Author: kaulua26

November 1st, 2019Mm 609 to Italian Trap Trailhead mm 639.8Distance in miles: 30.80610-1735 It was cold overnight but not as cold as others. I was so happy nested in my space under the ponderosa. It might be my last campsite with my favorite trees this trip, so I savored it. The morning brought more cool balanced rocks and rock formations in general. It was like a rock wonderland, a boulderer’s mecca. The trail dropped back into the desert scrub and I mourned my departure from the pines. I followed a series of creek beds and canyons for awhile. The terrain was very steep and rugged, the trail overgrown. Just as soon as I descended thousands of feet, I was climbing[…]

October 31st, 2019American Flag Trailhead mm 590.4 to mm 609Distance in miles: 18.60915-1720 The space heater barely kept pace with the cold overnight. I was so glad I wasn’t outside. I ate breakfast in my room from what I scrounged from the hiker box and was ready to hit the trail again. Marney offered to stop at the cafe on the way, where I got a piece of rhubarb strawberry pie as well as a peach strawberry scone. Yum! The trail immediately started heading up, so I was then thankful for the cold. I was about to climb over 3500′. The trail gained the ridgeline and I had great views for hours. I could see the outskirts of Tucson and[…]

October 30th, 2019Mm 572.8 to American Flag Trailhead mm 590.4Distance in miles: 17.60610-1215 It got really cold and clammy overnight, with a little condensation on my tent. A cold breeze was blowing when I hit the trail. Cirrus clouds diffused the sunlight and it continued to be chilly throughout the morning. This was a nice thing, since it made for easy hiking through an exposed section. I was headed for another town and only had about 10 miles to go. I caught up to a guy named Gabriele just before the trailhead. He was an aeronautical engineer for the Canadian Air Force and had gotten just enough time off to hike the AZT as a long section. He’d already called[…]

October 29th, 2019Mm 540.1 to mm 572.8Distance in miles: 32.70600-1740 Voices rang out in the darkness. I woke instantly and saw 2 headlights bobbing along the trail. I checked the time…it was 2:30 am. With perfect clarity, I realized this must be the trail runner that was going for the women’s supported FKT—fastest known time on the AZT. A friend was running with her and they glided past me, not knowing I was camped there. My tent was especially hidden, in the small wash and camouflaged. It’s funny that at such an hour, in my foggy state, the scenario didn’t even strike me as unusual. This was precisely why I never pitched my tent on the trail. I expect people[…]

October 28th, 2019Mm 507 to mm 540.1Distance in miles: 33.10600-1730 I woke up a lot during the night because the wind was rustling my tent. But I didn’t mind because the view out my window was so lovely. I just gazed at the stars and fell back asleep. It was so warm that I couldn’t even put my feet inside my quilt’s footbox at first. It’s nice to be this warm. While packing in the morning, I was able to take off almost all my layers. The early morning was very pleasant but I worried that I would be suffering from the heat later on. One consolation was that I’d be following the Gila River for about 15 miles, so[…]

October 27th, 2019HWY 60 Picket Post Trailhead mm 487.5 to mm 507Distance in miles: 19.51130-1800 I woke with lots to do still. I needed to go grocery shopping for resupplies, but the store didn’t open until 9 am. MJ made me an omelette and I had more of her delicious fresh bread. She also gave me some of her homemade granola to take away. MJ is a mom, grandma, and even a great grandma and she just loves caring for people. Al did his part by resupplying the nearby water caches. Today he was off early in his jeep to deliver water to FR4, which had been out of water for some time, making for a 21 mile water-less stretch[…]

October 26th, 2019Mm 456.8 to HWY 60 mm 487.5Distance in miles: 30.70605-1730 I sleep great and woke to a steep climb out of the valley. I went over another ridge and dropped into a smaller valley and wash. As per usual, all the prickly plants were grabbing at my legs and hanging from above to gouge my face. I did a lot of acrobatics to avoid them, plus a lot of cursing. I start to feel a little anxiety about all the overgrowth. The trail just felt claustrophobic. I couldn’t go 15 seconds without something raking me. My skirt already had numerous rips and my legs were pretty scratched. My foot was swollen where the cactus spine pierced my skin[…]

October 25th, 2019Mm 425.3 to mm 456.8Distance in miles: 31.50605-1800 A cold wind blew all night and I had to really button down my quilt to keep out the drafts. I couldn’t believe it was so hot just a few days ago. I began hiking the trail just in time for the morning ethereal light, enjoying a fresh new day. After about an hour, I came around a bend and saw a furry black figure ambling down the trail in front of me. It was a black bear. I went into stealth mode, hoping to get a little closer, but at the next vantage point, it was gone. I realized that I was upwind, so it must have smelled me[…]

October 24th, 2019HWY 87 mm 402 to mm 425.3Distance in miles: 23.30950-1730 I really didn’t want to get back on the trail for some reason. I think it was because I enjoyed resting and relaxing at Jon and Laurel’s place so much the year before. At that point, I was done with the PCT. Now, I was still facing 400 miles of not so easy trail through the desert. I was kind of ready to be done with hiking this season. It had been a long year. At least this day brought cool winds and a forecasted high of only 80 degrees. The next few days were supposed to be even cooler, so that was good. Jon drove me back[…]

Day 16: October 22nd, 2019Mazatzal Ridge mm 381.3 to HWY 87 mm 402Distance in miles: 20.70605-1300 I slept well overnight but the wind picked up, making some noise. I was glad I didn’t camp at the more exposed site. The horizon was just getting light as I continued walking along the ridge. The glow seemed otherworldly. A few miles down the trail, I meet a SOBO couple, Cowboy and Aurora. They were cooking breakfast and we chatted for a bit. Like me, they were meeting someone at HWY 87 and getting off trail for a few days (Cowboy’s mom lived in Phoenix). The trail eventually wound down from the ridge and through a few creeks and canyons. I passed the[…]