colleen stinchcombe

PCT miles: 541.5 to 558.5
Miles: 17

I don’t get up early and neither does Rawhide. We sleep in and get moving around 630 and 7. Mountain passes me but I catch him again on a break and we muse about how fast the shade disappears.

The climb isn’t as bad as I expected but my stomach is cramping again and it’s making me not want to eat, all of which makes me slow and low energy. I take several breaks in patches of shade and eventually reach the top, where there is a water cache and all of my friends sitting – glorious. We move a little farther because a friend has texted that there’s trail magic in the form of watermelon and cookies, but when we look we don’t find it. Instead we set up in the shade of some trees. I try to eat and my stomach continued to twist, even though it’s growing in hunger. 

It’s another 8 miles to town, mostly downhill. I listen to the Hamilton soundtrack for the first time and let it distract me as much as possible. I have to frequently unclip my hip belt when my stomach cramps and stop in the shade and throw myself a pity party. I decide that in town I’m going to see a doctor – I can’t hike if I can’t eat. 

I reach the trail head and there are trail angel celebrities Legend and Coppertone doing trail magic. I feel too sick to take partake in their root beer floats and spaghetti, but I do take fresh water and a seat and they’re so kind to me (even though they’re convinced my stomach is just a problem of the heat) that I have to hold back tears.

Two other local trail angels, Dogbite and his partner, are there and they give me a ride to town and the Best Western where my friends have gotten a room I can share. It’s around 8 pm when I arrive and they’ve saved me a spot on the bed next to Rawhide. It’s two rooms that connect to each other and our room becomes a designated “quiet room”, which I appreciate. 

Tomorrow I plan to see a doctor in the morning, resupply for both this section and for a box to send to Kennedy Meadows, and go see Wonder Woman, which is playing at the theatre in town.