Day 48: ⛺ @ mile 684 - Kennedy Meadows

Day: 25.05 2918 Miles hiked today: 16.4 Miles on PCT (+3 miles to Grumpy Bears Retreat) Total Mileage: Mile 700.4 After a very long night sleep we got up at our usual time and started hiking slightly before 6 am. Yeah, seems I am getting a bit faster in the morning to pack my stuff together :) to start with, it's a 3.4 mile uphill hike. But that's ok. It's foggy and hence it will not be hot. After about 1 mile the fog clears up, giving way to the sun and shows its beautiful movements down in the distance. It looks like a sea of clouds in between islands (mountain peaks). The uphill turned out to be really easy. We have done the hardest part already last night and it's a smooth and gradual uphill hike. From the top of the mountain we spot what must be the Sierras. High mountain peaks still covered in snow! That's amazing! What's also amazing is that there is only about 10 miles left until we reach our first real river where we hope to stay for the day (and might even also for the night) and dip into the water - and it's all downhill or flat hiking from now on :) brilliant, let's do it. We nearly hiked 10 miles without one stop. We only stopped for breakfast shortly before we hiked 10 miles and just about managed to do the 10 by 10 again. Our breakfast break was a long one but I enjoyed it. Since we started hiking again from lake isabella our days seem to be more relaxed, a little less miles hiked but longer breaks. I love it! We arrived at the river and found a sweet spot around 11 am. We have all afternoon for sun bathing, dipping into the water, relax, nap, and enjoy! This feels like being on vacation! How wonderful live is! The water of the river is cold but really refreshing. I dip in about 5 times that day. As the wind picks up in the afternoon we decided to hike on to Kennedy Meadows around 5 pm. It's about a 5.4 miles hike but 3 out of these 5.4 miles are non PCT miles to get to Grumpy Bears Retreat. Kennedy Meadows is the place where the desert section of the PCT is left behind and the Sierras will start. Everybody is really excited about this. Finally, done with the desert and the Sierras to come up with. I think the Sierras will be my favourite part of the PCT so I am really looking forward to this section. However, every year there is a big discussion going on if it is safe to start with the Sierras yet or you should wait for more snow to melt. We are really really early here in Kennedy Meadows this year. In a normal snow year (I guess as this year) they recommend to start to hike into the sierras no earlier than the 7th of june, but the best time to start your hike would be between the 10th and 15th of june (that's what I heard). Last year was a very special year because of the excessive amount of snow, also called a high or very high snow year. So hikers from this year always compare the snow level to last year. Of course it's much less snow but this year is also not a high snow year. So you can't really compare this year to last year's but rather to another "normal" snow year. And also don't forget that most hikers had to skip the Sierras last year and return to hike it later in the year. However, it's not even june yet but I heard that some hikers started with the sierras already. We have to stay here in Kennedy Meadows anyway until Monday morning as Joannes sister (Irene) and brother (Peter) are joining us for some weeks hiking. But at the moment I am also thinking that it is "safe" to start hiking the Sierras. The southern part is mostly snow free but the northern part is still covered in some snow (also from hearing). But apparently it's supposed to snow till 10'000 feet the upcoming days. However, we still have some to carefully think about it and make a decision. Shortly before arriving at Kennedy Meadows we hit the 700 mile marker. Both of us completely forgot about it so we nearly missed it! We arrived at the Grumpy Bears Retreat around 7pm, hungry and thirtsty. We are allowed to pitch our tent wherever we want and did so straight away. We entered the bar/restaurant and wanted to order a beer and some food. To sit at the bar and order a beer I need to bring my passport and food is only served till 7 pm, we are too late! What a disappointment! I am so angry right now. How can a restaurant only take food orders till 7pm??! That also happened to us in Warner Springs once and I could hardly believe it. But we can't change it, that's how it works here. So I headed back to my tent to get my passport at least I can get a beer then. Food is still being served. So we see all these yummie pizza coming out of the kitchen, that's really a punishment :( we seemed to look quitr down and hungry and the DJ (He is pensioned an taking care of the music there) offered us half of his big pizza. The world is being nice to us again! I also asked where and when I can check for my parcels. I am hopping for 3 boxes here. And really all of them are here, waiting for me! Box 1 is some Iong, warm underpants from arcteryx I ordered online and I was really looking forward to them. But what a disappointment, this are not the pants I wanted! What happened?! That's annoying again but I put them on the side. I can check tomorrow what I shall do. In the 2nd box are my new shoes I have ordered online from REI. Let's try them on tomorrow and hope they work out better then the ones I currently have. Please no more blisters! And in the 3rd box is a food parcel from Heike, a friend of mine, has send me! Joanne and me are all excited about it. Feels like Christmas!!! We open it carefully and the box is full of delicious food! Each item is being checked and commented on. Heike did a brilliant job! She even thought of small things such as q tips or a toothbrush! Thank you so so much for this food box it was so much fun to receive a parcel I have no clue what's in it :) and believe me, I am not giving away one single item - It's all mine :) that rounds up this wonderful day and makes it a perfect one! After all this excitement its time for bed now:)