traffic of day hikers while we approached Carson Pass (where Kit Carson carved his name in a tree). Fantastic crescent shapes of sun washed snow clinging to open slopes giving off streamers of water perfectly sculpted. All in all, a fun day of surprises and gifts and many breaks. Somehow, with all the fun, we still covered over 20 miles. This 160 mile section has had me dragging my feet at times, but on a day like today I feel strong, despite the constant feeling of food scarcity, the heat and the hunger.