[at-l] TRT Journal Part 4

[Mark Hudson]

 9/16: North Fork Blackwood Creek – The song I've had stuck in my head all
day is the Grateful Dead's 'Women Are Smarter' (wish I picked one with more
lyrics!). Maybe it was stuck because the young gals I met yesterday were
carrying tequila – and offered me some. I was so dumb as to turn them down,
but my justification is that my digestive system is still a bit off track.

Lipton Broccoli and Cheese with some dried mushrooms for dinner, cooked up
the apple cobbler I've been carrying as a treat for dessert.

Staying darker later in the mornings already. I leave at seven as usual, but
now breakfast is in the half light of dawn. Amazingly fast run down to
Richardson Lake, first because it was almost all gently downhill, and second
almost all of it was in the woods. There were only two views, so I wasn't
stopping for many pics. I was kind of hoping for a swim at the lake, it was
warm enough out, but the lake was shallow and silty, and no rocks or
anything to reach deeper water.

Pushed on, and was unhappily surprised to find "year round" Miller Creek
dry. Since the water supply from Richardson Lake to Tahoe City is all
streams all I could do is hope that they weren't all dry. Not too far from
Miller Creek I stopped for lunch, and two backpackers with TRT t-shirts
happened along. They assured me there was water ahead (and for anyone with a
copy of the early '80's National Geographic book on the AT – these two could
have been clones of the yuppies on the cover – scary. OTOH they were
probably looking at me and thinking "hiker trash").

If this morning was all downhill, from lunch on was almost all uphill.
Grinding along about an hour after lunch I hit a beautifully flowing
"seasonal" stream, and stopped to tank up. About a mile beyond I met a guy
hiking from Donner Pass to Echo Lakes, and we swapped water info.

More grinding to get to the Barker Pass Trailhead. It was starting to cloud
over – the gals said that the weather report called for a 20% chance of
thunderstorms today. The clouds were protecting me from the sun, but they
were gathering and turning darker, and I thought I could see virga in the
distance.

Finally wound down into camp at 2pm, pretty fast 16 mile day, but I was only
barely in front of the clouds. Pitched camp, fetched water, felt a couple of
drops of rain and heard one boom of thunder – and – nothing. A wipe down in
lieu of a swim, and probably read and nap before dinner...

Well, after finishing my book and a short nap, the rain and thunder moved in
about 4:30 or so. I'm not sure there was enough rain to keep the dust down,
and I didn't see any lightning. When things let up about 5:20 I crawled out
to cook dinner. The sun came out, and as soon as things got cooking some
more rain blew in. So let's see; sun & rain, there's got to be a rainbow
here someplace! Right in the middle of the valley <g>, ran to get my camera
and got some good pics.

The guidebook says the campsite here has a great view of the valley and Lake
Tahoe – there is a great view, on the other side of the creek just off of
the trail, but there's no campsite there. Last night on the trail, tomorrow
I start winging it. If there's a laundry in Tahoe City I'll snag a motel
room and start with getting the Sierra dust out of my gear. Need to check on
the bus to South Tahoe too. No laundry in Tahoe City and I might just as
well head straight for South Tahoe, depending on what time I get out.

Anyway, after getting a room, and myself and the gear clean, I hope to rent
a car on Thursday – first to do some bumming around and second to get me to
the Reno airport on Saturday morning. It would be nice to stop in at the
TRTA office and tell them what a great trail they have. Maybe yet get the
chance to see what South Tahoe or even Carson City is all about. And then
maybe hook up with cousin Karen and her family on Friday night (outside of
Reno). Can't say I have much of an agenda for the couple of days that I'll
have left... so wing it...

So, after rushing stuff back to the tent, and eating inside, the weather has
gone quiet. And that view over off of the trail, last I saw you couldn't see
Lake Tahoe for the clouds. Might make a good spot for a sunrise pic tho.

And early tomorrow morning I hit a trail junction, and leave the PCT behind
again. For now...

Note: while hiking one of the brushier sections of the TRT/PCT today a twig
snapped back and nailed me right in the nipple. Go ahead and laugh, but that
will bright tears to your eyes...


 9/17: America's Best Value Inn, Tahoe City – What a magical morning! I
wanted an early start, so breakfast was by flashlight. Oh, but the dawn!
Just as I was hitting the trail the red sun was rising behind a cloud over
Lake Tahoe. If only painters could do that! And then the warm sun was
meeting the moisture from last nights rain and wafting all the forest aromas
into the air – air I wanted to bottle and bring home...

Switchbacks wound down from camp, with occasional views back up the ridge.
The descent and traverse bottomed out and started a climb back to the ridge
– views of Blackwood Canyon first and then of Ward Canyon. An hour after
leaving camp I hit the trail junction where the PCT goes north and the TRT
goes east. I gave the post a pat... someday... someday...

Around the south side of Twin Peaks, and then the really long descent to
Ward Creek, mostly through forest. Just past a waterfall I met a young guy
heading for Richardson Lake, finishing up the TRT. Long run out on a dirt
road, after crossing a new bridge over Ward Creek. Crossed Ward Blvd and
started a short steep climb, where I caught Dave heading to Tahoe City. He's
hoping to complete the TRT by sections next year. Shortly after leaving Dave
behind I came to a trail sign that said it was three miles to Tahoe City,
and I realized that I could be having pizza for lunch! That really picked up
my pace <g>. Quick trip through Paige Meadows, back into forested trail.
Passed three women, and shortly afterwards had a cruel welcome back to
civilization when I pass near a construction zone, with all the usual
noise...

Hit the bike path down to the "city", stopped in the park to unload my trash
and put my clean shirt on,,, and then walking the bridge over the Tahoe
River... damn – I smelled pizza! My nose led me right to the small pizza
place along the river... great pizza!!! I *really* wanted a beer, but was
afraid I'd spend the afternoon in a coma. Stopped at an outfitter for a hip
belt buckle, found a motel, passed a Mexican restaurant in between (dinner!
And the tequila I missed <g>). Showered, shaved, laundered, and sent
e-mails. Welcome to civilization! Time to close yet another journal...
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