Day 158: Tramily Reunion at the Lake

September 7

Miles: 8.3

Mile Markers: 2641.1 – 2649.4

Miles to Canada: 6.4

Heat Acclimation: 31%

In the morning, it was raining pretty hard, but I packed up my things anyway. I was just kind of sitting in my tent with all my stuff packed, waiting for a break in the rain to take down my tent, and Bodybag came over and we sort of agreed that we would just wait for the rain to stop before packing up and continuing on to the lake.

Maybe 15 minutes later, Bodybag came over again to my tent and said Amelia. We’ve got to go. NOW. There was more smoke coming from further down in the valley. There was thick, white billowing smoke coming up. It sort of looked like clouds, but I wasn’t sure. Clouds don’t usually move like that though. I packed up all my things quickly. My tent was soaking wet but I packed it up anyway. We were on the trail a few minutes later, heading up the ridge where the original fire had started, while keeping an eye on the other fire down in the valley.

When we got higher up on the ridge, it really looked like maybe it was just clouds falling over the mountaintops into the valley and then blowing back up – billowing, like smoke. Either way, it was behind us. Now we’re still on our way to Canada. We joked that maybe we’d have to cross the border into Canada to escape the fires. Anyway, maybe they’d let us in. Bodybag has Canadian citizenship, and I have a study Visa. Let us in please.

Canada used to allow hikers to cross the border with a special permit, but this year was the first year that they stopped, understandably, but still kind of a bummer because I think technically the trail continues on into Canada for about 8 miles to Manning Park, which is another little lodge in the woods.

We heard a bunch of airplanes circling above, and then I saw two things falling out of the airplane – people in parachutes. One looked like he was falling like not in control of a parachute and the other one just kind of drifted down and they went on down the other side of the ridge to where the fire had been. We weren’t sure if they were parachute firefighters or something like that, or rangers scouting out the report, but by then, there was barely any smoke coming from the lightning strike. I texted Rocky about it just in case to make sure that the group knew.

The rain kind of cleared up some of the smoke in the air, and today, there’s a lot of fog and clouds, but it’s much clearer and there are beautiful views of the mountains poking out of these wispy clouds. The trail kind of meanders through trees here and there on the sides of these mountains.

We’re passing more people today, saying congratulations to everyone, and soon that will be us. I will miss the trail. I’ll miss the smell of the forest, being outside all day. The simplicity of my choices, and even being in such solitude quiet with my thoughts. I don’t think that being alone with your thoughts is such a bad thing anymore. I think on the trail for me, especially in the Sierra and especially in Oregon. I got a lot of clarity, and I learned to trust myself and my observations of the world and of people to be more assertive with my boundaries and to let go of things.

I am sad to leave the trail, but I am ready.

I asked my brother to bring a set of crutches that was in my front hall closet with him when he picks me up. Walking has become really painful. I’m still going to do it of course, but after the next few days I think my legs are going to be really in a lot of pain.

Today we’re only hiking about 8 miles to a lake where everyone else is going to meet up with us, and then tomorrow will be about 21 miles with about 12 of those miles slack packing to the terminus and back to the lake, and then another 8 miles to a campsite and then the last day about 16 miles back to Hart’s Pass.

We took a break and Bodybag waited for me to catch up. I took out my candy and offered her some, and she just gingerly took one sour patch kid. I just think it’s funny.

We made it to Hopkins Lake before lunch since we only had to hike 8 miles. I hobbled down to the lake to get water for Bodybag and I and saw Nomad, a guy I had met yesterday on the trail. He was a triple crowner who was volunteering to release fish into the lakes for fishing. He had successfully released about 200 fish into another lake and had stopped by Hopkins Lake before heading back to his car at Hart’s Pass. He offered to take our trash with him. Truly the way to a girl’s heart. He hiked the PCT in 2015 and we talked all about the end of trail, how things would change, the friendships made on the trail. He told me that he still kept in touch with his tramily, and I told him that I hoped I’d stay friends with mine forever.

I made some lunch and napped, which I don’t think I’ve actually done on trail very often. It felt nice to hike so few miles. I sent messages trying to see when the tramily would arrive but nobody was responding.

Bodybag and I waited in our tents. It was pretty cold and foggy, not warm enough to go for a swim, unfortunately. We decided to make dinner and figured that since the tramily always ate together, that might be a way to manifest them arriving. It worked. Fonda and Rocky showed up first, followed by Crib and then Bap and Roses. Warpaint hurt his ankle and was 5 miles back on the trail. He would catch up with us in the morning. He wanted to be alone on the last night. I sent him a message saying that I missed him and would see him in the morning. Everyone is dealing with the end of trail in their own ways.

We ate dinner together, and I was so happy to have almost everyone back together. Fonda set up his tent next to mine and before going to bed, we talked about the best moments of trail, the things we would take with us. Fonda is my best friend in the tramily, and I’ll miss these chats before bed, knowing that my friends are sleeping so close by. I think back to the beginning of trail when I got so annoyed when other people set up their tents right next to mine, and now the thought of them not being near me at night feels so lonely. I’ll always take the noises if it means they’re still here.

Physically, I am in such rough shape and I can’t wait to rest. Fonda and I joked that we both couldn’t wait to spend a week in bed watching TV surrounded by takeout containers after the trail ended. But part of me will always want to be on the trail. My mind isn’t really ready to leave, even if my body has been ready for a long time.

Tomorrow doesn’t even feel real. I’m sleeping 6 miles from Canada tonight. Tomorrow we touch the terminus. Tomorrow we finish the trail.

We’re leaving our tents at the lake and slack packing to the terminus and then back to the lake. That’s 12 miles that I don’t need to carry all my gear. And then I hope to hike 8 more miles. The tramily said they wanted to carry my gear for me back to Hart’s Pass again. I’ve made it all this way injured though, almost 111 miles. What’s another 26?

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