PCT day 24 spending a relaxing day at the lake

O miles. Sunny, high 75, low 31, calm winds.

After pounding out 25+ miles yesterday, and over 60 miles in 3 days, I was ready for a zero day and this the perfect place. My right knee didn’t appreciate 25 miles in 1 day. I was fine until mile 22, then the last 3 miles into Cleghorn were brutal.

This was the perfect day and place to have a zero day. I knew I would enjoy this 0 more here than in a motel. I had a lake on one side of me, a nice creek on the other side, and plenty of mature shade trees.

This ended up being one of the most enjoyable days I’ve had so far! I had the entire place to myself after the few hikers left in the morning. I just sat in the shade, catching up on my blog, letting my tent air out and dry. I didn’t mention this, but last night, I set up my tent on a manicured grass lawn. I didn’t know it at the time, but I set my tent up on a lawn with a SPRINKLER SYSTEM!!! Imagine my surprise when I was awoke at 11PM by what sounded like very heavy rain on my tent! I realized after about 10 seconds of rhythmic woooosh, woooosh, woooosh what was occurring! It didn’t really matter because I had my rainfly on, but the temperature dropped below freezing, so I ended up sleeping in a crust of ice! I also learned that I needed one more guy line on the back of my tent as my rainfly ended up sticking to my tent, transferring moisture into my tent! Glad I learned about this flaw now and not during a wild storm on a mountain.

I cut myself another line for my tent then meandered down to the lake beach and laid out in the sun for awhile.

I then walked over to the creek for awhile, listening to the birds, frogs, and something else that I couldn’t identify by sound. It may have been a bird. Later on, I took a nap, then saw that Kevin from Germany and Joshua from Hong Kong showed up. I really enjoyed seeing familiar faces again. I met a few other hikers that I know I will cross paths with again on trail, including “Crane” from Minnesota, “Hippo” from Germany, and “Gourmet”. You could actually order pizza from this campsite, but I didn’t. “Hippo” actually ordered himself pizza, then bought a 12 pack of BlueMoon beer for the rest of us!

Only 4 of us wanted beer, so that worked out perfect, 3 for each of us! Kevin from Germany said “Vee Geermons don’t have a problem with aeelcohol, vee have a problem without aeelcohol!!

We finished this day talking under the light from a full moon. I really enjoyed this day. It totally recharged my spirit! Now, if only my knee can hold up tomorrow.