Day 4 - 5: Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

Publicēts: 12.04.2022

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Day 4: I wake up at 04:30. I slept very well and since I can't fall back asleep, I decide to pack up and start hiking. I walk under the stars as the horizon slowly turns red. Shortly after I start hiking, I pass the 50 mile marker. Today, the trail leads through a barren hilly landscape. It's hard to imagine that I was walking through a pine forest just yesterday. The views are beautiful and in the early afternoon, I see my first rattlesnake. However, I only see the rear half of its body with the rattles as it slithers across the trail and disappears under a bush. Later, I hear a cracking sound, as if someone is hammering on metal. In the valley, I see two trucks, but I can't make out anything specific. I suspect that it's gunshots, which is later confirmed by other hikers in the evening. I haven't seen any of the hikers I've been hiking with for the past two days today, but I have met some new hikers. It's incredible how easy it is to strike up a conversation and get to know each other here. During dinner, it turns out that we were all approached by the same somewhat strange man. He was hiking the trail without a shirt and carrying nothing. He told each of us different strange and politically incorrect stories. Thanks to him, we had a lot to laugh about during dinner. There are eight of us camping about ten miles before Scissors Crossing, where we will hitchhike to Julian. We will resupply there and there's free pie for PCT hikers at a cafe, which I'm incredibly excited about. Originally, I didn't plan to stay overnight in a town this early, but it's supposed to be stormy tomorrow night, so if an opportunity arises, I might stay. It's already very windy today and my tent and all my things are covered in sand.

Day 5: Hitchhiking to Julian is no problem. There are five of us standing by the road and after about 15 minutes, a woman stops and takes the first three. Five minutes later, 'Juice Box' stops and takes me and Benedikt. Juice Box is driving a van and while his wife hikes the trail, he does trail running and supports other hikers.

The town looks like something out of a movie and there are a lot of 'hiker trash' hanging around. Originally, this was a derogatory term used by the local population in trail towns for hikers who were essentially homeless in their eyes. But now, the hikers themselves have adopted the term and use it with pride. I see almost all the hikers I have met so far and meet some more. First, we go to Mom's Pie for free coffee and pie. The three of us sit at a table and decide to share a room since it's supposed to storm tonight and no one wants to sleep outside if they don't have to.

After booking the room, we head into the 'town', which is basically a street that makes up the whole town. Julian is very hiker-friendly and each hiker gets a small cup of cider and gummy bears at a candy store. Since we can't check in until 3 pm, the next stop is the local brewery. There, I get my trail name: 'Phoenix'. It's because I'm asked about my experiences on the first day by hikers I haven't met yet. So I tell the story again and the others are particularly impressed that I returned to the trail just hours later. Like a phoenix from the ashes.

Afterwards, we go to the hostel, shower, do laundry, and hang out with other hikers. And then back to the brewery for dinner and more beer. Now it's time to go to bed and get back on the trail at 7 am tomorrow. Until then.

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Ulrike

Moin Niklas, ich hoffe, Dir hat der Kuchen in Julian gut geschmeckt? In dem Ort war ich übrigens auch schonmal zum Kuchen essen. Das ist also nicht nur für Hiker eine Anlaufstelle. Ich wusste damals allerdings nicht, dass Julian am PCT liegt bzw. wusste ich damals (2004) noch nichts von PCT. Viel Spaß weiterhin!

Neaizmirsti būt jauka :)

ASV

Ceļojumu pārskati ASV

Day 4 - 5: Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

Vairāk ceļojumu reportāžu

Day 2 - 3: How to achieve fame

Tag 0 - 1: from departure to abandonment

Day 6 - 11: As if I had never done anything else