The wonderful Derek and wife who looked after us in Yreka have generously agreed to come and get us at the Highway 66 today and get us to Medford, for gear at REI, then to Ashland to stay the night.So we had to polish off 10.4 miles by 10am and so started early (5.50am). We made it comfortably by 9.30am to find them there with fresh strawberries and blueberries!We went to the nearby Green Springs Inn for a great breakfast and, surprise, another free beer!At REI I bought another pair of the wonderful Saloman XA Pros in wide fit. I will send the boots and winter gear to a friend in Reno (Kimberley). The Lowa Renegades were great in the snow and cold but too heavy and hot for the well made trails we are on now.We booked into the Timbers Motel in Ashland, pretty nice and not too expensive when shared between three of us. We were pretty smelly and dirty so laundry and showers were the next priority.

A nice 6.30am start, and a warm day on relatively easy track. In these conditions 20+ miles isn’t a problem.

Somehow I got ahead of Freddy but he caught me up where the trail crossed Interstate 5. The others were ahead.

We discussed dropping in on the nearby Callaghan’s Mountain Lodge, and as we did a pickup pulled up and asked us how we were, then offered a lift! Who were we to refuse.

So we sat at the bar with the barman Wally, who has been looking after this bar for 38 years! We had water and ordered milkshakes and coffee. It then turned out as hikers we get a free beer!

We dragged ourselves away, but not before Freddy bought beers to carry to camp for the others, who weren’t impressed with our detour….. until they got the beer.

I felt fully recovered today and the miles didn’t seem too bad. The trail was very beautiful, a big change from the desert of SoCal. There were lots of shady stretches in trees and stunning vistas when we got up high. There was snow on the ground in places, but easily walked or bypassed.

We got into camp at the civilised time of around 6.30pm (we left this morning at 7am) so there was time to eat and have a campfire.

After a decent sleep I felt significantly better, but still not perfect. Interestingly Boomerang, whose is usually a very strong walker, felt today like he had no energy at all. Maybe a bug?

I was low in energy but ground out the day.

The Chairman was on the same train so we reunited at the platform. A quick walk to the bus stop allowed us to catch the next bus to Yreka. We’re doing this because reports from the Trinity Alps say that it’s not really feasible to take that route because of snow.The next stage of the journey was to be a bus to Seiad Valley, but unfortunately that one only runs Thursday and Friday so no luck. So we had breakfast at the Black Bear Diner and then nipped over to Walmart for a quick resupply top-up.

While Energizer was inside, he was recognised from his Facebook posts by a local, Derek! So by chance we were driven back to his place, fed and even took a dip in their pool!Even better, Derek drove us to Seiad Valley! The downside was that is was now 4.30pm and 35°. We started a long, continuous 4000′ climb and for some reason about 2 miles in I felt really unwell and really felt I couldn’t move on at all. Luckily Freddy, the star he is, noticed I was taking a long time to get to the nearby spring. He left his pack and came back for me, taking my pack to the spring for me. Once I had doused myself with cold water for a while I felt better and competed the 10 miles, albeit arriving after dark.On the way we bumped into Ranger and Beerman, last seen at Kennedy Meadows too! And some Forestry Service guys maintaining the trail.

Stayed in the hotel for as long as I could, then got a Lyft to the ‘eat as much as you like’ Indian buffet. And I did.A quick resupply at the dollar store and Aldi followed, and then another Lyft to the Amtrak station.The San Joaquins service to Martinez was comfortable, but the Coast Starlight service I was connecting with was very late, so a long wait.By now it was nearly midnight, so the rest tomorrow.

Nothing to tell today. Left the hostel and stopped off at the wonderful Schatt’s bakery for coffee and a little breakfast. Then on to the bus stop for the Kern Valley service to Mojave.

The bus was a little late so I missed the Amtrak bus but there was a different one an hour later so I grabbed that.

Bakersfield was unremarkable but it was witheringly hot, 43° at peak. Luckily the Vagabond Inn had good Aircon, and was in fact excellent all round for the very cheap price.

Well the Hostel California is a great place. Time to recover and assess my next step.

I’ve decided to flip to mile 1500. The temperature here has got markedly warmer and the snow melt has started in earnest. This means the time available each day for walking on crusty snow is shrinking, and the dangers from avalanches and high creek crossings is increasing.

There are other reasons for moving North. One is that I can rejoin with Energizer and The Chairman, and another is that now I’ve seen the Sierra in deep snow, I can come back later and see it in its summer glory.

So tomorrow I’m taking the bus to Mojave and then the Amtrak Thruway bus to Bakersfield.

The day after I’ll get the train up to Dunsmuir. By a ridiculous coincidence The Chairman, who is driving most of the way, will join the exact same train at Redding.

So now I’ll have to head my posts ‘Mile ????, Miles Hiked ????’.

BTW, anyone remember the old TV series ‘CHiPS’?

Up again at 4.15am to catch palatable snow conditions. A short walk, but significant elevation gain, to the start of the Bullfrog Side Trail followed by a pretty, but snow covered, walk to Kearsage Pass. While not as high as Forester, still a substantial and tiring climb especially since we wanted to finish it before the sun softened the snow.

The descent from Kearsage to the Onion Valley Campground was through soft snow but no where near as taxing as the snow past Forester. Still, a couple of glissades sped things up considerably.

Upon entering the campground we got lucky. An ex-PCT hiker named Jim (Jersey) was reading at his car, and upon chatting he offered a lift. Now Kevin (Dickbag) needed to get to Lone Pine to pick up packages and I wanted to get to Bishop. Remarkably Jim drove us both to Lone Pine then back up the same road to Bishop. We bought him lunch for his trouble.

Now at the Hostel California, a brilliant hostel with loan bikes to get around town and guaranteed accommodation for PCT hikers (online they were full).

I was so tired I slept for 10 hours.

A bit of an epic day. My alarm went off at 4.15am. The climb up to Forester Pass is a large exposed snowfield, so once warmed by the sun would be a nightmare to walk on. As is was, it was nice and crunchy and we made good time up to the foot of the pass.Now it was ice axe and crampons time as we ascended up to 13200′, the highest point on the PCT. It was relatively straightforward but looked pretty scary. We were very happy when we got over the pass.That didn’t last too long though, because the other side had deep snow and by now the powerful sun had done it’s work. We postholed for about a mile, very frustrating. Moreover since the trail is entirely covered in snow, one steep switchback was non-existent. So we had no choice but to follow what others had clearly done and glissade (that is slide at speed on our arses) down a pretty steep slope. It turned out to be one of three glissades.The rest of the day was descending on soft snow down to 9560′ which was tiring.So a long day, but full of fun.Those who know me know I stick my tongue out while concentrating. Big mistake here, the sun was so intense with the altitude and reflection off the snow that I sunburnt it. No joke, and really painful!