Wednesday October 7, 0mi/0km

Lone Pine (CA) 

We ended up driving back up to Bishop today, as Bonus Miles needed to buy some shoes. Her shoes from REI were delivered to the wrong address (again!), so we went to the outdoor store in Bishop. Afterwards, we had second breakfast/early lunch, and it was great! We ordered a whole pie as an appetizer, because….I’m not sure.

It took some effort to eat all the pie AND the meal that was served a few minutes later. I’ve never had so much trouble finishing a plate of french toast, eggs, and bacon.

Errands and meals complete, we drove back down to Lone Pine, picking up a couple other PCT Sobo hikers along the way. Mantis and Nut were hitching to Independence, to get back to the trail at Kearsarge Pass. It was quite a crowded car!

After dropping them off, I continued south to Lone Pine and the three of us made a quick visit to Alabama Hills. I always love seeing the “happy rock”!

We continued the drive up the hill to Horseshoe Meadows trailhead, arriving at 1pm. I said goodbye to Cheshire Cat and Bonus Miles, and gave them a hug (and that metal spoon! ha!).

Bonus Miles has a PCT blog, you can follow along here.

So, with hiking season in the High Sierra effectively over, I starting making my way north to spend some time in the frontcountry visiting friends. The JMT was a beautiful trail, and I was glad to be introduced to it this summer while hiking the PCT. I’m doubly glad I had the opportunity to hike it in late September, when there were few other people and no bugs. This trail was never on my bucket list, but it seemed like a fun thing to do while I was here in California, and in physical shape to hike it. And I got to make some new friends (Cheshire Cat & Tiger) and get to know Bonus Miles better.

Also, the universe works in mysterious ways! The PCT introduced me to the JMT, which introduced me to Tiger, who loved explaining his High Sierra traverse. Maybe in a few years I will do the 200-mile Sierra High Route? I think my bucket list just got longer….