The race is on today. We've been chasing Shamu's Trainer and Barnyard all morning long -- all morning, that is, in addition to the past 1100 miles and over two months. They're just around the bend. They're just out of reach. Maybe today isn't going to be the day afterall. We've stopped for lunch -- PB and chocolate chips and walnuts on tortillas -- at a gushing, lush creek gully. My feet are killing me. Old callouses, tried and true, having lived smbiotically with the rest of my foot for over 1000 miles inside my old New Balances, are now out of place down there in the new Nikes. Hot and swollen, they're like a couple of gas station corn dogs, re-fried, immersed in a greasy pressure cooker, steaming.
Later, and we're pushing for 31 or so miles for the day. We've entered and left behind the Trinity Alps Wilderness today. Great red tallus slopes, lush, verdant meadows, views of snow skirted Shasta, and a panorama of the Trinity's Alpine high peaks -- glacier bound and quite beautiful -- provide the centerpiece for our passage through this parcel of protected land.
At long last, we've finally caught them. Coming around a bend, late in the afternoon, there they were sitting down in a not so picturesque clear cut, Shamu's Trainer and Barnyard (Shamli and Sheila), slack packs on their backs, exhausted expressions of half recognition on their faces. It was a nice reunion after we made our way over and sat down with them. How're you doin? Where ya been? Remember this, remember that? Etc, etc . . .
We ended up walking the next five miles with them and then taking a side trail up and over a ridge (I was really tired at this point and was in a state of dumb disbelief that we were putting in our 35th mile for the day and weren't even on the PCT anymore) to Kangaroo Lake where Shamli's parents were camping, as well as Heather and Matt, "The Boat People," with whom they had been hiking the day previous to this one.
We ended up having a wonderful, wonderful time tonight. Jim and Judy Tarbell were so thrilled to meet more hikers, and so interested in hearing our stories. They cooked up a feast of great food. We all drank beer and wine and slept piled into one campsite -- random couples were spread out at every available flat spot. We had met Sheila's mother a couple of times down in Southern CA earlier this summer, and it was nice to see the other set out and roughing it. These two have pretty amazing support out there, as do I, so I know how good it can be. Being that both sets of parents live here in CA, though, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that most every flip-flopper this year has gotten to spend at least a lunch break or had a passing conversation with Sheila's mother or Shamli's parents.
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